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Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:03 pm**

Note: I will wait it out but assume that I don't get any more acceptances or significant $$ bumps.

Background: K-JD with 4.1+/173 on one take. GPA will probably fall to 4.05-4.08 after my last term. Applied in very late October and early November.

Potential shortcomings with applications: I applied to only 7 schools; I didn't write any "Why school X"; I didn't apply for any named scholarships at NYU even though I was eligible; due to family issues I wasn't able to send in the requisite forms for need-aid, though this may be resolved shortly; personal statement has generally been described as decent but not good; and of course I'm a K-JD, though I have a job lined up already.

Preferences: HYS with some $, which I should get>Full ride at CCN > HYS at sticker > half scholarships at CCN/full ride at lower T14.
Goals: California biglaw>New York biglaw>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Canadian biglaw

This cycle:

Yale: ding
Stanford: no word, but acceptance seems unlikely at this point based on past cycles
Harvard: waitlist
Columbia: held
Chicago: in; 90k (top choice)
NYU: in; 75k
Duke: in; 90k

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:10 pm**

Yeah with those numbers you should be paying little or nothing in tuition, at least outside of HYS. Especially at your age you have plenty of time to wait it out and make sure you do law school right.

At this point you should probably double deposit at Chicago and Duke and see what happens.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:19 pm**

1. how late did you apply? this might have played a big role

2. wait, this could cycle could turn around fast since you havent gotten a final decision from H or S or Columbia.

3. If you strike out at HYS, and don't get the money you want at CCN (although 90k at chicago is very good since your goal is biglaw), THEN work that job, volunteer, and apply in September.

4. also why didn't you apply to berkeley if your goal is CA biglaw? do that if you reapply, and to other T14 for leverage, but you already know that.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:21 pm**

drawstring wrote:Note: I will wait it out but assume that I don't get any more acceptances or significant $$ bumps.

-K-JD with 4.1+/173 on one take. GPA will probably fall to 4.05-4.08 after my last term. I've had no luck at HYS so far and my $$$ offers haven't been satisfactory aside from Chicago. Even then I'm reluctant to attend without more $$, but I don't have much leverage to increase my offer.

-Potential shortcomings with applications: I applied to only 7 schools; I didn't write any "Why school X"; I didn't apply for any named scholarships at NYU even though I was eligible; due to family issues I wasn't able to send in the requisite forms for need-aid, though this may be resolved shortly; personal statement has generally been described as decent but not good; and of course I'm a K-JD, though I have a job lined up already.

-Preferences: HYS with some $, which I should get>Full ride at CCN > HYS at sticker > half scholarships at CCN/full ride at lower T14.
-Goals: California biglaw>New York biglaw>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Canadian biglaw

This cycle:

Yale: ding
Stanford: no word, but acceptance seems unlikely at this point based on past cycles
Harvard: waitlist
Columbia: held
Chicago: in; 90k (top choice)
NYU: in; 75k
Duke: in; 90k

Any reason why you didn't apply more broadly? At least Berkeley with California big law goals. I'd deposit Chicago and wait it out to see what happens. If you really want HYS then I guess you may need to re-apply next cycle but Chicago with 90k seems good to me. Do they even go any higher for non-Ruby folk?

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:23 pm**

I didn't apply more broadly because I was stupid and greatly overestimated my chances at HYS and the offers I'd get at CCN

I also wasn't thinking of accumulating offers for negotiation.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:23 pm**

drawstring wrote:I didn't apply more broadly because I was stupid and greatly overestimated my chances at HYS and the offers I'd get at CCN

Why Duke over Berkeley for CA Big Law?

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 5:24 pm**

Because they offered PT, I wanted a decision quickly, and I thought I'd get a lot more $$$. I also solidified my goal of CA biglaw later on in the cycle after a lot of thought. In hindsight I obviously made some bad decisions.

Chicago does go higher for non-Rubies.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:15 pm**

Poll closing up a bit.

Would under-applying be more of an issue than under-performing where I applied, and were my expectations too high in expecting one of HYS, 100k+ at two of CCN, and a near full ride at Duke?

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:26 pm**

"Under performing" only matters in so much as it limits your options and gives you less leverage. If you get dinged/WL everywhere but still get a Hamilton at Columbia (extreme example I know) who cares if you under performed everywhere else? I think people add too much psychological weight to dings/WLs. Good options are good options regardless of what happened with other schools, and imo Chicago with 90k is a great option.

We have similar numbers (though I'm URM) and my Duke offer is only slightly higher than yours.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:27 pm**

drawstring wrote: Goals: California biglaw>New York biglaw>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Canadian biglaw

with ur stats, u wanted CA big law and not apply to Berk? Sit out a cycle, reapply to Berk+SLS, and enjoy CA Biglaw.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:28 pm**

drawstring wrote:Poll closing up a bit.

Would under-applying be more of an issue than under-performing where I applied, and were my expectations too high in expecting one of HYS, 100k+ at two of CCN, and a near full ride at Duke?

I would say that is your issue. There have been people on here who have had much weirder cycles and probably should re-apply. You are not there yet. I think you can still leverage UChicago's offer into more money from Duke. If not, 90k from UC isn't terrible. Of course, getting some work experience, beefing up your PS, and applying more broadly next year isn't a bad idea either.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 8:56 pm**

thebobs1987 wrote:
drawstring wrote:Poll closing up a bit.

