Hate ads? Verify for LSD+ → Learn More

Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram

Applicant wisdom

Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.

LSAT 171 GPA 4.13 2024–25 cycle

Attending University of Virginia

…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…

LSAT 177 GPA 3.98 2023–24 cycle

Attending University of California—Berkeley

…earlier than you think you need to, particularly your main personal statement, as it was hard for me to get momentum for a while. Likewise, get a few trusted friends/family members to proof read for you, because you will inevitably miss silly things from staring at your essays for too long. My only super “unique”…

LSAT 170 GPA 3.65 2022–23 cycle

Attending University of California—Los Angeles

…written than what I can fit here, I promise haha) My Personal Statement: Born into an anti-science, young earth creationist, christian dominionist cult, I found myself growing up in an environment that drilled arguments into you. In the search of creating more effective arguments, I argued myself out of the cult…

LSAT 168 GPA 3.92 2022–23 cycle

Attending New York University

Hello!! Here are some tips I’ve accumulated from my personal experience for those beginning their law school journeys!  Do ALL of the optional essays you can, especially the “why X school”!! Admission committees actually care to learn more about you, your interests, and why attending their particular law school is…

LSAT 171 GPA 3.78 2021–22 cycle

Admitted to Duke University

…to make sure that each part of your application (your personal statement, your resume, and your optional essays) tells a cohesive story; and to be deliberate in formulating your list of schools to apply to. The law school application cycle is impossible to predict, and the process can be incredibly stressful. Make…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.86 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of California—Los Angeles

…Do all the optional essays you can. Write multiple personal statements on different topics and then choose one based on what felt natural. Never turn in an application the same day you finish. Review with a fresh set of eyes before hitting submit. It seems like a lot of work to study and take the LSAT. It seems like…

LSAT 174 GPA 3.90 2021–22 cycle

Attending Harvard University

…either by my non-prestigious background or by my risky personal statement topic choice! Finally, I took the LSAT 3 times. 168 and 169 in back to back tests, then I took a 10 month break (6 month break and 4 months of studying) and then got my 174.  **I just wanted to start off by highlighting that and saying PLEASE…

LSAT 172 GPA 3.89 2020–21 cycle

Admitted to New York University

Ph. D. in a humanities field related to the law I wish to practice, connection drawn (I hope convincingly) in the personal statement. Have four peer-reviewed articles in print (sole author) and a dissertation. I’m sort of known in my field, not a celebrity by any means but definitely a member of the profession.…

LSAT 172 GPA 3.84 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Virginia

APPLY EARLY! I submitted all applications except for Penn and NYU in early September. While I had strong personal statements and wrote optional ‘Why X’ essays for Berk, Duke, Mich, UVA, Georgetown, GW, and Vanderbilt, I think being in the first wave of applicants in the early fall helped me stand out. I also highly…

LSAT 172 GPA 3.88 2021–22 cycle

Attending Harvard University

I don’t really know what I’m doing. But if I had to say, here’s my best advice: Knock it out of the park on the personal statement. The advice I got was to be memorable – so I did not write about law (although I had a few sentences in the end). Draft early (like really early) and get help from the best writers you…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.90 2024–25 cycle

Attending Harvard University

Track LSAT studying by counting hours. Start early. Try to prep your personal statement before Sep. 1. Stay off of Reddit. Go for walks.

LSAT 175 GPA 4.09 2023–24 cycle

Attending Yale University

…would recommend choosing your schools, then tackling your personal statement, then working on other required and optional essays.- Do the optional essays if you can. I know lots of people talk about yield protection and getting waitlisted at “worse” schools than they think they deserve (although I think this mindset…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.80 2023–24 cycle

Attending University of California—Los Angeles

…this cycle, it was waiting so long to get started on my statements. I didn’t realize how much work it was going to be… I kept hearing that it’s okay to apply in Dec/Jan (and it is), but for me- personally, I regret this decision. I managed to apply to most schools by Dec/Jan but my decisions came later than others.…

LSAT 177 GPA 3.67 2021–22 cycle

Attending Washington University in St. Louis

…not get, awarded only 75k total WashU interview (with real person) Accepted Offered 165k (scholar in law) then applied Webster Scholarship (for those with public service background) will try negotiate full ride if don’t receive Webster Northwestern Kira interview UT Austin Kira interview ASU waitlist 1/7/2022, LOCI…

LSAT 173 GPA 2.72 2025–26 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…one of the unfortunate souls who took all of my LSATs in-person at the Brooklyn testing center (IYKYK) so I didn’t exactly have an optimal testing environment in August 2025 lol. Timing: For the 2026 cycle, I set a goal to have every single application done by Thanksgiving. I wouldn’t be opposed to applying to…