I made it into my "REACH" Forum

[UFMatt]

Stellar softs = Rhodes Scholar/PhD/Grammy

If only this were true. No reaches for me yet.

[crackberry]

I really wish that a 176 was as much of a magic bullet as some people believe it to be.

It is. You can laugh all the way to the bank when you get $$$ at just about every school.

176 doesn't mean shit at HYS if you're a non-URM with a sub-3.7. Just ask baiailan - held at HLS with a 180. How's that for a magic bullet?

I'm guessing something must have gone horribly awry with the application.

What about 175, 3.7 straight up rejected? Or 179, 3.6+ held? Want more examples?

[umichgrad]

I love switching between this thread and "Shocking Rejections" and wondering which one (or both?) I'll be able to post in.

[Anastasia Dee Dualla]

School: NYU (FUCK YAH!)
#'s LSAT at median, GPA around 25%
Reason: Not enough Jews in NYC, NYU was willing to take a hit to pick one up .
Also unconventional background, stellar sots, STRONG upward grade trend, very strong LOR’s and a kickass PS. Basically, every component of application but GPA was spot on.

Also, it horrifies that some 3.0 160's got in. You guys better be Rhodes Scholars. Or flames, I really hope you are flames. Actually, I really hope you are for real, this should help my class rank a great deal.

NM.

[09042014]

I love switching between this thread and "Shocking Rejections" and wondering which one (or both?) I'll be able to post in.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=3000

[gatorlion]

Stellar softs = Rhodes Scholar/PhD/Grammy

If only this were true. No reaches for me yet.

Hang in there, fellow gator!

[gatorlion]

It is. You can laugh all the way to the bank when you get $$$ at just about every school.

176 doesn't mean shit at HYS if you're a non-URM with a sub-3.7. Just ask baiailan - held at HLS with a 180. How's that for a magic bullet?

I'm guessing something must have gone horribly awry with the application.

What about 175, 3.7 straight up rejected? Or 179, 3.6+ held? Want more examples?

As Charles Barkley would say, "Their applications must have been TURRIBLE. TURRIBLE. TURRIBLE!"

[crackberry]

As Charles Barkley would say, "Their applications must have been TURRIBLE. TURRIBLE. TURRIBLE!"

I don't think you can explain it away that easily. I just think 175+ is not the golden ticket you think it is. At least not at HYS (or maybe even Berkeley). Those schools just seem to care too much about GPA.

I'd venture to say that a 176, 3.4 non-URM has virtually NO SHOT at HYS. That sort of applicant is probably in the running for a Butler/Hamilton at CLS yet doesn't stand much of a chance at HYS. That should show everyone the vast gulf between HYS and the rest.

[09042014]

As Charles Barkley would say, "Their applications must have been TURRIBLE. TURRIBLE. TURRIBLE!"

I don't think you can explain it away that easily. I just think 175+ is not the golden ticket you think it is. At least not at HYS (or maybe even Berkeley). Those schools just seem to care too much about GPA.

I'd venture to say that a 176, 3.4 non-URM has virtually NO SHOT at HYS. That sort of applicant is probably in the running for a Butler/Hamilton at CLS yet doesn't stand much of a chance at HYS. That should show everyone the vast gulf between HYS and the rest.

Each tier of schools seems to have a GPA cut off. HYS is 3.65, CCN is 3.4, MVP is 3.1ish (3.0 if ED), Duke is 3.4, Gtown fulltime is 3. Cornell doesn't have one but below 3.3 you need a really damn good excuse. Northwestern doesn't have any whatsoever.

[parker09]

(I'm sorry ahead of time if people don't consider this a reach, but I sure did... especially after getting WL-ed at UVA and Penn)

GPA: 3.8, LSAT: 169
URM: Hells naw

Reach: Chicago, RD

Optional Essay: No - just a 2.5-pg PS (don't remember what the page limit was, if there is one, but I guess I must have pulled a tiny bit out of what I would have used as optional essay for another school and added it into my generic 2-pger) - definitely no "why Chicago" bit, though

What got me in: Absolutely no idea. Some could argue GPA, but I figured my mediocre (for the CCN tier) LSAT would lock me out of what I'd thought was a very #s-oriented school. Plus, my application was also very public-interest-focused, which I thought was anti-Chicago. I will add that I come from a prestigious UG, which I've heard helps for Chicago... but it sure hasn't helped me at any other schools.

