Roman815 (2022-2023)

Hello everyone. I just created an account and welcome any comments you may have. Good luck to everyone this year!

I'm a weak candidate. That's why I've received so many rejections. My value is in my personal statement, letters of recommendation and work experience. These things are rarely weighed heavily. I also applied to schools that were WAY out of my reach. I don't know why Lewis & Clark targeted me. I would imagine the LSAT and URM was attractive. But they didn't see the whole picture (low GPA). You should be fine. You'll have a lot of options. Good luck!

Hi just wanted to let you know that we have similar numbers and I am thinkin good thoughts for you! Peace.

Thanks for the good thoughts they paid off. I got into Southwestern today. Although I probably won't be going because I will likely have other options, it's nice to be wanted. I remember being afraid of getting a rejection from Southwestern after getting a 144 on my first practice exam. Now I'm in with a scholarship to come (I hope). I'm wishing you luck as well but it looks like you have nice options already. We applied to many of the same schools so it will be interesting to see the results. What is your first choice now (Loyola)?

Hey, congrats to you too! I got the same email before I got the acceptance letter. I was hoping they hadn't sent a mass email to all of their applicants hahaha. I didn't receive any scholarship info, just the sentence in the letter saying more info would come. Hopefully, we'll have something in the mail soon. Good luck on Davis and your other apps!

Sorry, that last message was mine. Oh, and I'll probably be going to the Admitted Students Day in March. I've got plans next week.

Right now I'm leaning toward L&C. Congrats on Southwestern. I bet you'll be receiving many more acceptances very soon

Yes Loyola is my first choice although USD is a close second because I love their program. Regarless I am sure that you will be admitted and please let me know if you have any questions.

Congrats! SW is pretty high on my list just because of its entertainment law clinic, but Loyola is number one for me... I'm sure Poli-Sci is going to help you. I did a music undergrad in England, so I'm clueless as to how that will look to the app. board. I pulled a 2:1 degree which is a B+ which should turn into a 3.33, so who knows. Good luck and hope you hear something soon! I'm getting an ulcer of here waiting...

I love Todai, there is one in downtown Portland! Yes, I am considering LC because I think Portland is a great city and my close family friends live there (who are essentially my extended family) so if i am going to be away from the southeast, it would be great to experience a new city with my friends nearby. Also, the money they offered is a nice touch. I'm considering American but would put it on the same level as LC as far as where I would choose. Of course, if I got accepted to a top 20 I would choose that, but I'm have yet to hear from anyone else yet so I'm not getting ahead of myself... I've been to Portland several times, and although I don't konw too much about LC law school, the city itself is great and the law school is only a few miles from downtown. Good luck to you!!!

Thanks for the words. I considered Catholic a safety at the time I applied because I DID take a review class and hadn't scored anything lower than a 166 on any of my practice tests taken under regular test constraints. I don't think I can afford another class but I will retake the test if I don't end up going to law school this fall.

Lewis and Clark seems like an awesome school, and the area is just gorgeous. I didn't apply to mcgeorge because the area of town that it is in is pretty scary. otherwise i've heard good things about their school. :) Goodluck!!

Dude I love Todai. As the poster said above, there is one right in downtown Portland. I have been deferred at LC, retook the LSAT, scored 4 points better, so I am hoping that I get it. I really like the Portland area. We applied to a lot of the same schools, so I will be keepin an eye on your cycle. Good Luck.

The campus at L&C is amazing and if you like Portland (or the NW) I would go to L&C. While the school is expensive, you should be able to come out with some solid job offers. Talking with some legal professionals in Portland, they generally said that L&C is your best bet for the NW outside of UW. Good Luck!

yah brotha...i feel your pain. is it just me or is lmu and scu taking their sweet ole time?

Loyola and Santa Clara are slow about their decisions. They are among my top choices so I do care them but not as much as I do about Lewis and Clark. If I get in there then the rest of the schools can reject me for all I care. If I don't get in, then I care a lot about their pace. It would be nice to hear from them so that I could have options though. Thanks for your words on Davis. I never expected to get into my reaches so it was not a shock. I hope your cycle is at least somewhat satisfactory.

That's a very good question.

Unfortunately I can't afford to go to a school without a scholarship, and my credit isn't good enough to get enough student loans for LC. Its really disappointing because Portland is amazing, and their admitted students website is really impressive. I'm planning on withdrawing from everywhere else this week. Some schools make it really hard because they don't even tell you HOW while others give you a card. I saw your def yesterday and it made me sad. I really hope you get in, I'll be crossing my fingers for you. Its really too bad you can't suggest someone when you withdraw lol.

