I'm making this profile fairly deep into the cycle, so I'm fudging the early dates a bit:
08.12.09: withdrew from BC. The end! BU, here I come.
08.11.09: accepted off the BC waitlist! Here's a little evidence that waitlists are worth waiting for. Making my choice now.
04.13.09: sent in seat deposit at BU. My cycle is officially quasi-done! Withdrew from NUSL this morning and will be withdrawing from Suffolk shortly, as soon as I can bring myself to click "send" on rejecting $105k. We'll see what happens with BC--hoping for the best! I can't believe this is finally over. :) Good luck to everyone making decisions in the next few months.
03.27.09: way to mix things up, Suffolk! David J. Sargent Merit Scholarship. $35k/year, renewable annually, provided that I stay in the top 50% of my class and continue to demonstrate financial need. Call from Dean Ellis to congratulate me--she's very nice.
03.26.09: accepted at Suffolk with a large package dated 03.24. That was a quick turnaround! Waiting on Financial Aid information, but those are answers from all 4. Yay! Also sent a LOCI to BC, along with a third letter of recommendation from an alum. Never hurts.
03.20.09: visited BU for ASD. Loved it even more! Wicked nice students, faculty and admits. Still waiting on my financial aid package, but it will be very tough to turn it down.
03.17.09: waitlisted at BC, small envelope, dated 03.13.09.
03.14.09: acceptance package arrived from BU. With a nice pack of BU Law stickie notes. Invitation to ASD on Friday. And financial aid offer arrived from NUSL.
03.10.09: IN AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW! After drafting the letter to my mentor, I called BU just to check whether that letter would hold up my application's processing at all. The receptionist asked for my last name and put me on hold, going to check the status of my file. But the person who picked back up was my interviewer... From the way she started, I assumed that she was going to say, "Miss, you're crazy, and no, we can't accept any more recommendations!" So, I told her what I was thinking to do and she cut me off to say, "Um, well, it looks like that won't be necessary, because your application has been sitting on my desk in a pile of people I need to call today... So, congratulations--you've been accepted..." at which point I completely started yammering like a blithering idiot with a whole lot of "Oh my God!" and "Oh, thank you so much!" and everything else that probably made her question my emotional stability and want to rescind my offer.
I can not believe it. Here is 100% proof that determination and a good interview can take you a whole lot farther than I thought. I am AMAZED because I had originally counted myself out on this one. Most relieved day in the last ten months...
03.09.09: considered e-mailing a mentor of mine who is a BU alum to send a third LOR.
03.06.09: BU interview. I felt like it was a really strong meeting and she really understood where I was coming from. I should also include the fact that I brought with me to both the BC and BU interviews a copy of my major's GPA (which was appreciably higher than my UG GPA) and a copy of my SAT scores (I took them twice and I felt it would evidence my wavering abilities in standarized testing), plus my SAT II scores in English. Just to paint a better picture of myself. They both said that my interest was "appropriately noted" and that they would add those documents to my file.
03.05.09: took a tour of BU. My tour guide was AMAZING, as it happened that I was the only one on the tour... But totally LOVED the school. Culturally, it feels like an amazing fit. And can't beat the Health Law side of things. I didn't even get the same "ugly" vibe that a lot of people talk about. It felt comfortably nerdy and the students seem exactly like people I want to study alongside. Much greater impression of it than I expected. Also, attended a Criminal law class that was super interesting. Felony murder was the topic of the day. Set up an interview with an Associate Dean of Admissions for Friday.
03.04.09: trekked out to BC on the Green Line. Students were on break, so I gave myself a tour. Loved the campus, but understandably, I didn't feel like I had the best idea of its culture. Will return. But I moseyed into the Admissions office with some questions to ask an Admissions representative. I met with a really wonderful Assistant Dean who understood how much I love the school; I feel like we related really well, based on small liberal arts experience, interest in Public Interest work, etc. Angst: he said "oh, well, you should be hearing from us any day now." Oh, I know...I know...
03.02.09: decided to take things into my own hands. Good idea? Maybe. Called BC and BU. Arranged to take tours at both. Arranged to attend classes at both. Attended a class at Suffolk (which was incredibly interesting--I like Torts already).
02.18.09: applied to Suffolk, just to throw another ball into the juggling game.
February 2009: are you serious? I'm still waiting?! Agony! I though that whole 8-10 weeks thing was just to cover them in case it took that long... But went to a couple NUSL events, including a co-op discussion. I'm completely fascinated by the co-op, I must admit, and I met a 3L who's doing exactly the kind of work I want.
January 2009: waiting, waiting, waiting. Ulcers, gray hair, the like.
01.12.09: complete at BC. 8-12 weeks. More gulp.
01.08.09: complete at BU. 8-10 weeks. Gulp.
01.07.09: took a leap of faith and drafted a hybrid LOCI/LSAT-GPA explanation to both BU and BC. Explained a rocky transition from high school to UG. Explained background of scrappy testing, particularly on standardized tests. Made it clear how interested I am, especially for particular programs they have.
01.01.09: home in Beantown to find an acceptance (sweet--I'm going to law school!) from NUSL, dated 12.24. I found that weird because I knew that law schools typically get our scores a few days before we do if our apps are held, but I think their AdComm might have pulled the trigger before my third score came back... Also happy to have received a hefty Dean's Scholarship for 25k over three years, barring unforeseen academic awfulness. Happy New year!
12.29.08: received LSAC Score report by e-mail with a 163. At/broke all my schools' 25th %iles. I was actually pretty happy (!), given how poorly I thought it had gone. Dropped in raw score by a couple points, though, so thank goodness for that curve.
Holidays: out of the country again. Nice distraction, I'll admit.
For about a week: considered cancelling and even posted on TLS to get opinions about what to do. Thank you, one responder, who told me not to cancel. I think I didn't because of your peer pressure.
12.04.08: LSAT #3. The nerves were out of control. Felt AWFUL post-exam (LG did me in again with timing--finished about 15/24 questions). Headed to Quebec for a scheduled trip and wanted to poke my eyes out with a...dull...spoon...Saw IV-style...for the six hour car ride.
11.06.08-ish: notified my schools that they should hold my apps for LSAT #3. So much for my early applications...
11.05.08-ish: notice from schools that my apps had been received.
10.25.08: felt pretty miserable all day, but decided that--gosh darn it--I needed to take that exam again to break the 25th percentile of my schools, despite accusations of masochism/insanity from friends and family. I was mostly spurred on by very decent practice exams.
10.24.08: oh, sweet irony. Received 162 from LSAC Score Report around 11 PM after going out to celebrate finishing my applications that Friday night.
10.24.08: submitted Northeastern, BC and BU applications around 1 AM with sense of relief to be finished
October 2008: LSAT numero dos. Felt good coming out, but not great. Still very nervous in the exam. Held off anxiety for four weeks and used writing my applications for distraction. Lots of motivation!
Summer 2008: took an LSAT prep course. Exceptionally helpful. I'd strongly recommend TestMasters to anyone looking for a program. Post-them and 10 practice exams, was consistently testing between 168 and 171.
June 16, 2008: first, taking the LSAT on your birthday is pretty lame. Second, I didn't finish the exam. I had been testing around a 163, but due to nerves and consequent slowness, didn't finish 6-7 questions in LG and RC. Misery.
February 2008: started studying for the LSAT
Congratulations! Just saw you on the TLS forum and I am so happy for you. Are you going to wait on BC or is it BU? :)