Stanford c/o 2015 Applicants (2011-2012 cycle) Forum

[curiouscat]

sorry sorry! Didn't mean to spike your stress level But thanks for the response.

LOL, sorry, that was intended more lightheartedly than it came out. SLS anxieties are not good for my sense of humour.

[admisionquestion]

I talked with Dean Deal today about LOCIs and Why Stanford essays.

LOCIs
Dean Deal speaks briefly about LOCIs here. She said their function is most useful during the summer if you are waitlisted. Again, if you have nothing new to say, it might be better not to say anything at all. There isn't the need to send an LOCI before you get a decision (acceptance or wait list)-they have your file, and are waiting to make a decision on it. Of course, if there is something substantial that has changed in your life (you were awarded a Marshall Scholarship), that might be a reason to send an LOCI.

Why Stanford Essays

This essay is only relevant for a tiny portion of applicants. If you have to ask yourself if you are among them, then you probably aren't. If you have to research the SLS website and look at the course listings, you probably shouldn't be writing one. Perhaps one situation would be that you are already a PhD candidate at Stanford, and for that reason Stanford Law is your first choice. Another may be that your significant other goes to school at SLS. Dean Deal does read these essays with an extra-skeptical eye, and they are counted amongst all your materials. Thus if this piece of your application is weak, it is weakens your entire application. As you can imagine, she is pretty good at seeing through BS about why SLS is your top choice.

Well, damn. I guess I shouldn't have written one. I know writing one for a top 3 school might seem unnecessary, but I figured since Stanford seems to like applications being targeted towards them, it might be a good thing to do. Oops.

Anyway, I submitted my app on 1/8. I got the e-mail from Stanford acknowledging receipt of my application, but I still haven't gotten the e-mail with the status checker info that says my app is complete. Should I be worried at all? I figure they're probably just really busy right now, but I want to be sure.

Stanford is a total Hail Mary, but I would love to go there.

I am not trying to challenge Stig and I'm sure that Stig is saying things that are honest. But I'm not sure how much stock people should put into a first hand discussion with Dean Deal by a user with 30 posts. I mean the LOCI advice goes against what is stated in the comments of the article Stig links to. I Want to emphasize that I'm not attacking Stig and I appreciate the post--but that I don't think it should radically change TLS opinions.

[admisionquestion]

I talked with Dean Deal today about LOCIs and Why Stanford essays.

LOCIs
Dean Deal speaks briefly about LOCIs here. She said their function is most useful during the summer if you are waitlisted. Again, if you have nothing new to say, it might be better not to say anything at all. There isn't the need to send an LOCI before you get a decision (acceptance or wait list)-they have your file, and are waiting to make a decision on it. Of course, if there is something substantial that has changed in your life (you were awarded a Marshall Scholarship), that might be a reason to send an LOCI.

Why Stanford Essays

This essay is only relevant for a tiny portion of applicants. If you have to ask yourself if you are among them, then you probably aren't. If you have to research the SLS website and look at the course listings, you probably shouldn't be writing one. Perhaps one situation would be that you are already a PhD candidate at Stanford, and for that reason Stanford Law is your first choice. Another may be that your significant other goes to school at SLS. Dean Deal does read these essays with an extra-skeptical eye, and they are counted amongst all your materials. Thus if this piece of your application is weak, it is weakens your entire application. As you can imagine, she is pretty good at seeing through BS about why SLS is your top choice.

Well, damn. I guess I shouldn't have written one. I know writing one for a top 3 school might seem unnecessary, but I figured since Stanford seems to like applications being targeted towards them, it might be a good thing to do. Oops.

Anyway, I submitted my app on 1/8. I got the e-mail from Stanford acknowledging receipt of my application, but I still haven't gotten the e-mail with the status checker info that says my app is complete. Should I be worried at all? I figure they're probably just really busy right now, but I want to be sure.

Stanford is a total Hail Mary, but I would love to go there.

I am not trying to challenge Stig and I'm sure that Stig is saying things that are honest. But I'm not sure how much stock people should put into a first hand discussion with Dean Deal by a user with 30 posts. I mean the LOCI advice goes against what is stated in the comments of the article Stig links to. Want to emphasize that I'm not attacking stig and I apprecaite the post--but that I don't think it should radically change TLS opinions.

