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Applicant wisdom

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

LSAT 176 GPA 3.97 2022–23 cycle

Attending Yale University

Optional essays: Yale - diversity addendum, no “why x”, LOCI Stanford - 1 optional, if you could talk to anyone from history and ask one question, no “why x” or DA U Chicago - included “why x” in my PS, no DA Columbia - included “why x” in my PS, no DA Harvard - no “why x” or DA UPenn - DA, no “why x”, invited to…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.80 2023–24 cycle

Attending University of California—Los Angeles

HappySunshineBee left this wisdom for posterity… (◕-◕) Notes on my apps I did ALL supplemental essays- I submitted a GPA addendum (noted health issue & upward trajectory) had a very clear why law & narrative (significant WE directly tied to childhood experience that led me to law) LSAT: 165 > 170 > 174 Submitted…

LSAT 179 GPA 3.20 2025–26 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…a favor and decide at the start where to draw the line. Addenda: Outside of Character and Fitness, I really wouldn’t recommend writing one. Admissions committees have enough information from your transcript and LSAT history to deduce what they need, and it’s unlikely to impact your admissions decisions. You are also…

LSAT 173 GPA 2.72 2025–26 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…are plenty of FGLI students who don’t need a GPA or LSAT addendum. I’m not saying that being FGLI isn’t taken into account when an admissions officer is evaluating the candidate as a whole person, but the truth is if they have two applicants with tragic backgrounds in front of them (I’m being dramatic) why would…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.79 2022–23 cycle

Attending Columbia University

…allowed it (one from a former congressman) Wrote a GPA addendum (had a specific circumstance that affected grades) Took the LSAT four times, upward trend, did not write an addendum Wrote a “Why X” essay and other optional essays (where prompted) for nearly every school

LSAT 172 GPA 3.40 2023–24 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…completely on professional experience. I also wrote a GPA addendum. I had a major injury in one semester, which I mentioned, but the primary reason that I wrote about was purposefully prioritizing work and extracurriculars in writing and political advocacy, at the expense of my coursework, especially in my major. If…

LSAT 178 GPA 3.45 2020–21 cycle

Attending University of Virginia

…past. Softs: HYPSM undergrad (with tough course load + GPA addendum), prestigious post-grad fellowship, legal work experience, salient diversity statement I wrote Why Xs for UVA, Michigan, Duke, Northwestern, Cornell, and Berkeley. Resources I swear by: 7Sage (both the LSAT materials and the $10 admissions course),…

LSAT 177 GPA 4.27 2020–21 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

Wrote LSAT FLEX 3x (170 -> 166 ->177), no addendum. Wrote 3 Books Essay for Stanford, Core Values Essay for Penn, Why Xs for Michigan and Berkeley, Programmatic contributions for UCLA, applied for Furman Academic for NYU. For most schools (all but Harvard and UCLA because of space restrictions) tailored the final…

LSAT 177 GPA 3.86 2020–21 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

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.

LSAT 178 GPA 3.00 2021–22 cycle

Admitted to Stanford University

…directly. My app is risky. I make poop jokes in my C&F addendum, my resume is formatted in an um interesting way, and I am very, very cavalier. While I personally view those risks as having paid off, they are not for everyone and I would recommend strongly considering how your risks fit into the context of the rest…

LSAT 179 GPA 3.71 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…law took LSAT 2x, 165 on first test -> wrote LSAT addendum Penn: wrote Core Values Duke: wrote why law/why Duke, UR 3 2/4 Michigan: wrote why Michigan + setback essay Northwestern: completed KIRA GULC: wrote optional essay + additional why GULC, group interview

LSAT 174 GPA 3.71 2024–25 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…went UR III 3/21 Additional application info: Did a GPA addendum for all schools (was sick for part of undergrad)- Did no optional essays for UChi, Harvard, UVA, NYU, Northwestern, Michigan, Berkeley, UCLA, WashU, BU, TAMU, Fordham, ASU, UW, or UBC Submitted the music optional essay for Stanford, the resilience…

LSAT 175 GPA 3.25 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…was crucial in my acceptances. Additionally, my GPA addendum explains a few things that were out of my control that led to my grades, but I still took responsibility and illustrated my growth / what I learned from those experiences. Without the work experience to prove that growth, I highly doubt I would have been…

LSAT 177 GPA 3.97 2023–24 cycle

Attending Yale University

Wrote Why Northwestern, Why WashU, Yale Optional 2, Columbia LSAT Addendum (lol), Georgetown Top 10, Penn Core Values, Stanford Songs/Class, Stanford Optional, and submitted a diversity statement or equivalent to everywhere but Yale and Stanford. 4 LORs (2 academic, 1 research position, 1 WE). LPT: Help pay for…