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

LSAT: took multiple times, 167 highest.
GPA: 3.7ish in a STEM field, then flunked out of medical school (kinda).

Writing Materials:
Personal statement - finding a passion for child advocacy as a teacher, wanting to transfer that skill to be a juvenile public defender.
Diversity/Experience essay - being a bi teacher in a very red state, striving to make my classroom inclusive to LGBTQ students.
*Why Xs *- tried my best to tell them something about myself as I talked about what interested me about the school. Didn’t write a Why X if I didn’t have a compelling reason and was over both medians/75ths.

Application Advice/Notes:
Definitely ask for FWs, I got them almost everywhere.- Take the optional essays seriously.
W&L - wrote why X & dilemma essay.
PSU / ASU** - wrote basic why X.
UIUC - indicated Chicago preference.
UGA - wrote supplemental statement.
UCI (yay) / UNC (ugh) / UVA (expected) **- wrote really high-effort why X about very unique things the schools have related to my background and goals.

Cycle Timeline:
11/22 - ASU A + $$. Came as a video in an email, not status checker.
12/4-12/8 - SMU A. Email/ASO.
Scholly II 12/7, scheduled 12/11, super basic and conversational.– Iowa A, through email.
Scholly II 12/8, sched. 12/12, some complex questions but still conversational. $$$$ few days later.12/14 - W&L acceptance, email/ASO.
Scholly ($$$+) came 1/3.12/19 - Georgia hold, seem to be chasing a 169 median so not holding my breath.
1/1-1/5 - Dickinson A + $$$$ish, fast turnaround.
– UVA R and UMN WL.
– Bama A w/ $$$, nice call with acceptance and email later.
1/11 - PSL A + $$$$ish.
1/18 - WFU WL, super strange outcome. Must not have liked something in my materials b/c I’m the only 167 not to get in.
1/22-1/26 - UCI A + $$, was not expecting to get in here.
– UIUC A + $$$$, this was the outcome I retook my LSAT hoping for. So happy!!!
– IU A + $$$+, kinda weird to not get the full-tuition here. Plan to negotiate.
1/29-2/2 - UNC hold, which feels like a soft WL based on last year’s data.
– TAMU WL…
– BC WL…
– IU negotiation did not work :/
2/5-2/9 - no decisions, applied for UCI PSS.
2/19-2/23 - OSU A, scholly coming later.
2/26-3/1 - Emory A w/ $$$.
3/4-3/8 - OSU scholly ($$$) came 3/7.
– UWisc II, seems likely to lead to A.
3/11-3/15 - W&L raised scholly $15k.
– UGA R.
3/18-3/22 - Withdrew from both PSUs.
3/25-3/29 - CWRU A w/ $$$+.
4/1-4/5 - Withdrew from all 4/1 seat deposit schools. Basically all but committed to UIUC, go Illini!