Application Notes - I submitted a diversity statement with every application as well as an Addendum for health matters that I thought negatively impacted my GPA. I also had a Group Interview for Georgetown.
A Heads Up for my fellow Stanford applicants
I submitted my Stanford application mid-December and was quite worried when the online status checker said my application was incomplete into January. Specifically, the box for receipt of the Statement of Undergraduate Dean was unchecked. I spoke to my University pre-law rep (who mailed the form off mid-December as well) who advised me to just call, and that Stanford has a habit of 'finding' application components once someone calls and tells them it was in fact mailed. Sure enough, that was the case for me.
1/26/12 - Awwww snap, I just noticed on Vanderbilt's online status checker that a decision was mailed yesterday. I can't wait to get home and check the mail. This is also a surprisingly quick decision considering it was the very last school I applied to and I still haven't heard back from the very first (and plenty more in between). I'm still leaning towards Georgetown over Vanderbilt as it is both excellent and pretty close to home, but if there's some scholarship info in the mail I may have to consider Vandy more seriously.
1/27/12 - And I'm three for three! Vanderbilt's enormous acceptance package arrived in the mail today. ^_^ . It appears that scholarship information is not issued until February; regardless, I'm so pleased.
Law school predictor said that someone with my numbers could never get in to the schools I applied to. Not a single one said Admit. It predicted a Strong Consider for W&M, Weak Consider for Vanderbilt, and flat Deny for Georgetown. Well LSP, I think you need to recalculate. :D What a good day. Have hope, everybody. We can do this, no matter what (we think) the odds are.
2/9/12 - Finally heard back from the first school I applied to, Columbia, with a verdict of waitlist. Well, at least I can still say I haven't been rejected anywhere. And if I can get waitlisted at the number four school in the country, that gives me a little hope about numbers six through sixteen.
2/16/12 - What a busy day! After months of chillin, law school admission councils seem to have decided they'll get to work today. Waitlisted at UVA this morning (not bad) only to get an e-mail from Cornell moments later requesting an interview. And THEN, I do my compulsive status-checker check and see that Duke says "Decision made; watch for e-mail". I'm pretty sure that means "We could have written the decision here but decided not to; lol". But I will anxiously watch for said e-mail.
2/16 Continued - Got an e-mail notification that I was waitlisted. I don't particularly like this new trend, but it could be worse.
2/29/12 - 1) Leap Day! 2) I had a phone interview with Cornell today. Apparently for the past ten years or so, a few applicants have been randomly selected for interviews. I'm grateful for the extra opportunity and I think it went quite well. In any case, now the matter is completely out of my hands. I was told by the interviewer that I should hear back with a decision in about a week. 3) In the time between my last post and now, I have been making some effort to get off the waitlist at Columbia, Duke, and UVA. We'll see how fruitful these efforts are come May.
3/2/12 - Well that was a quick turnaround from Cornell. Waitlisted. Ah well, such is life. I'm going to accept all of these wait list offers until I hear back from everyone. Only five more schools to go.
3/19/12 - In at UCLA via phone call! Yesss so boosted. They also informed me that more info will be put in the mail shortly. I've never actually been to LA before and they offered to fly me out and put me up in a hotel, so I may have to accept that opportunity :). Man, I was a little concerned after the 2nd that I all I had left were waitlist notifications and rejections, but now I know that's not true. Woop woop. Looks like I have some good options to choose from. In the mean time, I'm going to go listen to some songs about California lol.
3/29/12 - First rejection. Ouch. Can't say I'm surprised, but I was still hopeful. Ah well, such is life.
4/4/12 - 'Decision Letter Sent' status online for NYU this morning, waitlisted via e-mail later today. I'll take that.
4/27/12 - It is beginning to look more and more like I'll be at Georgetown in the fall (which pains my heart a little because I loved my UCLA visit and they are throwing all the money at me). But I'm trying to be reasonable about this, and GTown should be sending me a new financial offer on Monday. Stanford status checker says Decision Letter Sent, and I'm almost certain that they call their admits, so I think I'm out. That's fine though. An out from Harvard however will hurt me a little more. We'll see what happens in the next few days.
4/27 Continued - Called b/c I don't like waiting. Suspicion confirmed about Stanford. Wha eva.
4/30/12 - Aaah decisions. How is it almost May? Last night I reluctantly withdrew from Vanderbilt, and very painfully withdrew from UCLA. I'm sure that should I have had the chance to visit Georgetown, I would have felt just as welcome as I did at UCLA. And it's time to be real; I know fully well Georgetown is a great choice for me. Waiting for the new financial offer. (And crossing my fingers for a waitlist notification from Harvard.)
5/1/12 - YES YES YES SWEET BABY JESUS. NOT REJECTED FROM HARVARD! Waitlisted (via email this morning) - I'LL TAKE THAT. Whew, okay, now that I got that caps lock out of my system, I can say like a normal human that I am so excited to still have a chance at my dream school. If things don't work out I'll always have Georgetown, but oh man am I pleased that I'm still in the running. This is the beginning of a very good day.
5/3/12 - Alright. All Georgetown things have been mailed off, and a few LOCIs sent off as well. I think that's all for now.
5/14 - AAAAAAH IN AT NYU YES YES YES T5 BABY WOOO
5/25 - After much deliberation, it is beginning to look more like I will be attending Georgetown after all. NYU responded to my financial aid request offering me...the opportunity to take out thousands of dollars in loans. I wondered if there was some sort of mistake because if they looked at my financial forms they must see that I cannot afford an NYU Law education. I submitted a formal request for reconsideration alongside Georgetown's scholarship offer. But they stuck with the original decision of nothing. I know I can't do this. And Harvard is probably the only place for which I would be willing to rob a bank. So I will probably be telling NYU thanks but no thanks :/
5/29 - Officially declined offer of admission from NYU. Sucks but giving me the "opportunity" to take out $75,000 in loans does not qualify as an opportunity in my town.
6/14 - Had an interview with Columbia today, which is exciting, but really don't know what to make of it yet so I suppose 'nerve-wracking' is a more appropriate word. The interview was quite short so I didn't exactly get to say everything I would have liked to, but hopefully I still made a good impression.
6/20 - After an epic battle with my University Registrar spanning two weeks, LSAC finally has my updated transcript. Senior Spring was my best semester yet, so while I'm not expecting anything, I'm hoping for a little magic now that my grades are in.
6/21 - JESUS MARY AND JOSEPH. MAGIC HAPPENED. IN AT COLUMBIA! So excited! Oh my goodness yesss. Dean Iwerebon called this morning to inform me of admission. Just gotta work out Financial Aid now. Hoping for something better than NYU offered lol but I know my parents will move Heaven and Earth to get me there. And I was all concerned after I thought I blew the interview, but everything is great. Aah today is going to be a good day :)
6/21 cont. - rejected off the wait list from Penn? This is hilarious because I thought I had withdrawn from the wait list already. It's okay Penn. I'll let you claim the breakup, but it was never gonna work out between us anyway. Also, just withdrew from Cornell just in case to clear things up.
8/3 - And it finally happened. Rejected off the waitlist from Harvard Law. Well, I gave it my best; and considering my human rights aspirations, Columbia is probably one of if not the best place for me anyway. In any case, I can now say with certainty that I will be attending Columbia Law School...in like a week! Ohmahgah. Still debating whether or not I'll reply to Harvard's email regarding the transfer opportunity it mentioned, but I think I'll say it anyway: cycle complete.
The answer is always "no" if you don't ask, right? Congrats on W&M and GULC, and good luck on the rest of your cycle!