[admisionquestion]

I talked with Dean Deal today about LOCIs and Why Stanford essays.

LOCIs
Dean Deal speaks briefly about LOCIs here. She said their function is most useful during the summer if you are waitlisted. Again, if you have nothing new to say, it might be better not to say anything at all. There isn't the need to send an LOCI before you get a decision (acceptance or wait list)-they have your file, and are waiting to make a decision on it. Of course, if there is something substantial that has changed in your life (you were awarded a Marshall Scholarship), that might be a reason to send an LOCI.

Why Stanford Essays

This essay is only relevant for a tiny portion of applicants. If you have to ask yourself if you are among them, then you probably aren't. If you have to research the SLS website and look at the course listings, you probably shouldn't be writing one. Perhaps one situation would be that you are already a PhD candidate at Stanford, and for that reason Stanford Law is your first choice. Another may be that your significant other goes to school at SLS. Dean Deal does read these essays with an extra-skeptical eye, and they are counted amongst all your materials. Thus if this piece of your application is weak, it is weakens your entire application. As you can imagine, she is pretty good at seeing through BS about why SLS is your top choice.

Well, damn. I guess I shouldn't have written one. I know writing one for a top 3 school might seem unnecessary, but I figured since Stanford seems to like applications being targeted towards them, it might be a good thing to do. Oops.

Anyway, I submitted my app on 1/8. I got the e-mail from Stanford acknowledging receipt of my application, but I still haven't gotten the e-mail with the status checker info that says my app is complete. Should I be worried at all? I figure they're probably just really busy right now, but I want to be sure.

Stanford is a total Hail Mary, but I would love to go there.

I am not trying to challenge Stig and I'm sure that Stig is saying things that are honest. But I'm not sure how much stock people should put into a first hand discussion with Dean Deal by a user with 30 posts. I mean the LOCI advice goes against what is stated in the comments of the article Stig links to. Want to emphasize that I'm not attacking stig and I apprecaite the post--but that I don't think it should radically change TLS opinions.

[admisionquestion]

I talked with Dean Deal today about LOCIs and Why Stanford essays.

LOCIs
Dean Deal speaks briefly about LOCIs here. She said their function is most useful during the summer if you are waitlisted. Again, if you have nothing new to say, it might be better not to say anything at all. There isn't the need to send an LOCI before you get a decision (acceptance or wait list)-they have your file, and are waiting to make a decision on it. Of course, if there is something substantial that has changed in your life (you were awarded a Marshall Scholarship), that might be a reason to send an LOCI.

Why Stanford Essays

This essay is only relevant for a tiny portion of applicants. If you have to ask yourself if you are among them, then you probably aren't. If you have to research the SLS website and look at the course listings, you probably shouldn't be writing one. Perhaps one situation would be that you are already a PhD candidate at Stanford, and for that reason Stanford Law is your first choice. Another may be that your significant other goes to school at SLS. Dean Deal does read these essays with an extra-skeptical eye, and they are counted amongst all your materials. Thus if this piece of your application is weak, it is weakens your entire application. As you can imagine, she is pretty good at seeing through BS about why SLS is your top choice.

Well, damn. I guess I shouldn't have written one. I know writing one for a top 3 school might seem unnecessary, but I figured since Stanford seems to like applications being targeted towards them, it might be a good thing to do. Oops.

Anyway, I submitted my app on 1/8. I got the e-mail from Stanford acknowledging receipt of my application, but I still haven't gotten the e-mail with the status checker info that says my app is complete. Should I be worried at all? I figure they're probably just really busy right now, but I want to be sure.

Stanford is a total Hail Mary, but I would love to go there.

I am not trying to challenge Stig and I'm sure that Stig is saying things that are honest. But I'm not sure how much stock people should put into a first hand discussion with Dean Deal by a user with 30 posts. I mean the LOCI advice goes against what is stated in the comments of the article Stig links to. Want to emphasize that I'm not attacking stig and I apprecaite the post--but that I don't think it should radically change TLS opinions.

