Figured I would give this thing a shot. Here's my story...was a military officer, got an opportunity to work in the financial sector (loved it). All was good until 2008's meltdown and I worked with a bunch of attorney's as we began to liquidate our firms assets. Long story short, I got bit by the law bug and decided to take the LSAT. Didn't study as much as I would have liked as I was busy looking for a new job, but figured 151 was a good enough start. I wouldn't apply if I didn't have some decent softs - pretty interesting professional resume, documented volunteer work, etc.
Additionally, I went to graduate school.
Univ of Arkansas - M.S., 3.9 GPA
Stanford U - SCPM, "S"
Northcentral U - PhD (candidate) 4.0 GPA
Ultimately, my goal is to get into a decent part time program. But I did apply to some big schools on the off chance that an adcomm gets a wild hair up their behind and decides to take a chance on me...smile
Good luck folks! I'll try to keep this thing updated.
2/1: Wow - that was quick. I appreciate the comments (all two...smile)as I was pretty down on myself for my low UGPA. I honestly thought they (LSAC)would give me some a bump as I had taken several hard sciences (organic chemistry I/II, Biochemistry, Bio I/II, Chemistry I/II) after I obtained my B.S., however, this was not the case. They factor all of this as part of my Grad GPA, which all law schools consider to be inflated (trust me - it's still work.) So I really didn't think UK would give me a shot, at least without asking me to demonstrate that I had some "cerebral capacity."
...but I'm stoked! I got a funny little packet from UK with a fee waiver back in December. I had no ideal they were actually pretty good in terms of public law schools and decided to try my luck. Sent in my app 1/20 and got an email 2/1 (11 days!)
UK is definitely in my top choices so thanks everyone for wishing me well.
2/2: Well, it's 12:57a.m and I was just getting ready to hop offline when I decided to do one last customary check of my email. I got into University of Arkansas! Sweet! I did my MBA there, so I'm pumped about getting the opportunity to go!
2/2: So in my attempts to try and not go crazy as it seems several law schools must have looked at my GPA/LSAT score and pee'd their pants and decided not to write (i.e. the email saying they got my application) - I have decided to call - all of them. I know it's probably not smart to become known as the "crazy guy who is always calling," but I figure - why not? It makes me feel better that someone at some point is thinking about me at the schools that I haven't heard anything from.
So I called the Univ. of Miami - and guess what?! I got in!!!! Not wanting to ruin the moment with my next phone call being a rejection - I stopped calling the "missing in action" schools at that point. I'll call tomorrow...smile
But I got in folks!
2/5: I got an envelope from the University of Richmond. Real skinny and from all the profiles I've read on here, I presumed it was a rejection notice, but it was a letter from the Student Bar Assoc. saying they're glad to hear I was interested in UR - it would be nice if the next notice were an acceptance. I was able though to get a notice from Ave Marie, whether or not they had made a decision...hmm? Wonder what they'll say?
2/8: Ouch! Celebrating this weekend (superbowl) - It got a bit rowdy and I did a running face plant on the car. Yeah, funny at the time, until my lip swelled to the size of my cell phone - oh and it came with a rug rash. But on a lighter note, I got an email from John Marshall Law (part time program) in Atlanta and I got accepted! Sweet! - the strategy behind that was if I decided to go part time, I could continue to work and pursue my legal education at night. It's still certainly an option, but I've gotten some decent acceptances, so I'm contemplating my options right now....what to do, what to do?
2/14: So it's been a quiet week. Had to stop checking for a day in order to keep my sanity as it seems like I'm under review at a number of schools and have been for about a month...and just as I was going back to being a human and not some addicted "law-o-phile" trying to figure out what other last minute law schools I can apply too - I got two pieces of mail (one from DePaul and the other from William Mary.) Now, on first thought DePaul which ranked 87th in nation and provided me a fee waiver, I figured would at least give me a better shot than W&M (my first reach school), but the envelope being thin and small was my first rejection. I actually was kind of surprised as I had been accepted by higher ranked schools and more prestigious so this was a bit odd. But it had to happen at some point...I just figured it would be a "higher ranked school" but hey - I got a fee waiver out of the deal, so no complaints. Onto envelope number two: it was actually pretty thin as well and was from William & Mary, the 28th ranked law school in the nation. I didn't get a fee waiver or even so much as a postcard from the school, but it is pretty prestigious, a well ranked public law school, and has a 99.1% job placement within 9 months - which to me...is HUGE.
But I digress, I paid the fee to apply and figured "what the hell?" here's my first reach school and guess what? I got in!!!! I can't believe it - 5,000 applications a year and 210 admitted. The letter was on W&M letter head and was really "regal." I'm definitely stoked with an acceptance here - thanks for all the folks who have supported me in this....only 15 more schools to hear from...smile. Good luck everyone!
3/2: Wow, been a while since I've updated - but this isn't my fault, I had tried on several occasions, but whenever I tried to log in, I kept getting an error message stating %u201Csomething was wrong with sessions.%u201D But in light of the folks who have been checking my page, I do have several updates:
Hofstra: actually sent me a fee waiver, but with the application cycle over and me not too keen on %u201Creally%u201D cold weather, I passed.
FIU: now, here is a school that I wouldn%u2019t mind attending, if I were still living in Miami, but with some many options closer to home, it%u2019ll be hard even if I do get accepted. They sent off their letter on Monday, but what I have come to learn is that when their decision letter is not followed up with an email %u2013 you%u2019ve been rejected, at least in my experience. So we%u2019ll wait to see.
Northwestern: my dream school %u2013 rejected. I academically didn%u2019t have the juice to get in, which is okay. I was really hoping that I would be given a shot provided all my graduate work and my focus on corporate finance, but this wasn%u2019t to be..sniff sniff.
Ave Maria: I got accepted! Even if it isn%u2019t in my top choices%u2026I%u2019m always excited to get an acceptance. Oh and they gave me a $20,000 leadership scholarship%u2026tempting.
Holy smokes...applied to 20 schools. This has not been cheap. I even got 11 fee waivers, most from T2-T4 schools. So I guess the waiting begins...smile