The above person was deferred with a 3.16 and a 165 yesterday. That makes me feel better but it must mean that someone in the admissions office has been drinking lately. They'd better resolve this issue soon. Thanks for your kind words as well. I know it does suck that you can't give your spot to someone else. I can't afford to go to law school without financial aid either but I can take out loans from the federal government. I would assume you could do so as well unless you have a high EFC. Mine was just $1,200 so that basically means I am dirt poor. It should have been zero though. You may want to contact Lewis and Clark if you would really like to go there since they would probably offer you some way of attending. They could probably help you get some good loans. If I went I know I would want someone as nice as you at the same school.

I'm visiting Gonzaga in two weeks, if I'm unsure about it then I think I will call LC, that's a good idea. I'm just worried about getting APPROVED for that many loans. I used to have great credit but now its kind of awful. Otherwise, McGeorge is an awesome school, you should be proud of that scholarship! I'm bummed that LC sent me a fee waiver so late in the game. If I would have known about their school in December I probably would have heard back before they ran out of money, and before my b/f became so set on Spokane, WA.

Thanks for the info about the waitlist process at American. I'm still waiting to hear back from a bunch of schools, but I think I'm going to stick out the waitlist process, at least for another month or so. I'm hoping to get in to George Mason (my mom is an alumni of the law school and my uncle is an alumni of the undergrad program), but if not there, then Catholic. Good luck to you!

I'm surprised L&C would defer you this late in the cycle. :( Oh well, keep your chin up! At least you got lots of love from UoP!

Thanks for the kind words. I know that the UoP was generous and I would love to go there but their attrition rate and ranking is not what I was looking for. I also know that they give 60% of their entering class scholarships with the requirement of being in the top third so at least half of us would lose them. At least it's better than nothing and I still have a number of schools pending. Thanks for the encouragement.

It's funny how as time progresses, UOP looks better and better to you. It's kind of how I feel towards Lewis and Clark, as it's my only acceptance so far. As time goes on, you just feel so grateful towards the school that loves you. UOP does seem like a really great school, but don't talk yourself out of Lewis & Clark / Loyola /anywhere just yet. You have yet to be rejected, anything could happen. Maybe we'll end up in the same place when this whole thing is finally over. =)

I have very similar numbers to you and I am also only considering California schools. I wish I had sent my UoP application out with my first bunch but I guess thats a mistake I'm going to have to live with. I'm just dying with the wait, it seems like the schools in Cali are taking a long hard look at a lot of applications. Good luck and I hope we are both happy with the outcomes this cycle.

Thanks. I am VERY excited. I am sure they will start accepting the rest of everyone. Hopefully you will get yours quick! I just logged into the admitted student website. It worked. I received a big white packet in the mail. It was a folder with Mt. Hood on the front. Looking forward to maybe seeing you there next year. I will be crossing my fingers for you.

I am really considering L&C now and after really looking into the school it is an amazing environment for learning and still being active. I have been crossing my fingers that you may hear something soon!

I also hope to get into Lewis and Clark because it is still my first choice out of the schools that I will likely get accepted into. It's great that you are seriously considering L&C for those reasons because they are the same ones that attracted me to their school. I too am looking for a school that not only provides an excellent education but also great quality of life since I will likely be staying in the city for more than just 3 years. Additionally, they are cheaper than most California schools so that is a bonus. It's hard waiting for them because I want to attend so badly. Even my family is starting to support me on this move. Now it's up to Lewis and Clark to get this done. Nothing I can do but wait. I e-mailed them a letter of continued interested a few days before the deferral so they know I would go. Let me know if you choose to attend because we might be classmates this August.

It seems like your decisions are a preview of what's to come for me. Here's hoping to a USD acceptance for you soon haha.

I really think you should go check out Southwestern. I was there just the other day for a scholarship admit reception and the people I met there were AMAZING and articulate. When I first applied I never gave the school any thought, but my dad is a senior partner at Gibson Dunn here in LA and he insists that the associates he has had from SW are some of the best. When I went to their event I could see for myself he was not exaggerating. That school is seriously on the up and up and has GREAT connections to top law firms in LA if you graduate in the top 10% of your class. Just my two cents.

Thanks for the comments but I've already checked out Southwestern and didn't like it. Sure the library is sweet but I don't think I would fit in even though I've lived in LA most of my life. It's too bad that my stepfather put down a deposit for me because it was a total loss. I disliked the school so much that I withdrew a few days after putting down the deposit. I just barely missed getting a full refund. If I were you I wouldn't go to Southwestern since you have much better options but on the other hand you have connections. I think your perspective is unique and may not be totally accurate since Southwestern is strongest in LA. Seeing as how I don't want to be in LA, I wouldn't want to go to Southwestern. Please read my page before giving me advice. By doing so you might gain some insight into my decision making process. Seriously, people need to get off my back about not going to Southwestern. I've made my choice! Also, being up and coming doesn't mean jack because the school isn't there yet. I'm sure you've heard the saying "a day late and a dollar short". In addition, were you trying to indicate that since someone at the top of their class at Southwestern could get a good paying job that Southwestern is somehow good? Most people at the top of their class at other schools could do the same but the real question is whether the rest of the class could get a good job as well. In that regard Southwestern sucks. Sounds like some Southwestern trolling to me.

