U. of Florida 2010-2011 Applicants!!

[Barbie]

I need some advice. I know the earlier you apply, the better. I'm taking the LSAT in October for the first time, and I'm afraid I am not going to do as well as I want to. I'm not trying to be pessimistic or anything, but I just haven't been scoring where I should be on my PTs. That being said, in the case that I don't score well on my October LSAT, should I retake in December, or will that be too late? I know they won't look at my application until they get my December score if I indicate that I am retaking in December, so I just wanted to see what you guys thought about this. I've already talked to the UF admissions people and they basically just told me how the process worked but didn't really give me any advice about it. Hopefully I will do awesome on the test the first time and not have to retake it but I would just like to have a plan B in case things don't go the way I want them to. UF is my top choice and I'm not willing to give it up just because of this test.

See what you get and then make a decision. If you do well enough to get in, keep the score. If you think you need to retake, then do it! I know someone who got in last year who applied late in January If I don't get in somewhere I will be happy going, I am retaking in December too (or maybe February) to use it to get moved from a WL, or whatever I may need to happen. I'm assuming, of course, that you do not have any LSAT score right now.

[flgator10]

I need some advice. I know the earlier you apply, the better. I'm taking the LSAT in October for the first time, and I'm afraid I am not going to do as well as I want to. I'm not trying to be pessimistic or anything, but I just haven't been scoring where I should be on my PTs. That being said, in the case that I don't score well on my October LSAT, should I retake in December, or will that be too late? I know they won't look at my application until they get my December score if I indicate that I am retaking in December, so I just wanted to see what you guys thought about this. I've already talked to the UF admissions people and they basically just told me how the process worked but didn't really give me any advice about it. Hopefully I will do awesome on the test the first time and not have to retake it but I would just like to have a plan B in case things don't go the way I want them to. UF is my top choice and I'm not willing to give it up just because of this test.

See what you get and then make a decision. If you do well enough to get in, keep the score. If you think you need to retake, then do it! I know someone who got in last year who applied late in January If I don't get in somewhere I will be happy going, I am retaking in December too (or maybe February) to use it to get moved from a WL, or whatever I may need to happen. I'm assuming, of course, that you do not have any LSAT score right now.

Thanks so much. Yep, I don't have a score yet. I'm just going to have to wait and see what happens. I definitely don't want to have to retake it, but I guess if my score is below their 25th percentile, then it won't hurt me to retake. I'm just worried about them not looking at my application until they get my December score, but I guess getting it early and rejecting me because of a low score would be even worse.

[Barbie]

If your GPA is above their 75th percentile, I'd say as long as you hit over 25% might be okay. Otherwise I think you should definitly strive for median. If you have to retake, though, and apply as late in the game as January... I'd try to get a 162+ for sure. If your GPA is below median, you'll want at least around there in October... (unless you have a boost, like URM status or something)

Everything I say is just my own speculation and a result from my obnoxious bothering of various adcomms, so it is obv not fact

[flgator10]

If your GPA is above their 75th percentile, I'd say as long as you hit over 25% might be okay. Otherwise I think you should definitly strive for median. If you have to retake, though, and apply as late in the game as January... I'd try to get a 162+ for sure. If your GPA is below median, you'll want at least around there in October... (unless you have a boost, like URM status or something)

Everything I say is just my own speculation and a result from my obnoxious bothering of various adcomms, so it is obv not fact

My GPA is definitely above their 75th percentile, but my LSAT is below 25th percentile (at least from what I've been scoring on practice tests). I did see on the law school numbers website that people have gotten in with lower LSAT scores, but I don't want to take any chances. I really appreciate all of your advice though. It's really great to have a second opinion. What I am curious to know, though, is what happens if you decide to retake the LSAT after they have already looked at your application with the first LSAT score? Will they look at it again? Or once they decide to reject you, is there nothing else you can do about it?

[Barbie]

If your GPA is above their 75th percentile, I'd say as long as you hit over 25% might be okay. Otherwise I think you should definitly strive for median. If you have to retake, though, and apply as late in the game as January... I'd try to get a 162+ for sure. If your GPA is below median, you'll want at least around there in October... (unless you have a boost, like URM status or something)

Everything I say is just my own speculation and a result from my obnoxious bothering of various adcomms, so it is obv not fact

My GPA is definitely above their 75th percentile, but my LSAT is below 25th percentile (at least from what I've been scoring on practice tests). I did see on the law school numbers website that people have gotten in with lower LSAT scores, but I don't want to take any chances. I really appreciate all of your advice though. It's really great to have a second opinion. What I am curious to know, though, is what happens if you decide to retake the LSAT after they have already looked at your application with the first LSAT score? Will they look at it again? Or once they decide to reject you, is there nothing else you can do about it?

