Shoot your shot, you never know which law school will value your background, and likewise which law school will be the best home for you to thrive intellectually. I say this as someone whose undergrad GPA falls well below the median of most of the T14. However I have cultivated a career for myself and additional…
Applicant wisdom
Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.
416 entries
Admitted to University of MinnesotaDon’t be afraid to take a gap year! It made my cycle much less stressful because I already had my LSAT squared away and I was able to apply very early. There are few good excuses for rushing your apps just to start school a year earlier. Softs are everything, and the tiers most people use to categorize them are…
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
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…
But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
“LSAT is the wrecking ball.” Control what you can.
Cash Rules Everything Around Me (I am largely debt-adverse which informs the school I’ll choose)
I wish I applied to schools earlier and less sporadically. The earlier you get accepted, the more time you have to learn from students and admin & negotiate scholarships. Plus, some schools can take three or four months to get back to you, which leaves little turnaround before deposit deadlines. Aim for finishing…
Retook LSAT. Raised from 169 to 172 with Duke, Stanford, UVA, Fordham and Vandy still left to make a decision. I was then rejected from UVA, Stanford, and Duke, waitlisted at Vandy, SPWL at Fordham, and re-reviewed at WashU. 07/12/2021: Accepted from the Northwestern Waitlist Find ways to be productive. Recognize…
Apply early, apply widely, craft a coherent narrative, and negotiate your scholarships aggressively. Numbers get your foot in the door, the rest of your application gets you the acceptance. I think that is really shown in my results – my numbers were not competive at the very top, but I did well at schools where I…
Hello! I wrote Why X for all schools– if you can’t write a Why X, I don’t think you really want to go to that school. That’s just my opinion. I am going on a full tuition scholarship. When it came down to Temple or about 40% off at BU, I was faced with a really tough decision. Ultimately, I chose Temple due to the…
Started off college as a computer science major, realized it wasn’t for me and made less than stellar grades. Switched to International Security Studies and did very well. Unfortunately, old CS grades pulled my GPA down nonetheless. Had a couple internships in Tribal politics and a Tribal prosecution office and…
Shoot your shot! Was leery about my T14 chances, but I’m so glad I applied regardless. My atypical WE definitely helped. I feel like I did well because I REALLY knew myself, my why law, how my legal experiences shaped me, and my plans/goals. With that down, no interviews caused me issues. I also came up with answers…
Non-KJD applicant with unique softs and personal experiences around music and healthcare. Undergrad in music performance and post-bacc program in medical science. Also had an MBA at time of application. Looking at IP law (with contacts in boutique IP law firms making my law school decision less consequential than it…
Shoot your shot
Don’t be afraid to take some time to figure out your “why.” I took multiple years after college to work and serve in different environments until I found a cause and calling that spoke to me. Not only was I more confident in my reasoning bringing me to law school, I was a more intriguing and well-rounded applicant,…
LSAT 172 GPA 3.36 2021–22 cycle
Attending Washington University in St. Louis
I pointedly did not have a first choice school, which I think was helpful. Had a few potential red flags—lower GPA, long COVID-related employment gap, minor C&F—that turned out to be non-issues. Wrote several addenda explaining the above. My PS was completely unrelated to law, I was enamored with a creative topic I…
if you take the LSAT for the first time in 2018 apply then instead of two years later in a global pandemic lol apply as early as you can would be my biggest recommendation. put T3 softs as I’d won a prestigious Man of the Year award at my undergraduate school, available for all students by nomination. Maybe a…
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