04/15/10 -Submitted applications much later than I wanted to. No money and no job make it hard to scrounge up the dough to pay. Even with several fee waivers, I had to find $200 to apply. At least they were submitted.
04/21/10 -Got confirmation on all the apps on the same day. Don't like that Thomas Jefferson doesn't have a status check like all other apps.
05/09/10 -Found out Chapman and McGeorge both sneaked back into top 100 making them tier 2 schools. That's great for after grad prospects (literally last thing on my mind, but it's nice knowing).
05/12/10 -Got email from Phoenix to check status. I was admitted!!! Yay!!! Still don't know about scholie for there, but should be in snail mail in next couple days.
05/12/10 -While checking Phoenix status, I checked all others too. McGeorge has "Decision Rendered." Makes me a little nervous, but I feel good about my chances. C'mon snail mail. (Also, why can't this be done online? My undergrad for UCLA was online and snail mail. It's nice to have both.)
05/14/10 -Just got waitlisted for McGeorge. Heartbreaking. I got waitlisted at a school last year, and waited on that list too. That's why I'm here again. Hopefully it will go better this time.
05/15/20 -Acceptance letter from Phoenix. No surprises there. $12000/year renewable scholarship. It's alright but tuition is ~34k/year. Not exactly jazzed about Phoenix area; I traveled there for NCAA basketball tournament in 2008. We stayed around airport, and it was awful.
05/16/10 -Starting to rethink all of this. I'm very aware that I took a horrible LSAT for me (I PT in the 165-168 range). Being fired from a job for requesting a day off to take the LSAT put my mind elsewhere during the test; not a good excuse but that's life. Was just a bad week that week. Also, job prospects from attending Phoenix and Thomas Jefferson (I'm assuming acceptance) are slim to none. Hard to justify taking on all that debt when it's going to be tough to pay it back. I might just retest and reapply next cycle (early!!!, I'm going to have a job this time (I hope)).
05/17/10 -Acceptance letter from Thomas Jefferson. The new downtown campus looks nice. Opens Spring 11 semester. They sent out scholarship offer today. Barring a full or near-full ride, probably not going to attend. Really banking on McGeorge, SW, or Chapman working out. But I would also be perfectly fine next cycle too the more I think about it.
05/17/10 -Looking at the numbers, I definitely applied too late to McGeorge. I feel my app was strong, but I did apply late and that probably cost me admission. Eh, these things happen. Live and learn.
05/19/10 -Withdrawing from Phoenix. It's just not a wise move with career I have in mind, and it feels like a poor investment. In other news, no scholie from TJ yet. Just going to call; they still need to wow me or no dice. SW and Chapman are making me very impatient, but at this point I wouldn't be surprised if I was just waitlisted. Looks like I'm playing with fire this summer.
05/20/10 -Got scholie offer from Thomas Jefferson. 18k per year. Essentially half-tuition. Not enough to wow me. High COL in San Diego plus the other 18k in loans per year just doesn't make it worth it. With job prospects being what they are (or what they aren't), I can't take the risk of holding a Tier 4 degree in my hand with no means to pay back my loans. To the waiting room!!!
06/01/10 -Still waiting from Southwestern and Chapman. Kinda frustrating, but can't really do anything about it. According to adcomm at Pacific, there will be movement on their waitlist soon so there is that.
06/18/10 -Waitlisted at Southwestern via status checker. Thought my lsat and app were strong enough for admit. Burned myself by applying late. Looks like it's waitlist limbo again this summer...little depressing.
06/22/10 -Decision rendered on Pacific McGeorge status checker. Pretty nervous yo, but I'll at least be out of waitlist limbo.
06/25/10 -Dinged at Pacific McGeorge. Pretty much the news I was expecting, but still heartbreaking. Still "in review" at Chapman..really my last hope this cycle.
07/01/2010 -Waitlisted at Chapman through email and status checker. This is the one I hope works out. That's all I can do at this point.
07/30/10 -One long month of nothin'. Sent LOCIs to Chapman and SW. Just gotta hope at this point. I haven't lost faith yet.
08/02/10 -I got into Southwestern!!!!! Woo-hoo!!!! My patience paid off. Gonna be joining their day program. Los Angeles is where I want to be, so this is perfect. Good luck to all those still out there in the waitlist limbo.
08/07/10 -Withdrew from Chapman. Moving out to LA next week!
That was actually the only time I had spoken to them on the phone. I called a couple weeks after being waitlisted to confirm continued interest. A couple others with similar numbers on top-law-schools got dinged as well. I think McGeorge might just be more competitive this year. But yeah, I'm hoping Chapman works out or at least SW. It is a mild blessing in disguise since I most likely wanna stay in SoCal.