I read your comments back, and I must say I do feel pretty thoroughly schooled by you. I apologize sincerely for making a comment/giving you advice without reading through your profile fully. Its obvious to me now that your experience at Southwestern was a bad one and that my reasons for suggesting Southwestern to you arent really applicable. So yeah, sorry sorry. However, I am definetely not a Southwestern troll- or a troll, period. Yours is the first and only profile I commented on, and my intentions were good. I randomly ended up on your page and when I read a little about what you said about Southwestern, it seemed so incongruous wih my experience with the school I thought maybe you caught them on a bad, bad day or something. I just wanted to share an alternate perspective, perhaps because I went to the scholarship reception and therefore met some of their higher quality students. You are, of course, absolutely correct in saying that top students at any law school can get jobs at top firms. I concede that point, I only meant to say that the best students they graduate are uniquely capable (at least from what i have heard from my father and others) and perform well in top law firm environments. Maybe that isnt reflective on the quality of Southwestern, I obviously cant make that assesment. Anyway, I'm sorry I pissed you off by making ill-informed comments but I hope you can see that my only intention was to provide a counterpoint. You could probably be a little less surly. And yes, I am probably not going to Southwestern myself.

I'm sorry about being crabby in last my response. I just don't want to be second guessed all of the time. Where are you likely going to end up? Are you going to work for your father after law school? Where did he get his degree? It seems that with your numbers USC should be throwing some money at you. You could probably get a full ride at Loyola so no need to look at SW. You're in an excellent position. I envy you.

You were crabby for a decent reason, so its no big deal and I appreciate your apology. I am almost positive I'm going to Georgetown. I have always wanted to, but I feel like I have to wait to hear from everywhere before I commit 100%. My father got his JD at Georgetown and loved it there. I wont work with after school though, Gibson has a policy against nepotism, sadly. USC/SW/Vanderbilt/GW did all give me some money, but other than Southwestern it was not nearly enough to sway my decision. I do wish I had looked into Loyola or Pepperdine in that regard. Anyway, I'm glad to have some good choices. Grats on finding a school you are excited to go to, its really impressive how thoughtfully you evaluated your options.

Did you by any chance send a letter of continued interest to L&C?

Yes, I did send out a letter of continued interest to Lewis and Clark a few days prior to my deferral. The response of the admissions office to me telling them how great their school was was basically that they would add the statement my file and that they wished me luck. I found that to be rude because I wrote a lot and they spent 2 seconds reading it. So over time I reevaluated my goals and discovered that I'm not really that interested in environmental law. I'm more interested in governmental affairs, a specialty offered at McGeorge. Thus if I went to Lewis and Clark it would be suffocating because their focus would mainly be on a type of law that I did not really have much interest in anymore. On top of that I've heard that they are snobby at L&C and this seemed to be the case in their response to me. I've decided to go where I'm wanted. Luckily, where I'm wanted is also a good fit for me since I'm interested in government and McGeorge is in Sacramento with a focus on governmental affairs. I know that this is the second time I've mentioned this but they seem to cater to this specialty and other schools that I applied to don't. Anyways, after my scholarship was increased I pretty much knew I was going to McGeorge because I already liked the place during my visit and I just needed more incentive to go. I know that most people with 160+ LSAT's don't go to McGeorge but maybe I'll start a new trend. McGeorge seems to be stable or rising in the rankings so their status doesn't really concern me too much. Good luck to you. I hope you get into the school you want to attend. I just think that it's better to be a big fish in a small pond especially since I was hoping to get into the McGeorge pond when I was studying for the LSAT. At that point I was scoring in the low 150's and McGeorge would have been a reach. It feels good to do well and get into a school you thought would be impossible to get into. It's even sweeter with 15K a year and free books. So sending another letter to Lewis and Clark would be useless because I already wrote one to them and I'm not really that excited about their school anymore. I just thought that they would quickly accept me and offer a scholarship since they sent me a fee waiver. This was not the case and therefore I probably won't attend. There's a reason why I didn't apply there in my initial batch of applications, it's because I had no interest in going. They got me hyped up about their school because they sent me a fee waiver and a really beautiful booklet. I feel let down and I'm not happy with the way I've been treated by them. I will wait for the acceptance of course and then reevaluate my options again.

Thanks for the advice, but I was just creating my user profile today, so you didn't see my whole list yet (it's complete now). I did indeed apply to Pacific-McGeorge (and Chapman too).