App sent: mid-Oct

[englawyer]

(I'm sorry ahead of time if people don't consider this a reach, but I sure did... especially after getting WL-ed at UVA and Penn)

GPA: 3.8, LSAT: 169
URM: Hells naw

Reach: Chicago, RD

Optional Essay: No - just a 2.5-pg PS (don't remember what the page limit was, if there is one, but I guess I must have pulled a tiny bit out of what I would have used as optional essay for another school and added it into my generic 2-pger) - definitely no "why Chicago" bit, though

What got me in: Absolutely no idea. Some could argue GPA, but I figured my mediocre (for the CCN tier) LSAT would lock me out of what I'd thought was a very #s-oriented school. Plus, my application was also very public-interest-focused, which I thought was anti-Chicago. I will add that I come from a prestigious UG, which I've heard helps for Chicago... but it sure hasn't helped me at any other schools.

App sent: mid-Oct

it counts

for many graduate programs, if you aim to study the non-marquee areas, you have a better shot of admission. for example, in computer science, putting down "i want to study AI" on your personal statement puts you in a much more competitive admissions pool than if you say "i want to study numerical methods algorithms". this could also be true in LS...chicago may be trying to balance out a class and just not get that many PI oriented individuals.

[gatorlion]

For what it's worth, according to LSN, Chicago just accepted a 174/3.36. The legend of the useless 172+ suffers further cracks in its already weak foundation...

[09042014]

For what it's worth, according to LSN, Chicago just accepted a 174/3.36. The legend of the useless 172+ suffers further cracks in its already weak foundation...

Chicago is taking more splitters this year. I wonder if they are trying to move their median up a point.

[crackberry]

For what it's worth, according to LSN, Chicago just accepted a 174/3.36. The legend of the useless 172+ suffers further cracks in its already weak foundation...

Are you delusional?

Yes, 174+ (with 3.3-3.6) gives you a great shot at most schools but not HYS. The writing is on the wall on this one my friend. Just look at LSN for crying out loud.

[Lurkster]

The only reach I'm going to be making this cycle is for a bottle of vodka. That reach will be made many, many times.

[Katerina]

GPA; LSAT: 3.2 (below 25%); 171 (right between median and 75%)
Law School Calculator Results: 37% chance of being admitted
URM: Nope
School: Georgetown
Optional Essay: Nope (I tried but I couldn't make it work before my personal deadline of Halloween)
Softs: Average (3 years work in a law firm; long history of charity work for my church; 2 years volunteer alumni liaison for my boarding school)

Why I was accepted: At the end of my personal statement, I wrote a very sincere 'why GULC' paragraph, highlighting specific programs and clinics that I was enthusiastic about. At my interview, I also hammered away at my knowledge of GULC's clinical program and the program's history (one of the questions my interviewer asked was "why GULC" so it was an easy transition). On my acceptance letter, Dean Cornblatt wrote me a nice note saying that a) he had heard great things about me from my interviewer and b) that he and the Admissions Committee agreed that GULC was a perfect match for my interest in clinics (so I guess I really made the point haha). I also think that applying as early as I did (end of October) helped make it possible for Georgetown to take a chance on me.

[mhernton]

GPA: 2.2 LSAT : 155
URM: Yes
Reach The College of William & Mary School of Law

Optional Essay: Yes on 'Pride'

I got in because I'm a Combat Veteran, that was recalled to active duty as I was preparing for the LSAT while preparing for deployment, and then took the test once again while in the Middle East during operations. I have an MBA from UCSD, I'm over 30 with over 10 years of work experience both military, financial planning, and tech consulting, applied early (Oct). Before the cries of you only go in because you're a URM start, let me say that there are plenty of URMs that don't have my UGPA and my LSAT, both of which are well below the median. I'm truly a case where the Adcom looked beyond the numbers

Congrats. But let's keep it 100%, the Adcom may have looked past the numbers, but URM status definitely helped here. I ran your numbers on law school predictor and it was a deny and then I ran a 2.2 and 165 and got a "weak consider".

Even as a URM that is a huge, reach and that poster should be really proud.

The real question is whether a white male in similar circumstances as mine would have gotten in? I believe the answer is yes. I took the LSAT and submitted my applications while deployed to the middle east and conducting operations. As far as the UGPA is concerned, 3 surgeries in 4 years at a Service Academy, 4 funerals with close relatives and two other relatives including my mother diagnosed with breast cancer while I was there (Mom survived, aunt did not). LSP is crap when it comes to anyone that steps outside of the normal applicant. Being a URM throws it off, so does being a non-traditional candidate, military vet, Work experience and having convincing addendums. I do not deny that being URM helped, all I'm saying is that it probably wasn't the only factor or even the biggest one. I'm just guessing though...

[Snoopy1216]

GPA: 2.2 LSAT : 155
URM: Yes
Reach The College of William & Mary School of Law


Even as a URM that is a huge, reach and that poster should be really proud.

I completely agree. Congrats!

