Worst Cycle of the Year award Forum

[CardinalRules]

here's how this will play out for OP:

Goes to USC, realizes how f#$%ing amazing it is living in Southern California where its warm and sunny 24/7/365. Additionally, OP is surrounded by gorgeous women; more than one of whom are very enticed by the prospect of dating/sleeping with a future graduate of one of the 4 best law schools on the west coast. OP grades onto law review at USC lands BigLaw in L.A. as economy rebounds under the new Governor. OP leverages BigLaw Salary into marrying super-hot gf and enters unspoken agreement where he pays for her woman-of leisure lifestyle and in return gets the best freakiest sex any of us can imagine. Then, after this wild freaky sex, OP plays a round of golf and heads to the beach... in January. Because he lives in Sunny Southern California. He looks back years later at TLS and this thread... and chuckles.

/thread

Though I'm not fan of the Governator, California's economic woes won't be solved by a change at the top. Prop 13 and the super-majority requirements placed on the budget and revenue are the underlying problem, and deeper political reform is needed.

I would love to take a shot at organizing that reform if I get out of law school fast enough!

Do it! Although with Congress headed in a similar direction (where minority party has both the incentive and ability to prevent the majority party from governing) California might be the least of our worries.

California is the only place that matters to me; the people in Washington can meander wherever they choose (e.g., nowhere).

[yeff]

California is the only place that matters to me; the people in Washington can meander wherever they choose (e.g., nowhere).

Why do you assume that what Congress does has no bearing on conditions in California?

[howie]

judging by your profile picture, and the fact your whining about you law school cycle with a 172 and 3.6, makes me think your the exact person i hope i never become..but hey good luck

[CardinalRules]

California is the only place that matters to me; the people in Washington can meander wherever they choose (e.g., nowhere).

Why do you assume that what Congress does has no bearing on conditions in California?

The state has a fairly individual system of government that has created a lot of problems without help from the federal government. Conversely, improvements in the system likely would cause improvements in the state without help from the federal government. I'm not saying that what Congress does has no bearing, since of course it has a bearing, but the national system doesn't interest me personally.

And people with a 172 / 3.6 are more justified in griping about a poor cycle than people with low numbers because their bad luck has less obvious explanation.

[im_blue]

judging by your profile picture, and the fact your whining about you law school cycle with a 172 and 3.6, makes me think your the exact person i hope i never become..but hey good luck

How exactly is it whining? Good numbers by themselves are useless unless they, you know, actually get you into a top law school.

[Compaq1984]

I nominate myself. Still haven't gotten in anywhere in the top 50. At this rate, I'll be playing the WL game with half the T14 and I won't know where I'm going until August. And that's being optimistic.

LSN Results

Does anyone want to try to compete with this? AKA make me feel better about my lack of success?

Yikes...
What did you base your PS on? Mein Kampf?

[CardinalRules]

I nominate myself. Still haven't gotten in anywhere in the top 50. At this rate, I'll be playing the WL game with half the T14 and I won't know where I'm going until August. And that's being optimistic.

LSN Results

Does anyone want to try to compete with this? AKA make me feel better about my lack of success?

Yikes...
What did you base your PS on? Mein Kampf?

He's gotten USC now, so that post is a bit out of date.

[johnstuartmill]

The worst cycle of the year is yet to come. S/He hasn't been rejected by any schools yet, but that's because s/he isn't complete at any of them, because s/he just applied three weeks ago. We'll find the unfortunate corpse when it washes up on the beach, as they inevitably do.

[CardinalRules]

The worst cycle of the year is yet to come. S/He hasn't been rejected by any schools yet, but that's because s/he isn't complete at any of them, because s/he just applied three weeks ago. We'll find the unfortunate corpse when it washes up on the beach, as they inevitably do.

I wouldn't consider it the worst cycle, though, because they're inherently at a disadvantage by applying so late in the cycle when fewer seats are available.

[johnstuartmill]

I'm starting to think that there's No True Worst Cycle.

[Lieut Kaffee]

In at USC and Northwestern, and feeling good vibes about Michigan. Thanks again for all contributions to this thread, and my apologies to anyone I inadvertently annoyed. Before these last two decisions, I was legitimately and sincerely concerned there was some red flag in my application that I wasn't thinking of, but my mind is relatively at ease now.