I decided UCs, SoCal schools, and capital (i.e. Sacramento/DC) schools. Stanford, Penn, and the UCs were tossed in due to my parents' insistence on Big Name Law Schools; their expectations are a bit high due to my Big Name undergrad school. The "oc" in "ocnative" stands for Orange County; I'd like to come back to SoCal, so that's why many of my realistic schools are in SoCal (the Sacramento/DC area schools are for my political interests; I figure if I'm not going to be in SoCal, I might as well be in a political town). Pepperdine is my top realistic choice. In terms of my relatively late applications, I was honestly just not on top of my stuff. During the fall, I was wavering about whether to go to law school immediately or work first, so I didn't decide which schools until mid-January, and it took a little time to get my applications ready. I applied to more schools in March after looking at my original list and concluding it was too tough a list of schools. By the way, I was putting annual award amount on the scholarships. Is it supposed to be a 3-year aggregate?

Hi, first congratulations on accepting Pacific. I read through some of your profile. I agree with you when you responded to people asking why you didn't apply to safety schools-- I was told by some i was silly to apply to just one school (UNLV)but I knew I did not want to go anywhere else, so if I didn't get in, I would just try the next years. I wasnt going to waste my time applying to a school just to get an acceptance and then probably not go. Anways, I read somewhere Pacific increased your $$$. Did you send them a letter requesting this? I guess I always thought you negotiate salaries with employers, but it never crossed my mind to do so with school! Good luck with school!

I hope you get into Lewis and Clark. If they don't admit you, I will loose some respect for their admissions team. I applied to L & C too and even attended an event they held in downtown LA. I'm 31. Ten years ago I did Princeton Review and got a 147, a 147 and then another 147. These luckily don't count anymore. About a year ago I took a practice test and got a 152, I then took Testmaster (twice) and my actual LSAT improved to a 154. Some of my practice tests were 159s and 160s though. My main problem was Reading Comp. Now that the LSAT has more questions then ever on RC, I had a harder time improving. Did Kaplan help improve your reading comp score? I visited McGeorge and loved it. I talked to an admissions person and she seemed to think I would get into the night program, but probably not the day program. If I get into the day, I will most likely see you at McGeorge. Being 31, I really would prefer to do 3 years, not 4 (which is the case with the night program). I'm still considering though. My mother would go to whichever program McGeorge accepted her too. Good for mom. I'm not her though. What are your thought about the night program at McGeorge and taking 4 years? Another thought is to just do really well whever I go my first year and transfer if I don't like it. So, I could go to TJ, then transfer to McGeorge if I wanted. I also talked to a Dean at one of the top ranked schools I'm waitlisted at and was encouraged to go with my heart and transfer if I wanted (instead of waiting for a waitlist to come through). She also noted that in her eyes, Cal Western, Golden Gate and TJ are on the same level. So, if I wanted to transfer, I should just go wherever I felt I could do the best at. Can you accept a scholarship and then still go someone else if a waitlist comes through? I would have loved to go to American. They are a top 30 school. I just knew with my LSAT score I wouldn't get in though. May I ask why you are choosing McGeorge before waiting for higher ranked schools like Santa Clara and USD? Thanks for your insights.

