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Hello all,

I am seeking some advice about my chances for admission to UVA Law School.

I graduated in 2014 from Penn State main campus after starting in 2009. I took a couple of years off, but would have most likely graduated early otherwise. I finished my undergraduate career with a double major in Philosophy and Political Science. My LSAC GPA is probably going to end up being a 3.27, with a much stronger second half of my academic career.

Let me address what I see as a potential problem with respect to my application to UVA: my lack of work experience. I did not do an internship in college, and I have not had a job since 2012. This is primarily due to the fact that I live in an economically-disadvantaged area, as well as the fact that I have an autism spectrum disorder which has caused me problems.

So basically what I am asking is this: if I score a 170 or higher on the LSAT, plus find a way to address my lack of work experience, do I have a good chance at admission to UVA law, especially if I apply early decision? Any advice will be deeply appreciated, as I am trying to grasp what I should do going forward. Thanks.

A 170+ would put you in a good place for UVA.

Your lack of work experience might require an addendum (adcomms might wonder what you were doing during your gap years), but it's not worth worrying about. First get a 170+, which is much easier said than done.

Recently we seem to have had a spate of 0Ls laser-focused on a specific non-Y/S T13. I don't get it. The T13 outside Y/S don't differ that dramatically from each other, either in admissions standards or in placement power. And if one is in a good position to get into, say, UVA, then one will very likely also be in a good position to get into most/all of the remaining non-Y/S T13s.

For most schools, there isn't a ED advantage at all. NW is a bit of an exception because it awards an ED scholarship, but even that scholarship has been reduced in recent times. I can't see any advantage to applying to UVA ED instead of blanketing the T13.

Applying early decision isn’t an advantage in admissions. It’s not like undergrad.
You are hurting yourself by applying ED and not looking at other schools. You are also guaranteeing yourself paying sticker as you have no bargaining chips.

Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely consider applying to other schools, as well as not limiting myself by applying ED. It's important to not fixate on just one school.

ree5031 wrote:Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely consider applying to other schools, as well as not limiting myself by applying ED. It's important to not fixate on just one school.

Sounds good. First, focus on knocking the LSAT out of the park. Then come back here for more tailored advice in light of your LSAT score.

Best wishes!

Not sure if it was "yield protection" but I was waitlisted with a 172 LSAT and 3.88 GPA by UVA. Did not bother to send LOCI or stay on waitlist as I have other options but I was surprised by this outcome. K-JD, out of state if that is a factor, probably typical softs for an undergrad

Bestes wrote:Not sure if it was "yield protection" but I was waitlisted with a 172 LSAT and 3.88 GPA by UVA. Did not bother to send LOCI or stay on waitlist as I have other options but I was surprised by this outcome. K-JD, out of state if that is a factor, probably typical softs for an undergrad

Probably YP. UVA seems to prefer that applicants submit a "Why Virginia." So does Penn. Most other schools don't seem to care about having a Why X.

Npret wrote:Applying early decision isn’t an advantage in admissions. It’s not like undergrad.
You are hurting yourself by applying ED and not looking at other schools. You are also guaranteeing yourself paying sticker as you have no bargaining chips.

What makes you say this? Accepted wisdom for many years is that some schools offer an ED boost and UVA has always been at the top of that pack. Given the other comments about UVA's strong stance on yield protection, this isn't surprising.

Your next statement is partially true - applying ED doesn't stop you looking at other schools - lots of folk apply ED and still don't get accepted. If you apply ED you shouldn't take a couple of weeks off from exploring your other options. You may still need them.

That last sentence is also untrue. People can and do get scholarships from ED applications. Certainly you lose the ability to negotiate, but that doesn't mean everyone pays sticker. This misconception is probably a result of my first comment - there's an ED boost and therefore ED applications are often used by students targeting a reach school. If they're admitted ED or RD, they're not getting a scholarship.

albanach wrote:People can and do get scholarships from ED applications.

It's extremely rare if the school doesn't guarantee a scholarship as part of an ED package. Why would any school give merit aid to an ED admitted student?

cavalier1138 wrote:

albanach wrote:People can and do get scholarships from ED applications.

It's extremely rare if the school doesn't guarantee a scholarship as part of an ED package. Why would any school give merit aid to an ED admitted student?

It's rare because competitive applicants typically won't use ED unless there's a guaranteed scholarship.

Still, MyLSN shows ED applicants who received $50k and $80k. Based on a small sample size, 15-20% of ED applicants at UVA are getting merit aid.