BadgerBacker1 (2022-2023)

College: Founder Pi Kappa Alpha chapter and exec board member for 3 years, Cycling club, Hoofers out doors club, college republicans.

Post college: Young Republicans chapter founder and exec board member, Rotary Club, and I am mentor for at risk junior high students

Other info: Eagle Scout, married, worked industrial sales for awhile, currently working as a paralegal.

Count as of 4/13/10: 7-12-4, 1 outstanding application

Same guy as the first badgerbacker, only for some reason I can't access that account. All my other info is on that account if anyone cares to know.

New LSAT score is from September 09'

Quick run down. I attended law school for one year straight out of undergrad. Only thing I can say is if Cooley throws money at you and or it's your only option due to grades/ LSAT don't do it!! I'm applying to go back and start from scratch, not a transfer.

Because EVERYONE keeps asking about Cooley, read this. It's not mine but the guy (or girl) does a pretty good job of describing the school without being overly harsh.
http://www.epinions.com/review/educ-Law_Schools-All-Thomas_M_Cooley_Law/content_133879139972

I just want that one acceptance, everything after that is a bonus.

Best of luck to everyone with their application cycle!

11/16/09 Added UW and Loyola to the list. I would say I have a 1 in a 100 shot of making it on UW's wait list and about the same for Loyola. Loyola gave me a fee waiver making me think someone in admissions needs paper to line their bird cage. I have no idea why else I would get one unless everyone gets one.

11/18/09- Call from SIU today letting me know that I'm in and that a packet is on the way! Hot-diggity-damn it looks like no matter what I will be going to law school!!!

11/23/09- Talked to Ole' Miss admissions, ugh. Not a flat out rejection, at least not in so many words. However even reaching to a T3 now seems dubious. I think I have some dark days in front of me in terms of my application cycle.

Ominous indeed, dinged at Arkansas. Evidently someone let it slip that not only did I have a full set of teeth, but that I also had failed to marry my cousin, tisk tisk such a faux pas can't be tolerated. All joking aside it's great town and school congrats to all who decide to go.

11/25/09 In light of the decision from Arkansas I added St. Mary's and will be adding more T4's that are at least somewhat attractive. I'm taking this rejection as more of a harbinger than an exception in terms of my cycle. Pessimistic you say? No just facing certain realities due to my misadventures with Cooley. I must say that this is dissapointing in light of my numbers, softs, the amount of time spent away from Cooley (come next fall it will be 4 years) and the circumstances in which that particular instutition places it's students, alumni etc. However I still have the earnest desire to become an attorney and will push forward despite the rising tide.

11/28/09 Applied to Wyoming. Some might argue it's not the best school, but if I'm going to go to a T3 or T4 I intend on doing it in a location I'm crazy about!

12/04/09- Really thinking I should have wised up and applied to more of these schools PT, I think I would have a much better chance at them.

12/15/09- Everything has gone complete, and a good while ago at that. It seems like everything has stalled though, all quiet on the western front...too quiet.

12/18/09 Two for two. I really am quite happy about UMKC. Not the most prestigious school, but excellent bar passage rates and a great city! .500 is not all that bad to be carrying into what I see as at least a 2 week bye-week here.

12/19/09 Dinged at MSU. It's Big 10 so the campus would have been fun. However going back to the state of Michigan coupled with another for profit law school wasn't my preference to start. Oh well.

12/24/09 Christmas came early from Toledo and even more so from Tulsa! Nice over .500 again.

1/2/10 Ding ding ding goes the trolley! Happy new year to you Louisville. ha.

1/8/10 No go at Loyola. Hey you guys sent me the fee waiver so I didn't mind wasting your time, haha. I saw this one coming the minute I submitted!

1/11/10 First waitlist. I really like UST. I hope they give me a chance. Waitlists leave you with a strange taste in your mouth I must say.

1/15/10 Went to change Hamline to a reject and realized that I forgot to add them to my list, hell I forgot I even applied there! Also status checker changed to decision made at St. Louis. Nothing on the deposit side so I think that means "rejection letter sent" hopefully not but it would fit in line with everything else.

1/23/10 First T1 school, hell yeah!

1/26/10 Thanks, but no thanks says Stetson. Well you dropped off the T1 list this year so we're even. The warm weather sure would have been nice though.
Record to date: 6-7-1

1/27 Waitlist at Marquette. Crap. Still my number one, however I am guessing this going to pan out like a bad romantic comedy. I'll hold out as long as I can hoping that maybe I'll get in. The time will come when I have to move on to whatever school I have sent a deposit to. I'll rent an apartment, my wife will find a new job, we'll just be moving the boxes in and I'll finally get a call from Marquette, you're the one we've wanted all along. That day will be sometime in August 2010, I'm calling it. Too little too late.

1/28 In light of my recent Marquette waitlist I withdrew from Toledo and will be taking a hard look at my other schools. I'm hoping for a little good karma. Godspeed Toledo, and all the hopeful throngs that may want my spot.

