URM 2016-2017 Cycle Thread Forum

[mysojuli]

Not my cycle. I'm at Emory as a 1L now...but here's my regrets/advice... (Black Law Female, 154 $$ SUPER basic EC's)


1) Apply to everything you want. I got a 154 and applied to T10 and below.. I got 10 waitlists...and NO rejects.
I regret not applying to everything I wanted to apply to like Harvard and Stanford BIG BIG BIG REGRET. Apply to the places you want to go to even if your numbers or GPA's or EC don't add up. Better to have a rejection over having regrets.

2) On school visits talk to students who attend. If you're a URM make sure to talk to another URM to get their opinion. I found that talking to URM's I was able to get more "real" advice. I actually visited UCI and a black law student said, "Don't come here." I ended up not going, while this is quite extreme lol you never know what they might tell you. URM law students can offer an insight on the culture that maybe a non-URM can't tell you.

3) Ask all the questions you want. Sometimes answers to questions can tell you a lot! If you ask me about BLSA and I can't even give you any information about events that might be a red flag that BLSA isn't close knit or maybe their not active...regardless you don't know what you don't ask.

Best of luck in your cycle!

Apply everywhere you want and wait for the scholarships to come in

If you're a black female or a black male do NOT go anywhere that did not offer you a scholarship. Minorities are rare use your rarity to your advantage to get money.

[dietcoke1]

has anyone been invited to interview for SEO this cycle?

Have they started interviewing already?

The recruiter said that they would start sending out invitations this month. I haven't received one but that doesn't mean anything I suppose.

I don't think I've seen any talk about interview invites on TLS yet... Maybe they're behind?

I'm hoping they are behind and I wasn't left out! just wanted to check

[KDavis95]

Wow! I feel like I don't belong in this thread with all these spectacular acceptances!! I'm just finishing up my applications and waiting for my December LSAT score. No LSAT score yet, but I have a 3.82 GPA, tons of legal experience during undergrad, volunteer work, 2 study abroad and leadership positions. And I'm applying to most of the T14s and also T2 schools. Good luck to everyone else!

[brinicolec]

Wow! I feel like I don't belong in this thread with all these spectacular acceptances!! I'm just finishing up my applications and waiting for my December LSAT score. No LSAT score yet, but I have a 3.82 GPA, tons of legal experience during undergrad, volunteer work, 2 study abroad and leadership positions. And I'm applying to most of the T14s and also T2 schools. Good luck to everyone else!

With a GPA like that, as long as you have a solid LSAT, you'll have your own spectacular acceptances to share soon enough!

[KDavis95]

With a GPA like that, as long as you have a solid LSAT, you'll have your own spectacular acceptances to share soon enough!

Aw, thanks! I'm here twiddling my thumbs and waiting for that score! Then I'm good to go!

[BlackWillHunting]

Where can an AA URM with a 3.8/~160 LSAT gain admission to within the T14. Just curious?

Also congrats to everyone on all the wonderful acceptances!

[brinicolec]

Where can an AA URM with a 3.8/~160 LSAT gain admission to within the T14. Just curious?

Also congrats to everyone on all the wonderful acceptances!

It's a little hard to predict but I checked mylsn and there's a lot of green. The only ones that don't look like you have a chance are Yale and Stanford and Penn is iffy. Greatest chance is Georgetown. But like I said, other than Yale and Stanford, your GPA puts you at a pretty good place. You'll be a reverse splitter at some (or all) places (can't say which because I knew going into the cycle that my GPA is blah so I only paid attn to LSAT percentiles lol) so it makes it a little harder to know.

[BlackWillHunting]

Where can an AA URM with a 3.8/~160 LSAT gain admission to within the T14. Just curious?

Also congrats to everyone on all the wonderful acceptances!

It's a little hard to predict but I checked mylsn and there's a lot of green. The only ones that don't look like you have a chance are Yale and Stanford and Penn is iffy. Greatest chance is Georgetown. But like I said, other than Yale and Stanford, your GPA puts you at a pretty good place. You'll be a reverse splitter at some (or all) places (can't say which because I knew going into the cycle that my GPA is blah so I only paid attn to LSAT percentiles lol) so it makes it a little harder to know.

Thank you! I'm hoping I can get into one of HYS and that I can get an LSAT score that can give me a better shot than a 160. But a 160 seems like something I'm confident I can hit, so just seeing what my options will be worse case scenario. Hopefully, I can hit a 170, though ...

