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I'm from a more obscure state... How much could that play a role in my application? Does this give me a bump at all (she asks hopefully haha)?

Negligible. Only time it matters is for certain state schools (whether you are in state or out of state).

I've heard that it matters for some big state schools (I am mainly looking on the west coast, so I have heard that it matters a little to USC, UCLA, etc.), and in their case, it works more in your favor if youre from California...but then again that may just be a rumor....

Some schools UVA/UT are required to have a certain portion of the matriculated class be in-state residents. IIRC it is 40% at UVA and 65% at UT. I believe there are a couple other schools like this. UNC maybe?

ArchRoark wrote:Some schools UVA/UT are required to have a certain portion of the matriculated class be in-state residents. IIRC it is 40% at UVA and 65% at UT. I believe there are a couple other schools like this. UNC maybe?

I think the most well known effect is in-state residents getting a bump for their in-state public schools.

UVA, UNC, and some Illinois schools are the ones that most often referred to for this.

daisyduke wrote:I'm from a more obscure state... How much could that play a role in my application? Does this give me a bump at all (she asks hopefully haha)?

If you mean for example that you're from North Dakota or Montana and are wondering "Will I get into, say, University of Arizona (do they have a law school?) because it is quite possible I am the only reasonably competitive person in my state to be applying there (and so they can claim to accept someone from every state)?" then I think the answer is no. Buuuut, if you do come from one of those "obscure" states, I'm sure you have SOMETHING that works in favor of you writing a diversity statement

T6Hopeful wrote:Buuuut, if you do come from one of those "obscure" states, I'm sure you have SOMETHING that works in favor of you writing a diversity statement

This. I know two people who wrote their personal statement based on the obscure state they were from and both got into HYS.

Law schools will often mention the number of states represented in their incoming class. So being from an obscure state could be a positive thing.

Perhaps your "obscure state," assuming it doesn't have a law school (or only has one small one), has a matriculation agreement with a nearby state's LS. I know that schools in OK have a thing where they'll give me a slight boos for being from NM (despite my state having a LS)... of course they also give it to TX, CO, AK, and KS (I think... can't remember for sure, because I ain't going to school in effing OK).