amcdanal (2022-2023)

*Phi Beta Kappa
*Mock Trial - President and Team Captain.
*Social sorority - leadership position
*Member and section leader of top music group on campus.
*Independent research with a professor in my department.
*Summer Internship at a Vault100 law firm.
*Part time work as a law clerk.
*Member of multiple honor societies.
*Resident Assistant

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General Info:

*IMHO strong PS - not particularly unique, but well-written and memorable.

*2 strong LORs. I would have had 3, but LSAC lost one 2x and I can't convince my professor to mail it again.

*Took the LSAT 3 times, with scores progressively higher. In general, I'd advise anyone to take the LSAT as many times as it takes to get a 180. I can honestly say I prepped hard since the end of my sophomore year, took every PT released, and still scored well below my average each time I sat for the test. It's frustrating, but I did what I could and am left with a decent score and my GPA to depend on.

*I want to stay in the southeast, which is why I tried to blanket the respectable law schools in that region.
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Law School Predictor...(actual decision)

9. Virginia - Consider, 40%...ADMITTED
11. Duke - Deny, 16%...REJECTED
16. Vanderbilt - Consider, 51%...WAITLISTED
27. Iowa - Admit, 82%...ADMITTED
27. W&M - Strong Consider, 73%...ADMITTED
30. Emory - Admit, 81%...ADMITTED
30. UNC - Admit, 87%...ADMITTED
30. W&L - Strong Consider, 74%...ADMITTED
35. UGA - Admit, 75%...ADMITTED
35. Alabama - Strong Consider, 63%...ADMITTED
39. Wake Forest - Admit, 89%...ADMITTED
50. American - Admit, 94%...ADMITTED
56. Baylor, Admit, 86%...ADMITTED
104. South Carolina, Admit, 95%...ADMITTED

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The Law School Quest

October:
*14 apps off! I only had to pay for 4 apps, which I don't think was too bad. Let the waiting game begin.

November:
*I was pleasantly surprised with how November turned out. I certainly didn't expect such quick decisions from some of these schools. 4 acceptances and no rejections yet. Plus, three of these schools are high up on my list at this point.

December:
*5 more acceptances for a total of 9 so far. I am pleased that I haven't been dinged yet, but I know it's coming (and from some of my top choices, too). As of now, I have no idea where I'll be next year, but at least I have options.

January:
*Couldn't have been more surprised or excited about UVA! I am now in the process of deciding how much debt I want to go into and planning my visits. I wish I had heard from my last four schools by this point, but I guess 10 acceptances isn't too shabby.

February:
*Finally, my cycle is complete. With 1 rejection, 1 waitlist, and 2 acceptances, this month has been long. Looks like I have 10 schools to pick from now, but I think I am going to begin withdrawing from a few more schools to narrow down the list some more.

March:
*I am going to UVA law next year!!!

*Note: Scholarship amounts are for three years.
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Timeline:

June:
*Visited UNC and Duke. I fell in love with Duke the first minute. Super reach for me barring a miracle on the October LSAT, but it was everything I was looking for in a law school. I was less ecstatic about UNC, but I could see myself there as well. I've heard OOS admissions are extremely competitive, however, so that might become a reach as well.

October:
*10/14 - Visited Wake Forest. Absolutely loved the campus and the admissions staff. W-S has a nice feel to it as well. I am eager to see how Wake plays out in my cycle.
*Interviewed for Vandy with alum. I believe it went well. It was pretty informal.
*10/24 - Received October LSAT. Not what I was expecting or hoping for, but I'm going to have to be okay with it.
*10/24 - Sent off my application to Alabama, Baylor, and Emory. I am starting with apps that are free/given me fee waivers in hopes that I will catch the fee waivers coming in from my October score.
*10/25 - Sent off my application to Iowa, Wake, and W&L. I opted out of the optional ethical dilemma essay to W&L because I felt that my PS addressed that issue.
*10/26 - Sent off apps to Vandy and UVA. Proof reading is taking longer than I thought.
*10/27 - Sent off apps to USC and American. USC surprised me with a hidden fee waiver. Didn't have a fee waiver to American, but have heard they only grant need-based waivers.
*10/28 - Sent off apps to UGA and William and Mary. Wrote a specific Why W&M essay.
*10/29 - Sent off apps to UNC and Duke. I wrote a WHY X essay for both of these (Carolina's was required).

