URM 2014-2015 Cycle Thread Forum

[Harvette]

Congrats everyone!
Anyone here not working? I would go crazy waiting on admission decisions if I did not have a busy job lol

[sashafierce]

So guys I paid to have my PS edited and I really like it but now I have to pay to edit my DS but Geezzzz that's money that I don't have.

Please chime in people and help me out with grammar, structure etc

[ballcaps]

So guys I paid to have my PS edited and I really like it but now I have to pay to edit my DS but Geezzzz that's money that I don't have.

Please chime in people and help me out with grammar, structure etc

i edit. pm me if you want.

[gold33]

Anyone else apply late in the game?

[DiniMae]

Ok, so I've set up a google group that everyone can join. (you can join with any email, but it's recommended to have a gmail). When/if you sign up, please use your TLS username.

Full Disclosure: I will be able to see the email you use to register and others in the group *might* also be able to (I tried to turn off that option, but it said users in the group still might be able to see your email address).

SO... if you're ok with others potentially seeing your email address, please join. If not, then please think of another option.

(Also, someone suggested a FB group... idk how everyone feels about that... I'm open to it).


Link to register:
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/urm2018

(I'll have to approve all requests. Hence why I'd like your username to match TLS so that I can verify, or I suppose you could PM me if you'd rather use a different name).


EDIT: Only members will be able to see posts in this group. Also, I promise to keep your email address confidential. I have no use or interest in doing anything with them.

Signed up!

[Yaaaas2013]

Anyone else apply late in the game?

*raises hand* still waiting to send out a few more

[jw316]

What's the general consensus on DS length? I know PS length is dictated by the app requirements and I'm being very careful not to exceed them, but for DS I haven't seen too many page limits and mine is about 4 pages.

[LoganCouture]

What's the general consensus on DS length? I know PS length is dictated by the app requirements and I'm being very careful not to exceed them, but for DS I haven't seen too many page limits and mine is about 4 pages.

Didn't write one but I've heard 2 pages is standard. Sometimes schools will ask for your supplemental essays to be limited to 1 page.

[jw316]

What's the general consensus on DS length? I know PS length is dictated by the app requirements and I'm being very careful not to exceed them, but for DS I haven't seen too many page limits and mine is about 4 pages.

Didn't write one but I've heard 2 pages is standard. Sometimes schools will ask for your supplemental essays to be limited to 1 page.

Shiiiit.

Okay so hypothetical: let's say someone is LGBT, Native American, moved around a lot when they were younger, and had experiences/run-ins with the law....all of them make you diverse and for different reasons and each will bring a different perspective to class discussions/the law school....but together they're why you are who you are and certainly part of what you do what you do and when you combine all of them you get your "voice."

The personal statement doesn't talk about any of that, in fact in reading it you definitely get a great sense of the person and certain qualities (let's say finding creative solutions to problems) but the PS doesn't give you a clue about any of the above characteristics that make them a diverse person with diverse experiences.

So, what do you cut out of the DS?

[Atmosphere]

I completely missed the one-page requirement for some schools and submitted both pages haha

[Tr3]

What's the general consensus on DS length? I know PS length is dictated by the app requirements and I'm being very careful not to exceed them, but for DS I haven't seen too many page limits and mine is about 4 pages.

Didn't write one but I've heard 2 pages is standard. Sometimes schools will ask for your supplemental essays to be limited to 1 page.

Shiiiit.

Okay so hypothetical: let's say someone is LGBT, Native American, moved around a lot when they were younger, and had experiences/run-ins with the law....all of them make you diverse and for different reasons and each will bring a different perspective to class discussions/the law school....but together they're why you are who you are and certainly part of what you do what you do and when you combine all of them you get your "voice."

The personal statement doesn't talk about any of that, in fact in reading it you definitely get a great sense of the person and certain qualities (let's say finding creative solutions to problems) but the PS doesn't give you a clue about any of the above characteristics that make them a diverse person with diverse experiences.

So, what do you cut out of the DS?

Yeah, I kept mine to 1 page.

I think you can actually include all of that in your DS by telling a compelling and concise story. I don't think you need to go in depth for ALL the reasons that make you a diverse person, but you can definitely incorporate all of your diverse aspects into one good DS (even if one diversity component is mentioned in one part of a sentence that supports the overall story you're telling).

I don't think any supplemental essays should be longer than the PS. But I guess that's just my opinion. (I figure, I want to get the adcoms attention quick and keep it rather than make them wish my file would end).

[Tr3]

I completely missed the one-page requirement for some schools and submitted both pages haha

Doesn't seem to be a problem for you so far! =)

[jw316]

What's the general consensus on DS length? I know PS length is dictated by the app requirements and I'm being very careful not to exceed them, but for DS I haven't seen too many page limits and mine is about 4 pages.

Didn't write one but I've heard 2 pages is standard. Sometimes schools will ask for your supplemental essays to be limited to 1 page.

Shiiiit.

