Score caveat:
I retested during the cycle. I asked schools not to hold my file for future scores, so admits and denials should be considered with respect to my score at the time of submission/decision, not my final high score.
September 2024 LSAT: 171
October 2024 LSAT: 171
November 2024 LSAT: 173
January 2025 LSAT: 176
NOTE: Yale rejected me before my January LSAT score was released.

Essays:
Always wrote at least one optional essay.
Had a strong “Why Michigan?” essay.
Proudest of my SLS essays. They were damn good.

Interviews:
Berkeley Kira: Felt good.
GULC: Group interview. Felt good.
Texas Kira: Felt awkward.
Cornell Kira: Felt awkward.
Northwestern Kira: Felt good.
HLS: Felt pretty good, but didn’t feel like I drove my points home clearly.
Columbia: Felt good.

My assessment/commentary on why certain decisions may have shook out the way the did:
Rs:
Yale R: It’s Yale. Come on.
Chicago R: If I had to guess, they thought I wouldn’t be a good fit. I’m deeply progressive, and my reasons for going into a legal career lie in my progressive roots.
Berkeley R: Really not sure on this one. My gut says yield protection and it being clear I wasn’t targeting them based on my continued LSAT testing after applying initially with a score above their median.
WLs:
UCLA WL: See Berkeley.
Michigan WL: See Berkeley.
UT Austin WL: See Berkeley.
Penn WL: Not sure. Didn’t have a strong interest in attending, so that may have shone through.
Columbia R/WL after II: See Penn.
Duke WL: See Penn.
UVA WL: See Penn.
As:
UF A: Got admitted quickly, most likely due to my stats.
UGA A: Got admitted quickly, most likely due to my stats.
Georgetown (evening program) A: I had compelling reasons to attend part-time.
Cornell A: Got admitted right after my 176 dropped.
Northwestern A: Got admitted (but not quickly), most likely due to my stats.
Harvard A: I don’t know, but it was the happiest day of my life.