[PresidentIJohnson]

Hey everyone,

Not applying this cycle, but wanted to ask a perspective question. Overall in the admissions process, particularly for URM, how much do you think work experience is weighed as a soft factor. Asking because I'm interested in applying to law school after undergrad, but I don't want to jeopardize acceptances for lack of post-grad work experience (I do, however, have plenty of internships and part-time experience). Anyways, I hope everyone's cycle is going well for them thus far!

[brinicolec]

Hey everyone,

Not applying this cycle, but wanted to ask a perspective question. Overall in the admissions process, particularly for URM, how much do you think work experience is weighed as a soft factor. Asking because I'm interested in applying to law school after undergrad, but I don't want to jeopardize acceptances for lack of post-grad work experience (I do, however, have plenty of internships and part-time experience). Anyways, I hope everyone's cycle is going well for them thus far!

Part of it depends on the school you're interested in. Like Northwestern seems to really like seeing people with WE, but that doesn't mean they're not accepting any KJD folks.

[dietcoke1]

Hey everyone,

Not applying this cycle, but wanted to ask a perspective question. Overall in the admissions process, particularly for URM, how much do you think work experience is weighed as a soft factor. Asking because I'm interested in applying to law school after undergrad, but I don't want to jeopardize acceptances for lack of post-grad work experience (I do, however, have plenty of internships and part-time experience). Anyways, I hope everyone's cycle is going well for them thus far!

Part of it depends on the school you're interested in. Like Northwestern seems to really like seeing people with WE, but that doesn't mean they're not accepting any KJD folks.

I will also say that I have heard that being a KJD can have a negative impact when you start to interview for firms, although I am not sure what kind of impact it will have.

[Heluvsme23]

Hey Everyone!

I need some advice. I am starting on my "why x" statement for my dream school and I wanted to know how long my statement should be? Is one paragraph too short?

[Mjvance2]

Hey Everyone!

I need some advice. I am starting on my "why x" statement for my dream school and I wanted to know how long my statement should be? Is one paragraph too short?

I don't think one paragraph is necessarily short. (I think NW only allows a one or two paragraph diversity statement). I do think if it is your dream school, you may have more than one paragraph that explains why. I wrote a "why x" for UVA (my dream school) and it was about a page and a half. I think it all depends on what you have to say.

I can PM you mine if you want.

[Heluvsme23]

Hey Everyone!

I need some advice. I am starting on my "why x" statement for my dream school and I wanted to know how long my statement should be? Is one paragraph too short?

I don't think one paragraph is necessarily short. (I think NW only allows a one or two paragraph diversity statement). I do think if it is your dream school, you may have more than one paragraph that explains why. I wrote a "why x" for UVA (my dream school) and it was about a page and a half. I think it all depends on what you have to say.

I can PM you mine if you want.

Thank you so much! I PM'd you.

[Stephylynette]

Hey y'all! Checking in.

Relatively low LSAT of 160 with a decent 3.72 GPA from a top public school. Not overly impressive softs but I do have a long standing record of service that I think is prevalent. Want to go into Public Interest/Education Law, so scholarship money and location, more so than ranking, are big for me.

Applied to about 20 schools and finessed fee waivers from all of them bc I'm cheap. So far, been accepted to Georgetown (dream school- hoping for a decent scholarship), Duke, and Vanderbilt, with a few scholarships and full rides to lower ranked schools.

I, personally, think I have a decently strong Diversity Statement that I'd be happy to share if anyone needs any inspiration or an example.

Best of luck to you all!! I sincerely hope all of our dreams come true by the end of this cycle.

[KDavis95]

Hey y'all! Checking in.

Relatively low LSAT of 160 with a decent 3.72 GPA from a top public school. Not overly impressive softs but I do have a long standing record of service that I think is prevalent. Want to go into Public Interest/Education Law, so scholarship money and location, more so than ranking, are big for me.

Applied to about 20 schools and finessed fee waivers from all of them bc I'm cheap. So far, been accepted to Georgetown (dream school- hoping for a decent scholarship), Duke, and Vanderbilt, with a few scholarships and full rides to lower ranked schools.

I, personally, think I have a decently strong Diversity Statement that I'd be happy to share if anyone needs any inspiration or an example.

Best of luck to you all!! I sincerely hope all of our dreams come true by the end of this cycle.

Impressive! Congrats! I just finished writing my diversity statement, but would you mind sending yours? I'd love to see if mine is good enough to even submit haha. Thank you in advance!

[PrezRand]

Hey y'all! Checking in.

Relatively low LSAT of 160 with a decent 3.72 GPA from a top public school. Not overly impressive softs but I do have a long standing record of service that I think is prevalent. Want to go into Public Interest/Education Law, so scholarship money and location, more so than ranking, are big for me.

