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Applicant wisdom

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

LSAT 168 GPA 4.03 2023–24 cycle

Attending Northwestern University

…on youtube “Sweet Girl” LoFi on youtube Brown noise IV. Personal Statement My personal statement discussed my time at my job, and how my past work experience prepared me to work with clients and in a fast paced environment. Likewise, these skills will help carry me forward into my future profession as an attorney…

LSAT 180 GPA 3.43 2024–25 cycle

Attending University of Virginia

…have a STEM major, but had a STEM-heavy course load. Personal Statement: -Wrote a personal statement that logically laid out why I want to go to law school in a way I figured an admissions officer might like to see, hated it, and rewrote a riskier personal statement that was more true to myself. Even with mixed…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.88 2023–24 cycle

Attending Stanford University

🥰 hi all! My biggest recommendation for everyone is to try to drown out the noise regarding personal statements, supplemental essays, etc. My personal statement did not speak to any schools in particular or even answer the “Why Law?” question, and I think that while that was potentially a risky choice it also…

LSAT 169 GPA 4.20 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Virginia

…with that scholarship offer. I also really think that my personal statement, diversity statement, and Why UVA statements made a huge difference for me. All of my statements read like a personal narrative and I’m more than a decent writer. Really work on those statements! Also, if you want to take that test a fifth…

LSAT 174 GPA 3.71 2021–22 cycle

Attending New York University

…REASONS! I struggle to come up with circumstances where a person shouldn’t take a gap year, but there are of course exceptions. Really, really consider if you want to jump right in. Write your personal statement about whatever the heck you want! Let admissions committees see a side of you they otherwise wouldn’t;…

LSAT 176 GPA 4.00 2025–26 cycle

Attending Harvard University

…long can get your out-the-door before they even read your personal statement. Professional school requires a professional-looking candidate. Rewrite your personal statement a hundred times over. Talk about your accomplishments and frame yourself as someone who succeeds. Your diversity is a strength. I am a first-gen…

LSAT 178 GPA 4.00 2022–23 cycle

Attending Yale University

…Background: I decided to apply KJD for a number of personal reasons, but I want to emphasize the fact that this was *a calculated risk *and that I was prepared to reapply should I have not gotten the results I wanted. Quite frankly, I believe the KJD disadvantage will only grow in the years to come as GPA inflation…

LSAT 177 GPA 3.41 2025–26 cycle

Attending Washington University in St. Louis

…only benefited by waiting until October. -Have your personal statement “ready” long in advance of your intended application date. For most of us, personal statements require awkwardly fitting a number of separate intentions into a miniscule piece of writing, and you are very unlikely to be fully satisfied with it at…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.98 2024–25 cycle

Attending University of Virginia

…two years, taking it twice post-LG removal. Worked on my personal statement for a year and requested LORs the spring before applying. Attended LSAC Forums (virtual one cycle early, in-person during my cycle), which helped refine my school list. Had a Service to School mentor—highly recommend for veterans. Most…

LSAT 178 GPA 3.99 2025–26 cycle

Attending Stanford University

…around my niche professional interest. This included my personal statement, which briefly discussed how my upbringing influenced my interest in the subject. In all of my writing, my prose was not effusive or very emotive, but I think I told my unique stories well and revealed my thought process. I erred on of the…

LSAT 180 GPA 4.10 2023–24 cycle

Admitted to Stanford University

…time to retake if necessary. Start working on your personal statement. Get as many eyes as possible on your essays. In undergrad, try to take multiple classes with professors if you think you can do well in those classes. This will make it easier for you to get recommendations that aren’t boilerplate. While in…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.95 2021–22 cycle

Attending Stanford University

…and a georgetown optional. i also modified my personal statement for columbia, nyu, and umn, and think i could have/should have written a why uchicago. your written materials are the part of your app, maybe your only part, that you have control over. use it to show them why they should take YOU for THEIR school, say…

GPA 4.01 2023–24 cycle

Attending Stanford University

…application send your recommenders a packet with your personal statement, diversity statement, and resume so they can help add to your application’s narrative apply to a range of schools so you can negotiate shot your shoot!

LSAT 174 GPA 3.41 2022–23 cycle

Attending University of Georgia

…is to start early and chip away at everything. I wrote my personal statement and diversity statement over 4 total months. I had 6 drafts of different topics and waited a week then reread them all and went forward with the topic that I liked the most. By the end of my writing process, I had both essays nearly…

LSAT 174 GPA 4.00 2023–24 cycle

Attending Harvard University

…leadership roles in extracurriculars, PBK as a junior) personal statement:  very honest statement of purpose/why law (connected to legal internship) scholarships: all aid was merit + first offers (did not negotiate)

LSAT 172 GPA 4.07 2023–24 cycle

Attending University of Minnesota

…I think it paid off. My biggest pro was my GPA imo. In my personal statement and diversity statements I dug into being LGBT, working in a law firm as a legal assistant/paralegal, and my immigrant, Spanish-speaking girlfriend.

LSAT 174 GPA 3.86 2024–25 cycle

Attending University of California—Berkeley

…professor, Associate Dean (all from grad school) Essays: personal statement about rethinking how I approach anti-sexual violence advocacy after doing my research, diversity statement about experience as an LGBTQ person with a disability, did optional essays/interviews when offered (but only did 1/2 short prompts for…

LSAT 177 GPA 3.19 2022–23 cycle

Attending University of Michigan

…can afford the hit to their GPA median, B) like you as a person based on your application, and C) need/could use your LSAT to boost their median. (A), above, is why you should expect to wait to hear from your targets/reaches- . They can’t afford to risk their medians by admitting you early, and will generally only…