The scholarship amounts shown are for 3 years
I am ashamed of my LSAT score, so I am keeping most of my geographical information undisclosed. I have found this website to be extremely helpful in determining what schools to apply to, so I hope my profile might help others as well. Good Luck
My name pretty much says it all, this is the true story of my application cycle. The only thing that might not be 100% accurate are the dates, I have just created this profile and have already applied to a bunch of schools and was already accepted to a few of them.
Originally, my intention was to apply only to Franklin Pierce; however, after speaking to my pre-law adviser, she told me that if I really wanted to go to law school applying to a single school was NOT a good idea. So I decided to apply to every law school that sent me a fee waiver, as well as all schools that had no application fee. So, the vast majority of schools I ended applying to were either CRS fee waivers, or I contacted the school to request a fee waiver and was granted one. The only application fees I paid for were:
- University of Miami
- Florida International
- University of Wisconsin
As you can see of the 16 schools I applied to 6 are in Florida, this is because my wife and I love Florida and wish to live there. Even If I don't end up attending law school there, we hope to move there upon graduation.
01-02-08
I called Franklin Pierce to find out the status of my application, Denise said my application was being reviewed right now and I should have a response within 2 weeks.
01-03-08
I received an invitation to apply to Seton Hall (including a fee waiver), through a special program they refer to as LEO, this is why I marked that application as "Special Application"
01-08-08
I received an email today from Franklin Pierce informing me I had been accepted, I am very happy. I wish to pursue a career in intellectual property law and Pierce is one of the best places in the country to study IP. I am very lucky and extremely grateful to be accepted to so many schools.
01-11-08
Today I received the admissions packet from Franklin Pierce, in it they offered me a renewable diversity scholarship of $9300 per year (NOTE: This is NOT based on academic performance, but rather based on the fact that I am a member of an under represented minority. I was told this scholarship is NOT given to every URM that gets accepted). I really don't know what to say, I was not expecting such generosity, thank you Piercelaw!
01-22-08
I was in school today studying for an Organic Chemistry test, when I got an e-mail from U of Wisconsin, in which they were encouraging me to fill out a scholarship application form. I thought this was odd, since I had not even heard a response from them yet. When I came home, I noticed an envelope from U of Wisconsin, the letter was to notify me that I had been wait listed. I am still pretty shocked, I thought for sure I would be flat out rejected, U of W is a great school!
Having said that, based on information from this website, I can see that not many people who were historically wait listed were eventually accepted, so I guess my chances of actually getting accepted are slim to none.
01-23-08
I just sent an application withdrawl email to 3 schools which I know for sure I will not be attending: Florida Coastal, Barry University and Widener University (Delaware Campus). I hope these seats go to another student who actually wishes to attend there, good luck!
01-28-08
My first rejection............. University of Miami. I had been get lucky way too long, this rejection was well deserved!
01-31-08
I called Santa Clara to ask about my application status, I was told my application would probably not be looked at until March-April, I have absolutely no desire to wait that long and my interest in paying $1500 a month for a 1 bedroom apartment in California is ZERO, so I withdrew my application to SCU!
02-10-08
Received two wait list notifications in the mail today, Depaul and Indiana University. Although I highly doubt, I would ever get off the wait list and actually get accepted, I am flattered by their decision. So far I have been flat out rejected @ only 1 of the 16 schools I applied to, I say this is pretty good!
02-10-08
Today I also received a letter from Seton Hall letting me know that my application was complete and that I should get a response back from them within 4 to 6 weeks.
02-19-08
After a series of Wait Lists and a rejection..... another acceptance, Wayne State University, Thanks!
02-25-08
DePaul's waitlist notification required that I notify the school of my continued interest to attend there. They asked that I mail a form back to confirm my continued interest, otherwise, I would automatically be removed from the waitlist, I decided not accept the waitlist, I think Franklin Pierce is a better school.
02-25-08
Although Wayne State University does have an IP program and their tuition is relatively cheap, Franklin Pierce has a much Stronger IP program and with the money they offered me, PierceLaw would be cheaper, so I just sent WayneState an email to withdraw my application.
02-25-08
When I applied to Stetson they gave me a password and pin number to check the status of my application on their website, I just checked it and today it shows decision made, it also says the decision was mailed 3 days ago, so I should get it either today or tomorrow!
02-25-08
So.... I got home and I found Stetson's letter notifying me of my Wait List.
The funny thing is.......... St. Louis University, which is a higher ranked law school not only accepted me today, but they actually gave me a $45K scholarship ($15K per year), I guess this goes to show you that the law school admissions process is completely out of sync, I have given up trying to make any sense of it.
02-26-08
Withdrew from Nova Southeastern University
3-10-08
Received a deferment notice from the University of Arkansas, I withdrew my application.
3-10-08
Although I have not heard back from Seton Hall yet, I am not intersted in attending part-time at all, so I went ahead and withdrew my application from there too.
3-10-08
I was wait listed at Stetson, I would NOT pick Stetson over Pierce, thus I withdrew my application.
3-10-08
I am not very fond of uncertainty. I do realize that withdrawing my applications before I hear a definite Yes or No sort of defeats the purpose of this profile, but withdrawing from schools, which I know for sure I would NOT attend, even if accepted, takes me that much closer to making that final decision and that, is something I look forward to. So I am down to the following:
University of Wisconsin
University of Indiana
Franklin Pierce Law Center
Florida International University
Saint Louis University
3-12-08
I am sick and tired of waiting around to hear from the rest of the schools. Franklin Pierce has the 4th best IP program in the country and since I want to be a patent attorney, I really don't think there is a better place for me to go to (At least not one that I was accepted to)
Therefore, I called in BOTH of my NON-REFUNDABLE deposits, I am done with this admissions circus, I am withdrawing from all the other law schools I applied to.
Hey, congrats on your acceptance to Franklin Pierce! :)