Splitter2014 (2013-2014)

Views: 8054 User Since: 10/14/12

Application Information

F - Fee Waiver A - Attending W - Withdrawn D - Deferred
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# Law School Status Type $$$ Sent Received Complete Interview Date Decision Updated
University of Virginia F Waitlisted W Type: ED Sent: 09/05/13 Rec: 09/05/13 Comp: 09/05/13 Inter: -- Dec: 09/18/13 Upd: 6 years
New York University Waitlisted W Type: RA Sent: 09/26/13 Rec: 09/26/13 Comp: 10/10/13 Inter: -- Dec: 04/14/14 Upd: 7 years
University of Michigan Ann Arbor F WL, Rejected Type: RA Sent: 09/19/13 Rec: 09/20/13 Comp: 09/26/13 Inter: -- Dec: 02/21/14 Upd: 9 years
University of Chicago F WL, Rejected Type: RA Sent: 08/20/13 Rec: 08/20/13 Comp: 08/23/13 Inter: -- Dec: 01/21/14 Upd: 9 years
Northwestern University F Accepted A Type: RA Sent: 09/19/13 Rec: 09/19/13 Comp: 09/30/13 Inter: -- Dec: 12/19/13 Upd: 9 years
Georgetown University F Accepted W Type: RA Sent: 09/19/13 Rec: 09/20/13 Comp: 09/23/13 Inter: -- Dec: 10/15/13 Upd: 10 years
University of California Los Angeles F Accepted W Type: RA Sent: 09/19/13 Rec: 09/19/13 Comp: 09/24/13 Inter: -- Dec: 12/11/13 Upd: 10 years
Duke University Waitlisted W Type: RA Sent: 09/19/13 Rec: 09/20/13 Comp: 09/20/13 Inter: -- Dec: 02/17/14 Upd: 10 years
Harvard University Rejected Type: RA Sent: 10/04/13 Rec: 10/04/13 Comp: 10/10/13 Inter: -- Dec: 03/27/14 Upd: 10 years
Lewis and Clark College F Accepted W Type: RA $96,000 Sent: 10/04/13 Rec: 10/04/13 Comp: 10/07/13 Inter: -- Dec: 12/06/13 Upd: 10 years
University of Utah F Accepted W Type: RA $66,000 Sent: 10/04/13 Rec: 10/10/13 Comp: 10/10/13 Inter: -- Dec: 01/27/14 Upd: 10 years
University of Colorado Boulder F Pending W Type: RA Sent: 10/05/13 Rec: 10/10/13 Comp: 10/22/13 Inter: -- Dec: -- Upd: 10 years
University of Washington F Waitlisted W Type: RA Sent: 10/04/13 Rec: 10/04/13 Comp: 10/08/13 Inter: -- Dec: 12/13/13 Upd: 10 years
University of Pennsylvania F Rejected Type: RA Sent: 09/19/13 Rec: 09/19/13 Comp: 09/30/13 Inter: -- Dec: 01/24/14 Upd: 10 years
University of California Berkeley F Rejected Type: RA Sent: 09/19/13 Rec: 09/19/13 Comp: 10/03/13 Inter: -- Dec: 01/24/14 Upd: 10 years

Applicant Information

  • LSAT: 173
  • LSAT 2: -
  • LSAT 3: -
  • GRE : -
  • LSAC GPA: 2.66
  • Degree GPA: 2.65
  • School Type: Big State
  • Major: Finance

Demographic Information

  • City: -
  • State: -
  • Race: White
  • Gender: Man
  • Non-Traditional Applicant: Yes
  • Years out of Undergrad: 10+ Years

Extra Curricular Information

-10+ years as a military officer/aviator with multiple combat deployments

-Very non-traditional (undergrad c/o '02)

-One LSAT take

Additional info & updates

***CYCLE IS OVER...ATTENDING NORTHWESTERN***

All the dates/numbers are now accurate for future super-splitter reference. I have a family, so I gave serious consideration to regional schools in the Pacific Northwest & Rocky Mountain area. However, since I was pursuing another career from scratch, I ended up making the choice based on the best chance at gainful employment regardless of region.

The scholarship information is what the school itself offered me. I am eligible for the G.I. Bill at 100% and the Yellow Ribbon Program. So, scholarships were largely wasted on me as many schools are already free or nearly free.

If a fee waiver is a "special fee waiver," it was granted for military service. Merit based were a combination of solicited and CRS. So I only paid 3 application fees + $25 for 15 apps. Total was ~$575.

I used the standard terms below (safety, reach, target), but I did not base it on anything other than recent cycles and expectations based on TLS. Law School Predictor gave me basically no shot at T14 and called UCLA a reach (fairly correct there), so it was pretty much worthless.

SAFETIES (if a 2.66 GPA can have such a thing)
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LEWIS & CLARK: Never went UR on the status checker. Accepted with $32k/year, but they asked if more money would make me reconsider withdrawing. Went to ASW there and it was a great atmosphere overall. Withdrew.

UTAH: UR1 Nov 21. UR2 Dec 9. UR3 Jan 3. Scholly of $22K year, and they seemed willing to possibly recode for living expenses since I'd be fully covered under VA benefits. Withdrew.

COLORADO: I can't even recall if I went UR. I think so, but they were pretty late with getting to my app. Applied super early and still no decision by mid-Feb. By then, I had more preferential acceptances in hand. Withdrew before getting any decision.

TARGETS
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GEORGETOWN: Never went UR. Got an acceptance by mail in October and it was my first of the cycle. I remember feeling great, not knowing how I'd be looked at by T14 schools. To have GU in hand by October took the pressure off the rest of the cycle. No merit/need aid. Withdrew in early April.

