GoldenSeoul '23–'24 app cycle Class of 2027 class year

As a re-applicant, I recommend reviewing my profile from the last cycle before proceeding (please refer to user “ModernSeoul”).

Comparing the two, you’ll notice that I was much more successful this cycle than last, with over 8x more in scholarship money and 8 straight acceptances (compared to 0). I think this came down to two factors:

My LSAT performance: I spent about three months actively studying for the LSAT for the fifth and final time. I took the LSAT in September and due to some technical difficulties, scheduled it a few weeks later. I scored a few points below my average by that stage (not an unusual outcome, so definitely something to account for). By this time, I had spent about two years parsing through the underlying patterns and logic of the exam. However, I shifted my approach over those three months, notably for logical reasoning and reading comprehension. I used 7Sage to understand the fundamentals in the early years and transitioned to “The LSAT Trainer” by Mike Kim for the remaining time. One crucial lesson I had ignored up until that point is that there is a logical flow behind most, if not all, LR questions. For instance, all strengthening questions ask you to understand the relationship between the premises and the main conclusion. Once I understood that relationship, it was easier to parse through the nonsense and find the single, correct answer. During this training phase, I developed a specific strategy for all types of questions (which loosely followed Kim’s recommendations), and that ultimately helped me digest the information efficiently and accurately. Repetition is going to be your best friend. For RC specifically, I forced myself to focus less on the details and more on the underlying structure. I was more interested in the relationships between each paragraph and having a loose understanding of the argument. Similar to LR, once you read enough passages, you begin to anticipate the direction of passages and that can help ground you when the technical information seems overwhelming.
Partnering with a consultant: I was hesitant to include this because I know this is a privilege that not everyone can afford. In retrospect, I think you can absolutely be successful if you keep in mind that an application needs to reflect a specific series of chapters in your life story. Each component needs to complement the others and offer just enough information, but no more. To illustrate, I significantly reduced the number of supplements I wrote this cycle and focused primarily on the core ones. Beyond those, I wrote Why X statements for all target and reach schools and only completed additional supplements if they were required. I believe one of the mistakes I made last cycle was sharing too much random information that didn’t tie back to anything in my core application; having quirky interests may add color, but if they aren’t connected to anything else, they just feel out of place. As much as it pains me, I believe the written components are rather formulaic. Based on my experience, you’ve done what was asked if you directly respond to the prompt and revise as necessary until your writing is concise and purposeful.

With all the above in mind, I want to reiterate what I shared in my other profile. The LSAT and GPA get your foot in the door, and the rest of your application gets you admitted. I highly recommend using LSD’s applicant search/chance me feature (https://www.lsd.law/search) to better understand your likely outcomes. Most, if not all, of my results reflected what was laid out in this feature, so it helped me come to terms with what was realistic and what wasn’t. I think the numbers are truly telling, but as with all projections, there are certainly exceptions. I was legitimately shocked after being directly admitted to Berkeley Law (where I will be attending this Fall), so not everything can be explained by the data.

I hope this offered some value to you, whether as a current or future applicant. Stranger to stranger, the only other thing I want to mention is to remember your roots and what truly matters. Law school will be one chapter, but will certainly not be the entire story. Life is such a beautiful mixture of the mundane and the extraordinary, so I urge you to appreciate those moments while on this journey. And on that note, signing off for what will likely be the final time on this platform!