wiseowl (2008 – 2009)

I am finishing a science PhD program sometime in the spring.
I am married. My wife has a job that she can get in most cities.
I am from the South and would like to return/practice here.
I am definitely doing patent law.


10-8-08 Went back to undergrad alma mater to get 2 recommenders. Both were surprised at law school decision but both were enthusiastic. Current PhD advisor says he will get to it eventually but that I am 10th in line for letters.

10-29-08 First undergrad rec in!

11-12-08 I had sinus surgery today. Will be loopy and on my back for a while, but this gives me a chance to finish apps.

11-17-08 I return to work, boss says he will do app this weekend. I surreptitously steal the file folder from his desk and change my instructions to him to fax rather than mail to LSAC. I'm also going to have him be my Emory Woodruff letter.

11-24-08 Boss's letter shows up after faxing it the day before! I've got two letters in, still waiting for the third. I decide it's time to go ahead and submit.

11-25-08 Laptop dies. Ruh-roh. Fortunately I had uploaded most essays into LSAC already, but my Why Penn, NYU scholarship and Wake Forest optional essays are trapped in hard drive recovery limbo. I'll try to extract those in the next few days.

11-26-08 Around midnight after my wife is asleep and I'm up with a post-op nosebleed I go ahead and submit GW, my first app and my ED hope. The others that I am able to do follow.

11-27-08 I notice GW and UNC automatically request LSAC reports.

11-30-08 Everyone has requested reports now except Columbia and George Mason. Still need to get the three outstanding apps done, and get my Vandy Law Scholars questions done. Sure would be nice if my 3rd rec showed up someday...

12-03-08 Complete at UVA by email. First completion!

12-04-08 Got some of the junk off my hard drive and sent in Wake Forest. I'll try to get NYU and Penn by the weekend.

12-15-08 I'm at a conference but my wife says a large envelope arrived from Georgia! First acceptance! My third LOR is still AWOL so maybe that's preventing some others.

12-16-08 Georgia scholarship email - I got the resident tuition for one semester deal that they talked about at the LSAC forum. Kinda wanted a little more there, maybe we will wait and see.

12-17-08 In at Wake Forest via large first class envelope. Scholarship to follow later. My mom calls and says UGA has sent a letter to their house trying to get me to come. Weird.

12-20-08 Third LOR arrives! Hooray! Now I am really complete, other than the Vanderbilt Law Scholars.

12-22-08 Decided not to apply to Penn and NYU. I've waited too long by now, and I can't see myself at either place anyway. Also, Vanderbilt's status checker went to decision! Update 6 PM: GULC went to decision too!

12-23-08 In at Vandy!

12-26-08 In at GULC! It's almost hard to get excited about these acceptances because I haven't heard one way or the other from GW. Hint Hint!

12-30-08 In at UVA by phone! Nice gift while traveling to my alma mater's bowl game!

01-08-09 Finally complete at Emory - not an unexpected delay as this was the only app that depended on my third LOR.