URM 2010-2011 Application Cycle Forum

[Trustbuster]

We will triumph!

As will I. Soon as I get that blasted PS/DS out of the way. A curse upon this suburban, bland middle-class upbringing! A curse I say!

From my understanding, an URM doesn't necessarily have to come from an underprivileged to provide a compelling reason as to why their ethnicity provides the desired "diverse" mindset.

Oh I realize this. I was just referring to the difficulties of writing anything compelling due to that upbringing being so...ordinary. Not really a commentary on the underprivileged part, more on the bland part.

[mfeller2]

Starting to work on the PS, feel like this is going to be a long, stressful, but promising cycle. Good luck to everybody! Hope you get into your top choice!

[JeanGrey]

I'm new to it all but Hi!

I'm glad to be doing my cycle with you all... I am studying for the LSAT to take it in October and December if necessary.

[Rand M.]

I don't know what the policy is on old-timers popping into you guys' thread (I would guess it's okay, since a lot of you contributed to our thread regularly), but I just wanted to say early that I am rooting for everyone. Hopefully this thread is as successful as the bunch from last year. I can't wait to read the stories of people racking up acceptances. Good luck!!

[DavidYurman85]

hi everyone. i pushed my test back until december. though, if my score is good enough, i'll likely apply this cycle. is anyone else still studying for the oct/dec test?

[CG614]

Good luck, all!

[billyez]

Good luck to all of you.


P.S. Stay away from LSP

[dangerousminds]

I'm excited about the whole upcoming process. I'm gearing up for the October LSAT. Good luck to everyone in their admissions cycle!

[Warren Harding]

nice to meet everyone.
i'll be around, i lurked a lot on last year's thread.
currently trying to come up with a PS idea, and studying away for October.

[TIMEATELL]

Just checking in...I hope everyone has a great cycle.

[iamcutdacheck]

Bout time someone started this up.

Finishing up my Logic Games Bible, up next Logical Reasoning Bible, then 3 weeks of RC Bible

I bought the RC bible, but now I regret wasting the money on it. That section has always seemed pretty rudimentary to me--no offense to anyone else. I still have some serious weaknesses in LR that I need to work on though.

Are you saying it's more practical to just drill the LR Bible and LG Bible and do the old LSAT's rather than focus on the RC Bible?

[LAWLAW09]

good luck!

[Fresh]

Have you all been considering the recent study about grades versus prestige? Short version: grades are a lot more important than prestige, although the common "go to the best school you can get into" still prevails in applicants' minds.

Is this affecting where people are applying? Do you anticipate it affecting where you ultimately go? This has to be very important to us URMs since we get a boost in applications that disappears during law school...

Thoughts?

[LAWLAW09]

Have you all been considering the recent study about grades versus prestige? Short version: grades are a lot more important than prestige, although the common "go to the best school you can get into" still prevails in applicants' minds.

Is this affecting where people are applying? Do you anticipate it affecting where you ultimately go? This has to be very important to us URMs since we get a boost in applications that disappears during law school...

Thoughts?

"The work is part of a continuing effort to examine preferences and law school, specifically, whether affirmative action actually hurts those it’s most supposed to benefit. Sander [the report's author] has previously argued that minority law students will often do better academically (and on the bar) if they attend a less-competitive school."



As for your questions, my answer to both are, "nope." The article (and authors of the report) acknowledge that there is much speculation in their findings. As a URM that hopes to take the boost and run with it, I think the "boost" for us individually and collectively cannot be qualified by salary considerations alone, nor can it be limited to the three years that one is in law school.

[mpasi]

My LSAT prep resumes later this week. I'm a little scared, but anxious to get started.

[rundoxierun]

Have you all been considering the recent study about grades versus prestige? Short version: grades are a lot more important than prestige, although the common "go to the best school you can get into" still prevails in applicants' minds.

Is this affecting where people are applying? Do you anticipate it affecting where you ultimately go? This has to be very important to us URMs since we get a boost in applications that disappears during law school...

Thoughts?

This study is absolute crap..

Even if she had managed to get a spot at 7th ranked UC Berkeley, where the tier premiums are highest, her grades likely would have fallen into the 2.5‐2.75 range, and her salary would be 7% lower. On the other hand, if she had attended 80th ranked Rutgers, she probably could have improved her grades to land in the 3.5‐3.75 range, and earned a 13% higher salary.

No Way in the WORLD is a 2.5 berk student graduating at the top of ANY class. This stuff is nowhere near as linear as this professor makes it out to be.

That is, whether someone who finishes at the top of the class at, say, the University of Iowa, might face better career prospects than one who finishes in the middle of the class at, say, a place like Harvard.

No one really argues that graduating median at Harvard is better than graduating top 5% at Iowa.. but graduating below median at Harvard is def better than graduating below median at Iowa. In fact, graduating around the top 60-70% area at Harvard is better than graduating top 30-40% at Iowa. In conclusion, this study sucks..

[Sakura3210]

Another old-timer just popping in to say good luck to everybody!

[mpasi]

Any other December test takers?

[Fresh]

Any other December test takers?

Aren't you worried about Dec. being a bit late in the app process to get a score in? Or do you already have a score

[EbonyEsq]

Good luck to all of you. Fellow AA Male here but won't be applying until the 2011-2012 App cycle. Hope to see some great results!

Ditto to the above. AA female applying in 2011 with intent to sit the LSATs in June 2011. Will follow this admission cycle for inspiration.

Good luck to all my URM people!

[Horchata]

Good luck everyone! Hope we all keep each other posted on our cycles.

Shout out to all the other Mexican Americans applying - there doesn't seem to be a whole bunch!

[iamcutdacheck]

Have you all been considering the recent study about grades versus prestige? Short version: grades are a lot more important than prestige, although the common "go to the best school you can get into" still prevails in applicants' minds.

Is this affecting where people are applying? Do you anticipate it affecting where you ultimately go? This has to be very important to us URMs since we get a boost in applications that disappears during law school...

Thoughts?

I loved this article, but a few quick things...

It's kinda dumb to assume that a few decades of Affirmative Action will outweigh the traditions of elite law schools.

Additionally, Sander and Yakowitz ain't talking money, and 'at the end of the day' (Morgan Freeman voice) that's what its all about, if you graduate from a most prestigious law school you going to have opportunities created by the associations that goes with attending such institutions.

[mpasi]

Any other December test takers?

Aren't you worried about Dec. being a bit late in the app process to get a score in? Or do you already have a score

I'd be more worried about rushing it. December is fine...February is not.

[Ill-literate]

I'm excited! I've been waiting to post something that would actually be meaningful instead of the occasional post just to say "I'm here too." I've been prepping with the LSAT bibles (though not extensively) this whole summer and I'm currently taking a Testmasters course. My top choices: Stan, UPenn, UVA, Vandy, UNC, BC, W&M, GW, but more than likely I'll blanket the top 14. I'm depending heavily on a decent LSAT.

Anyway, I look forward to reading all of the success stories that will emerge from this thread. I'm sure everyone's cycle will be outstanding. It's our year!

[Ben Reilly]

hi everyone. i pushed my test back until december. though, if my score is good enough, i'll likely apply this cycle. is anyone else still studying for the oct/dec test?

Yea, I'm still studying for October.