Don’t let law school decisions determine your worth.
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
6,732 entries
Take the year to boost your score and apply early in the next cycle.
Ask for fee waivers if you don’t get them. No point in being squeezed by both law schools and the LSAC if you don’t have to be. Schools are very generous with them. (And ask early, it can take a while to hear back sometimes) Cornell-bound! Good luck to all, spend more time studying for the LSAT than I did.
I disclosed a stigmatized disability in my diversity statement. Obviously, I spun it well and explained how it makes me a valuable asset, but I definitely think it could have affected my admissions results. So if you are trying to make the decision whether or not to disclose a disability, consider it fully.
Expectation is the thief of joy… come into the cycle with an open mind, and you just might be pleasantly surprised. I can tell you, 100%, I felt more comfortable fitting into UMiami’s culture than ND’s (in terms of wealth and pretentiousness). My safety school turned out to be the greatest gift. Go Canes!
regret: not applying early but very happy to be attending Georgetown! did why x (somewhat meaningful- had personal connection/reasons) for berkeley, umich. did penn core essay, did georgetown top 10 applied for ucla epstein program, was waitlisted applied for BU public interest program, was rejected
LGBTQ, from low-income single-family home. Strong ties to California. Wrote PS about my experience founding an international NGO. DS was about my experience overcoming a childhood trauma and healing from PTSD in my adulthood. Wrote “Why Berkeley” and several other “Why X” essays and all optional essays.
Mexican-American, attended an Ivy+ school for undergrad and graduated in three years. Had some solid internships, did some research, and was involved with student organizing on campus, but nothing extraordinary. My personal statement dealt with my experiences with my family and heritage in the borderlands.
Apply early! Do not do what I did! I believe I would have had more acceptances and better success in scholarship negotiations if I had taken my own adivce.
Remember, you aren’t just your stats. Take a break from LSData - eat some ice cream and do something nice for yourself :) Favorite ice cream: Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia… or Rocky Road Maxed out on LORs for every school - had Profs and Managers write them. obligatory “this cycle sucks” lol :)
Life didn’t end when I got a 126 on my diagnostic and a 146 on my first LSAT
LSAT 163 GPA 3.89 2021–22 cycle
Admitted to University of California—Los Angeles
Somehow put my stats into the homepage calculator and got 0.0% of getting into UCLA. I’m graduating next week and avoiding finals right now lol. You can do it! Stop stressing, enjoy the outside, have delicious food, hang out with your friends…there will be so much time in the future to stress. Good luck!
If you are just thinking about law school, but don’t know which field you want to specialize in, or don’t know what to do about the future in general -> a CS degree is never the wrong choice (unless it kills your GPA). I took LSAT 4 times, which was a horrible decision. DO NOT take it until you are ready.
If you feel like you could’ve done better RETAKE the lsat. I took the test one time and have regrets because I know I could’ve gotten higher. Also, please don’t make the mistake of not writing the optional/supplemental essays. Schools see that and auto waitlist/reject. You need to show sincere interest.
Just stay focused, take an LSAT prep course, take the LSAT as early as possible, and go for a retake if you’re close to your goal. If you take enough practice tests, you’re going to know in advance what you’re likely to score. I was within 1 point of my average after taking about 12 or 13 practice tests.
LSAT 174 GPA 3.59 2020–21 cycle
Apply early and write every additional essay (that you can respond to authentically). Do everything you can so that nothing is left on the table when you’re looking at your sea of waitlists and drowning in the regrets of the what-ifs and could’ve beens. Also, don’t apply in 2020-21. Any other year. Jeez.
Don’t believe the hype from r/lawschooladmissions. Look at applicant data, talk to admissions, and evaluate the strength of your resume/writing samples. Talk to your school’s advisors, but remember that their opinions are not the end-all-be-all for anything. 7sage and powerscore are great resources.
LSAT 154 GPA 3.87 2025–26 cycle
Unfortunately I will only apply to schools in cities I would be happy to live in… even if that means being delulu! I’ll let you know how it works out ;) BTW UVA R hurt, I’ve been waitlisted by them before. Twice.
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