I think that with most schools, if you get a better LSAT score (probably at least a few points higher) you can petition to have them reconsider, if they have denied you. Obv if you get accepted, who cares, and if you get WL they will def take it into consideration.

And your my opposite! I wish I had a higher GPA I can't change that ... at least you can change what you get on the LSAT

[flgator10]

If your GPA is above their 75th percentile, I'd say as long as you hit over 25% might be okay. Otherwise I think you should definitly strive for median. If you have to retake, though, and apply as late in the game as January... I'd try to get a 162+ for sure. If your GPA is below median, you'll want at least around there in October... (unless you have a boost, like URM status or something)

Everything I say is just my own speculation and a result from my obnoxious bothering of various adcomms, so it is obv not fact

My GPA is definitely above their 75th percentile, but my LSAT is below 25th percentile (at least from what I've been scoring on practice tests). I did see on the law school numbers website that people have gotten in with lower LSAT scores, but I don't want to take any chances. I really appreciate all of your advice though. It's really great to have a second opinion. What I am curious to know, though, is what happens if you decide to retake the LSAT after they have already looked at your application with the first LSAT score? Will they look at it again? Or once they decide to reject you, is there nothing else you can do about it?

I think that with most schools, if you get a better LSAT score (probably at least a few points higher) you can petition to have them reconsider, if they have denied you. Obv if you get accepted, who cares, and if you get WL they will def take it into consideration.

And your my opposite! I wish I had a higher GPA I can't change that ... at least you can change what you get on the LSAT

Yes, I am trying! But it's not as easy as it sounds! haha! I've always been a terrible test taker. But if it makes you feel better, my friend got in last year, and I'm pretty sure it was just because of his high LSAT score. He basically slacked off and did nothing in undergrad. I don't know exactly what his GPA or LSAT was but I know he had a low GPA and a high LSAT score.

[ChattTNdt]

I caution anyone considering a late application with borderline numbers to reconsider applying in January. I applied to UF last year on January 8 with a 3.2 and a 165, and was waitlisted. I am certain if I had applied in October, I would have been admitted. But my only LSAT score at that time was 158. I had to wait for the December LSAT and by then it was really too late

If you are a high GPA splitter I would do what the other poster suggested; apply with your September LSAT score, and if you are unsatisfied with your score go ahead and retake in December. It is highly unlikely that the adcomms will have made a decision on your file at the time of the December score release, and they can be updated with your new score while already having the rest of your complete application. I did not have this option because applying with both GPA and LSAT <25% I would have been rejected quickly. Based on what I saw last application cycle, UF prefers high GPA to high LSAT.

[flgator10]

I caution anyone considering a late application with borderline numbers to reconsider applying in January. I applied to UF last year on January 8 with a 3.2 and a 165, and was waitlisted. I am certain if I had applied in October, I would have been admitted. But my only LSAT score at that time was 158. I had to wait for the December LSAT and by then it was really too late

If you are a high GPA splitter I would do what the other poster suggested; apply with your September LSAT score, and if you are unsatisfied with your score go ahead and retake in December. It is highly unlikely that the adcomms will have made a decision on your file at the time of the December score release, and they can be updated with your new score while already having the rest of your complete application. I did not have this option because applying with both GPA and LSAT <25% I would have been rejected quickly. Based on what I saw last application cycle, UF prefers high GPA to high LSAT.

Thanks for the great advice. So if I apply with my earlier LSAT score and then decide to retake it in December, they will still look at my application before the December score is released?

[jr1886]

Im applying to UF this cycle too. I would like to wish all of you good luck.

Barbie, In what town was the law fair you participated in recently?

[Barbie]

I caution anyone considering a late application with borderline numbers to reconsider applying in January. I applied to UF last year on January 8 with a 3.2 and a 165, and was waitlisted. I am certain if I had applied in October, I would have been admitted. But my only LSAT score at that time was 158. I had to wait for the December LSAT and by then it was really too late

If you are a high GPA splitter I would do what the other poster suggested; apply with your September LSAT score, and if you are unsatisfied with your score go ahead and retake in December. It is highly unlikely that the adcomms will have made a decision on your file at the time of the December score release, and they can be updated with your new score while already having the rest of your complete application. I did not have this option because applying with both GPA and LSAT <25% I would have been rejected quickly. Based on what I saw last application cycle, UF prefers high GPA to high LSAT.