[Katerina]

GPA: 2.2 LSAT : 155
URM: Yes
Reach The College of William & Mary School of Law

Optional Essay: Yes on 'Pride'

I got in because I'm a Combat Veteran, that was recalled to active duty as I was preparing for the LSAT while preparing for deployment, and then took the test once again while in the Middle East during operations. I have an MBA from UCSD, I'm over 30 with over 10 years of work experience both military, financial planning, and tech consulting, applied early (Oct). Before the cries of you only go in because you're a URM start, let me say that there are plenty of URMs that don't have my UGPA and my LSAT, both of which are well below the median. I'm truly a case where the Adcom looked beyond the numbers

The real question is whether a white male in similar circumstances as mine would have gotten in? I believe the answer is yes. I took the LSAT and submitted my applications while deployed to the middle east and conducting operations. As far as the UGPA is concerned, 3 surgeries in 4 years at a Service Academy, 4 funerals with close relatives and two other relatives including my mother diagnosed with breast cancer while I was there (Mom survived, aunt did not). LSP is crap when it comes to anyone that steps outside of the normal applicant. Being a URM throws it off, so does being a non-traditional candidate, military vet, Work experience and having convincing addendums. I do not deny that being URM helped, all I'm saying is that it probably wasn't the only factor or even the biggest one. I'm just guessing though...

Agreed.

Thank you for your service.

[Illijah]

GPA; LSAT: 3.2 (below 25%); 171 (right between median and 75%)
Law School Calculator Results: 37% chance of being admitted
URM: Nope
School: Georgetown
Optional Essay: Nope (I tried but I couldn't make it work before my personal deadline of Halloween)
Softs: Average (3 years work in a law firm; long history of charity work for my church; 2 years volunteer alumni liaison for my boarding school)

Why I was accepted: At the end of my personal statement, I wrote a very sincere 'why GULC' paragraph, highlighting specific programs and clinics that I was enthusiastic about. At my interview, I also hammered away at my knowledge of GULC's clinical program and the program's history (one of the questions my interviewer asked was "why GULC" so it was an easy transition). On my acceptance letter, Dean Cornblatt wrote me a nice note saying that a) he had heard great things about me from my interviewer and b) that he and the Admissions Committee agreed that GULC was a perfect match for my interest in clinics (so I guess I really made the point haha). I also think that applying as early as I did (end of October) helped make it possible for Georgetown to take a chance on me.

You had an interview? Why do schools give some people interviews and don't interview others?....hmmn....bothers me

[hefferlump]

GPA: 3.9something, LSAT: 166
URM: nope
Schools (last cycle): GULC (off the waitlist), Northwestern (accepted outright)
Optional essays: yes
Softs: applied during Peace Corps (but terminated and notified both schools prior to acceptance), MSc Human Rights

I do think the Master's degree was really important in both cases, because it made my expressed interest in PI work seem a lot more legitimate.

I still have no idea why NW decided to accept me, to be honest! I didn't even interview because I was in Africa at the time of my application (and wrote them a note to that effect).

On the other hand, I did interview for GULC and I think it helped me a LOT. Persistence also paid off: I wrote two or three letters to the admissions office updating them with news (some of it a bit of a stretch) and hand delivered them (which I'm sure looked really impressive, but I was actually working across the street at the time). A bit of lobbying by a boss who had worked with the Dean may also have helped, but I have no idea....

[Eazy E]

GPA: 3.7
LSAT: 170
URM: No

School: Vanderbilt

At the beginning of this cycle, Vandy didn't seem like a reach at all. But this cycle has been brutal all around (rejected at Iowa AND I'm in-state), so I wasn't holding out much hope for this one, even though I really wanted it. My GULC acceptance gave me some confidence, but Vandy is closer to my "dream school". I was worried about not requesting an interview and I don't have stellar softs or LORs. So when that package came, on a Saturday night of all times, I did a little jumping for joy. I have app's out to other schools which may change my mind (Chicago, Michigan, etc.), but right now it looks like I'm headed to Nashville.

[Sauer Grapes]

....

[scribelaw]

GPA: 3.7
LSAT: 170
URM: No

School: Vanderbilt

At the beginning of this cycle, Vandy didn't seem like a reach at all. But this cycle has been brutal all around (rejected at Iowa AND I'm in-state), so I wasn't holding out much hope for this one, even though I really wanted it. My GULC acceptance gave me some confidence, but Vandy is closer to my "dream school". I was worried about not requesting an interview and I don't have stellar softs or LORs. So when that package came, on a Saturday night of all times, I did a little jumping for joy. I have app's out to other schools which may change my mind (Chicago, Michigan, etc.), but right now it looks like I'm headed to Nashville.

LOL. How can someone with an above-median GPA and a > 75th LSAT count as a reach? There's another word for that: autoadmit.

This thread has officially jumped the shark (although it probably did a while ago).

[beamsmehome]

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