Apply as early as possible and shoot your shot! You never know what might happen!
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
193 entries
Admitted to Loyola University—ChicagoI am laser-focused on working in nonprofit legal aid (hopefully within a community and/or movement lawyering context) in Chicago. This is why I am choosing Kent over my higher-ranked acceptances (full ride, and allows me to stay active in the Chicago community organizing & activist spaces in which I already…
“Life is for the bold, to seize the opportunity when it comes, not those poor intrepid souls that stay close to shore. But it is the person that goes out in the storm that reap the high rewards”. -Ferdinand Magellan
It’s super easy to obsess over status checkers, Reddit, and LSD (I’m guilty of it) but try to enjoy your life as well. You’re going to get into the right place for you! Congrats on even applying- that’s more than a lot of people ever do. Good luck and if you haven’t heard it today, I’m proud of you.
Never let anyone talk you into a boring, generic, “safe” personal statement. Sometimes our lives are “controversial”, and your ability to tell that story conveys competence and resilience. At least, I think that’s why I got quick movement A’s.
I heard this a lot before I applied, but I did not listen. Please remember: The admissions process does not define you. Find the best place for you. Not the one that everyone else thinks is best for you.
it will be okay. take a deep breath, you got this. try to spend less time on this website and on reddit. take care of yourself. apply early and broadly. shoot your shot and don’t internalize suboptimal responses from schools. you are more than your numbers. I hope everything works in your favor.
I have received application waivers from a majority of schools on my list. Have a little over 5 years of total work experience. Official cold diagnostic 150 (5/6/2022); did not study for roughly 1 year and took another PT cold and got 155 (1/28/2023). Actual test score 168 (6/10/2023).
I think I underestimated how much scores really matter. But if you’re waitlisted, I would just continue following up with the school, go visit, and attend as many admission zooms as possible to show interest. That’s what worked for me. Good luck! This process is a doozie.
Ivy League masters degree with much higher GPA than undergrad. Took LSAT once. Five years PT/Intern experience in policy and nonprofit data. Three years work FT experience at international nonprofit. Interested in PI and tax law. LOCI to NYU, Loyola, BK, NU, and FLS
While it is possible to get into schools with scholarships applying late in the cycle, it will limit your options and provide a lot of waitlists at schools you’d likely be admitted to when applying in the fall. The LSAT is a huge factor and can drag a low GPA up.
The best decision I made was choosing to work for a few years between undergrad and applying for law school. My softs, my writing skills, my interview skills, and my perspective all changed for the better because I had gained real world, professional experience.
Before I got any results back, I made predictions on which schools I’d be Accepted/Rejected/Waitlisted at. I was only wrong about one– I figured USC would reject me, but that’s where I’m going now :) Don’t count yourself out!
APPLY TO LAW SCHOOL. Don’t let anyone discourage you. Go to the best school that gives you the most money!!!!!!! I will only be including the day sent and when I received a decision date because law schools will take years to get back to you with a decision.
PI-based personal statement with 5 years experience in the legal field. Minor CF issues from teens. Dean’s list, honor societies in undergrad. The LSAT is my nemesis. Chose the worst possible time to R&R. Slowly losing my mind with the waiting.
I rewrote/workshopped/edited every piece of writing for every school. This took me weeks to do, which is why my application dates range from late September late November, but it was completely worth it. Work the heck out of your essays.
I was an R&R after getting shut out by 10+ schools the year prior. Studied hard and boosted by LSAT by 10 points. Still a tough cycle! But it’s possible.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
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