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

Wrote optional essays for all schools that requested them - I always wrote a “Why X” if it was an option and then any other pertinent prompts. A WashU AO said my personal statement was one of the best she’d ever read during my interview with them, so I’d say my writing was likely pretty good.

Sent periodic LOCIs until June or so to all WL schools except Vandy, UCLA and USC. It didn’t help at all - getting off the waitlist is ridiculously hard.

Takeaways:
Don’t take too many risks in your PS like I did. Play it safe unless you absolutely have to. I regret writing about my PS topic - I received a lot of commendation and praise for my writing, but I don’t think it went well overall.

I think my softs outside of what I wrote my PS about were pretty weak, and that probably hurt me the most. I don’t think good writing can overcome mediocre softs, or at least not in 2024. Being a splitter didn’t help either, but I’ve seen enough people with my stats get better outcomes than me to say that it wouldn’t have screwed me on its own.

Also, I’m pretty sure I might be the only person on this site to fail to get my GULC scholarship raised, let alone twice. Hoya Saxa.

2L Update: I struck out on BigLaw despite finishing at/slightly above median during 1L. (GULC is not forthcoming with what the median is). Apply early, and for god’s sake, choose Cornell over Georgetown!! Self-selection here is minimal. I know 25+ students who struck out.