How Detrimental is it to apply in February? Forum

[hamsamitchguy03]

Does applying at the deadline or a few weeks before affect your chances?

If so by how much?

[rinkrat19]

It DRASTICALLY reduces your chances. Some schools have been admitting people since before Christmas. Classes are filling up. You're competing for a much smaller number of open spots. You're very likely to get waitlisted at schools that would have accepted you, and rejected at schools that would have waitlisted you.

[cloudhidden]

I got a fee waiver for a big reach, T-14 school that just sent me an e-mail wondering why I haven't applied. I am not a URM, so are my chances next to zero? Are they trying to increase their selectivity ranking at this point?

[rinkrat19]

I got a fee waiver for a big reach, T-14 school that just sent me an e-mail wondering why I haven't applied. I am not a URM, so are my chances next to zero? Are they trying to increase their selectivity ranking at this point?

Yeah, probably.

[splitbrain]

It's hard to say, but I don't see why you wouldn't give it a shot just because you're late in the game, especially with a fee waiver.

[Lil Kev]

You might as well wait until the next cycle. Makes no sense to apply this late. I mean, go for it and aim high, but if you get shut out from schools you should be able to get into, well... That'll speak for itself.

[d.schoenfeld16]

You might as well wait until the next cycle. Makes no sense to apply this late. I mean, go for it and aim high, but if you get shut out from schools you should be able to get into, well... That'll speak for itself.

I love how everyone on this site automatically just says, "wait for next cycle."

[Lil Kev]

You might as well wait until the next cycle. Makes no sense to apply this late. I mean, go for it and aim high, but if you get shut out from schools you should be able to get into, well... That'll speak for itself.

I love how everyone on this site automatically just says, "wait for next cycle."

Well, why the fuck would you wait until February and expect to get everything you want? Go get a job for a few months, make some cash, and enjoy life before law school begins to suck what little soul you have left out from the pores of your body.

[piscola]

You might as well wait until the next cycle. Makes no sense to apply this late. I mean, go for it and aim high, but if you get shut out from schools you should be able to get into, well... That'll speak for itself.

I love how everyone on this site automatically just says, "wait for next cycle."

Well, why the fuck would you wait until February and expect to get everything you want? Go get a job for a few months, make some cash, and enjoy life before law school begins to suck what little soul you have left out from the pores of your body.

Waiting another year is the conventional wisdom of this site, but it's overstated. What sort of job should someone get? Are they going to enjoy it? Is it going to contribute at all to their future?

Sometimes it can be great advice, especially if waiting will make the difference between T25 vs T10. But T14 vs T6? Maybe a chance at more merit scholarship? IMO, not usually worth it. Doing something you actually want to do a year earlier, getting experience, and likely getting paid well to do it makes a lot more sense than spinning your wheels for the marginal extra prestige.

*ducks head as tomatoes fly*

[FinallyGoing]

LSN has some useful information on this subject.

[Tiago Splitter]

Waiting another year is the conventional wisdom of this site, but it's overstated. What sort of job should someone get? Are they going to enjoy it? Is it going to contribute at all to their future?

Sometimes it can be great advice, especially if waiting will make the difference between T25 vs T10. But T14 vs T6? Maybe a chance at more merit scholarship? IMO, not usually worth it. Doing something you actually want to do a year earlier, getting experience, and likely getting paid well to do it makes a lot more sense than spinning your wheels for the marginal extra prestige.

*ducks head as tomatoes fly*

I'm not sure I've seen a single thread on TLS where the advice was to wait a full year for a tiny increase in prestige. People are encouraged to wait all the time, but almost always for very good reasons.

[splitbrain]

It usually also includes the advice of "retake"

[bobbyh1919]

There's no harm in applying I suppose, but just don't sell yourself short. If you are surrounded by green dots on LSN for a particular school and you get rejected, it's probably a good sign that you should wait until next cycle.

Of even bigger concern is how much the scholarship funds at many schools have dried up. An application that is sent in September may earn 20K a year, whereas the same application being sent in late February may end up at sticker price. That's just not worth it if the only benefit is to start school a year earlier.

[Nelson]

You might as well wait until the next cycle. Makes no sense to apply this late. I mean, go for it and aim high, but if you get shut out from schools you should be able to get into, well... That'll speak for itself.

I love how everyone on this site automatically just says, "wait for next cycle."

Well, why the fuck would you wait until February and expect to get everything you want? Go get a job for a few months, make some cash, and enjoy life before law school begins to suck what little soul you have left out from the pores of your body.

Waiting another year is the conventional wisdom of this site, but it's overstated. What sort of job should someone get? Are they going to enjoy it? Is it going to contribute at all to their future?

Sometimes it can be great advice, especially if waiting will make the difference between T25 vs T10. But T14 vs T6? Maybe a chance at more merit scholarship? IMO, not usually worth it. Doing something you actually want to do a year earlier, getting experience, and likely getting paid well to do it makes a lot more sense than spinning your wheels for the marginal extra prestige.

*ducks head as tomatoes fly*

Nice necro.

[spleenworship]

You might as well wait until the next cycle. Makes no sense to apply this late. I mean, go for it and aim high, but if you get shut out from schools you should be able to get into, well... That'll speak for itself.

I love how everyone on this site automatically just says, "wait for next cycle."

Well, why the fuck would you wait until February and expect to get everything you want? Go get a job for a few months, make some cash, and enjoy life before law school begins to suck what little soul you have left out from the pores of your body.

[094320]

..

[Geneva]

It DRASTICALLY reduces your chances. Some schools have been admitting people since before Christmas. Classes are filling up. You're competing for a much smaller number of open spots. You're very likely to get waitlisted at schools that would have accepted you, and rejected at schools that would have waitlisted you.

I think it really depends on the school. E.g. Yale claims that applying at deadline doesn't disadvantage you.
Also, how come schools will take ppl from the waitlist and give big scholarship money after a June LSAT increase (e.g. Mich) if scholly funds are dried up? I think that applying late probably has the potential to hurt you if you are a borderline candidate, but beyond that I'm skeptical of these general claims. I'd be curious to see a graph of pre-Dec. LSAT scores/GPAs/scholarship money awarded for each school compared to the same stats for people that applied the final week before deadline...

[ucbkenn]

Drastic. Don't do it. You could get into a way better school if you wait and apply next cycle.

[Geneva]

Drastic. Don't do it. You could get into a way better school if you wait and apply next cycle.

So you are saying that I shouldn't bother applying to Yale in the next week

[094320]

..

[boosk]

Now that Yale has extended the deadline, is it still true that a late FEB app there will be viewed the same as those submitted in OCT? They've already admitted some ppl...

[Geneva]

Also, would Yale mind if I have a rec letter sent straight to them? I'm worried that the letter my prof is sending out today won't make it by deadline via lsac service...

[094320]

..

[Geneva]

So far, applying in Jan/Feb doesn't seem to have had an impact on my cycle. We'll see what happens with my app to Harvard (not holding my breath), but in at several T14 schools with my super late apps. Just saying.

[20130312]

So far, applying in Jan/Feb doesn't seem to have had an impact on my cycle. We'll see what happens with my app to Harvard (not holding my breath), but in at several T14 schools with my super late apps. Just saying.

No worries, you wouldn't have gotten in to Harvard anyway.