Below is my chronicle of how applying went. But, I wrote up a thing of what I learned through the application process, so I figured I would post it here.
- Law school, no matter what they say is really just all about numbers. LSATs more than grades, but, I would have been better off going to my State U and graduating with higher grades, than my not that amazingly ranked, but still difficult as fuck undergrad.
- Use the Bible's to study for the LSAT. Then do EARLY MORNING practice tests at least once a week leading up to the LSAT. Doing great at night doesn't mean you'll do as well in the AM. I found it was totally worth the sacrifice of sleep. Also, don't forget to use timers when practicing. It doesn't matter how many questions you get right if it takes you forever to do them.
- Don't stress out so much over the personal statement. You really are just numbers, unless you are a URM (under represented minority), you make some horrible mistake, or you are on a WL (wait list).
- If you do land on a waitlist, send a LOCI (letter of continued interest). Make it tasteful. Don't send one every day. Maybe every month or two tops. If you near the deposit deadline and still haven't heard from a school, send one. I did and it got me into one I didn't think I would get into.
- This site is a great predictor of where you will/won't get in. Prevents you from applying to places you have not shot at or are too good for. Use it. Don't, however, spend hours looking at it when you could be studying for your LSAT. Also, you may as well apply to a reach or two. Can't hurt.
- Don't listen to the people who say you are a failure at life if you don't get into HYS (Harvard/Yale/Stanford - the Top 3, or even the T14 (top 14)). Sure, it's fantastic if you get in. And sure you will have some more opportunities (esp. if you want a big firm or to go into politics) but, there is life beyond big law. Save yourself the stress. Be confident. Be proud of where you go. Hey - apparently 40% of people get in nowhere. So, you are a step ahead of the game. And that is just for potential lawyers. Think about how you are also smarter than a whole smattering of other professions. I say this not to sound just like the cocky HYS people, but to say, you worked hard, you are smart, be proud of yourself no matter what. Law school isn't worth compromising your confidence.
- Do Apps EARLY!!! Otherwise, you will near deposit deadlines with no responses from some schools.
- Negotiate scholarships. I never thought you could, but, you can. And it'll save you a ton of money. You seriously have nothing to lose, except perhaps your pride. But that returns after you find yourself with a bigger scholarship. In fact, the feeling is pretty darn awesome.
- Think before you apply. Think about the area, the price, the job market, the students. For me, I wish I would have considered price more when I applied. I focused solely on location, and now I realized I can't afford any good location. If I had realized just how much money 200k worth of loans is, I think where I would have applied may have changed.
- Along those lines, sometimes your happiness is better than a few rankings. USNWR is not god. That said, it still wouldn't be worth it to go to some online law school.
- The lower ranked school you go to... the larger the scholarship, and the better position you are in to bargain with other schools. Apply to a few "safeties."
- Ask for LOR's (letters of rec) from old professors in Sept. They will procrastinate as long as they possibly can. Nag them. Don't feel bad about it. They get paid tons of money to teach 2-3 classes a week. They have time to write you a form letter.
- Make friends with other people applying to law school. People applying to other grad programs just don't get it. Law school will take over your life. You'll want to talk about it. Talking about it with people who aren't going through it is useless. The people who are can sometimes give good, or at least informed advice.
*************************************************
Alright - well, as of now, all of my applications are in. So now I just have to sit around, keep my fingers crossed and wait.
1.26.10 - In at Loyola of Chicago, with a $5k merit scholarship for my first year. Not really a top choice school, but, I'm just very excited to have gotten in somewhere.
2.1.10 - Waitlisted at American. This was a top choice school. Therefore, I'm torn between being glad that I wasn't outright rejected, and sad that I didn't just get in. That said, if anyone knows any good ways to get off said waitlist, I'm willing to try pretty much anything.
2.4.10 - In at Quinnipiac via an e-mail. Honestly, I would have been shocked if I didn't get in. I don't think I'd ever go to a tier 3 vs. a tier 2 (or 1, depending on how you look at it) so, barring a really big scholarship, I think I might withdraw my app.
2.5.10 - In at DePaul via an e-mail from a professor. This of course comes before the stupid letter in the mail. Anyway, guess it's time to roadtrip myself on over to Chi-town.
2.8.10 - Finally got the letter from Buffalo. In with $5k per year scholarship. As much as I'd prefer to be in a larger city, it's hard to overlook the in-state tuition. Buffalo would wind up costing me less than half of almost every other law school I applied to. So... it remains a contender. Also got the paper copy of the letter from Quinnipiac - $25k a year contingent on graduating in the top 50%.