[mjitbswyd]

can I expect a ding next week?

[admisionquestion]

a million apologies for the triple post. Not sure what happened there...

[curiouscat]

I am not trying to challenge Stig and I'm sure that Stig is saying things that are honest. But I'm not sure how much stock people should put into a first hand discussion with Dean Deal by a user with 30 posts. I mean the LOCI advice goes against what is stated in the comments of the article Stig links to. I Want to emphasize that I'm not attacking Stig and I appreciate the post--but that I don't think it should radically change TLS opinions.

Not that I think post count should be a major factor in judging someone's credibility, but I'm pretty sure Stig has been around TLS for quite a while in one form or another. Either way I thought it was really useful to hear what Dean Deal had to say about the matter (rather than relying only speculation/anecdotal evidence). I don't know about Stig's post going against "TLS opinions" - TLS opinions are pretty diverse in themselves (if we all agreed on these sorts of things, we wouldn't spend pages and pages debating over them). There are always lots of multiple sources of information, and they're not necessarily contradictory - some might just be relevant for some people and less relevant for others (e.g. for some people, writing a LOCI/Why Stanford might make a lot of sense in their circumstances, for many others not so much), and we just need to figure out what makes sense for our particular situation.

[AmandaPB]

Stig is legit.

[z3201]

Another thing worth noting is that different admissions officers might treat LOCIs/Why X essays differently. A dean who's really worried about yield might care a lot about multiple LOCIs, and a dean who really isn't worried about yield probably doesn't care as much about LOCIs (HYS probably tend to assume you want to go there, though in some circumstances it might make sense for you to send in a LOCI anyway). So Stig's conversation with Dean Deal is pretty helpful in terms of figuring out *Stanford's* policy on LOCIs, even if it "goes against" TLS opinions of LOCIs as a whole.

Also, Stig got into SLS, so it's not a bad idea to take his advice on SLS admissions anyway...

[No13baby]

Another thing worth noting is that different admissions officers might treat LOCIs/Why X essays differently. A dean who's really worried about yield might care a lot about multiple LOCIs, and a dean who really isn't worried about yield probably doesn't care as much about LOCIs (HYS probably tend to assume you want to go there, though in some circumstances it might make sense for you to send in a LOCI anyway). So Stig's conversation with Dean Deal is pretty helpful in terms of figuring out *Stanford's* policy on LOCIs, even if it "goes against" TLS opinions of LOCIs as a whole.

Also, Stig got into SLS, so it's not a bad idea to take his advice on SLS admissions anyway...

Yes, but what he's saying seems like it goes against what Dean Deal herself says in the linked blog post. Taking the blog post at face value, it seems like she's inviting applicants to send LOCIs in before being waitlisted.

[KaleidoscopeEyes]

Another thing worth noting is that different admissions officers might treat LOCIs/Why X essays differently. A dean who's really worried about yield might care a lot about multiple LOCIs, and a dean who really isn't worried about yield probably doesn't care as much about LOCIs (HYS probably tend to assume you want to go there, though in some circumstances it might make sense for you to send in a LOCI anyway). So Stig's conversation with Dean Deal is pretty helpful in terms of figuring out *Stanford's* policy on LOCIs, even if it "goes against" TLS opinions of LOCIs as a whole.

Also, Stig got into SLS, so it's not a bad idea to take his advice on SLS admissions anyway...

Yes, but what he's saying seems like it goes against what Dean Deal herself says in the linked blog post. Taking the blog post at face value, it seems like she's inviting applicants to send LOCIs in before being waitlisted.

It does seem to slightly contradict a comment she wrote last year on her blog around this time (1/20/2011):

First, let me apologize for the lengthy delay in getting back to you. We now have a very good process in place for reviewing these kinds of comments and I should be more timely in responding as a result.
Offers did not go out over the winter break, but rest assured that we picked up right where we left off and decisions have been going on in a consistent fashion since January 3.
If you’ve not heard from us, it is indeed appropriate to send in a letter of continued interest. While the primary reason of this letter is to show us that you remain interested in SLS, it also shows me that you are an active and engaged participant in this process. Many applicants take the approach of “I’ve done my part and now I just need to wait it out” or “I’ve met all the application requirements and I’ll just sit back and wait for SLS to do their part.” Fair enough. This approach works. However, is it a bad thing to stay a bit more engaged? You just need to exercise some good judgment, though, and decide how much is enough versus becoming a pain.

