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As of right now, NYU is offering me no scholarships and Davis is offering me 120k. I have 90k for school, so I would have 210k for Davis and 90k for NYU. I want to practice law in California, probably government work. I was waitlisted at Berkeley, UCLA, and USC. I have a 171/3.71 and I've been told before that I should sit out and try again next cycle. I never wrote a "why X" for UCLA and USC so I think it was YP.

I would love to get a judicial clerkship, and I don't think I have any desire to work at a big law firm. What do people think I should do? Should I stay on UCLA/USC/Berkeley's waitlists and maybe get scholarship money, or just try again next year, or go to Davis, or go to NYU?

You should sit out. You are definitely underperforming for your numbers. You must have applied late because those numbers would absolutely get you good $$ at a lower T14 like Cornell or Duke. Michigan sends many of its grads to CA, and UVA is great for clerkships, and you are competitive with your numbers for all of the mentioned schools. I had slightly lower numbers, got a huge scholarship to USC and was waitlisted at UCLA (so probably YP). Plus decent money at 4 other lower T14 schools.

Maybe try to send a LOCI to UCLA/USC and include whatever you would have included in a "why" essay there.

ticklemesilly wrote:You should sit out. You are definitely underperforming for your numbers. You must have applied late because those numbers would absolutely get you good $$ at a lower T14 like Cornell or Duke. Michigan sends many of its grads to CA, and UVA is great for clerkships, and you are competitive with your numbers for all of the mentioned schools. I had slightly lower numbers, got a huge scholarship to USC and was waitlisted at UCLA (so probably YP). Plus decent money at 4 other lower T14 schools.

Maybe try to send a LOCI to UCLA/USC and include whatever you would have included in a "why" essay there.

I forgot to mention, I was waitlisted at Duke/Michigan/Columbia as well. I applied to the Cali schools in November and the others in January.

I'm leaning towards sitting out and applying on the first day of the cycle and making such to include "why X" sections in my personal statement. Do you/anyone else know whether or not I'll need to write entirely new personal statements if I apply again?

Sit out this cycle and maybe retake if you still have any chances left. Blanket the non-HYS t14 schools in September. You will seriously profit.

Edit: I had a 173/3.7 and received 165k in scholarships from Cornell. It's worth it, I promise.

Since you're waitlisted and not rejected, can't you just write the Why X now?

There should be lower T14 (DCNG) with $$$ as options with those numbers - and if that didnt work out or you didnt apply, def wait until next cycle.

Did you apply to Cornell, Northwestern or Georgetown?

ImNoScar wrote:There should be lower T14 (DCNG) with $$$ as options with those numbers - and if that didnt work out or you didnt apply, def wait until next cycle.

Did you apply to Cornell, Northwestern or Georgetown?

I didn't apply to either of those three; I probably should have. I think my desire to live in Cali influenced my decisions about applications too much.

Tempo wrote:

ImNoScar wrote:There should be lower T14 (DCNG) with $$$ as options with those numbers - and if that didnt work out or you didnt apply, def wait until next cycle.

Did you apply to Cornell, Northwestern or Georgetown?

I didn't apply to either of those three; I probably should have. I think my desire to live in Cali influenced my decisions about applications too much.

Yes, I think given that it reinforces the decision to reapply. Are you working full time now? If not, what is your UG background in?

ImNoScar wrote:

Tempo wrote:

ImNoScar wrote:There should be lower T14 (DCNG) with $$$ as options with those numbers - and if that didnt work out or you didnt apply, def wait until next cycle.

Did you apply to Cornell, Northwestern or Georgetown?

I didn't apply to either of those three; I probably should have. I think my desire to live in Cali influenced my decisions about applications too much.

Yes, I think given that it reinforces the decision to reapply. Are you working full time now? If not, what is your UG background in?

I'm not, I'm still in UG. I'll have a degree in philosophy and political science, so not killer for the job market. I do have work experience in politics and writing jobs, so I believe I could still get an alright job for a year. Or just Starbucks, worst case scenario.

Your application strategy needs to be better. You need to reapply and blanket the T14 + UCLA/USC (I'd probably retake and try to squeeze out a few more points as well)