Would under-applying be more of an issue than under-performing where I applied, and were my expectations too high in expecting one of HYS, 100k+ at two of CCN, and a near full ride at Duke?
I would say that is your issue. There have been people on here who have had much weirder cycles and probably should re-apply. You are not there yet. I think you can still leverage UChicago's offer into more money from Duke. If not, 90k from UC isn't terrible. Of course, getting some work experience, beefing up your PS, and applying more broadly next year isn't a bad idea either.

90k from Chi definitely isn't terrible, but I wonder if I could get more $$ with a stronger application and more offers to use as leverage. Obviously there has to be opportunity cost factored in, but I want to keep the debt down as much as possible, although I'd be willing to take on more debt for HYS.

Jchance wrote:
drawstring wrote: Goals: California biglaw>New York biglaw>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Canadian biglaw
with ur stats, u wanted CA big law and not apply to Berk? .

Nope, and I should've applied.

"Under performing" only matters in so much as it limits your options and gives you less leverage. If you get dinged/WL everywhere but still get a Hamilton at Columbia (extreme example I know) who cares if you under performed everywhere else? I think people add too much psychological weight to dings/WLs. Good options are good options regardless of what happened with other schools, and imo Chicago with 90k is a great option.

We have similar numbers (though I'm URM) and my Duke offer is only slightly higher than yours.

I get your point, but I cannot help thinking I could do better than 90k and no HYS if I applied again. That's what makes it tough; I have a decent offer at a good school, but I'm not sure that I did as well as I could've.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:05 pm**

james.bungles wrote:1. how late did you apply? this might have played a big role

2. wait, this could cycle could turn around fast since you havent gotten a final decision from H or S or Columbia.

3. If you strike out at HYS, and don't get the money you want at CCN (although 90k at chicago is very good since your goal is biglaw), THEN work that job, volunteer, and apply in September.

4. also why didn't you apply to berkeley if your goal is CA biglaw? do that if you reapply, and to other T14 for leverage, but you already know that.

1. Very late October to all but Yale and and NYU, which came in early November. So fairly early, although apparently applying even earlier is an advantage at some schools.

2. I agree. Just trying to prepare for what happens if those don't materialize.

3. That's what I'm contemplating

4. Bad decision

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:12 pm**

Chicago with 90k is a great option. Yale and Stanford have the luxury of admitting students according to factors over which you have little control. Your LSAT is median at H, and it is surprising that you were not admitted, since your GPA is desirable. Do you have the potential to secure some kind of impressive work this coming year? Otherwise, Chi with 90k is a great option, and it is more $ than you should expect from HYS. I imagine that Chi grads do not want for much.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:13 pm**

well all said, you're definitely not in a bad place right now. H takes a lot of people off their waitlist, S has gotten back to basically no one who applied in jan yet, and there's still a possibility of big $$ from C/N. I think you and me, and the other underperforming, late-applying K-JD's should just wait until late April to start worrying.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 9:15 pm**

james.bungles wrote:well all said, you're definitely not in a bad place right now. H takes a lot of people off their waitlist, S has gotten back to basically no one who applied in jan yet, and there's still a possibility of big $$ from C/N. I think you and me, and the other underperforming, late-applying K-JD's should just wait until late April to start worrying.

Like it.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 10:38 pm**

You're getting ahead of yourself, but I would echo the other posters that $90k at Chicago is pretty great. You could probably squeeze a little more out of them by asking, or at least it wouldn't hurt. But you should start by using Chicago to get that Duke offer increased by a good amount. Then use the Duke offer to try and bump Chicago up. Since you want biglaw idk why you're as set on HYS at sticker (or minimal aid). Chicago at $90k+ will be a wonderful option for biglaw.

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 11:44 pm**

lawschool22 wrote:You're getting ahead of yourself

I know; I can't help it

Posted: **Mon Mar 31, 2014 11:58 pm**

Apply next year. You might get a better law school option and you'll have a year of full-time WE for OCI.

Posted: **Tue Apr 01, 2014 2:31 am**

Is a year of full time WE enough for it to make a significant difference, assuming all else is the same?

Posted: **Tue Apr 01, 2014 3:30 am**

Posted: **Tue Apr 01, 2014 7:33 am**

drawstring wrote:Is a year of full time WE enough for it to make a significant difference, assuming all else is the same?

Are you planning on waiting until class of 2019? Otherwise won't you have like 4-5 months of WE and not a full year? I don't know if 4-5 months will make a huge difference.

Posted: **Tue Apr 01, 2014 7:56 am**

lawschool22 wrote:
drawstring wrote:Is a year of full time WE enough for it to make a significant difference, assuming all else is the same?
Are you planning on waiting until class of 2019? Otherwise won't you have like 4-5 months of WE and not a full year? I don't know if 4-5 months will make a huge difference.

I'll also chip in that it probably depends on what you're doing. Hopefully someone with your stats can get a nice job right after graduation.

Posted: **Tue Apr 01, 2014 1:12 pm**

lawschool22 wrote:
drawstring wrote:Is a year of full time WE enough for it to make a significant difference, assuming all else is the same?
Are you planning on waiting until class of 2019? Otherwise won't you have like 4-5 months of WE and not a full year? I don't know if 4-5 months will make a huge difference.

Apparently it's the WE at matriculation that counts, meaning that I'd be looked at as someone with over a year of WE.

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