Top Law Schools

First off is this just a bad idea outright? If you've been WL'd at a school is it bad/coming off as pompous if you inform them that you've been accepted at a higher ranked school? (not explicitly calling attention to it like "hey this school accepted me and they're ranked higher)

dan k wrote:First off is this just a bad idea outright? If you've been WL'd at a school is it bad/coming off as pompous if you inform them that you've been accepted at a higher ranked school? (not explicitly calling attention to it like "hey this school accepted me and they're ranked higher)

Terrible idea. You'll be far more likely to be dinged for obvious YP if you don't get dinged just for being an ass.

TripTrip wrote:

dan k wrote:First off is this just a bad idea outright? If you've been WL'd at a school is it bad/coming off as pompous if you inform them that you've been accepted at a higher ranked school? (not explicitly calling attention to it like "hey this school accepted me and they're ranked higher)

Terrible idea. You'll be far more likely to be dinged for obvious YP if you don't get dinged just for being an ass.

Go to the higher ranked school. If you were really interested in the other school, you should write a LOCI. I don't see any way to spin your suggested letter off as a positive, unless at the end you ask them to take you off the list so others, who are actually interested in the school may take your spot and have a chance. In that case, you may be seen as a saint by other students hoping for an acceptance.

There is a right way to do it. You can send a LOCI and say something like "I'd like to express my continued interest and even though XYZ has kindly and generou$$ly admitted me, you still remain my #1 choice and if accepted by you I will attend" (this latter part only if it's true). I got off a WL after I sent a LOCI like that (slightly lower ranked school with prestigious scholly). Can't say the LOCI worked but it didn't hurt for sure.

Hattori Hanzo wrote:There is a right way to do it. You can send a LOCI and say something like "I'd like to express my continued interest and even though XYZ has kindly and generou$$ly admitted me, you still remain my #1 choice and if accepted by you I will attend" (this latter part only if it's true). I got off a WL after I sent a LOCI like that (slightly lower ranked school with prestigious scholly). Can't say the LOCI worked but it didn't hurt for sure.

this was more my line of thinking. i know its a potentially pompous sounding letter, but hey, getting opinions is what community forums are for right?

What are the specific schools in question? And why do you want to get into the lower ranked school now that you are into the higher ranked one?

BigZuck wrote:What are the specific schools in question? And why do you want to get into the lower ranked school now that you are into the higher ranked one?

mainly location. Fordham/BC or BU. I don't have ties, but I'm still trying to weigh the portability of a UMinn degree vs. going to a school in a city/region where I know I could see myself working for sure.

You think a Minnesota degree is portable? Or that Minnesota being "higher ranked" than BC or Fordham means something?

bluepenguin wrote:You think a Minnesota degree is portable? Or that Minnesota being "higher ranked" than BC or Fordham means something?

maybe I should have added "relatively low" in front of the word to satisfy you. I didn't create this thread to discuss the merit of schools. There are some things i need advice on in the app process, the job market outside the T14 is not one of them so you can save your lecture. I have the same access to law school transparency as you do.

Ok, maybe my tone was a little too accusatory. Just trying to figure out the thought process. It's pretty damn relevant to the question you asked. Telling Miami you got into Florida would make sense to get off a waitlist because UF is better and higher ranked. Minnesota's higher ranking means nothing to Fordham or BC because they don't compete directly and Minnesota is neither more portable nor more prestigious than either of those schools.

bluepenguin wrote:Ok, maybe my tone was a little too accusatory. Just trying to figure out the thought process. It's pretty damn relevant to the question you asked. Telling Miami you got into Florida would make sense to get off a waitlist because UF is better and higher ranked. Minnesota's higher ranking means nothing to Fordham or BC because they don't compete directly and Minnesota is neither more portable nor more prestigious than either of those schools.

this is a fair assessment, i was asked to give examples and those are the only ones i can provide right now this early in the cycle. it might become more relevant down the line and i was curious about how/if such a tactic could be approached