Okay so hypothetical: let's say someone is LGBT, Native American, moved around a lot when they were younger, and had experiences/run-ins with the law....all of them make you diverse and for different reasons and each will bring a different perspective to class discussions/the law school....but together they're why you are who you are and certainly part of what you do what you do and when you combine all of them you get your "voice."

The personal statement doesn't talk about any of that, in fact in reading it you definitely get a great sense of the person and certain qualities (let's say finding creative solutions to problems) but the PS doesn't give you a clue about any of the above characteristics that make them a diverse person with diverse experiences.

So, what do you cut out of the DS?

Yeah, I kept mine to 1 page.

I think you can actually include all of that in your DS by telling a compelling and concise story. I don't think you need to go in depth for ALL the reasons that make you a diverse person, but you can definitely incorporate all of your diverse aspects into one good DS (even if one diversity component is mentioned in one part of a sentence that supports the overall story you're telling).

I don't think any supplemental essays should be longer than the PS. But I guess that's just my opinion. (I figure, I want to get the adcoms attention quick and keep it rather than make them wish my file would end).

I definitely get what you're saying, especially about having a long file. Would you or anyone else be willing to please help me pare this down? I've tried but each time it feels like I'm cutting out something important that "can't be cut" and that's not really getting me anywhere.

[Tr3]

I definitely get what you're saying, especially about having a long file. Would you or anyone else be willing to please help me pare this down? I've tried but each time it feels like I'm cutting out something important that "can't be cut" and that's not really getting me anywhere.

Yeah, PM me.

[LoganCouture]

I completely missed the one-page requirement for some schools and submitted both pages haha

Doesn't seem to be a problem for you so far! =)

+1

I don't think going on to the second page really hurts. I wrote a Why X that was 2 pages for a school that asked for 1 (didn't read the instructions carefully) and it worked out. Afterwards I sort of freaked out that it would definitely be the deciding factor that would get me WL/dinged.

[gold33]

Anyone else apply late in the game?

*raises hand* still waiting to send out a few more

Oh phew, glad it's not just me Still have Penn and Yale to go (No fee waiver for Boalt or Cornell so am leaning toward skipping both at this point).

Good luck!

[LoganCouture]

Anyone else apply late in the game?

*raises hand* still waiting to send out a few more

Oh phew, glad it's not just me Still have Penn and Yale to go (No fee waiver for Boalt or Cornell so am leaning toward skipping both at this point).

Good luck!

PM'ing my thoughts.

[Yaaaas2013]

Anyone else apply late in the game?

*raises hand* still waiting to send out a few more

Oh phew, glad it's not just me Still have Penn and Yale to go (No fee waiver for Boalt or Cornell so am leaning toward skipping both at this point).

Good luck!

I have a good 4-6 apps left. I'm dead broke and the LSAC is still processing my fee waiver appeal. Sigh. I'm probably gonna forego the Harvard app.

[Preposterous]

Really depends on your interpersonal skills--making a good impression will always open doors for you. Not making much of an impression is "doing it wrong" IMO.

It was a room of a hundred people and lots of people want their chance at talking to them. Trying to be the memorable 0L in that situation... sounds risky to me. Now, if I were to mention meeting the Dean at his talk, set up a meeting with him at a campus visit in the next couple weeks and give him another chance to tie my name to face to application... that might be the way to go.

A part of social skills is picking your spots. Gunning at a general/mass talk is the kind of behavior that makes law students hate each other.

Skool, I can't resist bragging for a second:

I was so right and you were so wrong on this. To future applicants:

attend recruiting events. Spivey has a great post on this http://spiveyconsulting.com/blog/forums ... e-or-draw/

[Skool]

You know, of all the posters (or pseudo posters?) on this board, I actually like you. You did notice this part, though

So, if you are targeting a specific school to make a good impression just wait until that admissions representative has some down time. Approach them then

You can see how, at about 7pm in the evening with dozens and dozens of people lined up behind me, I was hesitant to impose?

If you don't, I don't care. The thing about having confidence is knowing that no one has more information about your situation than you and making a reasoned plan based on what you know, and not second guessing.

[LoganCouture]

I think you would have gotten in regardless and what Faye said to you was just for warm fuzzies/a personal touch during the call.

Unfortunately we can't know what would have happened had you not gone to the event so this is all just speculation really.

[TremendousCourage]

You know, of all the posters (or pseudo posters?) on this board, I actually like you. You did notice this part, though

So, if you are targeting a specific school to make a good impression just wait until that admissions representative has some down time. Approach them then

You can see how, at about 7pm in the evening with dozens and dozens of people lined up behind me, I was hesitant to impose?

If you don't, I don't care. The thing about having confidence is knowing that no one has more information about your situation than you and making a reasoned plan based on what you know, and not second guessing.

Yes. The bolded was my exact approach. I think we agree on the essentials, skool.

[Tr3]

So law schools wanna have an exciting week last week and then leave us to die of curiosity and angst this week?

Thanks adcoms.

[ChiefMango]

A pleasure postponed is a pleasure enhanced!

[LoganCouture]

A pleasure postponed is a pleasure enhanced!

You must be a Harvard adcom..