Thanks for your response ocnative. I totally understand what you mean when you say that your parents made you apply to those reach schools. My family wanted me to apply to Loyola when I was practicing in the low 150's and when I got a 161 they wanted me to apply to Georgetown, USC, and UCLA. I basically told them that I wasn't going to waste my time and emotions on those schools. What are your political interests? I'm also going to McGeorge because I am interested in politics and policy making. The scholarship on my profile is a 3 year aggregate but people tend to display their amounts yearly as well as in total. Late applications suck and I guess my February application to Lewis and Clark killed my chances of an admittance with money but they are the ones who sent me the fee waiver at that time. Maybe I'll see you at McGeorge but if not then good luck at Pepperdine. Thank you for the congratulations banklaw, it was a hard decision not because I did not like the school but because my family was pushing me to stay in LA. My stepfather went to Loyola and wanted me to go there as well but I would rather move up north. I will pass up all my other pending schools and acceptances to go to McGeorge. I'm also glad that you got into UNLV but why did you apply part time? Pacific - McGeorge did raise my scholarship from 12K to 15K but it wasn't my idea to negotiate with them. I had read about it on LSD and when Matokah, another student going to McGeorge this August, got hers raised I tried my luck as well. I had e-mailed the assistant dean about an increase but got no response. After going to the Legal Scholars Day and asking him for an increase he told me to e-mail him again. Several e-mails and insults later I finally convinced him that McGeorge was my number one choice. I had told him that USD, Lewis and Clark, and Santa Clara are better known schools and this is what made him upset. Nevertheless, he initially wanted me to present some other scholarship offer but I didn't have one. My only recourse was going somewhere else. I'm glad that they raised my scholarship though because I would have gone somewhere else otherwise even though I liked their school more. It was just an ego thing I guess because I thought that I could get more after reading about someone else's results. Thanks for your good vibes about Lewis and Clark wolffstar but I'm over that school. It was just a temporary love affair that had to do with the city more than the school. The school is great I'm sure but I'm not really as interested in environmental law anymore as in getting a certificate in governmental affairs. I too was shocked that they sent me a fee waiver and then deferred me. How did you like their event in LA? In regards to the Kaplan EXTREME class, it did improve all aspects of my test but I had the most improvement in games because I never did well on them. The class just brought up my games score to a manageable level. I know that many people go down on the real LSAT but I went up. My average was a 153 with a high of 157 so getting a 161 on the actual test was very thrilling. I did know that I had done better than before and was confident that I had scored in the low 160's so it was kind of expected in some way. I had set a goal of reaching a 161, one point above the minimum necessary to be considered smart, and achieved it so maybe if I had aimed higher I would have had a better score. I don't know much about the night program at McGeorge but if I were you I would take that over those tier 4 schools especially since you can transfer to the day program. I read some of your posts and you seem to think that transferring from one school to another is easy but it's not. Don't assume you'll be at the top of your class and please choose the school that you will be happiest at and have the best job prospects from. I know that one of your complaints is that you feel McGeorge doesn't want you but it's just takes some time for them to get all of the responses out, it doesn't mean that they don't want you. Seriously don't go to Thomas Jefferson! Do yourself and your future family a favor and go to McGeorge if you get in. I also agree with that dean that you talked. All of those schools are tier 4 and not worth going to if you have better options. You're not on the waitlist at McGeorge so you may still get in outright. I can tell you that the people at McGeorge are cool and friendly so don't think that you'll be missing out on that. That's one of the major reasons why I chose McGeorge. On top of that their office has always been prompt with sending me information and responses to my questions. You may think that this is because they are doing a song and dance for me but Southwestern wasn't this way. They totally sucked in this regard and they are a lower ranked school. Yes, you can accept a scholarship and then go somewhere else but I don't think that McGeorge will waitlist you for the part time program. I would send them a letter of continued interest and tell them that they are your number one choice. That might help get you in although it didn't work for me at Lewis and Clark. Instead they were rude and that totally changed my mind about their school. Good thing I found out before I attended. Also, American is not a top 30 school but is still tier 1 nonetheless. I am choosing McGeorge over Santa Clara, USD, Loyola (which I will get into off of the waitlist), and others because I liked McGeorge the best. Not only is the administration responsive but the students are friendly and their location in the capital with a certificate in governmental affairs really seemed to be right for me. In addition, I have wanted to move up north for a long time and now is my chance. I have visited USD, Southwestern, and McGeorge and liked McGeorge the most overall. Sure the other two had better libraries but I'm going to law school to learn and make connections, not for the library. USD dropped down to 85 so it's a marginal difference anyways but even if it was still ranked at the top of the second tier the job prospects would be the same as with McGeorge. No matter where you go in the second tier you still need good grades. So I might as well go to a school that is giving me a bunch of money, has friendly students and staff, has a specialty that interests me, is in a cleaner and more affordable city, has a growing job market and cheap housing. I do plan on buying a house after law school so I want to go to a city I wouldn't mind living in for a long time. It's a no brainer for me. Perhaps I will see you at McGeorge.

Thanks for the nice comment on my profile. I am sure you will love UoP. I had a really hard time choosing between UoP and Georgetown because I loved UoP when I visited. Please feel free to keep in touch and let me know how it all goes.

sorry, that last message was me, i don't know why it didn't show up with my name. also, good luck with the rest of your cycle!

I appreciate your thoughts. I called the admissions person I met with two weeks ago and am going to e-mail her in a minute. You are so right about the school rank. I'm still waitlisted at Penn State and U. of Miami, but since I haven't heard from McGeorge, they are a great school, I also plan to go into government/politics and I plan to stay in CA, I clearly should be pushing hard.

At this point, I am planning on going to McGeorge because my Davis rejection is in the mail I'm sure and I don't want to get my hopes up about Loyola. They waitlisted a crapload of people and I have already sent them a lot of supplemental stuff. If I get into Loyola before the first say of school, I will pretty much go there. Otherwise, I really can't complain about McGeorge.

Thanks for the response, Roman815. My political interests are in campaigns and policy-making. I hope to have a political career myself one day. Congratulations on USD!

Congrats on USD! I will see you in the fall!

Hi! Thanks for the good thoughts. I've decided to retake the LSAT though and apply to schools again next year. I'm sure I can do much better on the LSAT. Anyhoo, congrats on USD! Good luck with school. Bye!