1/31 What took Mississippi so long? This was a forgone conclusion months ago. William Mitchell surprised the hell out of me though, thought that was a gimmie. Records not too hot right now, oh well.

2/2/10 Trying to set the bar by withdrawing from schools early that I am not truly considering. If everyone on here would do the same I think we would all be able to breath alot easier. If you have what you consider better options, swallow that little part of your ego and let the other seat go to someone who wants it.

2/11/10 Withdrew from SIU. Had to admit I did it with a twinge of regret. Not so much because they gave me a scholarship, but because they were the first ones to accept me with open arms (and a phone call from the dean). Kinda like breaking up with your first gf. I hope someone else can get my seat and my scholly that is really hoping for it.

Not in but NOT out letter from WVU saying they're holding my file to review when they get more applicants/ time. They've only had it for FOUR months so that seems understandable... oh and they made certain to tell me I'm NOT waitlisted. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck then what is it WVU?

2/25/10 Withdrew from St. Mary's, I just can't see myself traveling that far for law school. Plus I am one of .1% of Americans that enjoy Northeast/ Midwest winters

3/8/10 Finally got my ding from Wisconsin, really guys, it took you long enough. Not surprised in the least.

3/10 Really Northern IL? Wow, your loss.

3/16 Withdrew from Tulsa, just couldn't warm up to the idea of living in Oklahoma. I hope someone else can get my seat and scholly.

4/1 Withdrew from John Marshall. Really wish I would have done this earlier. I knew the day I got in I did not intend on attending. Better now then never though.

4/7 Receieved a waitlist reaffrimation request email from Marquette. I hope this means that they will open their waitlist this year, but we'll just wait and see.

4/12 Withdrew from UMKC. Liked the town alot, the school looked friendly enough but I think I would be better off at SLU. Still holding out for some waitlists though, hopefully they might come through. Starting to sell plasma now to afford SLU tuition...

4/13 Offered to be on Wyoming's waitlist. Like the idea of being close to excellent snowboarding and mountain biking, don't like the idea of waiting out a school that I don't intend on attending and taking up someone elses possible waitlist acceptence.

4/14 New rankings are out. Ho ho young man, not so fast! Your exuberance from 1/23? Misguided! TTT for life. Eh, I still like the school and see the lower Top 100 (T2) to be fairly fluid. I'm sure the crap economy didn't help their placement score this year.

5/3 Out at West Virginia via status checker. High fives all around for the fast turn around time on apps guys! Marquette opens it's first (LSN confirmed) waitlist seat, let's see what happens.

5/21 If there is a supposed "cascade effect" that impacts waitlists I sure haven't seen anything. This is looney tunes, and not in a reggaeton sort of way.

5/26 2nd Marquette waitlist reaffrimation.

6/8 Marquette's 2nd desposit was on the 1st of June. No movement. At this point I'm just trying to record useful information for posterity.

6/9 I sent in my 2nd deposit to SLU a few days ago. I know that all the adcoms recieve a list of who has deposited where. I would still be willing to loose the money if I got into MU, it truly makes the most sense for me in terms of marketability and future practice. Perhaps seeing my name on the acceptence list of (what I would consider at least) an educational contemporary would give the adcoms less reason for pause. Either way I will be going to a fine institution and WILL be an excellent student and hopefully an even better attorney.

6/10 Email from IU-Indy indicating that there will be minimal, if any, additional movement on the waitlist. I admire their candor and wish all schools would be this forthcoming with their applicants. This is a horrid year for waitlisters, everyone is trying to hide out the recession in law school (a poor choice for those not TRULY commited to practicing).

6/29 Withdrew from IU-Indy today. It just wouldn't be feasible at this point to wait this one out. I'm still hanging on the MU waitlist in hopes of some last second miracle. I know there is going to be minimal movement from here on out for the waitlists, but hopefully my withdrawal will do some good for someone.

7/11 Withdrew from St. Thomas U. At this point in the game I couldn't justify having to quickly accept a school sight unseen if I happened to get pulled off the waitlist. At this point my only waitlist left is Marquette, which coincidentally sent out it's 3rd reaffirmation of waitlist intent email today.

8/01 I get the impression that my wait list experience is coming to an inconclusive and disappointing ending. I'm still holding out hope against hope, but this late in the cycle it's probably a pipe dream. It seems like WL acceptences come in waves in mid/late May, mid June, late July. It's now August...ugh. I think the scarlet "C" branded on my academic cheek, faded as it may be by the years of absence, is still proving too much for many adcoms and deans.

8/26 Finally punched out on Marquette. Hung in there until the very end. I really put my all into that app and the follow up (LOCI's, visits, etc) but to no avail. To all applying to Marquette, next fall make sure your numbers are above reproach. It seems that your softs will mean very little in the grand scheme of things. Still there will be schools that will look at your entire application, so don't loose heart if your #1 gives you the boot.