Top Law Schools

I have had the most random, heart wrenching, surprising and frustrating cycle. Let me preface this by saying I don't want people saying I was shooting too high (because obviously I got some returns on doing that). I just want to know what I could do to get off a waiting list or any other options.

Black/Latino male
155
3.3
School : Private, top 30
Softs: PM since I am on a lot of waitlist, I don't want to be too noticeable, but a very compelling PS.


In
Northeastern
Wake Forest
University of Miami


Waitlist
Reserve at Columbia (Honored with my stats)
Emory
Fordham
George Washington
Reserve at Cornell

Out
Boston College
Boston University
NYU
Georgetown

+1 ????

Where do you want to work?

and I think you meant "bump" not "+1"

I do mean bump, haha. I want to work on the east coast, namely New York, Boston, or DC.

Wake Forest is more highly ranked school but NE is in the region you want to be in so I would lean toward NE. However, their OCI stats for NY firms are about the same.

merichard87 wrote:Wake Forest is more highly ranked school but NE is in the region you want to be in so I would lean toward NE. However, their OCI stats for NY firms are about the same.

Yeah but what he wants to know is how to get off the waitlist at the schools that didn't accept him but didn't outright reject him either.

In case it happens to me later this year I'm interested in the responses to this thread.

Yes, I have written LOCIs and given updates to Columbia, Cornell and Fordham. I'm just trying to figure out what was that "thing" that caused these schools to not outright reject me. (Obviously I have to try and find what it is) If I get that, will know what to do from there. Also, it would be helpful to hear from anyone who was waitlisted and got off of it. What did you do? How often did you communicate with the office, etc.?

elm84dr wrote:Yes, I have written LOCIs and given updates to Columbia, Cornell and Fordham. I'm just trying to figure out what was that "thing" that caused these schools to not outright reject me. (Obviously I have to try and find what it is) If I get that, will know what to do from there. Also, it would be helpful to hear from anyone who was waitlisted and got off of it. What did you do? How often did you communicate with the office, etc.?

That "thing" is your URM status.


HTH.

If you are reserve Cornell/Columbia with your current numbers, I think wait them out while prepping for an LSAT retake. Obviously they like something about your file, so some extra points and you might have a great next cycle - also, if it's not too late and you think you can add some points, June retake FTW. You can bump yourself off of WL's with a better score - but of course don't do this unless you are certain you will do at least as well.

I was thinking about a June retake, but I feel I have hit an LSAT ceiling. I don't know, I have a waiver so I can take it again in June...Maybe I will.

elm84dr wrote:I was thinking about a June retake, but I feel I have hit an LSAT ceiling. I don't know, I have a waiver so I can take it again in June...Maybe I will.

I wouldn't guess/gamble with it - do practice tests under realistic conditions, they will be reflective of at least if there is an decent upside potential. If you take some recent PTs and they are the same or lower, then I wouldn't do it. But if with some studying, you are doing quite a bit better on PT's, that may be the way to go (I did it last year, June retake got me in off WL's and big schols at schools that had accepted me previously with no schol)

elm84dr wrote:I was thinking about a June retake, but I feel I have hit an LSAT ceiling. I don't know, I have a waiver so I can take it again in June...Maybe I will.

There's only one LSAT ceiling, and its a 180

I will take a practice test and see how I do. I just don't want to go down.

Always Credited I feel that there were other guys like me that were outright rejected with higher numbers and were URM. I agree 180 is the ceiling...but I will need quite a ladder to get there.

Also, I wanted to know, since I am not a splitter (I'm pretty much bottom 25% in each category for these schools), is there no chance I'm getting off these list; is it just consolation prize. Like, "We like you but you just don't have the numbers." I'm thinking my volunteering, work experience, and personal statement helped me, but I don't know what else I can do to further my application.