Yes, I am seriously considering McGeorge, even if my other (hidden) apps turn out to be acceptances. I have two reasons: one, the awesome int'l law program, and two, my dad has worked with tons of McGeorge grads and insists that it's a terrific school. I believe him. I get the feeling they don't deserve their comparatively low ranking. I'm also looking seriously at U of O, though, because Oregon is oh-so-very pretty, and they're so very friendly up there. *Sigh*...decisions....

I saw where you said McGeorge on another page but you have the "A" next to USD. Are you still back-and-forth on the matter? Either way you have some great options there.

Hey! This is a sum up of different opinions from different advisors about USD and Loyola: " The University of San Diego Law School is the preeminent law school of the 8th largest city in America. While not considered a national law school, it has a very strong regional reputation. Because of the natural beauty of the campus and San Diego, it attracts good faculty members and students. Although the US News Law School rankings have it ranked as 65th, their faculty is just in the top 25 in quality according the Leiter rankings (put out by U. of Texas law professor, Brian Leiter). Thus, I think the University of San Diego Law School is underrated by US News. Additionally, it is nice to be top dog in your city. Conversely, although Loyola is also ranked 65th, they are a distant 3rd in LA. Everyone loves San Diego and I think you would be quite happy there. If you are in the top 10% of your class you have a huge amount of opportunities. If you are in the top 25% of your class at the University of San Diego Law School, you still have many options. Those below that range have a harder time finding good jobs, but I anticipate that you will do well once in law school. Loyola is not bad, but the law school is separate from the campus and is in a not great part of town near downtown Los Angeles. The law school complex is an attractive and modern set of buildings, but it does not provide the collegial atmosphere of the University of San Diego Law School. If things do not work out at USD, Loyola is the clear second choice. " What I really want is to work my ass off my first year and try to transfer into Boalt or UCLA, I can dream right? I'm going to try to live in a one bedroom cottage in OB. There are also two different apartment complexes in OB that are cool with bigger dogs. I gotta visit befoer I decide so we'll see, where are you thinking?

The reason why I decided on USD PT over Loyola FT was mainly due to the fact that I want to be in San Diego when I graduate. I have never stepped foot onto the Loyola campus; however, I do love the USD campus. Everything about USD makes me feel comfortable. Being the best school is quite a large market I believe is worth more than being the 3rd school in a major market. I have also heard many many many negatives about Loyola grads not being able to find jobs. I do not know how true that is, but I have never heard anything negative about the USD experience.

The scholarship sealed the deal as well as the Legal Scholar Day. The students had nothing bad to say about the professors and the faculty seemed stellar. I wasn't too impressed with the shady looking area surrounding the campus, bt I'll get use to it. My numbers aren't stellar, but they made me feel wanted unlike the other schools and that really made a difference. Ok, see you in the summer!

the e mail you got from L&C was a waitlist? I got a email that sounds very similar that said "if you are not admitted in the next few weeks then you will be added to the waitlist." either way, good luck with your decision making!

At first I thought that it was an acceptance letter but then I read that if I didn't reply by Friday that they would withdraw my name from consideration. I thought that this was weird and so I called them up. After all, what kind of deferral letter is that? After having to call several times to get through, I spoke with someone at admissions and was told that I am currently deferred but that the e-mail was asking if I wanted to be on the waitlist. At that point I got pissed and told the adcomm that I wanted to withdraw. He told me to send them an e-mail stating this and I hung up. I no longer care if it was a deferral or a waitlist, even though it had clearly turned into a waitlist during our conversation. I just wish they would have been more up front instead of dicking me around. They could have just said that I was waitlisted in the e-mail. They have no respect for their applicants, especially ones that should have been admitted. I even saw someone on LSN with the same numbers as mine get admitted with 5K a year. Earlier in the cycle I sent them an e-mail saying that they were my top choice and their response was, "we'll add that to your file". Screw them! They sent me a fee waiver and then mistreated me the whole time. I wouldn't choose them over USD so it was a moot issue anyways. I just wanted a decision because at one time they were my first choice. That's no longer the case because I finally see who I'm dealing with. Anyways, my e-mail was different since it said that I could be admitted anytime from "next week to late August". Sounds like a pretty long deferral to me. I can't believe that a school who sent me a fee waiver would treat me so poorly. Here I thought USD and SCU were bad for not letting me know that I was complete. Well, at least they both accepted me as opposed to Lewis and Clark which never gave me a straight answer. Even when I called the adcomm said that I was both deferred and waitlisted. Damn they must be stupid!

I just wanted to thank you for your advice on getting Pacific McGeorge to up the scholarship. With Chapman's offer as leverage, I was able to get Pacific McGeorge to raise the scholarship from $10K/yr to $15K/yr.

