A word on my preferences: I believe the US News rankings to be methodologically sketchy and rather unreliable, and thus I put little stock into them. Many law school deans will tell you the same thing. Problem is that we discuss these "rankings" until the become self-fulfilling---we make them true, even if they aren't. All ABA accredited law schools will treat you to a good education; thus, my main concern is going to a law school that will allow me to practice in the location where I want to practice. There are good attorneys from "Tier 4" schools and there are bad attorneys from "Tier 1" schools. Most students (60% is the current number) practice within 2.5 hours of the school they attended, hence my my insistence on applying to several TX schools. My LSAT score disqualified me from applying to Baylor, SMU, UH, or UT, so I looked at schools I felt I had a realistic shot at getting into. This concludes my rant. I hope you enjoyed it!
10-24-07 --- Well, this show is real now. Applications (3) were sent out today. All had similar personal statement prompts, and I chose to send my top two choices first. AMU just tagged along! I'll update as I hear/complete things.
10-25-07 --- WVU, TWU, St.MU apps sent via LSAC. Wow! I can't believe how easy the online system is. I HIGHLY recommend it. TWU actually waived the application fee because I submitted the app via LSAC. Hopefully I'll have some good news come Christmas time for the fam!
10-26-07 --- Ave Maria complete. My LSAC report shows an index of 2.8. Not sure what it means in the grand scheme of things (given that they don't publish their index formula), but perhaps it will help others gauge their chances.
10-29-07 --- Tulsa complete. Things are rolling along nicely.
10-31-07 --- St. Mary's complete. I received confirmation from Ave that my check had been processed, meaning, well, that I'm out $50. Would somebody please hurry up and give me an answer?! :)
11-07-07 --- WVU and TWU complete. I've received multiple letters and emails from Ave, St.M, and Tulsa about confirmation, web chats, visits, etc. I get exicted because the envelope says "Admissions Office," and then I find out its JUST a letter, nothing more. Ha. Ave did tell me that the first round of acceptances/rejections will be sent by Monday the 19th, so I should know something around that time.
11-13-07 --- Snail mail: received a letter dated for the 8th of November informing me "with great pleasure" of my acceptance to the University of Tulsa! I AM GOING TO LAW SCHOOL! Man it feels good to get my foot in the door. And to all you 149ers: there is hope! Good regional schools are willing to take a gamble on you if you've got the right index. Here's to hard work, and a bit of luck!
11-16-07 --- News this week continues to be good! Ave Maria emailed me to inform me of my acceptance plus an $8500 scholarship for the 2008-2009 academic year. Consider me interested!
11-18-07 --- Complete at TxWesU. I've become rather interested in them as of late.
11-26-07 --- Complete at Tech. That only took a MONTH.
11-27-07 --- Complete at WVU. Dido above.
1-07-08 --- Withdrew from Ave. I would just prefer to stay close to Texas. Speaking of Texas, I still haven't heard from ANY schools from my home state. Get on it, y'all.
1-15-08 --- Found a very, very empty mailbox today. And the day before that...and the day before that. The drought continues....
1-16-08 --- If you complain about not getting mail enough, the mail gods hear your cries: I was placed on "active consideration" by Tech. Might've just said "waitlisted into oblivion." Still, I wasn't rejected out of hand with a 149. Hmm....
1-17-08 --- Seriously, if you bitch enough, you get results: placed (yet again) into the "continued consideration" pool, this time at WVU. Break out the arm-floaties, kids. We're going swimming. (I like the fact that my numbers don't suck enough to be automatically rejected, but this answer is sorta like being told by a girl that you asked out "she doesn't know" if she'll return your calls. Are you in--are you on the outs? How do you know if you should move on? Who knows!) And if I do end up being rejected by WVU, I won't consider it a monumental blow. There is a reason I've listed them at NUMBER 6. Ha.
2-18-08 --- The sound of silence is deafening, and it's been blaring for a month. The big update here is that I'll likely decline any offers of admission (and withdraw) because of outside developments (read: phat internship). After two degrees, I could use some time off (academically speaking)anywho. I'll finish this cycle out and update so that others may still gauge their chances by seeing my fate. I will, in all likelihood, apply again down the road. I just don't know when. Good luck to you all!
2-22-08 --- Received a letter dated for the 18th from TXWes informing me of the committee's "difficult decision" to waitlist me. God, would a little honesty hurt? Just say my numbers sucked! I'll withdraw shortly.
2-28-08 --- I withdrew from TXWes today. It had less to do with being waitlisted and more to do with me not wanting to hog a spot on the waitlist knowing I wouldn't be going to Ft. Worth next year period. I may apply again in the future, but withdrawing was not only the sensible but courteous thing to do. There is no leverage to be gained by getting in when you know you won't be in law school for at least another year.
03-29-08 --- Received a warm acceptance letter from WVU. I highly doubt I'd enroll there, but it's always nice to know your wanted somewhere.
03-31-06 --- I withdrew from WVU Law today. I was really surprised I was accepted, and everytime I've sent in a "withdraw" I've found myself in a bit of disbelief, as in "am I really WITHDRAWING from a school?!".... I've waited a long time to receive an offer, and now I'm turning them down. It's just weird.
05-02-08 --- I withdrew from Tulsa today. This was a tough call, as I was very interested in TU Law. It just wasn't the right fit for me, right now. Great school, great people. But it just did not feel like the "right fit" for me.
05-13-08 --- Tech wrote, and dumped me. Too bad I forgot to tell them we weren't gonna work out like, oh, four months ago. Ha. I never took myself off the waiting list because I didn't figure it was worth the hassle. And look: it worked itself out! Oh well. At least I still have my great personality to fall back on. :)
05-19-08 --- St. Mary's finally got back to me after over six months of silence. They also waitlisted me. On my birthday. How unfestive of them. Ha. I'll withdraw, and recast my net next year with a beefed up application. This official concludes this year's application cycle, and my entries on lawschoolnumbers.
glad you finally joined! now you can become super-obsessed like me :)