farawaygirl (2018-2019)

Two full-time government positions in the legal field.

*Unsolicited end of cycle thoughts/advice*

Law school forums like these have been very helpful to me throughout the admissions cycle and I hope that this profile will be similarly helpful to future applicants, and specifically to other Black URMs.

I'm very happy with my admissions results and believe that my personal statement and work experience played a significant role. The power of soft factors is constantly downplayed online, and while they can't compensate completely for low GPA/test scores in all situations, I do think they can distinguish your application if you successfully articulate how the experiences have shaped you or how they demonstrate who you are as a person. Work experience can also indicate employability and maturity, which will be important in obtaining positions during and after law school. Some other tips:

1) Start EARLY on the personal statement (I started in November 2017) and "why" essays (write all the supplemental essays!)
2) DO NOT be afraid to POLITELY inquire with admissions offices about the scholarship reconsideration process
3) If you're working full-time, you may need more time to study for the LSAT. I studied for about a year, exclusively on weekends because I was too tired after work to get much done
4) The money vs. prestige debate is a complicated one. I would encourage students who are debt-averse or middle to low-income to take online comments about the importance of prestige with a grain of salt. Many students at top law schools are wealthy with parents who are willing to foot the bill. If you don't fall into that category, then I don't think you should compare yourself/take advice from people who do. CAVEAET: HYS give pretty good need-based aid in my personal experience and in that of people I know at these schools. Taking time off to work will also benefit you at HYS because the percentage of the parental assets that is considered decreases each year after age 25
5) LAST TIP: To my fellow URMs, pay no mind to the vitriol online. There are a lot of haters with no understanding of history lurking around. We must love our haters and stunt on them daily.

Duke "Priority Track" invite on 8/27

Northwestern interview (Kira) on 11/19

Email from Michigan stating that I had not received an initial merit aid offer on 12/20

Chicago interview invite on 12/21

Chicago interview on 1/4

FAFSA submitted for all schools minus NU, Michigan and Yale on 1/17 (you can only select 10 without editing the form so I chose based on my likelihood of getting in/attending)

UVA interview invite on 1/17

UVA interview on 1/18

Submitted SEO Law application on 1/20

SEO Law interview invite also on 1/20

CSS Profile submitted on 2/6 (for schools I was admitted to at this point)

Georgetown gift aid offer on 2/14

Berkeley gift aid offer on 2/21

SEO Law interview on 2/22

UVA Dean's Scholarship offer on 2/28

Duke scholarship interview on 3/1

Penn Dean's Scholarship offer on 3/1

Chicago gift aid offer on 3/5

Submitted NYU merit-only financial aid app on 3/11 (need-based aid app would've required more paperwork and I had already received some good merit offers by this point that I knew would surpass my need calculation at any school)

NYU gift aid offer on 3/25 (offer will be decreased to 78K if I make more than $15K my 2L summer)

Duke scholarship decision mailed on 3/22

CSS Profile for Stanford submitted on 3/26 (and emailed requesting my fin aid award before Penn's 4/16 scholarship acceptance deadline)

Asked for reconsideration at Penn based on Duke offer on 4/1

SEO Law follow-up interview on 4/3

Email from Penn raising scholarship from 120K to 129K on 4/4

Stanford need-based award for 1L year received on 4/4

Columbia need-based award received on 4/26

Accepted to SEO Law program on 4/27