From that, I gather that it might be appropriate to send an LOCI perhaps after the first round of dings go out. At least then you can probably reasonably assume you're in the "hold" category rather than the easy admit or easy deny categories that she talks about in the blog post that Stig referenced.

[Stig]

I apologize any confusion I caused on the LOCI/Why Stanford front. Perhaps I did a poor job explaining what I understood the conversation to mean. Don't take my word for it (or anyone else's on TLS for that matter)–everyone should of course make their own decision on how you want to interact with admission officers. For that matter, I'm only speaking to my experience with SLS, not other schools (for example, if you want to get into UVA, you should really toss together a Why UVA, even if it doesn't add value).

My point was that you should really think about how whatever you send in affects your application as a whole. There is an upside and a downside to the LOCI/Why SLS, and you should be aware of those risks before sending in something that doesn't help your application. Simply because LOCIs are welcomed does not mean that you need to submit one. If you do, and you want it to help, it better be good.

Are you going to spend as much time on it as your PS? Is it going to be proof-read by your mentors? Because if it isn't as well written or meaningful as your PS, it may bring down the overall strength of your application. It is pretty clear what is fluff in these letters.

Did anything actually change in your life that needs to be explained? For example, I was admitted in December last year, but started a new internship in January. If I had been still waiting to hear back, it would have been worth sending in an LOCI updating SLS on this, and why the internship mattered, what I was learning, etc. If nothing significant has changed in your life, and you are simply saying "I want to come to SLS because it is collegial/fun/happy/small/etc," then you may want to think twice about sending it. At the core, anything you submit should be about you, because connecting the characteristics of the school to your experiences could be compelling.

Again, I'd be happy to read over any thing you guys are considering sending. Sorry again for the confusion.

[splbagel]

More silence from Stanford? From last year's LSN, it looks like they did a wave of both admits and rejections in the last week of January.

[LaCumparsita]

It's weird hearing from H so early, and then getting silence from S, despite sending in current work experience updates and another rec letter... when should I give up?

[Doorkeeper]

It's very disconcerting how quiet Stanford has been over the past two weeks. Is this normal for their admissions process? When do we think decisions will start to trickle out again?

[johnkim1982]

I received a call from Dean Deal yesterday morning, so I think there's still a trickle here and there. I went complete on 12/12. Best of luck to all of you still waiting.

[pdftlvson]

I received a call from Dean Deal yesterday morning, so I think there's still a trickle here and there. I went complete on 12/12. Best of luck to all of you still waiting.

Congrats!
I went complete in early October and still haven't heard.

[Elendil]

Somebody also JUST reported an acceptance today on LSN, so I think it is looking like a slow trickle still...

[countercouper]

I received a call from Dean Deal yesterday morning, so I think there's still a trickle here and there. I went complete on 12/12. Best of luck to all of you still waiting.

Congratulations, complete date twin!

[hypothalamus]

Just checking in...

[poe]

I received a call from Dean Deal yesterday morning, so I think there's still a trickle here and there. I went complete on 12/12. Best of luck to all of you still waiting.

Congrats!
I went complete in early October and still haven't heard.

Same. Here's hoping they give us a second look after the first round is over.

[seventeenelevenseven]

I think acceptances are just coming in smaller batches. I got in last Wednesday and a friend of mine got in today.

[Elendil]

I think acceptances are just coming in smaller batches. I got in last Wednesday and a friend of mine got in today.

Congratulations! Any idea when you and your friend submitted?

[seventeenelevenseven]

I think acceptances are just coming in smaller batches. I got in last Wednesday and a friend of mine got in today.

Congratulations! Any idea when you and your friend submitted?

My friend submitted very early (the day after applications came out, I think) and I submitted late November. I didn't go complete until late December because my school took the longest time to send the Dean's Certification, and I think the same goes for my friend.