Worst Cycle of the Year award Forum

[rx3r]

^^I don't think a lack of softs would cause severe and systematic underperformance of numbers like OP's. To me that signals some kind of "red flag" issue with the application, i.e. a significant negative, not just an absence of positive soft factors. Major application errors, unpleasant/offensive PS, bad LOR, academic integrity issue, internet controversy (google, facebook, etc), or something like that.

I can vouch for the fact that his PS (or the draft I saw) was not offensive or unpleasant.

[rx3r]

Look what he just posted after I wrote on his wall.

Lol!

[existenz]

Has anyone looked at OP's application dates???

He ONLY applied to T-14 back in November. He didn't apply to T15-T25 until late January, early February, so of course he hasn't heard back from those schools. In about a month he'll have 5 or 6 acceptances from USC, UCLA, Cornell, Minnesota, etc.

Kind of surprised he didn't apply to Berkeley. Too late now.

Yeah but the lack of T14 love is pretty shocking with those numbers. If it was 1 or 2 schools it'd be normal, but it seems pretty uniform. NYU didn't even defer, they just straight rejected. It's really the uniformity of reactions that's disturbing. And November is not "ONLY" when its late February. I applied mid/late December last year with much dicier numbers and already had answers from a bunch of T14's by this point (including some acceptances).

You misread my use of the word "only". My point was that the "only schools" he applied to before Jan. 13th were T14. I have similar stats and even I wasn't cocky/foolish enough to exclude T15 and up.

That said, his cycle isn't over and will assuredly look a lot better in about a month, assuming there isn't something seriously wrong with his LORs or PS.

[Kim617]

Has anyone looked at OP's application dates???

He ONLY applied to T-14 back in November. He didn't apply to T15-T25 until late January, early February, so of course he hasn't heard back from those schools. In about a month he'll have 5 or 6 acceptances from USC, UCLA, Cornell, Minnesota, etc.

Kind of surprised he didn't apply to Berkeley. Too late now.

Yeah but the lack of T14 love is pretty shocking with those numbers. If it was 1 or 2 schools it'd be normal, but it seems pretty uniform. NYU didn't even defer, they just straight rejected. It's really the uniformity of reactions that's disturbing. And November is not "ONLY" when its late February. I applied mid/late December last year with much dicier numbers and already had answers from a bunch of T14's by this point (including some acceptances).

You misread my use of the word "only". My point was that the "only schools" he applied to before Jan. 13th were T14. I have similar stats and even I wasn't cocky/foolish enough to exclude T15 and up.

That said, his cycle isn't over and will assuredly look a lot better in about a month, assuming there isn't something seriously wrong with his LORs or PS.

I don't think he was being cocky, applying to T14s with those numbers. I only applied to one school not in the T14, and I didn't even hear back from Fordham yet. I think he just didn't expect his cycle to turn out this way based on the performance of similar numbers in previous years.

[existenz]

Don't give up yet, were almost numbers twins and though I've had better luck *knock on wood* with a few of those schools, your numbers are too good to ignore, I mean, the 172 alone is awesome, but your GPA isn't a 3.2 or 3.1, its above a 3.5, some T14s should definitely bite, and I remember you had some posts where you had mentioned writing the "why" essays in order to avoid yield protection, as well as the submission dates for your T14s are all pretty early in the cycle so you did all you could and a school is definitely going to accept you in the T14 if not a few more as well as Im sure one or two of those waitlists will open up for you with those numbers. And from what I've seen on TLS, you're an all around nice guy and I know there's a lot of skepticism and pessimism on the TLS board but a deserving nice guy like yourself will get in somewhere good

That's a hell of a sentence. Good job.

[Aeroplane]

Has anyone looked at OP's application dates???

He ONLY applied to T-14 back in November. He didn't apply to T15-T25 until late January, early February, so of course he hasn't heard back from those schools. In about a month he'll have 5 or 6 acceptances from USC, UCLA, Cornell, Minnesota, etc.

Kind of surprised he didn't apply to Berkeley. Too late now.

Yeah but the lack of T14 love is pretty shocking with those numbers. If it was 1 or 2 schools it'd be normal, but it seems pretty uniform. NYU didn't even defer, they just straight rejected. It's really the uniformity of reactions that's disturbing. And November is not "ONLY" when its late February. I applied mid/late December last year with much dicier numbers and already had answers from a bunch of T14's by this point (including some acceptances).

You misread my use of the word "only". My point was that the "only schools" he applied to before Jan. 13th were T14. I have similar stats and even I wasn't cocky/foolish enough to exclude T15 and up.

That said, his cycle isn't over and will assuredly look a lot better in about a month, assuming there isn't something seriously wrong with his LORs or PS.

Yeah, I misunderstood your "only". But with his stats excluding T15 & up was pretty reasonable. And his cycle, even if he gets accepted off one or more T14 waitlists, will still look far worse than his numbers would've suggested. I'm about 99% sure that there's something odd going on with the app.

