SqueamishSlipperyWalnut '24–'25 app cycle Class of 2028 class year

30,000-foot View Advice:
Apply Early:- I have all too many friends who applied later in the process and got totally shut out of schools that they may well have gotten an acceptance from had they applied early. This year (2024-25) was unique in the volume increase in applicants, so maybe with schools being better adjusted to the pace/volume of applications, it’ll be less disadvantageous to apply later in the cycle, but I’d err on the side of caution.
Be authentic, especially in your why law/why now- : At their core, one’s essays should create a narrative of why you’ve made the choices in your academic/professional life and how those choices and the experiences you’ve had have led you to apply to law school when you are. This sounds like “Yeah, duh?” advice, but I’ve read so many personal statements that lose that thread and are either narratively incoherent or don’t meaningfully articulate why law school is the right decision for them now. Especially for those applying to top schools, they have far more high-stat applicants than they do available seats. Be an individual, tell a compelling story, and demonstrate that you’ve truly given a significant amount of thought about why law school is the right decision for you.
Study early for the LSAT- : I gave the LSAT a whirl for the first time after only studying for 2.5 months. Not my best move. For my second test (171), I studied for 8 months. This allowed me to study less per day, but far more effectively and without getting burnt out.
Work Experience is becoming increasingly important- : Frankly, this is the area of my application that I think was weakest. Like I said in my second bullet point, GPA/LSAT scores continue to rise, so these top schools are increasingly going to have to look for non-numerical differentiators between applicants – WE is chief among them.

If you’re reading this, I’m rooting for you: believe in yourself, put your best foot forward, and be you. Good things come to those who stay true – know your ‘why’ and show schools what a great person you are and kickass lawyer you’ll become.