Is there a disadvantage applying to the same law schools twice? 
I've read that I should complete my applications by Christmas, but I
got a late start and I'm wondering whether to apply now or just wait
and apply early next year. If a "reapplication" is not disfavored, I
thought I might as well apply now and try again next year at some of
the same schools if necessary.  I graduated from Penn in 1998 with a
3.2 gpa, and I
won't receive my LSAT score until January.

Dear natasha1,

If you have only now begun to work on your applications, it is nearly
certain that you will not meet a January 1 deadline. The greatest
delay is not in completing the forms, which shouldn't take more than a
day or two for each law school, but in arranging for letters of
recommendation and, of course, for test scores to be sent.

The good news is that few law schools -- none that I am aware of, in
fact -- have a January 1 application deadline. The most prestigious
law schools such as Harvard and Yale have February 1 deadlines, while
somewhat less selective schools such as Dickinson and Seton Hall have
deadlines of March 1 and April 4, respectively.

This does not mean that you should delay your applications any
further! If you do plan to apply for the 2005-2006 academic year, you
should immediately contact your two or three favorite professors from
your time at Penn to ask if they are willing to write you a good
recommendation, then send recommendation forms to those who reply in
the affirmative. If you expect a top-notch recommendation, you should
give your professors the courtesy of several weeks' notice before the
submission deadline. The same is true if you are seeking
recommendations from employers and others in the private sector, in
which case the search for a suitably credentialed person will probably
take even longer.

Further information on application timing is available on the following website.

The Princeton Review: When to Apply
http://www.princetonreview.com/law/apply/articles/process/timing.asp

As for reapplications, the chief advantage of reapplying a year later
is that you have more time to prepare a good application and to shore
up your credentials through further training or education.
Furthermore, if you submit your application in the middle of the
admission cycle, in late November or early December, you have a slight
edge over those who apply near the beginning or near the end. This is
because admissions officers are psychologically attuned to be more
stringent in the early phase, when they are conscious of the need to
keep some spots open for later applicants, yet in the final stretch,
so many stellar applicants have already been accepted that it is
difficult to squeeze in the last few.

As for the mere fact of having applied one year earlier and having
been declined, this should not prejudice the admissions officers one
way or the other, barring a change in policy such as the institution
of quotas or a change in your own application such as a significantly
higher LSAT score or a much better pair of recommendations. If
someone's application was denied in a previous year and this person
reapplies at the same point in the admission cycle in the following
year, it is likely to be rejected once again.

The long and short of it is that if you don't think you can put
together a application that does full credit to your talents and
submit this at least two weeks before the application deadline, you
probably shouldn't bother unless your acceptance appears to be a sure
thing anyway. If, however, you do submit a good application in the
spring and find that a particular school has declined to accept it,
you are highly unlikely to increase your chances by reapplying for the
following academic year. Reapplication doesn't carry an automatic
penalty, but it is unlikely to help you either. Very few applicants
manage to boost their LSAT scores or the quality of their letters of
recommendation in a year's span.

Since you've already taken the LSAT, you're actually in pretty good
shape if you know where you want to apply and you have the admission
materials in hand. With some intensive paperwork in the coming days
and a wait of several weeks for your referees to send in their letters
of recommendation, you should be able to handily meet the application
deadlines of many fine law schools.

It has been a pleasure to address this question on your behalf. If you
feel that any part of my answer is unclear or incorrect, please advise
me through a Clarification Request so that I have the opportunity to
fully meet your needs before you assign a rating.

Regards,

leapinglizard

"Is there a disadvantage?"  I don't think so.  I have students who
have applied to law schools and got turned down one year, but accepted
the next year after they improved their LSAT.  Don't be afraid to call
the admissions people at the law school and ask. You don't need to
give your name.

Assuming you get a LSAT score that is respectable, you should be
offered a slot for next fall.  Get moving on your applications.   If
you havent already, either buy or go down to the library get the
"ABA-LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools".

Another tip I give my students is make sure you pick the level of law
school that will serve your career interests.  Do you want to be the
President of the United States?  If so you need to go to Harvad, Yale,
or one of the top 10 law schools.

If you want to run your own hometown law firm you don't need to waste
your money on the Ivy schools.  A nice State Law school is alot
cheaper and gives you what you need: A Law Degree. No client has ever
asked what law school I got my degree from (it was a mid level state
school).

Good Luck

Professor/Lawyer