November:
*11/10 - Accepted at W&L via email. First acceptance of the cycle!
*11/10 - Accepted at William and Mary via status checker. Email notification came the following Monday.
*11/18 - Got scholarship info for W&M in a nice acceptance package. Pleasantly surprised.
*11/21 In review at Wake, UGA, Iowa, and Duke. Ah, the stress.
*11/21 - Status checker indicates that my decision has been mailed from South Carolina. Got the letter two days later: accepted with out-of-state waiver. I was really hoping for much more at USC, but I will try my hand at negotiating with them later in the cycle.
*11/22 - In review at Alabama. The status checker has been down until now, so I really have no idea how long I've been UR.
*11/29 - Decision mailed from Baylor: accepted with Dean's Scholarship. Letter took 6 days to arrive.

December:
*12/2 - In at American via email!
*12/2 - In at Alabama via phone call. No scholarship at this point in the cycle.
*12/7 - In at Iowa via status checker. Email came the next day.
*12/9 - In at Wake Forest via email with scholarship!
*12/10 - Official acceptance at Iowa via snail mail. The personalized note was a nice touch, too.
*12/13 - In at UNC via email! Definitely a surprise this early. No mention of scholarships at this point, but I am assuming they won't come out until February or March.
*12/14 - Got scholarship letter via mail from W&L. Very pleased.
*12/15 - Official acceptance from Wake via snail mail. Leaving for Christmas break. It's going to kill me being away from my mailbox for three weeks.
*12/16 - Scholarship email from Iowa. Huge surprise - full tuition. Looks like I'll have some difficult decisions to make.
*12/21 - Application status finally changed at UVA to under review.

January:
*1/16 - Accepted at UVA!!!! Very, very surprised, but it is definitely a top choice.
*1/19 - Received acceptance packet from UVA:)
*1/21 - Withdrew from American. I think it's time to begin narrowing down the list.

February:
*2/2 - Received small acceptance packet from Wake.
*2/4 - Withdrew from Baylor. 8 options now.
*2/6 - Waitlisted at Vandy. First negative of the cycle, but I can't say I wasn't expecting it.
*2/10 - Visited W&M. Loved the school, students, and the area, but I don't think I can make a decision until after I've visited the other schools. Less than two months until I have to make a decision.
*2/14 - In at UGA via status checker. Only 2 more to go.
*2/22-Rejected from Duke. Not at all surprised, but it still hurts getting dinged from your #1.
*2/23- Accepted at Emory with scholarship (kind of surprising). So many strong choices, but I am so glad that my cycle is over (pending waiting on Vandy's WL).

March:
*3/2 - Attended Wake's open house. It was absolutely fantastic--I could definitely see myself there next year. The students and faculty were very informative and helpful, the class I sat in on was great, and the admissions staff really put a lot of effort into the event. I feel like it's going to be a tough call between Wake and UVA.
*3/9 - No scholly from UNC. Kind of surprised, since I was in the first round of admits. Guess, I've narrowed down my list a bit more.
*3/13 - Withdrawn from UNC, UGA, and South Carolina. It feels so good to narrow it down.
*3/16 - Wonderful visits to W&L and UVA. My decision just got more complicated.
*3/29 - Withdrew from W&M and Iowa.
*3/31 - Withdrew from Alabama and Emory.

DECISION: I will be attending UVA next year!!!! It came to a gut feeling and knowing that I couldn't pass up that opportunity, even with the cost. I will begin withdrawing from the remaining schools ASAP.

April:
*4/3 - Decided to remain on the waitlist at Vandy. Love the school; if it could be cheaper than UVA I would seriously consider going.
*4/4 - Withdrew form Wake Forest. Truly hard to do, as I loved the school. Rankings and employment prospects really do make a difference.