[CardinalRules]

At any rate, OP should be flattered that he inspired a 105-post therapy session / pity party.

[existenz]

I don't think he was being cocky, applying to T14s with those numbers. I only applied to one school not in the T14, and I didn't even hear back from Fordham yet. I think he just didn't expect his cycle to turn out this way based on the performance of similar numbers in previous years.

Well, maybe I shouldn't have used the word "cocky" -- OP seems like a nice guy. But when applying to law schools you should hope for the best, plan for the worst. Even some of the folks who got into HYS also applied to USC, UCLA, Minnesota. Better safe than sorry!

OP's had a string of bad luck at the top schools, but only one actual rejection. I could see him suddenly getting into Columbia or Michigan next week barring the aforementioned problems with his PS or LORs.

[phoenix323]

At any rate, OP should be flattered that he inspired a 105-post therapy session / pity party.

+1

/thread

[BenJ]

There might be a rare breed of applicant that has no softs and no luck and that causes a ding at all the targets, while the #'s are too good for safeties and gets YPed

This is just a matter of knowing which schools are good safeties and which are not (due to YP). For example, GW is pretty much the best safety school there is (for people with T14 aspirations) because they throw huge scholarships at everyone who applies with great numbers. On the other hand, WUSTL is a poor choice for a safety (for T14 aspirants, again) because it can be capricious in choosing to waitlist people with numbers that look like auto-admits.

However, YP is quite rare outside of the T14. UVA and Penn are the only schools that appear to rigorously YP, although some other T14s do at least a little bit.

[rx3r]

OP's had a string of bad luck at the top schools, but only one actual rejection. I could see him suddenly getting into Columbia or Michigan next week barring the aforementioned problems with his PS or LORs.

That's a good point. With each applicant putting out so many applications this cycle, maybe when the dust settles near the summer some of those waitlists will open up to Kaffee when they realize the class isn't full.

[Stringer Bell]

And UVA ED is dramatically overrated (much like the LS).

No doubt. Those new employment stats show UVA has 4th best school when it is probably more like the 5th or 6th best law school.

[09042014]

And UVA ED is dramatically overrated (much like the LS).

No doubt. Those new employment stats show UVA has 4th best school when it is probably more like the 5th or 6th best law school.

UVA trolls are embarrassing.

[initech]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/initech

not sure if I can compete, but I'll throw it
in there. I'm happy and truy
appreciative of being accepted
where I have, but still a bit distraught.

[existenz]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/initech

not sure if I can compete, but I'll throw it
in there. I'm happy and truy
appreciative of being accepted
where I have, but still a bit distraught.

Tough cycle, but with your numbers not totally unexpected. Come back when you are WL/rejected from schools where you are better than 70% on LSP, then you can compete with OP.

[stratocophic]

There might be a rare breed of applicant that has no softs and no luck and that causes a ding at all the targets, while the #'s are too good for safeties and gets YPed

This is just a matter of knowing which schools are good safeties and which are not (due to YP). For example, GW is pretty much the best safety school there is (for people with T14 aspirations) because they throw huge scholarships at everyone who applies with great numbers. On the other hand, WUSTL is a poor choice for a safety (for T14 aspirants, again) because it can be capricious in choosing to waitlist people with numbers that look like auto-admits.

However, YP is quite rare outside of the T14. UVA and Penn are the only schools that appear to rigorously YP, although some other T14s do at least a little bit.

I feel like you've switched GW and WUSTL in your descriptions

[daigakuinsei]

Just goes to show you that no one on this site really has any clue what motivates the law school admissions committees.

[phoenix323]

Just goes to show you that no one on this site really has any clue what motivates the law school admissions committees.

+100

[CardinalRules]

Just goes to show you that no one on this site really has any clue what motivates the law school admissions committees.

+100

That revelation reminds me of when I found out that water is actually wet.

[DanInALionsDen]

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/initech

not sure if I can compete, but I'll throw it
in there. I'm happy and truy
appreciative of being accepted
where I have, but still a bit distraught.

Tough cycle, but with your numbers not totally unexpected. Come back when you are WL/rejected from schools where you are better than 70% on LSP, then you can compete with OP.

80% on LSP for Georgetown here and I was waitlisted...

[daigakuinsei]

Just goes to show you that no one on this site really has any clue what motivates the law school admissions committees.

+100

That revelation reminds me of when I found out that water is actually wet.

Seriously, it's like the blind telling the deaf how to navigate a maze.

[erniesto]

Nominating this guy:

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/hxd2282

[stratocophic]

Nominating this guy:

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/hxd2282

Hmm, a bold tactic. I like it though, redefining the terms of the competition based on semantics FTW

Edit: TBF, everyone wants something different out of law school but... not for all the tea in China, folks.

[phoenix323]

Nominating this guy:

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/hxd2282

Mean.

[CardinalRules]

I feel like people should only nominate themselves, otherwise this is the new BP thread.