dingmachine (2022-2023)

*Good WE
*Decent PS
*Decent LORs
*Lots of Extracurricular in UG.
*Worked 30-35 hrs/wk in UG.
*Professional Licenses
*Significant adversity throughout college and beyond.
*GPA Addendum addresses the steps I took to correct my UGPA in my final four academic quarters.

THE GRAND TOTAL (Accept-Ding-WL): 5-14-5

Timeline:

06/08/2009 - Took June LSAT. 156 was a whole seven points below my last practice test. Decided not to retake, since I wanted my application to be one of the first in the door and I didn't want to risk a further decrease in performance.

11/12/2009 - Last LOR is in. I have two general LORs, with one other for select schools. Apps are ready to go.

11/20/2009 - The last of my apps is in.

11/30/2009 - Dinged at Akron. Wow, that was fast.

12/10/2009 - In at Widener. Good to have the 1st acceptance under my belt. At least I know I'll be going somewhere in the fall. Woo hoo!

12/10/2009 - Interviewed via telephone w/ UMKC. Went well. Adcomm said I'm either in or WL'ed based on the strength of my interview. I hope I'm straight-up in. Be advised: If this is a choice of yours, commit to visiting the campus. You should anyway, but it is very important to UMKC that you do.

12/16/2009 - Waitlisted at Whittier. Better than a reject.

12/17/2009 - Dinged at N. Kentucky.

12/31/2009 - Withdrew from Phoenix School of Law, due to Widener acceptance.

01/11/2010 - Phone call from admissions office at Western New England. In with $$$, $18k per year renewable depending upon class rank. Staytus updaaaate: Scholarship pkg in the mail says it's renewed annually as long as I'm above the median. Hmmmm, that's a really attractive offer.

01/14/2010 - Withdrew from Texas Southern and got dinged by Albany. Win some, lose some. *EDIT: Probably shouldn't buy a Lotto ticket today. Dinged from UST-Minneapolis as well.

01/19/2010 - Washburn says no thanks.

01/21/2010 - Mississippi College sent acceptance through snail mail. Nice handwritten note from the Dean.

01/22/2010 - Samford told me to hit the bricks.

01/29/2010 - Capital waitlist.

02/03/2010 - Creighton puts me on hold and the letter told me not to think of it as a waitlist. BUT, they won't have a decision on my file until May so I'm calling it a waitlist.

02/04/2010 - Phone call from Dean at Ohio Northern. Full-ride scholarship, renewable if I maintain a 3.0. Wow. Just. Wow.

02/05/2010 - Waitlisted at Oklahoma City. This WL and Whittier's are perplexing because I thought I'd be a shoo-in, but I guess with a GPA like mine any cycle would be hard to predict.

02/11/2010 - LaVerne rejects outright. And with the meanest letter I've read so far. Hi-larious.

02/13/2010 - A-dingity-ding-ding-ding from Golden Gate. I'm batting 0 for 3 with law schools in my home state, and I'm expecting the rejection letters from UoP and Southwestern any day now. So I will have completely whiffed on schools in California. Good thing I didn't have my heart set on studying law close to home.

02-16-2010 - UMKC = Waitlist. I've unhid all the applications because I don't think I'll be getting many more acceptances at this point. Feel free to laugh at UNM and U of O. I know the ad comms at those schools sure did. ;)

02-19-10 - McGeorge says no thanks.

02-20-10 - In a hilarious sidenote, LaVerne sent me a 2nd rejection letter. Didn't know I sent two applications. That's a real crackerjack admissions office they're running there.

03-01-10 - Rejected at UBalt.

03-03-10 - Southwestern is out.

03-11-10 - Every cycle has a surprise acceptance and this is mine. UALR, with a scholarship that waives my out-of-state expenses. Whoa.

03-13-10 - Rejected at UNM; no surprise there. They were almost as big a reach as Oregon.

03-19-10 - Paperwork came from UALR. Called friends, family, and my boss at the circus to tell them to visit me in Little Rock ... but in case they don't - good afternoon, good evening, and good night. Withdrew applications everywhere else. Smoked a cigar I've been saving for the occasion on my balcony.

04-15-10 - University of Dayton was nice enough to reject me after I had already withdrawn over a month ago. Blatant yield protection.

05-18-10 - Dear schools that I have been WL'd or Dinged at: If I have withdrawn from consideration using your admissions website, you do not need to send me a rejection letter. I wouldn't go even if accepted. I indicated as much when I withdrew saying I was attending another law school. Why must you waste the paper and the stamp? Sincerely, dingmachine.

PS If anyone has any clue as to how long it takes UALR to issue a financial aid award letter, please let me know. The results of said letter would have a positive bearing on my leaving my present employer (positive bearing = sooner rather than later).