2.22.10 - In at Case. Considering I'm a Case undergrad I would have been dumbfounded and personally offended if I didn't get in. But, I was surprised to get 15k a year. However, Case officially has the most redic. scholarship requirements ever, including, and I quote "Your continued eligibility for this award is also contingent upon your participation in scholarship-related activities, i.e. receptions, phone-a-thons, writing letters to donors, prelaw advisors and prospective students, etc." haha.
2.24.10 - Just got my actual acceptance letter from DePaul. Postmarked Feb. 1st. God the mail is slow. Anyway, they are giving me $15 a year contingent upon a 3.2. I'm starting to wonder how hard and/or easy it is to keep that in law school.
2.28.10 - Consider this my rant. I don't like waiting. I can't help but think that all the schools I'm waiting for will give me bad news. I know I'm qualified, but, I'm just numbers, and that is frustrating. I'm also starting to question my decision about law school. I've always had the problem of loving too many things (it took me 3 years to redecorate my room because I loved the asian theme, the bright color theme, the subdued dark color scheme and everything in between), and I feel the same about future career prospects. I would be happy doing so many things. Why did I pick law above all the rest? I don't know. I guess I have some thinking to do.
3.4.10 - In at Albany via status checker. My dad seems to think, based upon his tendency to impose his own views upon myself, that I will love this school/location. I can definitively say that I only applied because he made me and I needed a safety. Anyway, I'm really anxious to get the rest of my decisions (read: waitlists). Last night, when I couldn't sleep, I wrote a preemptive LOCI for Brooklyn, basically using outlandish examples to illustrate how much I want to go there. It's probably risky as hell to send in something like that, but, at this point, I'm willing to do anything to get myself noticed and get in to one of my top choices (Brooklyn, Cardozo (which I'll never ever get into, yes I know this, but i don't know can you do another set of parenthesis inside parenthesis?) and American).
3.12.10 - Waitlisted at Brooklyn. They have no full time spots, but of course if I want to do the part time program they'll accept me right now! If you need me I'll be bitterly sulking and bawling my eyes out.
3.19.10 - I got an e-mail from Seton Hall reminding me about accepted students weekend. I'm going to take a leap and assume that this means I'm in. Less than a month until I need to decide and still 5 fucking schools I haven't heard from. This is getting insane.
3.22.10 - WL at Cardozo. I'm not even sure if I should put myself on the waitlist, since I don't think I could pay for sticker. In an ideal world, it would be a top choice, but 100k of debt is not.
3.29.10 - In at Temple via status checker. This might be a great compromise - in a city, not the biggest, fairly cheap but not as cheap as my state school. Visiting Friday so I guess we'll see. This is a great in for me though. I should mention to all of you with similar numbers, I did send an e-mail expressing my interest last week. So, I think that had a big something to do with it.
Date not remember: I negotiated an extra $4500 from Case. Am in the process of trying to negotiate with Temple, but I haven't heard from them. In the meantime I visited UB, got personal tour, and still just couldn't picture myself there. Ohh, and I also got the letter acceptance from Pitt. Scholarship waitlist? What the fuck? No scholarship = no me at your law school.
4.14.10 - If you would have asked me a year ago I would have said there is no way in hell I'm staying at Case for law school. But, it's official. I just turned in my seat deposit. So I'm now Case Western Reserve University Law Class of 2013.
4.19.10 - Really belatedly waitlisted at Villanova. Really? Really? Probably the first time law school numbers didn't get it right. Whatever.
6.21.10 - just got in off the waitlist. I can't say I'm not slightly tempted. But, I assume that this offer comes with no money, I've already gotten my apartment, and Case probably gets people slightly better jobs anyway, so my consideration probably only stems from the fact that I hear it's a lovely building and located somewhere that isn't Cleveland.
8.21.10 - Got officially rejected from American. Of course it doesn't matter at this point because I already have an apartment, friends and a bunch of homework done for Case. But, I can't say that I wasn't still slightly disappointed. No one likes to be rejected, even though I clearly wouldn't have switched schools this late in the game. Kind of wonder if I'll get officially rejected from Cardozo and Brooklyn. I can't remember if I took myself off the waitlists or not. I think I may have by never responding to any of their letters.
Anyway, good luck class of 2014 - and I hope my law school application journey can help you figure out the insanity that is applying to law school.
well good luck with your cycle! get on those apps =)