Actually, the LSAT average increased and the GPA average decreased, which leads me to believe otherwise. UF def. takes GPA more seriously than a lot of LS's... I'm submitting my app tomorrow with very borderline numbers (higher LSAT) but yeah it was def stressed to me that applying early is verrrry helpful!

[Barbie]

Im applying to UF this cycle too. I would like to wish all of you good luck.

Barbie, In what town was the law fair you participated in recently?

PMed

[ChattTNdt]

I caution anyone considering a late application with borderline numbers to reconsider applying in January. I applied to UF last year on January 8 with a 3.2 and a 165, and was waitlisted. I am certain if I had applied in October, I would have been admitted. But my only LSAT score at that time was 158. I had to wait for the December LSAT and by then it was really too late

If you are a high GPA splitter I would do what the other poster suggested; apply with your September LSAT score, and if you are unsatisfied with your score go ahead and retake in December. It is highly unlikely that the adcomms will have made a decision on your file at the time of the December score release, and they can be updated with your new score while already having the rest of your complete application. I did not have this option because applying with both GPA and LSAT <25% I would have been rejected quickly. Based on what I saw last application cycle, UF prefers high GPA to high LSAT.

Actually, the LSAT average increased and the GPA average decreased, which leads me to believe otherwise. UF def. takes GPA more seriously than a lot of LS's... I'm submitting my app tomorrow with very borderline numbers (higher LSAT) but yeah it was def stressed to me that applying early is verrrry helpful!

The LSAT median may have increased and the GPA median decreased, but that is only indicative of UF's admission procedures last cycle. A better reflection of UF's preference for GPA is the 25th percentile point- 3.42. This is higher than virtually all similarly ranked schools, while their LSAT 25th-75th is the same as or lower than most similarly ranked schools.

[Barbie]

Actually, the LSAT average increased and the GPA average decreased, which leads me to believe otherwise. UF def. takes GPA more seriously than a lot of LS's... I'm submitting my app tomorrow with very borderline numbers (higher LSAT) but yeah it was def stressed to me that applying early is verrrry helpful!

The LSAT median may have increased and the GPA median decreased, but that is only indicative of UF's admission procedures last cycle. A better reflection of UF's preference for GPA is the 25th percentile point- 3.42. This is higher than virtually all similarly ranked schools, while their LSAT 25th-75th is the same as or lower than most similarly ranked schools.

Their index formula for admissions still puts a great deal of weight on LSAT. I would still say LSAT is considerably more important. I high LSAT can make up for a pretty bad GPA, but a great GPA will not make up for a pretty bad (say, sub 156 or so?) LSAT score.

[ChattTNdt]

I caution anyone considering a late application with borderline numbers to reconsider applying in January. I applied to UF last year on January 8 with a 3.2 and a 165, and was waitlisted. I am certain if I had applied in October, I would have been admitted. But my only LSAT score at that time was 158. I had to wait for the December LSAT and by then it was really too late

If you are a high GPA splitter I would do what the other poster suggested; apply with your September LSAT score, and if you are unsatisfied with your score go ahead and retake in December. It is highly unlikely that the adcomms will have made a decision on your file at the time of the December score release, and they can be updated with your new score while already having the rest of your complete application. I did not have this option because applying with both GPA and LSAT <25% I would have been rejected quickly. Based on what I saw last application cycle, UF prefers high GPA to high LSAT.

Thanks for the great advice. So if I apply with my earlier LSAT score and then decide to retake it in December, they will still look at my application before the December score is released?

No guarantees about when they will look at your application. However, here is how it worked last cycle. You will get a status checker link once you apply, and you will frantically check it 100x per day
This status checker will first tell you that your file is complete... usually 2 weeks after they have received it from LSAC.
The next message the status checker will give is after your file has gotten its first review.
Last cycle, people either got "Decision in Transit" or "Application Reviewed; decision pending", anywhere from 3-6 weeks after going complete.
If you got decision in transit without ever going decision pending, you were either an "auto-admit" or an "auto-reject", and the corresponding admission/rejection letter was mailed
The vast majority of people I talked to got the decision pending message instead. Especially anyone with numbers near median, and any splitters. This basically means they reviewed your file the first time but aren't sure how much space they will have, and can't commit to admitting you yet until they have reviewed all other applications.
As the spring wore on, more and more of the decision pending people finally got their second review and subsequent final decisions.

So to put it simply, your application may or may not be reviewed before the December score release. However, if it is, the chances of you being an auto-reject with a GPA >75% is extremely slim (unless you completely blow the September LSAT, say <154). Then, after you've retaken in December, the adcomms will be updated with your new score and will refer to the new score when they review your application the second time.

