mps (2022-2023)

Obligatory "LSN was a huge help and I wanted to return the favor." I definitely learned a lot looking through this site and talking to LSN members before I applied, so please feel free to message me if you have any questions. I'm incredibly happy with my cycle and am looking forward to September.

LSAT: First take.

GPA: The undergraduate GPA section on my LSAC transcript wasn't reported (that is, the average GPAs in my class weren't shown, but I did have an official LSAC GPA), and I wouldn't classify my school as a known quantity for most adcomms, but I did have a few awards for my class ranking that may have helped put the undergraduate GPA in context. Grad GPA was in the same range as my undergrad GPA. Freshman year GPA was about as bad as it could be to get a 3.88 cumulative GPA (ordinary number of credits/years in school), though I didn't address the matter in an addendum. For school quality, think flagship state schools--I'm used to huge research universities, and am looking forward to the small school experience. Finally, I was a liberal arts major.

Softs: Teaching and graduate research, mostly. A few significant university/departmental awards. A few small service extracurriculars.

LORS: I had three letters but sent most schools two of them (I usually sent the "recommended" amount). I sent Stanford one personalized letter of reference, though it wasn't particularly targeted--no substantive connections to Stanford. All letters were academic and from professors who knew me well.

Personal Statement: A little dry and on the safe side, I think. I tried to explain why law school since I was a few years out of undergrad and the connection wasn't immediately obvious. I also didn't tailor any of my applications to the specific schools. As I noted in the section to the right, I think this hurt me at a few places.

Again, feel free to ask me any questions.

06: Withdrew from the Yale waitlist early June. Cycle over!

4/18: Sent in my deposit to Stanford and my withdrawal from Harvard.

4/13: Received my need-based fellowship from Stanford. A very nice turnaround time. I feel incredibly lucky that I don't have to let financial awards determine my decision (though my Stanford aid was more than my Harvard aid by a significant amount), and am 99.9% set on depositing at Stanford.

4/8: Waitlist email from Yale.

3/30: Phone call from Stanford!

3/21: Withdrew from Chicago and Columbia. I received a generous need-based aid package from Harvard (I won't put it up since it is need-based) that helped my decision along. YS still pending.

3/15: Withdrew from NYU. I was a finalist for a named scholarship but withdrew before the interview. Although it was the toughest withdrawal thus far (particularly when I scroll through their faculty listings), I am happy with the decision.

3/11: Withdrew from Texas.

2/18: Chicago aid package received via email.

01/26: Withdrew pending applications from Michigan, Penn, and Virginia. Also withdrew from Duke. I suspect I was going to be waitlisted at Michigan and Virginia (and maybe Penn as well). If you are looking for advice on how to avoid the waitlists: I did not write supplemental essays or tailor my PS for these schools, and I suspect it hurt my application.

01/24 (send date on letter): Columbia with a Hamilton fellowship.

01/10: Chicago by phone/email.

12/15: NYU decision sent via mail.

11/22: JR2! JR1 email was on 11/12.

11/12: UT by phone. (Out of state applicant) Scholarship by mail a week later. Chancellor's Scholarship (full scholarship) later upgraded to Townes-Rice (full scholarship plus stipend).

11/2: Duke by email. (Priority track applicant)