DistinctRedRag '25–'26

Be realistic with your expectations and where you apply, but also, don’t be afraid to take a few long shots; you never know what can happen. Also, make sure you consider median inflation when constructing your list and looking at the results of prior cycles🫣.

To be honest, I wish that I put down LSD and Reddit after submitting my apps. These tools were VERY useful for researching before submitting my apps, but refreshing my status tracker 5x a day for 7 months did nothing but make me more anxious. On that note, I do wish that I did better research into understanding medians/the influence that softs and other factors have on an app. I didn’t necessarily fully understand this until after submitting, but that is my fault.

Most importantly, take care of yourself and your mental health. Law applications and your results don’t define you. Take care of your wellbeing and life beyond your apps.

Future applicants, I hope that your cycles are a little less chaotic! Regardless, GOOD LUCK, and know that you will end up where you are meant to be! ALL IT TAKES IS ONE A‼️

*withdrew from SMU 3/31/26