Wrote Why X and optionals Public interest law White, LGBTQ+, disabled Dean’s list Published writer, interviewed for national and international publications, professional speaker Assoc. Dir. at an advocacy nonprofit Art background
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
212 entries
Admitted to Temple UniversityIf a school has an optional essay, WRITE IT. Negotiate scholarship offers, but do it wisely-prioritize leveraging other offers, being polite and realistic, and emphasize why you want to go to the school and why the school wants you.
The most important part of your application is creating a cohesive narrative! Figure out what your story is, and weave it through your resume, personal statement, and supps. :)
Don’t be deterred by not seeing your stats have admits to a school here. Not every applicant uses LSD. Use the LSAC Guide to Choosing Law Schools. The admissions data there gives a bigger picture than what you will glean here.
Have safeties Apply to reaches Keep an open mind DO NOT go to a school that offers conditional scholarships and that has very bad retention rates Stay on op of schools and write your butt off if you need to
Have a mediocre GRE score on file, which I had to send to Harvard, NYU, Penn, and NU. Did not write an addendum. T3 = master’s degree. Wrote a “Why X” for Penn and Michigan and one of the supplements for Georgetown.
Keep taking the LSAT. And take it in-person. I went 162 -> 168 -> 167 -> 168 -> 175. The last one was the only one I didn’t take at home or in a stupid hotel. Remote test-taking sucks. Go to the testing place.
Softs: D3 Athlete, Relevant internships, Leadership, Bilingual Be genuine in your essays. Demonstrate perspective, humility, and maturity. And relax a little bit (please guys you are stressing me out)
Don’t pay for law school! Apply to a wide variety of schools and take the offer that maximizes job outcomes and minimizes debt. Good luck!
-wrote programmatic contribution for ucla -did upenn’s values essay -vandy interview on 11/11 (requested in app a week prior to interview date) -published undergraduate thesis in liberal arts field
Non-trad, first-gen professional applicant with a background in low-income jobs. Happy to chat with other people in similar situations about the application process — DM on Reddit (same username).
Take the LSAT 2-3 times until you score at or above your LSAT PT average. Give yourself 5+ months to study for the LSAT as well! Apply in September if you can, and definitely before Thanksgiving.
Your essays matter more than you think they do Write a GPA addendum Be realistic but it’s also okay to shoot your shot!
Finishing in the top of your class is more important than the school’s ranking. By knowing this, I prioritized scholarships and geographic location to make what I believe is the best decision.
I have a low GPA but I have a clear upward trajectory and large gap between the bad semesters and the good ones for anyone wondering. I only took the LSAT one time, probably not a big factor.
Don’t overthink things, cross your t’s and dot you i’s, and most importantly be patient and relax (as much as you can), it is going to be okay, even if you don’t get into your dream school.
Tier 3 Softs: First-gen, low-income; prestigious merit scholarship; T10 Undergrad Submitted diversity statement and optional essays. Applied later in cycle (December-January apps)
Be kind to yourself. You don’t know what a law school is looking for. Just because a school doesn’t accept you, doesn’t mean you are not a good applicant or that you didn’t work hard!
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