A pro apply early case study. Also a pro GPA case study. Unrelated but did you know that many recruiters only see up to 2L if not only your 1L law school grades?
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
American undergrad studying at a top English university and receiving a British BA. I had no reportable GPA due to a British degree, but I got an upper-second-class degree. Got fee waivers / no fees for every school except Cornell and UT Austin. Very, very upset about this cycle.
-Shoot your shot -Sometimes you have to listen to your heart more than others -Be honest, the Admission Committee can smell BS -Stay true to your roots, even if some find it to be controversial- You would not want to attend a law school that does not align with your views :)
I spent about 120 total hours on my application materials, working hard to build a compelling narrative. **Supplemental Essays: ** Why NYU Why Mich Why Fordham Why NDLS GULC #2 Why UF Why UNC Why USC Why Vanderbilt Why UVA Why Minnesota Why UGA PS Why “X” Endings: BU NW
Initially applied with a 167. Scored a 172 on the January 2021 LSAT and applied with that afterward. DACA recipient. (out-of-state for UC system schools, which made me ineligible for any aid.) FYI I was able to afford my apps because I qualified for the LSAC waiver.
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.
T1 softs from being ex hockey pro athlete with career ending injury. I wasn’t in the NHL, it was an overseas pro league, so maybe it’s considered as T2? Beats me. regardless, the trend seems that stats are still the primary decision of admission outside of T14
Got into law school as a reverse splitter. It’s very possible.
Just give it your all; don’t hold yourself back. Would you rather wonder about the “what ifs” or know that you did everything you could? Once it’s said and done, just take a deep breath and trust the process… It’s out of your control now. Best of luck!
Will probably attend based on some combination of cost of attendance and employment outcomes. Current ranking based on acceptances (pretty iffy on it) : Florida Georgia Indiana Arizona State Minnesota Iowa (scholarship pending)
Apply early and apply with quality apps. Don’t rush it. Go thru several drafts of your essays. Write the optional essays. Always. And apply broadly. Because no matter how well-positioned you think you are to get into certain schools, you’re wrong.
Yes I am a 3x grammy winner, nobel prize winner, olympian (only won a bronze medal tho…) highly encourage applying as soon as possible—plan ahead accordingly. I think my cycle would’ve looked a lot greener had I not applied so late
“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.”
This whole system is a scam designed for the 1% to win every time (and get richer in the process), but here we all are buying into it; spending ≥1 year of our lives, our energy, and stressing out so that we can play the game too.
Strong softs with a cohesive narrative (somewhere between tiers 2 and 3). TFA for 2 years after undergrad, with another year at a similar organization in a leadership role. Good luck, and don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself!
Double check your essays! Don’t waste application fees on schools you can’t realistically afford. Resist the golden handcuffs of elite/pricey schools. Consider your regional market pipeline. Always take the optional interview.
Apply to any and every school you have an interest in (ask for fee waivers), see which schools accept you, weigh the scholarships with the prestige that each school carries, and then make the best decision for your future.
literally, like, don’t check your statuses every day. it’ll just make you upset. not to sound like a sorority recruitment chair, but just be your most authentic self in apps. the schools meant for you will accept you.
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