Applied to about 20 schools and finessed fee waivers from all of them bc I'm cheap. So far, been accepted to Georgetown (dream school- hoping for a decent scholarship), Duke, and Vanderbilt, with a few scholarships and full rides to lower ranked schools.

I, personally, think I have a decently strong Diversity Statement that I'd be happy to share if anyone needs any inspiration or an example.

Best of luck to you all!! I sincerely hope all of our dreams come true by the end of this cycle.

Congrats!! How easy was it to finesse the fee waivers?

[Stephylynette]

Hey y'all! Checking in.

Relatively low LSAT of 160 with a decent 3.72 GPA from a top public school. Not overly impressive softs but I do have a long standing record of service that I think is prevalent. Want to go into Public Interest/Education Law, so scholarship money and location, more so than ranking, are big for me.

Applied to about 20 schools and finessed fee waivers from all of them bc I'm cheap. So far, been accepted to Georgetown (dream school- hoping for a decent scholarship), Duke, and Vanderbilt, with a few scholarships and full rides to lower ranked schools.

I, personally, think I have a decently strong Diversity Statement that I'd be happy to share if anyone needs any inspiration or an example.

Best of luck to you all!! I sincerely hope all of our dreams come true by the end of this cycle.

Congrats!! How easy was it to finesse the fee waivers?

Wasn't too troublesome. I got some of them unsolicited and Priority Track from Duke. But most of them I got just from sending an email to schools I knew I wanted to apply to explaining I'm in the middle of a service/gap year and would appreciate the financial help. Almost all replied with a fee waiver. The rest, I just decided not to apply to.

[Torres1893]

Has anyone tried applying for a scholarship through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)? I'm getting really annoyed with their website. It's just as bad it was when I applied for a scholarship in my freshman year. At first they said Jan 1 was when the scholarships for 2017 would be available. Then they delayed it to Jan 3, and now they delayed it to Jan 5. They also got rid of one I was going to apply to or made it hidden since I can't find it anymore.

I'm about to not even bother anymore. They didn't give me anything when applied back in 2011, so I doubt I'll get anything now.

[Mr_Chukes]

This wait is killing me. Applied for most of my schools in November. Have only heard back from one. The rest are under review or awaiting review.

[Mr_Chukes]

Hey everyone,

Not applying this cycle, but wanted to ask a perspective question. Overall in the admissions process, particularly for URM, how much do you think work experience is weighed as a soft factor. Asking because I'm interested in applying to law school after undergrad, but I don't want to jeopardize acceptances for lack of post-grad work experience (I do, however, have plenty of internships and part-time experience). Anyways, I hope everyone's cycle is going well for them thus far!

Part of it depends on the school you're interested in. Like Northwestern seems to really like seeing people with WE, but that doesn't mean they're not accepting any KJD folks.

I was wondering about this as well. All through college, I worked at a grocery store. I still work there now. I've just moved up in the store. I was wondering if that will a positive or a negative impact. I also was a fellow for a political campaign and part of a philosophy book club.

[PresidentIJohnson]

Hey everyone,

Not applying this cycle, but wanted to ask a perspective question. Overall in the admissions process, particularly for URM, how much do you think work experience is weighed as a soft factor. Asking because I'm interested in applying to law school after undergrad, but I don't want to jeopardize acceptances for lack of post-grad work experience (I do, however, have plenty of internships and part-time experience). Anyways, I hope everyone's cycle is going well for them thus far!

Part of it depends on the school you're interested in. Like Northwestern seems to really like seeing people with WE, but that doesn't mean they're not accepting any KJD folks.

I was wondering about this as well. All through college, I worked at a grocery store. I still work there now. I've just moved up in the store. I was wondering if that will a positive or a negative impact. I also was a fellow for a political campaign and part of a philosophy book club.

I don't think of it as a negative. Anything that adds value to your resume is a positive, although potentially a small positive.

[dinan15]

Hey guys, checking in!! [MA female, 170, 3.9] Completed my apps December 1st [T14 and UCLA] and have been accepted to UCLA and Duke so far, and interviews with Georgetown and Harvard. Deciding to post to calm the nerves, ahhhh! We're all in this together!

[dietcoke1]

Hey guys, checking in!! [MA female, 170, 3.9] Completed my apps December 1st [T14 and UCLA] and have been accepted to UCLA and Duke so far, and interviews with Georgetown and Harvard. Deciding to post to calm the nerves, ahhhh! We're all in this together!

welcome and good luck, but with your numbers, I doubt you need the luck!

[musiclover123]

Long time lurker on this thread!

MA female, just submitted apps, super excited