URM 2014-2015 Cycle Thread Forum

[90convoy]

I sent a DS for every school except Uchi (idk why). My PS was not race related at all, but my DS was

[DiniMae]

So much good news

What has everyone's take on the DS been? I've read a few sources that highly encourage submitting one, but I feel like my PS already touches on any points that I would write about.

I wrote a DS even though my PS did touch on some diversity points. But my central topic in both statements were different. I would say only write a PS if you think it will add to your file. I took the approach of using the PS to talk more about 'why law school' and the DS to talk about my background/circumstances. FWIW I've been accepted to a few schools, so at least some adcoms liked it.

+1

[AOT]

So much good news

What has everyone's take on the DS been? I've read a few sources that highly encourage submitting one, but I feel like my PS already touches on any points that I would write about.

I think that TCR is write one, although I didn't. My PS already touched on my diversity, and I decided that less is more.

[gamerish]

Post removed...

[LoganCouture]

So much good news

What has everyone's take on the DS been? I've read a few sources that highly encourage submitting one, but I feel like my PS already touches on any points that I would write about.

I think that TCR is write one, although I didn't. My PS already touched on my diversity, and I decided that less is more.

+1

I probably should have written one but I would have had to rework my PS so as not to be duplicative and I was far too tired for that. I really, truly loathe personal statement writing.

[Harvette]

Question: does anyone know if law schools see your percentile rank? My score is not impressive, but the percentile jump from first take to most recent is.

They will see both scores. Isn't that enough

[cc78]

They will see both scores. Isn't that enough

This. Folks with substantial experience looking at LSAT scores probably know the percentiles because they don't really change test over test. Like a 172/173 is 99th, a 150/151 is the 50th and so on.

[gold33]

I probably should have written one but I would have had to rework my PS so as not to be duplicative and I was far too tired for that. I really, truly loathe personal statement writing.

This is exactly how I feel.

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I'm leaning toward foregoing it at this point... I'm really just dying to start getting some apps out the door and to live a normal life again

[MadwomanintheAttic]

Thanks @harvette and CC78. I just feel like a jump from 30th percentile to 63rd looks more impressive than 146 to 155. Anyway I'll stop worrying, sit back and relax and see what happens. Submitted 75% off apps yesterday and I'll probally do the rest today

[DiniMae]

My PS is going to be more focused on why law and maybe a bit about my experiences traveling the world. My DS is going to be more URM stuff (being a gay PR and having a medical issue that's made life... difficult). I'm 100% writing both.

I think where more uncertainty comes in is with the "Why X Law School" statements. I'll probably write them for all the schools that usually pine for them (Penn, UVA, Duke, Georgetown) as I can see if being beneficial if my numbers wind up being below or at median (to give the tiniest shred of extra oomph to my application) or over the medians (to try to prevent YP).

I hope the Why X to those school matter because I wrote them too.

Does anyone know how other schools feel about them? From the webinars, I got the inpression that Harvard did not like that at all. But maybe Stanford?

[LoganCouture]

Schools in the T14 that seem to appreciate Why X: Penn, UVA, Michigan, Duke, Northwestern, Georgetown.

Maybe you can write one if you're worried about YP at Berkeley or Cornell but I don't know if that's necessary. There is a space on the Cornell app for a few sentences of "Why Cornell" and the interview seems to be their YP strategy.

I have heard that the T6 schools truly don't care about them.

[jemthey17]

My PS is going to be more focused on why law and maybe a bit about my experiences traveling the world. My DS is going to be more URM stuff (being a gay PR and having a medical issue that's made life... difficult). I'm 100% writing both.

I think where more uncertainty comes in is with the "Why X Law School" statements. I'll probably write them for all the schools that usually pine for them (Penn, UVA, Duke, Georgetown) as I can see if being beneficial if my numbers wind up being below or at median (to give the tiniest shred of extra oomph to my application) or over the medians (to try to prevent YP).

I hope the Why X to those school matter because I wrote them too.

Does anyone know how other schools feel about them? From the webinars, I got the inpression that Harvard did not like that at all. But maybe Stanford?

Agree with LC's post re: Why X? essays. I will throw in that Stanford likes Stanford-specific recs, but this is only effective if the person writing it is familiar with the school. If not, it wouldn't really help you to have a one-liner thrown in there about Stanford.

[davek]

My PS is going to be more focused on why law and maybe a bit about my experiences traveling the world. My DS is going to be more URM stuff (being a gay PR and having a medical issue that's made life... difficult). I'm 100% writing both.

I think where more uncertainty comes in is with the "Why X Law School" statements. I'll probably write them for all the schools that usually pine for them (Penn, UVA, Duke, Georgetown) as I can see if being beneficial if my numbers wind up being below or at median (to give the tiniest shred of extra oomph to my application) or over the medians (to try to prevent YP).

I hope the Why X to those school matter because I wrote them too.

Does anyone know how other schools feel about them? From the webinars, I got the inpression that Harvard did not like that at all. But maybe Stanford?

Agree with LC's post re: Why X? essays. I will throw in that Stanford likes Stanford-specific recs, but this is only effective if the person writing it is familiar with the school. If not, it wouldn't really help you to have a one-liner thrown in there about Stanford.

I've heard that it's unnecessary for any of the T6. I only wrote 1 and it's worked out well so far.

[Harvette]

Thanks @harvette and CC78. I just feel like a jump from 30th percentile to 63rd looks more impressive than 146 to 155. Anyway I'll stop worrying, sit back and relax and see what happens. Submitted 75% off apps yesterday and I'll probally do the rest today

You can still raise it. Good luck!

[ChiefMango]

Duke!!

First acceptance of the cycle

[MadwomanintheAttic]

Duke!!

First acceptance of the cycle

Congratulations on the first of many more acceptances to come

[ChiefMango]

Thank you! I'll be sure to keep you guys updated as the cycle progresses and post stats / results afterward!

Best of luck to you all. May the odds be ever in our favor

[Tr3]

Woo got the SEO interview invite. Happy about that

[Flokkness]

Woo got the SEO interview invite. Happy about that

Good luck! A few people have already done theirs (myself included) so feel free to PM with questions and all that good stuff.

Also for Feb. retakers, registration deadline is this week!

[Dream_weaver32]

Woo got the SEO interview invite. Happy about that

Awesome Congrats! did you update your law school info with your NYU acceptance before the invite?

[Tr3]

Good luck! A few people have already done theirs (myself included) so feel free to PM with questions and all that good stuff.

Also for Feb. retakers, registration deadline is this week!

Thanks, Flokkness! I'll PM you soon!

Awesome Congrats! did you update your law school info with your NYU acceptance before the invite?

Yeah, I've been updating as I get acceptances. Last update was NYU.

[Tr3]

Oh, BTW, I just went to Minneapolis for the weekend and drove by the law school. It was too cold to get out of the car. brrr

[LoganCouture]

New poll is up, thanks to DiniMae for the suggestion!

Hope this week brings some big news for us I strangely want my UVA WL to hurry up and get here. Like pulling off a band-aid.

[Yaaaas2013]

Question: does anyone know if law schools see your percentile rank? My score is not impressive, but the percentile jump from first take to most recent is.

This. I went from 36th to 73rd on my recent LSAT. I'll be retaking in February. Sigh.

[90convoy]

does anyone know how long it takes lsac to process a transcript? I'm getting anxious here!