HorseCrazyTraveler '25–'26 app cycle Class of 2029 class year

UPDATE 6/16/2026:
Wow, that was crazy and kind of awful! I am so thankful the law school application process has ended, especially since it ended with good news.

After being devastated upon receiving a waitlist invitation from my top choice, and begrudgingly coming to terms with the fact that I may have to attend the same university at which I earned my undergraduate AND graduate degrees, after four months, I was not only accepted into Emory Law, but given a $40,000/year scholarship. Hooray!

Such a decision did not come without additional work - I secured a paralegal internship (an internship I believe I only received because I had been volunteering with the organization for a year and a half), spoke with numerous current and former students, sent two LOCIs, attended additional events on campus, asked the admissions office questions, and made sure to reiterate that Emory Law was my top choice. I believe that those efforts, combined with four waitlist offers from schools higher ranked than Emory (including two T14s) and my application as a whole helped push me over the edge.

Could I have waited to hear back from the other schools, most notably one of the T14s (since the other removed me from the waitlist)? Sure - however, chances are those schools would not have given me a scholarship worth 55% of my tuition, nor would I have been able to remain living where I do now (a place that is a 15 minute drive from Emory and I don’t have to pay rent - thank you generous boyfriend who believes in me). Ultimately, Emory is the best choice for me and my goals.

This cycle was brutal - in my initial “Words of Wisdom” posting, I was far too optimistic, and was fortunate to even be one of the few people in my peer group to have received an acceptance from a law school at all given my LSAT score. I received a reality check, one that I hope will serve me well as I prepare for what I am certain will be the most intense academic endeavor I have undertaken.

For those who have stumbled across my profile and have taken the time to read my rambling…don’t lose hope and do push yourself, but remember to be realistic. The job market sucks and as a result more and more people are trying to escape it/ride it out by pursuing advanced degrees.

Make sure you position yourself as a unique candidate (although as much as I hate to admit it, the LSAT is 100% one of if not THE most important factor). You should also ensure that you genuinely like the offerings at the schools to which you are applying. If the only reason you’re applying is because of prestige, or because you received an application fee waiver thinking the school was interested in you (I’ll admit to falling for that), that will not serve you well if the admissions team is deciding between you or a person that has demonstrated genuine interest in the school.

Good luck and stay hopeful!

…….

I’ve got this, and you do too. The worst they can say is no.

We already know the LSAT sucks but I’ll say it here. The LSAT absolutely SUCKS. For whatever reason, this test and I just did not mesh. I’d never had an issue with standardized tests before - I got a 1250 on the SAT and a 31 on the ACT without studying (I even fell asleep halfway through the ACT). For whatever reason, despite how much time, money (and there was a lot of money, too much money, thank goodness for generous boyfriends who believe in you), and effort I put into studying, I just could not beat the LSAT.

That doesn’t mean you can’t though! Could I have studied more? Sure. But I think anyone who doesn’t get a 175+ could have studied more. Try not to let your score beat you up the way I’ve let it. Make sure you focus everything you’ve got on your softs - volunteering, work experience, certifications, special interests, any adversity you’ve overcome or significant experiences you’ve had that shaped you as a person - and take the time to write a compelling personal statement that paints a well-rounded picture of you. That’s all you can do if your LSAT and/or GPA aren’t the greatest.

Try everything within your power to control your anxiety, there will be a lot of it (especially if you have a diagnosed anxiety/depression disorder like me).
I did not attempt to receive accommodations as I did not want to be stuck in a room with the LSAT longer than absolutely necessary, but if you do seek out accommodations, make sure you practice within those conditions. Once your applications are submitted, try to find things to occupy your time - I’m healing from fully rupturing my Achilles tendon in mid-September 2025 (that certainly did not help with my LSAT in November), so I’ve had physical therapy, cooking, and volunteering to try and keep my mind off the seemingly inescapable dread that has taken up residence in my stomach for the last month or so.

I’ve got this though, and you do too. I was very ambitious with my applications (I may be riding on my GPA a little too much). But you never know!

I wrote this before I received any decisions on my applications. I’ll make an update once I do.

P.S. Stay away from the r/lawschooladmissions sub-reddit. It will do you very little if any favors.