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On my next LOCI (if necessary) in an effort to sell myself more to the adcomm, I am considering elaborating about overcoming medical problems and fulfilling familial obligations while in college (as well as the gap in between community college and my bachelor granting institution). I have been rather coy to share this material with the adcomms to begin with via a diversity statement or something of the like mainly because: I don't want to make it sound like an excuse, I am rather private about personal details, and I feel these things are things that one is expected to overcome and thus not worth mentioning.

I realize that these things don't seem extraordinary as opposed to being a president of a club, doing volunteer work, studying abroad, and the like. However, the extraordinary rings shallow when one fails to do the ordinary first. Would sharing these experiences be beneficial for my quest to get off a waitlist?

Not to be a dick, but this sounds like, "you haven't let me in yet, but will you let me in if you feel sorry for me?"

bees wrote:Not to be a dick, but this sounds like, "you haven't let me in yet, but will you let me in if you feel sorry for me?"

Perfectly understandale...that is a reason why I have been coy about the matter. I don't want it to sound like an excuse. However, I still feel there is merit to the argument that overcoming relatively common but nonetheless stifling adversity is worth highlighting. I just do not know if it is a good idea to do so in this instance, and that is why I posted the topic.

I have found that the sexiest thing in life are soft

Is being president of a club even that big of a boost in admissions? I sorta have the impression that it doesn't.

EdmundBurke23 wrote:Is being president of a club even that big of a boost in admissions? I sorta have the impression that it doesn't.

It's not. I'd take 1 more point on my LSAT any day over president of some club.

I actually don't think it would be a bad thing to mention those things, particularly to explain the gap in your education. But just be very careful that it doesn't come across as asking for pity. Be brief, and spin it to say that you've overcome ___ obstacles during your undergrad and now feel well prepared for law school. And when I say brief, I mean like two sentences. Don't make it the main focus of your LOCI.

LOL @ studying abroad being a good soft.

Lol @ Club President being a good soft.

I'm like...3.

PlugInBaby wrote:On my next LOCI (if necessary) in an effort to sell myself more to the adcomm, I am considering elaborating about overcoming medical problems and fulfilling familial obligations while in college (as well as the gap in between community college and my bachelor granting institution). I have been rather coy to share this material with the adcomms to begin with via a diversity statement or something of the like mainly because: I don't want to make it sound like an excuse, I am rather private about personal details, and I feel these things are things that one is expected to overcome and thus not worth mentioning.

I realize that these things don't seem extraordinary as opposed to being a president of a club, doing volunteer work, studying abroad, and the like. However, the extraordinary rings shallow when one fails to do the ordinary first. Would sharing these experiences be beneficial for my quest to get off a waitlist?

Problem is, it seems this would belong in a DS and I fear it's too late to put it in a LOCI, even if you feel it would help. Whether it would is besides the point IMHO.

I too wish I said "what the hell" and wrote a DS but I didn't want to overcomplicate my app...

I submitted an overcoming challenges (familial, poverty, etc) essay as an addendum with all of my apps. I think it worked, especially with my reaches. I'd say write about it but be sure to explain (1) how you overcame these challenges and (2) how your past performance was due to these extenuating circumstances and isn't indicative of how well you will perform academically in law school.

traehekat wrote:

EdmundBurke23 wrote:Is being president of a club even that big of a boost in admissions? I sorta have the impression that it doesn't.

It's not. I'd take 1 more point on my LSAT any day over president of some club.

+1 I am the president (or equivalent of such) of three major campus organizations, and my cycle has played out exactly as one might have predicted at the beginning of the cycle - in at everywhere I considered a safety or target, out/wl at all reaches. LSAT, URM status and GPA are all the adcomms look at, unless you have something extremely impressive, which is rare.

PlugInBaby wrote:

bees wrote:Not to be a dick, but this sounds like, "you haven't let me in yet, but will you let me in if you feel sorry for me?"

Perfectly understandale...that is a reason why I have been coy about the matter. I don't want it to sound like an excuse. However, I still feel there is merit to the argument that overcoming relatively common but nonetheless stifling adversity is worth highlighting. I just do not know if it is a good idea to do so in this instance, and that is why I posted the topic.

I have to say that this would have been totally appropriate in the initial application but is probably a bad thing to mention now. You shot yourself in the foot by being coy initially, when it would have helped you. But mentioning it now just sounds, likes bees said, whiny (and a little fake; schools will ask why you didn't tell them this to begin with).

BenJ wrote:

PlugInBaby wrote:

bees wrote:Not to be a dick, but this sounds like, "you haven't let me in yet, but will you let me in if you feel sorry for me?"

Perfectly understandale...that is a reason why I have been coy about the matter. I don't want it to sound like an excuse. However, I still feel there is merit to the argument that overcoming relatively common but nonetheless stifling adversity is worth highlighting. I just do not know if it is a good idea to do so in this instance, and that is why I posted the topic.

I have to say that this would have been totally appropriate in the initial application but is probably a bad thing to mention now. You shot yourself in the foot by being coy initially, when it would have helped you. But mentioning it now just sounds, likes bees said, whiny (and a little fake; schools will ask why you didn't tell them this to begin with).

Thanks for the advice everyone, if I don't get into my top choice (U of Washington), I most likely will retake the LSAT in June and apply early to more schools and not be so gosh darn coy about personal obstacles overcome.