Take a deep breath! It’s going to be fine. This is a long process, so try to take things one step at a time. Write the optional essays and take them seriously. I always chose to include a “Why X” when given the opportunity. Work experience is SO helpful. It drove my narrative and was the main topic of conversation…
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
225 entries
Admitted to Boston CollegeI didn’t update the dates in my chart, so take those with some salt. All applications sent in mid-late October, except Berkeley and NYU, which were sent in late November. I applied to too many schools, clearly. I don’t think it negatively impacted the quality of my applications, but I would recommend being more…
Was a pre-med STEM major at the #1 public university. Graduated in June of 2022, then changed my mind and became pre-law in August. Stopped MCAT prep, started LSAT prep. Took LSAT once and did not retake. Submitted all applications before Thanksgiving, wrote Why X for the schools I really cared about. My T3 soft is…
I will add my advice here once my cycle is done. Currently trying my best to get into my dream school with a nice scholarship. Wish me luck!
Your story MATTERS! I have come to learn this cycle that though having amazing stats helps, it is all about how you tell your story. Aim to get the best scores, etc. but don’t let you scores deter you from applying to a school; you really never know what may happen. With just my stats, esp. LSAT, at face value, my…
Take a deep breathe. Numbers are important but they’re not everything. Make sure you polish up your personal statement–it is one of the most important parts of your application. Don’t take advice from people online that have no real experience. Use resources like Spivey or other websites that have admissions…
Did all nonspecific optional essays (the “Why X” variety) but didn’t do diversity statements. I’m a straight white guy, so I really can’t talk about a lifetime of adversity and expect to be taken seriously–just seems more insulting to make that pitch or to use the space for really anything other than what it’s…
I am very happy with how my cycle turned out :) My advice is to apply early but expect to not hear back for a longggg time lol
Have spent the last 7 years working in secondary and higher education. Current director although split between T2 and T3 softs. Have a Masters in Education with a 4.0 (hopefully covering for my mediocre undergraduate GPA). Essays are thoughtful but probably not on par with some of the top writers applying in this…
Apply early. Aim for the highest LSAT you can achieve. Your writing matters as does the whole of you. Don’t be afraid to write addenda explaining anything they might have a question about. Your GPA and LSAT score are not the best things about you and you reveal what better things there are to the admissions…
Overall, I feel as though I outperformed my stats due to a compelling PS. I took the LSAT twice and was PTing higher but decided to quit after the second time because I knew with work and school I couldn’t afford (both financially & time) to keep studying. My advice: if your stats are mediocre write a great PS and…
i am EXTREMELY debt averse, i think paying tens of thousands in tuition for grad school, especially when i intend to enter a very low paying field (public defense) is a fucking racket. so while i’m disappointed by not getting the Toll at Penn, I feel very good about turning down my other offers for a full ride at…
To all my low-income, first-generation black applicants: Trust yourself! Do not be afraid to ask for what you deserve. I know my success relative to the circumstances of my peers puts me in that top tier. I asked for a fee waiver from every school and a CAS waiver from many. I asked for RUBY I asked for Mordecai I…
Your story matters. Get a higher LSAT than me. Start studying earlier than me. You know what you have to do.
It all turns out okay in the end.
Hello future splitter law applicants (if you ever see this). I’m a first-generation college student, and aside from that, am not in any way a URM. I only wrote a “why X” for Duke and wrote the “unpopular opinion” optional essay for Georgetown. In retrospect, I wish I had applied ED to GULC, and wrote more “why X”…
Strong essays are worth spending the extra hours/days on- even if you need to delay submitting your apps a week or two. Your LORs are much stronger coming from people who know you, not someone with high-status (think a partner at a law firm) who you barely work with. Apply early if you can, but just make sure you’re…
If you are at all considering public interest, please read into your school’s LRAP.
Your study break just got better: follow @lawschooldata on Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram