I am attending a top law school on a full-tuition scholarship. My advice below is mainly targeted to applicant's who have a high gpa and low LSAT.
What schools should you target?
If your LSAT is below a 150 then you will probably get rejected by all the schools in the Top 25. Use this website to find applicants who have been accepted with a LSAT/GPA that is similar to you. I identified that W&M, SMU, and Wisconsin have ALL accepted at least one applicant within the past five years that had a similar LSAT as me. As a result, I applied to those schools. Additionally, apply to schools that look beyond the LSAT. Some schools specifically ask for you to send your SAT/ACT scores as proof. You should apply to those schools! Others, (like Rutgers), give you the option to have your application be more focused on your work experience instead of your test scores. Also, if you go to the website, top law school, you can read profiles of schools to get a sense on whether or not a school looks at multiple criteria. I applied to Iowa and Florida after reading their profiles. Lastly, if a school has a part-time program, apply to that. They have slightly lower admissions standards, although it is still difficult to get into these programs.
When should you apply?
Gaining admissions with a low LSAT will be difficult so apply by October or December 1st. Law schools give away a lot of seats in January! I applied in the first two weeks of February. Also, ask for application fee waivers. Some schools will give you waivers just for asking. So Ask!
LSAT Addendum
I wrote a 600 word LSAT addendum and sent it to EVERY school. My addendum was convincing enough that thirteen schools accepted or waitlisted me. In the first three sentences of my addendum, I stated that I have a history of underpefromance on standarized tests (I also attached my SAT/ACT scores as evidence). Then I said despite these scores, I have consistently out performed. The next two paragraphs focused on my academic record. I did not just state that I performed well, I went into detail. I mentioned that I was a member of my schools advanced placement program which is more demanding then the regular courses. I cited the minimum SAT scores for people in this program. Then I mentioned, despite this challenging environment, I was able to outperform my classmates. I talked about how I was on the Dean's List and how and achieved a high gpa. My next paragraph focused on my work experience. I worked in I-banking, which is a very demanding industry and the expectations are similar to Corporate Law and greatly prepared me for law school.
Personal Statement
My personal statement was not earth shattering. I talked about my work experience and background. I also wrote a diversity statement, which you must also do - no exceptions. You have to stand-out from the competition. Even if they don't ask for it, do it. Some schools ask for just a personal statement. In those cases, I would play with the margins and have one personal statement, but it was actually my PS and DS. I would have a title that said, "Statement of Purpose" and "Statement of Diversity."Additionally, google, "A Guide to the Law School Application Process for People of Color." I found this document to be quite helpful as I was applying to schools.
The Admissions Game Secret
Most law schools don't do interviews. HOWEVER, that does not mean they don't do "informal interviews." I visited six schools and talked with the admissions directors at every one. Out of the five schools that I talked with the admissions representative, I was accepted at two. It is no coincidence that I was accepted one week after visiting these schools. If you are a waitlisted, then you should definitely visit the school. Dress up - wear a suit and come prepared with questions about the admissions process, the school, etc. If you can't visit the school, then call them. Ask for 15 minutes of their time.
Waitlist Recommendations
1) Visit the school and speak with an Admissions Representative
2) Write multiple Letters of Continued Interest (I wrote two for every school). Three of my acceptances were off the waitlist and two included scholarships!
Scholarship Negotiation
If you get accepted, ask for money. If they give you money, ask for more. Ask, ask, ask. Ask for money until you start school. One school offered me $5,000, then I said I received a higher offer from another school, so they increased my scholarship to a full-ride. I took another school from a $5,000 grant to $7,000 grant to $12,500 scholarship off the waitlist and when they initially said $5,000 was the max that they could provide. I took another school from $10,000 to $15,000 and a first year grant of $5,000. This school initially said no to my first request for an increase. MSU gave me $8,000 a year when they initally offered zero. Not every school will budge. Loyola Chicago would not increase despite having higher offers from Chicago-Kent, their peer school.
Final Thoughts....
If you have a low LSAT/high GPA, your cycle will be unpredictable and gaining admissions to a Top 80 program will be a challenge. If you get waitlisted, then know there is really no formula at this point. If it is the month of July, they will remove people off the waitlist. The person who has shown their interest in the program - will stand out. The top-tier law school that I am attending, accepted me off their waitlist three weeks before school started. They also offered me a full-tuition scholarship. Prior to this acceptance, I was rejected by fourteen law schools, ranging from Temple University to the University of Michigan. All it takes is one acceptance, so don't get discouraged. This is a long process. I wish you the best.
