Top Law Schools

I have already got my lsat, resume, ps, LOR, and diversity statement ready to go. I am still confused about "Why" essays and how important are they. The consensus seems to suggest that for Michigan, UVA and Penn, they are very important. Is that true? What about other schools like NYU and Columbia?

They're important for PVM because those schools yield protect and are prone to deny you if you're above their 75th percentiles.
They're not that important for the Top 6 schools because they don't YP.

The importance of Why X essays depends on your stats.

no need for a why essay at ccn. they know why you want to attend, no yp as rigo said

Brut wrote:no need for a why essay at ccn. they know why you want to attend, no yp as rigo said

what about duke then?

XYL42 wrote:

Brut wrote:no need for a why essay at ccn. they know why you want to attend, no yp as rigo said

what about duke then?

duke seems to have been doing some YP-ish priority reserves this cycle, so I'd write one

I had a 170 LSAT when I initially applied to UVA, and as I did not think I was likely to be YP, I did not write a "Why UVA." However, I scored a 173 on my December LSAT, and I suppose that being YP is much more likely now. Can I submit a "Why UVA" now, or would doing so appear forced? Should I just wait until they either accept or waitlist me (assuming I am not rejected) and then write a "LOCI" in order to try to get off of the waitlist? UVA is one of my top couple choices, so I would seriously prefer not to be YP.

hill1334 wrote:I had a 170 LSAT when I initially applied to UVA and, as I did not think I was likely to be YP, I did not write a "Why UVA." However, I scored a 173 on my December LSAT, and I suppose that being YP is much more likely now. Can I submit a "Why UVA" now, or would doing so appear forced? Should I just wait until they either accept or waitlist me (assuming I am not rejected) and then right a "LOCI" in order to try to get off of the waitlist? UVA is one of my top couple choices, so I would seriously prefer not to be YP.

Go ahead and write one now and if you get WLed you can write a LOCI.

imKMart wrote:

hill1334 wrote:I had a 170 LSAT when I initially applied to UVA and, as I did not think I was likely to be YP, I did not write a "Why UVA." However, I scored a 173 on my December LSAT, and I suppose that being YP is much more likely now. Can I submit a "Why UVA" now, or would doing so appear forced? Should I just wait until they either accept or waitlist me (assuming I am not rejected) and then right a "LOCI" in order to try to get off of the waitlist? UVA is one of my top couple choices, so I would seriously prefer not to be YP.

Go ahead and write one now and if you get WLed you can write a LOCI.

A "Why UVA" two weeks after I applied will not be considered odd? I guess it will likely help even if I would have been better off writing one earlier.

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A why essay might help a little towards finances. If anything why essays at other schools would also behoove you for negotiation purposes at UVA since you seem to be leaning towards there. I'm not sure why essays give you a bigger scholarship, but they will get you away from YP hell where receive zero scholarship because you are in decision or WL purgatory. They're not hard to write; you seem decided on where you want to go, just verbalize that in a single page.

I wrote a SUPER enthusiastic Why UVA (I also have super strong ties to the region), and I got a Dillard. applying early also seems to be absolutely key for that this year. def write it and don't hold back, and try to apply as early as possible.