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

First generation college/professional student, low-income background, LGBTQ+, nURM, 4 years out of undergrad with 5+ years of work experience in a non-legal field

This was my second cycle and I’m so happy I made the decision to reapply. Last cycle I was choosing between Hofstra and Pitt, waitlisted at 13/26 schools, and only had conditional scholarships.

When your GPA is low the two best things you can do are put time into getting above your goal schools scores on the LSAT (I took it 3 times with a year and a half between my second and third time and went 157>162>167) and taking the time to write good app materials, I wrote all of the optional essays and did a lot of research for my Why X essays to make them genuine. I also wrote a GPA addendum that was about half a page and very clearly stated why my GPA was what it was. I didn’t make any excuses or provide unnecessary context and I think changing up that essay really helped my cycle this year.

Stetson was my front runner until I visited Richmond. I ended up loving the school and I really got a sense that I would thrive there. Similarly, Brooklyn was actually a top choice school for me until I visited and realized I didn’t want to be in NYC and really couldn’t picture myself there. Definitely visit schools in person wherever possible.

I ended my cycle when Richmond offered me the Deans Scholar Award which required me to withdraw from all other schools but guarantees a full scholarship for all 3 years (that adjusts with tuition increases). This wasn’t their initial scholarship offer. Upon acceptance I received 45,000 dollars a year. They increased my award in January. I didn’t reach out to negotiate or anything so it was a nice surprise!

Moral of the story is don’t sell yourself short! I went into this process not expecting to see any scholarship money and now I have a full ride to one of my top schools! Put your best foot forward, connect with schools, and focus on your LSAT and don’t get too caught up in the rankings :)