Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of... Forum

(Applications Advice, Letters of Recommendation . . . )
Post Reply
gregthomas77

Bronze
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:49 am

Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by gregthomas77 » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:30 pm

getting accepted their in subsequent years when you improve your LSAT score?

pwyoung

Bronze
Posts: 163
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2010 2:19 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by pwyoung » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:34 pm

Nope. Majority of schools don't roll-over files from year-to-year.

gregthomas77

Bronze
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 11:49 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by gregthomas77 » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:35 pm

pwyoung wrote:Nope. Majority of schools don't roll-over files from year-to-year.
so it is ok to apply to schools you have no real chance of getting into (but you got fee waivers for)?

User avatar
MoS

Bronze
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:59 pm

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by MoS » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:36 pm

Generally, no. It can show the adcomm that you really want to go to their school, even more than a good Why X essay. Though the school will probably compare your new application with your old application. Inconsistencies can equal death. If there was a major flaw in the first application that led you to be denied, it can still haunt you in future cycles. But if your numbers were the main issue for rejection then it should not hurt you to apply again with BETTER numbers. Also, most Deans of Admission are willing to take emails or phone calls from rejected applicants who want to know how they could improve their application for future cycles. But wait until the end of the spring semester or the summer before you do such a thing. Their time sparse and you don't want to get on their nerves.

User avatar
amg414

New
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:08 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by amg414 » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:44 pm

I've gotten accepted by two schools this cycle that turned me down last cycle... so I would say not.

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


User avatar
gothamm

Silver
Posts: 506
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:10 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by gothamm » Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:56 pm

amg414 wrote:I've gotten accepted by two schools this cycle that turned me down last cycle... so I would say not.
did you improve your LSAT score? and did you use the same personal statement/LOC?

User avatar
amg414

New
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:08 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by amg414 » Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:20 am

gothamm wrote:
amg414 wrote:I've gotten accepted by two schools this cycle that turned me down last cycle... so I would say not.
did you improve your LSAT score? and did you use the same personal statement/LOC?
I did improve my LSAT by 4 points. I also used a completely different personal statement while mostly retaining my original addenda. Same LORs except for one, I took out one and replaced it with one from a professor that oversaw my final research project for undergrad.

User avatar
gothamm

Silver
Posts: 506
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:10 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by gothamm » Sun Jan 09, 2011 6:25 am

amg414 wrote:
gothamm wrote:
amg414 wrote:I've gotten accepted by two schools this cycle that turned me down last cycle... so I would say not.
did you improve your LSAT score? and did you use the same personal statement/LOC?
I did improve my LSAT by 4 points. I also used a completely different personal statement while mostly retaining my original addenda. Same LORs except for one, I took out one and replaced it with one from a professor that oversaw my final research project for undergrad.
I see. Would you happen to know whether if someone gets rejected for applying late (feb) due to their numbers being not so competitive due to the lateness, but competitive if taking advantage of rolling admissions...were they to reapply for the next cycle and keep the exact same application (no change in lsat gpa...maybe changing up the PS and LOC a bit), would law schools to which the reapplications being sent look down on the fact that you got rejected? any downsides to reapplying?

User avatar
amg414

New
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 11:08 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by amg414 » Sun Jan 09, 2011 7:52 am

gothamm wrote: I see. Would you happen to know whether if someone gets rejected for applying late (feb) due to their numbers being not so competitive due to the lateness, but competitive if taking advantage of rolling admissions...were they to reapply for the next cycle and keep the exact same application (no change in lsat gpa...maybe changing up the PS and LOC a bit), would law schools to which the reapplications being sent look down on the fact that you got rejected? any downsides to reapplying?
I think I understand what you are trying to ask me here. I want to go part-time, so I can keep my good paying job to minimize debt. I'm in NJ, so I aimed for Rutgers-Newark and Seton Hall. LSAT was a bit too low (153) and applications were both pretty late. I was wait listed and then dinged and Rutgers and outright dinged at Seton. I studied for a couple of months, retook, and got a 157. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the Rutgers application but you can choose to have emphasis placed on GPA/LSAT or emphasis placed on experience (the more holistic approach I suppose). I actually changed my choice from "experience" to "GPA/LSAT" at Rutgers and resubmitted with the new PS to both schools. Both have let me in with their first round of decisions.

I guess my point is, the only downside to reapplying is the possible loss of the application fee. I had paid for a consultant who used to be a law school admissions officer for the second time around, she said when she looked at the previous application it was to look for discrepancies between the two years (changed answers, changed information, etc) Obviously your GPA is what it is, I would say if your LSAT is below the median of your target, it would probably be worth trying to get the score closer to or above the median. If I weren't working full time, I'd probably be able to get into the 160s with enough practice time, but my target was Rutgers because I can keep my job and enjoy pretty low in-state tuition, so I was happy with the 157.

User avatar
gothamm

Silver
Posts: 506
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 12:10 am

Re: Does getting turned down by a school hurt your chances of...

Post by gothamm » Mon Jan 10, 2011 12:23 am

amg414 wrote:
gothamm wrote: I see. Would you happen to know whether if someone gets rejected for applying late (feb) due to their numbers being not so competitive due to the lateness, but competitive if taking advantage of rolling admissions...were they to reapply for the next cycle and keep the exact same application (no change in lsat gpa...maybe changing up the PS and LOC a bit), would law schools to which the reapplications being sent look down on the fact that you got rejected? any downsides to reapplying?
I think I understand what you are trying to ask me here. I want to go part-time, so I can keep my good paying job to minimize debt. I'm in NJ, so I aimed for Rutgers-Newark and Seton Hall. LSAT was a bit too low (153) and applications were both pretty late. I was wait listed and then dinged and Rutgers and outright dinged at Seton. I studied for a couple of months, retook, and got a 157. I'm not sure if you are familiar with the Rutgers application but you can choose to have emphasis placed on GPA/LSAT or emphasis placed on experience (the more holistic approach I suppose). I actually changed my choice from "experience" to "GPA/LSAT" at Rutgers and resubmitted with the new PS to both schools. Both have let me in with their first round of decisions.

I guess my point is, the only downside to reapplying is the possible loss of the application fee. I had paid for a consultant who used to be a law school admissions officer for the second time around, she said when she looked at the previous application it was to look for discrepancies between the two years (changed answers, changed information, etc) Obviously your GPA is what it is, I would say if your LSAT is below the median of your target, it would probably be worth trying to get the score closer to or above the median. If I weren't working full time, I'd probably be able to get into the 160s with enough practice time, but my target was Rutgers because I can keep my job and enjoy pretty low in-state tuition, so I was happy with the 157.
thanks a lot for this info. Really helps.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


Post Reply

Return to “Law School Admissions Forum”