All apps sent in either the last week of September or early to mid October, except for YLS (right before Thanksgiving). Wrote supplementals for Stanford (time travel, 3 songs), Penn (core values), UMich (why Mich), Duke (why Duke), UCB (why Berkeley), Georgetown (top 10) and UCLA (programmatic contribution). To all…
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
817 entries
Admitted to Georgetown Universityi am not a URM but for some reason there was no “asian” option other than “east asian”, which i’m not. some things i did: wrote every why x possible took a week and a half off work to tour schools kept in email contact with my top schools attended every in-person or virtual event hosted by all of the schools i…
10+ years Active Duty Air Force - Enlisted - SNCO Currently Air Force Reserves Multiple Decorated Combat Deployments Special Duty Positions and Special Operations GS-13 civilian position, Intelligence Community Harvard Law School - Rejection on 5 April 2021 - Not even an interview invite, unfortunately. Timing…
A few bits of advice: Apply earlier than I did if you can, you’ll probably cut back on the stress a bit, but they’re right when they say you should submit when you’re ready. Really think about whether you’d actually attend a school before you apply, maybe save yourself the money. I sent in far too many applications…
A non-original PS, rushed supplemental essays (for the schools I did turn them into), and a non-cohesive resume are (what I assume) the reasons for my results. High stats aren’t sufficient anymore - make sure you’re sending well-rounded applications with a cohesive personal narrative. Rejection can always be…
As a reapplicant “I would go 0-30 before I would go 0-9. 0-9 means you beat yourself, you psyched yourself out of the game.”
Start studying for the LSAT early and get books to study with. I highly recommend The Loophole in Logical Reasoning (Book by Ellen Cassidy) and Powerscore’s Logic Games Bible! The Ellen Cassidy book changed everything for me and had I started studying with both books way earlier, I would have certainly scored well…
Apply early, apply widely, craft a coherent narrative, and negotiate your scholarships aggressively. Numbers get your foot in the door, the rest of your application gets you the acceptance. I think that is really shown in my results – my numbers were not competive at the very top, but I did well at schools where I…
Wrote Why X for CLS (integrated into personal statement), Penn (core strengths), Mich, Berkeley, Fordham. Did optional essays for SLS, GULC, NYU (Furman public policy scholarship app), and BU (PI scholarship app). Extremely minor C+F (speeding ticket) disclosed on applications that required disclosure of civil…
Plan to take the LSAT and apply earlier than you think. Especially for KJDs, pushing essay writing, resume work, requesting LORs, etc. too far into your senior year will likely make things difficult to manage alongside the rest of your academic and work life.
I forwent an LSAT retake and went for the early application gambit, taking my target schools by surprise. Did it work? Maybe. Quality over quantity: A lot of thought went into my school list, and I applied nowhere I wouldn’t have been thrilled to go. That showed in my materials. When it comes to written materials,…
Live authentically. Pursue what is interesting to you. Your story deserves to be told.
Poorly explained C and F, and rushed, uniquely formatted essays are the reasons for my results. While I had hoped for more given my stats, I am happy to go to Georgetown and it will allow me to achieve my goals. If you’ve got any serious C and F, I highly recommend a consultant. I likely would have gone to…
the basics: why law, why X school, why now! don’t overcomplicate it and stay off reddit‼️
LSAT - spend more time taking actual practice tests and studying with no distractions than reading advice on reddit or on here APPs - spend more time reflecting, rewriting, and talking to colleagues/mentors to make your PS authentic than reading advice and worrying same w recommenders - you know them, your…
Apply as early and broadly as you possibly can. If you’re not BigLaw-or-bust, don’t go to the fanciest school that accepts you. Go to any school with adequate career outcomes that you personally like and can most easily afford. If you won’t be satisfied outside the T14, be prepared to R&R no matter your stats.
Included diversity statement in addition to PS in all applications (non-URM). Yale: N/A Stanford: wrote optional essay. Harvard: N/A Columbia: N/A UChicago: N/A NYU: Applied to RTK, wrote optional scholarship essay. Rejected from RTK. UCBerkeley: Wrote why X. UPenn: N/A Northwestern: Did Kira. UMichigan: Wrote why…
–KJD but with some interesting softs: extensive work experience while in undergrad at a small startup company I helped build, numerous publications, and involvement/competitive success in a collegiate activity (think debate/Mock Trial). They fit together well into a narrative, but aren’t rare enough to be more than…
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