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Applicant wisdom

Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.

LSAT 179 GPA 3.95 2024–25 cycle

Attending Yale University

…second Harvard R wave. Very happy, but also anticipating a waitlist. February 6: Columbia Hold. This definitely hurt––at the risk of sounding overconfident, I thought I had a solid shot at a Columbia acceptance. I understand that a hold is not a decision, but it’s tempting to just take it as a bad sign and withdraw…

LSAT 168 GPA 3.61 2022–23 cycle

Admitted to Boston College

…it confirms that I have a shot a target schools). I got a waitlist at one target early on and missed the first several A-waves from other targets. This was a stressful experience; I kept reminding myself, “they still didn’t say no.” **Sending Applications: **I made mistakes that I regret. Mostly, I sent applications…

LSAT 172 GPA 3.18 2020–21 cycle

Attending Northwestern University

Was fully prepared to go to BC, but stayed on Northwestern’s waitlist. Sent a page long formal LOCI around their deposit deadline, then a short paragraph email LOCI about once a month after that. The last LOCI I sent was a few days before getting the feeler - I emphasized my ties to the Chicago area, which I think…

LSAT 176 GPA 3.64 2023–24 cycle

Attending Harvard University

…were a big part that got my foot in the door on the waitlist. LOCI: I knew my GPA was among the lowest on Harvard’s waitlist, so I felt I needed to raise some eyebrows to get my name on the interview list. I made fairly formulaic LOCIs for the other places I was waitlisted (how their programs connect with my…

LSAT 169 GPA 3.81 2022–23 cycle

Admitted to Boston College

…these hard metrics ultimately get your name moved from waitlists to acceptances (or directly accepted). As a graduate in 2020, I can’t change my GPA, but I can certainly change my LSAT score. That’s why I’m taking the LSAT again in September to hopefully breach the 170 mark (as a note: I’ll be taking it for the…

LSAT 174 GPA 3.75 2022–23 cycle

Attending Harvard University

A few thoughts on waitlists, “your chances,” R&R, the LSAT, and advice in general: Never give up on waitlists, especially ones that are known to have good movement (like in my case with HLS). A strong, school-specific Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) can go a long way. Do not send the same LOCI to every school,…

LSAT 166 GPA 3.97 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Michigan

…and wrote a LOCI on it. Put on hold in december then waitlisted february, honestly I have not been super impressed with the way that GULC addresses applicants (put me on hold to “get a better sense of the applicant pool” then let me know that I was in the bottom group of the waitlist so “should deposit somewhere…

LSAT 167 GPA 3.34 2020–21 cycle

Attending Boston College

…it seems I neither over/underperformed my numbers. UT waitlist was a pleasant surprise but Irvine waitlist was disappointing — although I was only 1 point above last year’s median so a +2 target (seems very possible) would’ve made me much less competitive. Given the general unpredictability of splitter cycles…

LSAT 174 GPA 3.92 2024–25 cycle

Attending Harvard University

…I wrote every optional essay that I could, and I got waitlisted from every school for which I did not write a “Why [school]” essay (that was offered). If your reason for applying isn’t abundantly clear, write that essay if it is an option. Applying early matters at some schools and not at all at others. My results…

LSAT 180 GPA 3.95 2023–24 cycle

Attending University of California—Berkeley

…1 pm FColumbia: 1:26 pm Th (at least most recent time) Waitlists: GULC: around 1:45 pm FBerkeley: around 7:30 am or at 5 pm (sometimes same time as Rs, sometimes not) (in status checker) UCLA: around 12:15 or around 3 pm or 5 pm UT: around 3 pm ish or 4 pm ish, same time as Rs (email) (around 3 pm) Th for sure and F…

LSAT 169 GPA 4.00 2022–23 cycle

Admitted to University of Minnesota

…fared well enough, in some cases receiving acceptances and waitlists before people who applied in October! That being said, I know my chances at T-14 schools would have been much better had I applied earlier. I advise against applying early decision - don’t give up your chance to be wooed by admissions officers with…

LSAT 170 GPA 3.61 2022–23 cycle

Attending Emory University

I decided to attend Emory because it gave me good BL chances at the best price point in a really good location(pending waitlists, but I don’t expect any bites from my LOCIs). If you want a T14 or even a T20 acceptance at a 3.6, you will need to aim higher than a 170. I would advise future applicants to retake 170s…

LSAT 169 GPA 3.98 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Virginia

…background), 3-5 years relevant legal experience. Waitlisted in 2020-2021 at all the schools I applied to (except UVA, WashU, BU, UF, UA, UGA, BC, and PSU Dickinson which I didn’t apply to in my first cycle). **Chose not to reapply to **Chicago (WL), UCLA (WL), UT Austin (A), Vanderbilt (A), Fordham (PWL) in…

LSAT 166 GPA 3.64 2020–21 cycle

Attending Boston College

…key into why I had at least a little more acceptances or waitlists despite the times. Apply earlier when there are more seats available. Optional essays- for your safety schools it might not be necessary. But even with your target (and especially with reaches), take the time to do the research and write your Why…