[ChattTNdt]

Actually, the LSAT average increased and the GPA average decreased, which leads me to believe otherwise. UF def. takes GPA more seriously than a lot of LS's... I'm submitting my app tomorrow with very borderline numbers (higher LSAT) but yeah it was def stressed to me that applying early is verrrry helpful!

The LSAT median may have increased and the GPA median decreased, but that is only indicative of UF's admission procedures last cycle. A better reflection of UF's preference for GPA is the 25th percentile point- 3.42. This is higher than virtually all similarly ranked schools, while their LSAT 25th-75th is the same as or lower than most similarly ranked schools.

Their index formula for admissions still puts a great deal of weight on LSAT. I would still say LSAT is considerably more important. I high LSAT can make up for a pretty bad GPA, but a great GPA will not make up for a pretty bad (say, sub 156 or so?) LSAT score.

Based on LSN, what you are saying is correct. My only point is that, compared to similarly ranked schools, UF is not as accepting of high LSAT, low GPA splitters.

[flgator10]

I caution anyone considering a late application with borderline numbers to reconsider applying in January. I applied to UF last year on January 8 with a 3.2 and a 165, and was waitlisted. I am certain if I had applied in October, I would have been admitted. But my only LSAT score at that time was 158. I had to wait for the December LSAT and by then it was really too late

If you are a high GPA splitter I would do what the other poster suggested; apply with your September LSAT score, and if you are unsatisfied with your score go ahead and retake in December. It is highly unlikely that the adcomms will have made a decision on your file at the time of the December score release, and they can be updated with your new score while already having the rest of your complete application. I did not have this option because applying with both GPA and LSAT <25% I would have been rejected quickly. Based on what I saw last application cycle, UF prefers high GPA to high LSAT.

Thanks for the great advice. So if I apply with my earlier LSAT score and then decide to retake it in December, they will still look at my application before the December score is released?

No guarantees about when they will look at your application. However, here is how it worked last cycle. You will get a status checker link once you apply, and you will frantically check it 100x per day
This status checker will first tell you that your file is complete... usually 2 weeks after they have received it from LSAC.
The next message the status checker will give is after your file has gotten its first review.
Last cycle, people either got "Decision in Transit" or "Application Reviewed; decision pending", anywhere from 3-6 weeks after going complete.
If you got decision in transit without ever going decision pending, you were either an "auto-admit" or an "auto-reject", and the corresponding admission/rejection letter was mailed
The vast majority of people I talked to got the decision pending message instead. Especially anyone with numbers near median, and any splitters. This basically means they reviewed your file the first time but aren't sure how much space they will have, and can't commit to admitting you yet until they have reviewed all other applications.
As the spring wore on, more and more of the decision pending people finally got their second review and subsequent final decisions.

So to put it simply, your application may or may not be reviewed before the December score release. However, if it is, the chances of you being an auto-reject with a GPA >75% is extremely slim (unless you completely blow the September LSAT, say <154). Then, after you've retaken in December, the adcomms will be updated with your new score and will refer to the new score when they review your application the second time.

Thanks so much for clarifying that for me. I was under the impression that UF would be notified once I registered to retake the December test and then would set my application aside until that score was released and wouldn't see it until at least January, which everyone has said is pretty late to be applying, so that makes me feel 1,000 times better!

[Neo]

Has anyone who has submitted their application received an email from UF regarding the status checker information? If so, how long did you have to wait?

[Deuce]

Has anyone who has submitted their application received an email from UF regarding the status checker information? If so, how long did you have to wait?

1 week turn around for me

[Neo]

Has anyone who has submitted their application received an email from UF regarding the status checker information? If so, how long did you have to wait?

1 week turn around for me

is that a week as in seven business days or just seven days?

[Deuce]

Has anyone who has submitted their application received an email from UF regarding the status checker information? If so, how long did you have to wait?

1 week turn around for me

is that a week as in seven business days or just seven days?

Seven days on the spot... so 5 business days

[KSP]

Went to the Roadmap to UF Law School event today. It was really informative and definitely an interesting session. Got some useful application information and the admissions staff behind the event were all very kind and open to questions. The most important thing I grasped there is they really stress using good judgment in completing every aspect of the application and presenting yourself as the most convincing "package-deal" as possible; although that may seem intuitive, it was good to hear it from the folks who will be reading through all these things. The adage for the day was very much "if it will help us know who you are, put it on the application."