Northwestern is actually interesting in the context of closely analyzing my application file (which is the gist of this thread). They are the only t14 school to state their LSAT policy explicitly as "we only take the highest score." So, this doesn't refute my theory that the 152 is the biggest problem at NYU, Duke, etc. Also, my work experience is notably mediocre. I graduated college in May 2009, so I meet the "one year removed" requirement that they have for 95% of their class, but do you want to know what my job is? I wait freakin' tables, and not even full time. The 172 is probably what got me in here, but this decision still gives me somewhat rosy feeling about my interview/LOR/PS/etc.

[rx3r]

In at USC and Northwestern, and feeling good vibes about Michigan. Thanks again for all contributions to this thread, and my apologies to anyone I inadvertently annoyed. Before these last two decisions, I was legitimately and sincerely concerned there was some red flag in my application that I wasn't thinking of, but my mind is relatively at ease now.

Northwestern is actually interesting in the context of closely analyzing my application file (which is the gist of this thread). They are the only t14 school to state their LSAT policy explicitly as "we only take the highest score." So, this doesn't refute my theory that the 152 is the biggest problem at NYU, Duke, etc. Also, my work experience is notably mediocre. I graduated college in May 2009, so I meet the "one year removed" requirement that they have for 95% of their class, but do you want to know what my job is? I wait freakin' tables, and not even full time. The 172 is probably what got me in here, but this decision still gives me somewhat rosy feeling about my interview/LOR/PS/etc.

Congrats, I'm happy to see this thread have a happy ending.

[Dignan]

In at USC and Northwestern, and feeling good vibes about Michigan. Thanks again for all contributions to this thread, and my apologies to anyone I inadvertently annoyed. Before these last two decisions, I was legitimately and sincerely concerned there was some red flag in my application that I wasn't thinking of, but my mind is relatively at ease now.

Northwestern is actually interesting in the context of closely analyzing my application file (which is the gist of this thread). They are the only t14 school to state their LSAT policy explicitly as "we only take the highest score." So, this doesn't refute my theory that the 152 is the biggest problem at NYU, Duke, etc.

I agree. I think people on TLS are way too quick to discount the effect of a low first LSAT score. Although schools get to report your highest score, they see all of your scores, along with the calculated average, on the LSAC report. At the very least, a low first score counts as a negative soft at many of the schools in the T14. I really think that it's the 152, and not your PS or LORs, that account for the cycle that you've had thus far.

Congratulations on getting into NU! I bet you'll land another T14 before all is said and done.

[njskatchmo]

What do I get to if I win? If my best school is cornell with a 173/3.62 with softs which include very dramatic upward trend (3.1 to 3.9), and volunteer experiences abroad. Does that put me in contention? That's how my cycle has gone so far.

[bakiewakies]

What do I get to if I win? If my best school is cornell with a 173/3.62 with softs which include very dramatic upward trend (3.1 to 3.9), and volunteer experiences abroad. Does that put me in contention? That's how my cycle has gone so far.

No one feels sorry for you if you got into Cornell. It's still T14. Don't be silly.

[im_blue]

What do I get to if I win? If my best school is cornell with a 173/3.62 with softs which include very dramatic upward trend (3.1 to 3.9), and volunteer experiences abroad. Does that put me in contention? That's how my cycle has gone so far.

No one feels sorry for you if you got into Cornell. It's still T14. Don't be silly.

His numbers are probably 80%+ to get into CCN, so Cornell would be a bad cycle for him. I mean, if I had a 4.33/180 and got rejected from HYSCCN but into T10, are you saying I'd have no right to be upset?

[CardinalRules]

What do I get to if I win? If my best school is cornell with a 173/3.62 with softs which include very dramatic upward trend (3.1 to 3.9), and volunteer experiences abroad. Does that put me in contention? That's how my cycle has gone so far.

No one feels sorry for you if you got into Cornell. It's still T14. Don't be silly.

His numbers are probably 80%+ to get into CCN, so Cornell would be a bad cycle for him. I mean, if I had a 4.33/180 and got rejected from HYSCCN but into T10, are you saying I'd have no right to be upset?

+1.

[Hattori Hanzo]

sorry but the two profiles posted on this thread are both BORING. There is nothing that stands out about you people besides your numbers. Thats all you are, numbers. There's your explanation, sorry about being brutally honest.

The school school application process revolves around numbers. If you have a vanilla app with strong numbers, you're still going to be accepted. Now, if you have some flaws in your app package, that can make a school look past your numbers and decide they don't want/need you for other reasons.

I keep hearing this and I don't think it's true. I have been rejected/ignored by schools that my numbers would suggest are well within reach and I believe my vanilla app is the culprit.

[Hattori Hanzo]

What do I get to if I win? If my best school is cornell with a 173/3.62 with softs which include very dramatic upward trend (3.1 to 3.9), and volunteer experiences abroad. Does that put me in contention? That's how my cycle has gone so far.