I'm pleased that they raised your offer that much. I am also glad to pass on the advice that I got from others on LSD. I withdrew from McGeorge two weeks ago and therefore 15K a year opened up. It's nice to see the money being passed on to someone else. Speaking of scholarships, I received a 16K nonrenewable scholarship from USD today. I sent them a letter asking if they would match my McGeorge offer and they never replied. I visited twice and spoke to the financial aid office this past Saturday. They then quickly completed my package without any scholarship money. Then at the end of the week they sent me this offer. It's nice to be wanted especially since I've been waitlisted at so many schools. I guess this cycle has worked out for both of us. Congrats again and I hope you enjoy McGeorge, it's a good school.

Congrats on your USD scholarship! That's huge. FWIW, if I were you I'd go with USD and not look back. Also, I completely agree with you about the Lewis & Clark admissions dept. GL with 1L!

When last we wrote, you were going to UOP and I was going to Thomas Jefferson. I'm not strongly leading to Cal Western and I read you are going to USD. I'm glad we took the time to gather all the info we did to make the best final decision for us (well, almost final in my case). We should grab a drink this Fall in San Diego!

Congrats on USD, Roman. I saw your comment on my LSN. I am not sure why you think I would have been better off at UCD. Pacific is very well regarded in Sacramento and has more graduates go into government (my interest) than UCD. I have no desire to work in the Bay Area or LA (having lived in both places in the past) so I am not looking to move outside the region.

I read your whole situation on LSD (not a member of that site, so decided to post a response in your LSN account, especially seeming as how you're a UCR student too)...You've really gotta go with your heart on this one. You seem pretty dead set on University of San Diego, and you also don't seem to have any inclination whatsoever to practice law in LA. With that being said, why go to a law school (Loyola) that is places primarly in LA? On another note, I checked out Loyola's campus a few days ago, and I was not at ALL impressed. The area immediately surrounding the campus seems to be run down, and, truth be told, the campus + the people reminded me a LOT like UCR lol. Whatever the case, I think you've already made up your mind on the whole thing (San Diego), and I think that you should stick with whatever you feel is best. On another note, I hear that although USD's market might be small, USD is HIGHLY respected down there. Good luck!

Congrats on your money from USD!! I asked for money a while ago, but I was rejected. Since we have identical numbers, I was thinking about going down there to ask for money again. DO you have any advice? I will be at USD this fall regardless of money, so I will see you in the fall!

hi roman - just wanted to let you know, despite some of your ill-founded logic, how much i've appreciated your witty appraisals of l&c and the admissions process in general. it has helped alleviate alot of frustration. i especially loved your analogy about l&c and the 'hot girl' - i had to cut and paste it for friends - it's too true. i find the whole idea of deferral for regular admission not only unprofessional but rather cowardly. glad you've found a home at usd and good luck finding a home for you and your sheepdog!

I'm not sure what my ill-founded logic was but I guess most of your comments were positive, so thanks. I wasn't the first to compare L&C to a hot girl, I just added onto what someone else had already said. I'm glad that my comments are making this cycle easier for you but I hope that you're laughing with me and not at me. It sucks that we didn't get into Lewis and Clark but I was over them and that's why I didn't want to be on the wait list. How do you like Cambria? I bet it's very beautiful over there. Which school are you leaning towards? They're all in different regions so you'd better decide which one you prefer. My bet is that you're going to Santa Clara because it's closer to home. I actually have an Australian Cattle Dog so I guess your assumption was close enough since they both herd. Do you have a dog? Thanks for your comments, I kind of quit posting on both sites because of the trolls that constantly pick fights with me but now I'm going to come back since several people have thanked me for advice or other comments that I've made.

cambrian is actually a nerdy ecological insider reference, but yes, i'm laughing with you all the way. anyone that invested in their dog ranks highly in my book and you should just ignore your detractors. i didn't agree with the fee waiver logic, but i have no doubt that we both deserved to be admitted to l&c. but who cares - the faculty is oversaturated with l&c grads, and they just seemed so unprofessional to me. a year ago i visited and the first thing the admissions director asked me about was my astrological sign - what the hell?? it's just tough because i had started to line up part-time work in portland and fall in love with the city. having lived all over the world, i'm tired of leaving cali, but denver and oregon have much stronger environmental law programs. because i'm a decade older than you, it's also really much more of a quality of life issue (and i i have to seriously consider pt school). i'd have applied to san diego, but i'm not a warm weather fan. as an l.a. native, i'm just as eager to leave this place as you - but isn't it nice to be so coveted by a great school like sd - good for you and good luck!

Hey Roman, I float by and check your profile from time to time to see how your cycle is going. I'm glad you found a place you are excited about. One of my friends just finished at USD and loves it. I hope you do too.

I'm definitely thinking about going to Case, but I am trying to get more money from them - Pitt offered more and the two schools are pretty similar in a lot of ways. I went to high school in the Cleveland area, so in some ways it would be nice to be in a familiar place. Have you had a chance to visit and do the campus tour and stuff?