UCLA: I'd actually almost put this in the "reach" category, given their propensity to favor high GPAs. I think in the last cycle, only 1-2 GPAs in my range out of 6000 apps had been accepted...possibly URM (I have no way of knowing). So, I'm thinking the non-traditional military bump got me in here. I was damned excited to get this acceptance, and because UCLA would be 100% free for me, this was certainly in the running. Attended ASW. Brought my sister who lives in the area. I had a great time! But, I withdrew in April.

WASHINGTON (Seattle): Didn't think my GPA would be favorably looked on by UW. When I got WL'd, I withdrew as I had GU and UCLA in hand by that time.

NORTHWESTERN: Merry Christmas! Got my acceptance just before Christmas, and family started arriving hours later. Very cool. I interviewed from my deployment via Skype. It seemed to go quite well. Once I got this acceptance, I knew my cycle had probably gone about as good as was possible given my GPA. Thanks to NU for the splitter love!

REACHES
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UVA: I actually applied ED while deployed, and I'm thankful I didn't get accepted due to changing family circumstances. Submitted "Why UVA" even though I was ED. I was WL'd and hung on for 7 months before finally withdrawing. I was set on NU by that point.

DUKE: UR1 7 Oct. UR2 9 Feb. No additional essays. Withdrew upon getting my WL notification. Again, was content with NU by that time and didn't want to be East Coast.

MICHIGAN: Different style status checker, so never UR. Hung onto the WL into the summer. I informed them I was willing to stay on the WL until mid-July (fairly sure I would've gone to NU anyway, but still interested). Dinged off the WL on July 14th, so it could've had something to do with the date I gave them.

UBER-REACHES
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CAL: I figured my GPA would nearly be an auto-ding here. Turned out I was right.

PENN: They've been known to show a little splitter love from time to time and I had a fee waiver. They decided to ding me on the same day as Cal.

NYU: Like Penn, they sneak into splitter territory (obviously not where I am typically). Still, apps are down and my softs border on unique. I was able to wiggle a WL out of them, and I withdrew from the WL on July 23rd (same day I got my U-Chi final ding). I decided I wouldn't have attended over NU anyway, so it was time to let go. Likely ding coming down the pike anyway.

LOL-TYPE REACHES
***************
CHICAGO: They offered a free app for military and they opened their app in August. I actually applied mainly to go through the process fully before applying to schools at which I had a better chance. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything, and it was worth $25 to me. Surprised to have actually made the WL. They let me hang on until July 23rd.

HARVARD: Haha, money giveaway. I figured someone might read my PS, see non-trad, realize I'm still at/above median LSAT...and let me in for funsies. After all, any GPA below 25th doesn't really make a difference right? Nope.

Visitor Comments

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Congrats
Saturday, October 12 2013 at 05:57 AM

Congratulations on your acceptance to Georgetown, that's a hell of a school. Do you have strong work experience? I mean, what do you possess beside the great LSAT score that impressed them? Can I ask you how you prep'ed for the LSAT?

Updated via PM
Saturday, October 13 2012 at 08:00 PM

Lest anyone think I'm ignoring the comment above, I answered via PM a day or two after.

Saturday, October 12 2013 at 05:57 AM

Congratulations man, I'm happy for you. Maybe we'll see each other if I can get into Northwestern next year. You're probably not going to be posting on here once you begin, but if you do....do you mind if I ask you a few questions? As long as you put in the time, you'll do fine. All the best.

Thanks
Saturday, October 13 2012 at 08:00 PM

Thank you. Have you been hitting the LSAT studying hard? Did you take June or are you set to take September? I will be keeping up with this site since it was very helpful info for me, so don't worry. Make sure you use all the application/LSAT resources over on TLS as well. There are many people over on that site who help out tremendously.

Saturday, October 12 2013 at 05:57 AM

I have, I definitely have. I've been studying going on 10months, 5-6 times a week. I've definitely made strides, but due to work and general exhaustion, I usually average about 3-5 hours every night. You know friend...I don't feel ready. I'm still about 6-9 months from feeling "okay" and maybe a year from actually feeling confident. LR is kicking my ass my right now. I'm slowly trying to get it but it's more elusive than LG and RC. At this point, if all things go as planned, I'll be taking it next October. Hopefully, I'll feel great by then...that is after I put in many more months of studying, some classes, and/or tutoring.

Saturday, October 12 2013 at 05:57 AM

So I take it you'll be attending this fall? Are you getting ready to travel to Chicago? Looking forward to orientation? Chicago is a great town. Definitely, I'm always looking through TLS, it's been very helpful. Have you done any preparation for law school? LEEWS writing system? Read "Getting to Maybe?" Had any trouble looking for a place near Northwestern? I look forward to reading how you get along man. All the best.

Saturday, October 13 2012 at 08:00 PM

Yes, attending this fall. Will be moving to Chicago a little bit before orientation. I've read GTM, but no substantive prep as I've heard that's largely a waste of time. I've mainly been spending time with the fam as often as I can. No trouble finding a place by NU at all. Good luck on the studying! 3 hours a day is plenty if you're staying focused. That's all I was able to do because of family/work considerations. Just be laser focused during that time. Don't dabble. I have no doubt you'll see progress if you're honest with yourself and put the quality time in!

If anyone stumbles across this...
Saturday, October 13 2012 at 08:00 PM

I still check this site fairly often, so if anyone shoots me a message, I will respond. For those big splitters out there like me, good luck!