No one feels sorry for you if you got into Cornell. It's still T14. Don't be silly.

His numbers are probably 80%+ to get into CCN, so Cornell would be a bad cycle for him. I mean, if I had a 4.33/180 and got rejected from HYSCCN but into T10, are you saying I'd have no right to be upset?

+1.

+2.

[AngryAvocado]

sorry but the two profiles posted on this thread are both BORING. There is nothing that stands out about you people besides your numbers. Thats all you are, numbers. There's your explanation, sorry about being brutally honest.

The school school application process revolves around numbers. If you have a vanilla app with strong numbers, you're still going to be accepted. Now, if you have some flaws in your app package, that can make a school look past your numbers and decide they don't want/need you for other reasons.

I keep hearing this and I don't think it's true. I have been rejected/ignored by schools that my numbers would suggest are well within reach and I believe my vanilla app is the culprit.

Well, I'm guessing the schools you're referring to are HYS and those aren't exactly representative of law schools in general. YS are both renowned for looking beyond the numbers and H, while more of a numbers whore, can still afford to be pretty damn selective beyond just the numbers.

[CardinalRules]

sorry but the two profiles posted on this thread are both BORING. There is nothing that stands out about you people besides your numbers. Thats all you are, numbers. There's your explanation, sorry about being brutally honest.

The school school application process revolves around numbers. If you have a vanilla app with strong numbers, you're still going to be accepted. Now, if you have some flaws in your app package, that can make a school look past your numbers and decide they don't want/need you for other reasons.

I keep hearing this and I don't think it's true. I have been rejected/ignored by schools that my numbers would suggest are well within reach and I believe my vanilla app is the culprit.

My app is pretty vanilla too as far as work experience / extracurriculars. Frankly, I think that you should have gotten HLS, but the Penn waitlist was almost certainly a product of YP. As the other poster says, you shouldn't worry about Yale and Stanford.

[WhatUpKells]

I'm gonna go ahead and toss my hat into the ring. I may not win the award, but I think I deserve an honorable mention.

3.75, 171:
Harvard - ding
Stanford - haven't heard back yet, but let's be honest...
Chicago - WL
Berkeley - ding
Penn - WL
Michigan - WL
UVA - WL
Duke - Asked for my crappy fall grades a month ago, so that probably won't be good
Georgetown - In

I'm grateful for GULC, but I was expecting to at least have a choice at the end of my cycle.

[DanInALionsDen]

I'm gonna go ahead and toss my hat into the ring. I may not win the award, but I think I deserve an honorable mention.

3.75, 171:
Harvard - ding
Stanford - haven't heard back yet, but let's be honest...
Chicago - WL
Berkeley - ding
Penn - WL
Michigan - WL
UVA - WL
Duke - Asked for my crappy fall grades a month ago, so that probably won't be good
Georgetown - In

I'm grateful for GULC, but I was expecting to at least have a choice at the end of my cycle.

Well, that in at GULC puts you one over on me so far. We'll see how I fair with my pending apps.

[AngryAvocado]

I'm gonna go ahead and toss my hat into the ring. I may not win the award, but I think I deserve an honorable mention.

3.75, 171:
Harvard - ding
Stanford - haven't heard back yet, but let's be honest...
Chicago - WL
Berkeley - ding
Penn - WL
Michigan - WL
UVA - WL
Duke - Asked for my crappy fall grades a month ago, so that probably won't be good
Georgetown - In

I'm grateful for GULC, but I was expecting to at least have a choice at the end of my cycle.

Well, that in at GULC puts you one over on me so far. We'll see how I fair with my pending apps.

I think I've discovered the cause of your problems...


I keed, I keed (couldn't help myself). Have you thought about applying ED to UVA?

[bakiewakies]

What do I get to if I win? If my best school is cornell with a 173/3.62 with softs which include very dramatic upward trend (3.1 to 3.9), and volunteer experiences abroad. Does that put me in contention? That's how my cycle has gone so far.

No one feels sorry for you if you got into Cornell. It's still T14. Don't be silly.

His numbers are probably 80%+ to get into CCN, so Cornell would be a bad cycle for him. I mean, if I had a 4.33/180 and got rejected from HYSCCN but into T10, are you saying I'd have no right to be upset?

I'm pretty sure the title of this thread is the WORST CYCLE OF THE YEAR. I'm not saying you have no right to be upset, but if he/she got into the T14, then that's not the worst cycle of the year. And even though 3.6 is a good gpa, it's not exactly stellar for what those schools are looking for.