Came in with a strong sense that Berkeley was far and away my top choice based on fields of interest, local connection/family nearby, and the school’s overall reputation. Applying binding ED was an easy choice, particularly with the guaranteed scholarship. When my August LSAT score came back, I wrestled with whether…
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
439 entries
Admitted to University of California—BerkeleyDISCLAIMER: I AM GOING TO SOUND VERY NITPICKY ABOUT MY APPLICATION, GPA, AND LSAT IN THE FOLLOWING SECTION. I AM CONTENT WITH MY OUTCOME AT THE END OF THE CYCLE. THIS IS JUST WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF ON HOW TO IMPROVE MY OUTCOMES IF I WERE TO GO BACK IN TIME. **Study hard for the LSAT. Like, take the amount of time…
Notes and dates for future applicants to promote transparency in this painstaking process :) Harvard 3/18 - Waitlisted 5/1 - Sent LOCI 5/3 - Interview invite 5/8 - Interviewed 5/14 - Feeler call (5:30pm ET) 5/15 - Acceptance call (11:31am ET) UChicago 3/14 - Received initial scholarship award ($30,000). 3/22 -…
I wish you the very best of luck (and preparation). This process is not easy, but neither is being a lawyer. My cycle recap and thoughts are below, if they are of any use to you. Background/context: ivy undergrad (according to LSAC, during my cycle 3.86 was in the 72nd percentile of GPAs of applicants from my school…
Initial reflections: I think that HYS outcomes are very difficult to predict. Others felt a bit more straightforward. For me, Harvard interview was more direct, more formal, and less friendly than the Chicago interview. For HLS, I would prepare thoroughly and be prepared to give a strong “why law school?” answer…
wrote diversity statement (LGBTQ, mentioned URM identity) for all schools, wrote why Xs for chicago, penn (core strengths), duke, UVA, berkeley, and michigan and integrated why X into PS for columbia and georgetown. STEM background and work experience in STEM field, had a pretty specific PS topic and clear goals,…
Wrote optional essays for Michigan, Penn, and Stanford (ironically, the schools I didn’t get into lol). I did not write any LOCIs and was rejected from all my waitlists. PS was on my personal growth through taking on a hobby-related challenge. I brought in my legal work experience at the end, but probably could have…
Always do the optional essays!! Especially the “Why X” for the schools that really like to see them (UMich, UVA, Duke, Berkeley (mandatory if applying for PI scholarship), UCLA (programmatic contribution), Georgetown, any school that has a dedicated spot in the application to demonstrate interest). I didn’t write a…
Hard work and a cohesive narrative help a lot. I spent approximately 1 year (mixed levels of intensity) studying for the LSAT and went from 152 to 171. I’m a KJD, but I’ve had several unusual internships. I’m also an engineering major in a genuinely unique program. Experiences in this program have shaped my…
if i could do it again, i would apply to fewer schools. i also wouldn’t retake the lsat - i took it a second time and scored lower. retaking is generally a good idea, but i didn’t set myself up for success to score higher by retaking it during the same semester i was taking 19 credits and writing my app materials.…
Harvard: wrote small why Harvard paragraph in PS, substantial written work in application (honors thesis), LOCI Chicago: wrote small why Chicago paragraph in PS, felt like interview went well NYU: wrote RTK scholarship essay, submitted GRE (336) UVA: wrote small why UVA paragraph in PS, felt like interview didn’t go…
Stream of consciousness advice in no particular order: Don’t coast on any component of your application! Keep addenda short and sweet, when possible. Even T4 softs can tell a story about you - don’t collect “softs” as gold stars, do what makes you fulfilled and use that as the starting point of your “narrative”…
“In the dark times, should the stars also go out?” Advice *More is better. **If a school allows you to submit optional essays (why X), spend some time crafting a compelling supplemental essay. Yes, there are people who get admitted without submitting optional essays. But the more information you can provide to the…
LSAT: june ’21 164 –> august ‘21 170 thanks to just khan academy, mike kim’s LSAT trainer, and grinding PTs. my PT average was like a 165 so i truly got lucky on my second take. probably could have taken more time + money to study and squeezed out a few more points, but i was more than happy with a 170 and wanted to…
Advice #1: Take the LSAT as many times as you can (assuming you’re studying in-between attempts so you actually have a chance at a better score). I took it twice and without a doubt I had a much better cycle because of it. Advice #2: Apply early. I wish I would’ve applied right when applications opened so I would’ve…
You want to think about the value add of each item for your admissions package as a piece of the puzzle. The resume highlights your professional experience and skills, your transcripts highlight your academic interest from college and the academic rigor you’ve taken on, and the LSAT?GRE standardizes your academic…
LSAT notes: Take untimed sections until you nail your accuracy. Take as many practice tests and practice sections as you can and do dedicated blind review. Incorporate grounding and breathing exercises for test anxiety. I took the test once pre-Flex. School notes: YLS: Y250 made an argument about professional/legal…
Based on my experience, soft factors and essays are VERY important in law school admissions, especially at T-14 schools (I believe that the more you go up in the rankings, the more softs and essays matter). Strong numbers matter a lot too, but they’re usually not enough on their own to give applicants a strong shot…
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