Also, don't complete your admission statement as a get-to-know-me-boardgame. They don't like that. lol

[flgator10]

Went to the Roadmap to UF Law School event today. It was really informative and definitely an interesting session. Got some useful application information and the admissions staff behind the event were all very kind and open to questions. The most important thing I grasped there is they really stress using good judgment in completing every aspect of the application and presenting yourself as the most convincing "package-deal" as possible; although that may seem intuitive, it was good to hear it from the folks who will be reading through all these things. The adage for the day was very much "if it will help us know who you are, put it on the application."

Also, don't complete your admission statement as a get-to-know-me-boardgame. They don't like that. lol

Thanks for the info! Did they give any other helpful advice about the personal statement?

[KSP]

Thanks for the info! Did they give any other helpful advice about the personal statement?

They really emphasized the distinction between the admissions statement and the diversity statement. They want applicants to follow directions very explicitly for these two things. The admission statement is to be pretty strictly academic (i.e. things related to past experiences in academia, applicable skills gained, future academic aspirations). It is not meant to discuss things related to family members attending such-and-such school, personal ambitions, and things of that sort. They may be mentioned if they can be tied in sensibly, but otherwise you're gonna want to focus on what they ask for.

On the other hand, the [optional, but encouraged] diversity statement is your chance to discuss anything you should choose. In other words, it should be centric around why YOU deserve one of the 300 something seats. The best advice concerning these two different statements was to use different information on each. You may have overlapping information that you feel inclined to mention on both since it may apply to both, but the admissions director flat-out said that there is about a three minute period between them reading each statement. As a result, it's redundant to mention the same things. They won't forget in those few minutes. Both written statements give you an opportunity to make a compelling case for yourself, so it's to your service to put all the positive and different information you can for them to be able to know all of your best qualities in and out of the classroom.

[Barbie]

Thanks for the info! Did they give any other helpful advice about the personal statement?

They really emphasized the distinction between the admissions statement and the diversity statement. They want applicants to follow directions very explicitly for these two things. The admission statement is to be pretty strictly academic (i.e. things related to past experiences in academia, applicable skills gained, future academic aspirations). It is not meant to discuss things related to family members attending such-and-such school, personal ambitions, and things of that sort. They may be mentioned if they can be tied in sensibly, but otherwise you're gonna want to focus on what they ask for.

On the other hand, the [optional, but encouraged] diversity statement is your chance to discuss anything you should choose. In other words, it should be centric around why YOU deserve one of the 300 something seats. The best advice concerning these two different statements was to use different information on each. You may have overlapping information that you feel inclined to mention on both since it may apply to both, but the admissions director flat-out said that there is about a three minute period between them reading each statement. As a result, it's redundant to mention the same things. They won't forget in those few minutes. Both written statements give you an opportunity to make a compelling case for yourself, so it's to your service to put all the positive and different information you can for them to be able to know all of your best qualities in and out of the classroom.

THIS! they read my PS, and idk if any of you have come across it on TLS, but they told me to put in my DS. This is unusual, because it is very PS-ish and most schools I am sending it as so. But I am completely changing it, sending that in as my DS, and writing a brand new UF only PS about my academic and publishing history.

[flgator10]

Thanks for the info! Did they give any other helpful advice about the personal statement?

They really emphasized the distinction between the admissions statement and the diversity statement. They want applicants to follow directions very explicitly for these two things. The admission statement is to be pretty strictly academic (i.e. things related to past experiences in academia, applicable skills gained, future academic aspirations). It is not meant to discuss things related to family members attending such-and-such school, personal ambitions, and things of that sort. They may be mentioned if they can be tied in sensibly, but otherwise you're gonna want to focus on what they ask for.

On the other hand, the [optional, but encouraged] diversity statement is your chance to discuss anything you should choose. In other words, it should be centric around why YOU deserve one of the 300 something seats. The best advice concerning these two different statements was to use different information on each. You may have overlapping information that you feel inclined to mention on both since it may apply to both, but the admissions director flat-out said that there is about a three minute period between them reading each statement. As a result, it's redundant to mention the same things. They won't forget in those few minutes. Both written statements give you an opportunity to make a compelling case for yourself, so it's to your service to put all the positive and different information you can for them to be able to know all of your best qualities in and out of the classroom.

I had planned on talking a little about academics in my PS but then I wanted to branch out and talk about experiences as well and then bring it back to future academic aspirations. Would anybody be willing to share their "academic" personal statement with me? I would just like to have an example. And as far as the DS...I'm extremely confused about that now. I had planned on writing about something that actually related to diversity, like maybe studying abroad? Or being a conversation partner with a student from the Middle East? Are they saying that we should write about our experiences like community service and that type of stuff for the DS?