Well, I'd say there is a strong possibility I will be attending. Its between Cincinnati and Case. I love both programs (maybe Cincinnati a bit more, but very close.) Cincinnati is much cheaper for me with the in state tuition but at Case my wife wouldn't have to leave her job (in Cleveland) which means we could buy a house in the area right away and we would be close to her family (including newborn nephews.) So basically we have to decide between the adventure of a new city and cheaper tuition vs. higher tuition but the advantages listed above. Short answer: I'd say its about 60-40 tilting toward Case at this point. FWIW I lived for 6 months in San Diego (Ocean Beach in '95) and in NE Ohio since then. For me, personally, I prefer Ohio, but I'm from upstate NY and the lack of seasons in SD drove me crazy, plus it was all just a bit too laid back for me (and I'm a very laid back person.) Anyway, I'm sure you will be happy at either school. Good luck!

Yes, I understand the problem. I was so excited about U of O when I was first accepted because it has a great reputation out here in the Pac NW. However, I was born and raised in Ohio. In addition, I believe that Case has a better reputation nationwide than U of O (at least according to some attorney's that I have asked and also from living in both areas of the country). Therefore, I have now switched to Case. If you want to practice in CA and pass the state bar, then I would stay with San Diego. It is a good school and it won't steer you wrong- especially if that is where you want to practice. I didn't want to restrict myself in terms of employment possibilities and location upon graduation (an important factor for me), so I picked the best school that I was accepted to that I felt fulfilled that requirement (national reputation). Anyways, good luck with the decision, and maybe I will see you in the fall.

I am not sure yet either. I was pretty surprised by the scholarship offer and I am very seriously considering it and heading out to Cleveland this weekend to check things out. In a way I'm glad the news came late -- at this point I've already weeded out the other possibilities and I can focus on just two contenders. (not that there were many to begin with!)

See, I really liked UCR, but I always feel a bit ashamed and have to defend my choice when I talk to friends. I was also admitted into Irvine and Davis, so a lot of my peers never understood why I never wanted to go to either school (I'm one of the few who liked Riverside's campus, lol). At Loyola, it seemed that all the students were trying to defend their choice, etc...I really don't want to have to continue doing that, even though Loyola is a good school. So many freaking haters =. And as for UCLA and USC...I'm pretty much an auto-ding in regards to both of those schools. I have a good friend who scored a 166 with a 3.4, and she's currently WLed at both schools, as well as Cornell! I really hope she gets into one of her WLs, as I also hope that I can get in off of Hasting's WL (though that doesn't look too promising =). Whatever the case, I'd choose USD over Loyola with the money you're offered, ESPECIALLY with your attitude on both schools. As for me, I'm actually retaking in June...hoping to reapply next cycle if I make any significant gains. That 163...I got -11 in reading comp. ABSOLUTELY destroyed when I know I can do better, lol. But yeah, good luck man! =D

Thanks for your kind words about Chicago. I am excited but also terrified. I was hoping to hear back from my USD friend before answering, but she just got married a couple weeks ago and I think they are in there on special place at the moment. I can tell you that she got great summer internships every year she was in school. She kind of worked her way up from a quality boutique entertainment law firm (whose name I cant remember) her first summer to Greenberg Glusker last summer (which WAS a very well-regarded ent law firm untill it started falling apart). She was in the top 20% of her class and said she always got the jobs she wanted. After she graduated she got married and moved to Oregon so I'm not sure where she will ultimately end up. I know that entertainment law is kind of an LA thing and not indicative of USD's overall job placement trends, so for that I apologize. Still, I think the fact that she landed such competitive summer jobs without editing the law review or being first in her class is a good sign. USD is certainly the best school in San Diego and has a great reputation up and down the west coast (and I happen to share your preference for USD over Loyola). You seem so capable I know that you will end up somewhere great.

I actually did apply late, and I did send in a letter telling them of Loyola's offer...and the very next day, I got the scholarship offer. Considering the time on the e-mail they sent offering me the scholarship with the time I sent in the letter (4:00pm the day before), I think they made me the offer without me even having to mention Loyola's offer. I feel like such an idiot, lol. They probably got my letter and were like...wtf? Whatever the case, I might very well end up in San Diego...I'm definitely withdrawing from Loyola tomorrow.

I'm not too sure how my waitlist options are looking. From what I've seen and heard, Davis has stopped taking people off their waitlist for the time being, and they don't even have a second deposit. With those two things taken into account, I have no clue when they'll start calling out. For Hastings...Part of me still wants to go there, but it'd be a nightmare looking for housing if they call me any later. Whatever the case, I just have to wait till the end of this week to see what I'm really doing. It'll be hard and full of anxiety, but I'll manage. Whatever the case, San Diego is a good school with a good reputation, not to mention one AWESOME area. I'd much rather be there than in LA.

Total URM, oh well good luck in SD