Georgetown c/o 2015 Applicants (2011-2012 cycle) Forum

[Samara]

So I just was placed on Georgetown's preferred waitlist. Not to be cocky but I kind of assumed I was a shoo-in with a 173/4.0. I'm really nervous that I made some kind of mistake with my application but I've already been accepted to Duke and Berkeley so that shouldn't be it? I'm having a minor freak out, especially since this is probably the last school I'll hear from before break.

Sounds like the preferred waitlist is code for yield protection. Is Georgetown a serious consideration for you, because those are YHS numbers? If so, write a LOCI and you should be fine.

[eas22]

So I just was placed on Georgetown's preferred waitlist. Not to be cocky but I kind of assumed I was a shoo-in with a 173/4.0. I'm really nervous that I made some kind of mistake with my application but I've already been accepted to Duke and Berkeley so that shouldn't be it? I'm having a minor freak out, especially since this is probably the last school I'll hear from before break.

From what I understand, G'Town yield protects pretty aggressively. If you're already in to Duke and Cal, then don't sweat it too much. If you prefer Georgetown to those schools then let GULC know how high they are on your list of priorities. Either way you're already ensured of going to a pretty great place.

Ok thanks, that definitely calms my nerves. I'm new around here and am just learning about the whole Yield Protection thing. I'm definitely excited about Duke and Berkeley, I guess this just has me nervous for my chances at the top 6 schools.I actually really like DC and would have considered Gtown with a scholarship but I guess that is kind of a moot point now.

[Samara]

So I just was placed on Georgetown's preferred waitlist. Not to be cocky but I kind of assumed I was a shoo-in with a 173/4.0. I'm really nervous that I made some kind of mistake with my application but I've already been accepted to Duke and Berkeley so that shouldn't be it? I'm having a minor freak out, especially since this is probably the last school I'll hear from before break.

From what I understand, G'Town yield protects pretty aggressively. If you're already in to Duke and Cal, then don't sweat it too much. If you prefer Georgetown to those schools then let GULC know how high they are on your list of priorities. Either way you're already ensured of going to a pretty great place.

Ok thanks, that definitely calms my nerves. I'm new around here and am just learning about the whole Yield Protection thing. I'm definitely excited about Duke and Berkeley, I guess this just has me nervous for my chances at the top 6 schools.I actually really like DC and would have considered Gtown with a scholarship but I guess that is kind of a moot point now.

Yeah, don't let this make you nervous about your T6 chances. If anything, it should make you feel better.

[Shooter]

I'm also on the preferred waitlist.

172, >3.9

Not gonna lie, it freaked me out a bit.

[Boston_NYG2245]

So I just was placed on Georgetown's preferred waitlist. Not to be cocky but I kind of assumed I was a shoo-in with a 173/4.0. I'm really nervous that I made some kind of mistake with my application but I've already been accepted to Duke and Berkeley so that shouldn't be it? I'm having a minor freak out, especially since this is probably the last school I'll hear from before break.

From what I understand, G'Town yield protects pretty aggressively. If you're already in to Duke and Cal, then don't sweat it too much. If you prefer Georgetown to those schools then let GULC know how high they are on your list of priorities. Either way you're already ensured of going to a pretty great place.

Ok thanks, that definitely calms my nerves. I'm new around here and am just learning about the whole Yield Protection thing. I'm definitely excited about Duke and Berkeley, I guess this just has me nervous for my chances at the top 6 schools.I actually really like DC and would have considered Gtown with a scholarship but I guess that is kind of a moot point now.

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it, with your numbers you're a strong applicant. For reference, I got in to NYU with the same LSAT and a much lower GPA

[teacher10456]

I was updated for the 5th time today.... is there anything to read into that or am I just hoping it means something? Has anyone been updated more than 5 times before getting a decision?

[snehpets]

Just out of curiosity, did any of the probable yield protects have interviews? I had similar numbers and I did. Tls led me to expect they would try to sell be on gtown but instead it seemed more like a 'how serious are you about gtown?' they asked me if it ranked highly in my choices, how I would decide if I had several options, etc.

[Boston_NYG2245]

Just out of curiosity, did any of the probable yield protects have interviews? I had similar numbers and I did. Tls led me to expect they would try to sell be on gtown but instead it seemed more like a 'how serious are you about gtown?' they asked me if it ranked highly in my choices, how I would decide if I had several options, etc.

I did not get an interview request.

[crumpetsandtea]

Just out of curiosity, did any of the probable yield protects have interviews? I had similar numbers and I did. Tls led me to expect they would try to sell be on gtown but instead it seemed more like a 'how serious are you about gtown?' they asked me if it ranked highly in my choices, how I would decide if I had several options, etc.

This makes sense, if you think about it. You're getting an interview due to a possible YP situation--they're not trying to sell GULC to you per se, they're trying to see if you're open to buying anything in the first place.

[snehpets]

Just out of curiosity, did any of the probable yield protects have interviews? I had similar numbers and I did. Tls led me to expect they would try to sell be on gtown but instead it seemed more like a 'how serious are you about gtown?' they asked me if it ranked highly in my choices, how I would decide if I had several options, etc.

This makes sense, if you think about it. You're getting an interview due to a possible YP situation--they're not trying to sell GULC to you per se, they're trying to see if you're open to buying anything in the first place.

Yeah the more I read the other posts/think about it the more it makes sense. At the time I was kind of caught off guard by the attempt to pin down my personal rankings, so to speak. I don't blame them though, they get soooo many apps.

[lawschool899]

Just out of curiosity, did any of the probable yield protects have interviews? I had similar numbers and I did. Tls led me to expect they would try to sell be on gtown but instead it seemed more like a 'how serious are you about gtown?' they asked me if it ranked highly in my choices, how I would decide if I had several options, etc.

This makes sense, if you think about it. You're getting an interview due to a possible YP situation--they're not trying to sell GULC to you per se, they're trying to see if you're open to buying anything in the first place.

Yeah the more I read the other posts/think about it the more it makes sense. At the time I was kind of caught off guard by the attempt to pin down my personal rankings, so to speak. I don't blame them though, they get soooo many apps.

They may also be trying to pin down how interested you are in order to estimate how much incentive ($$) you'd need to attend...?

[top30man]

just had my address updated in the status tracker. anyone know if this is a good sign/bad sign/not even a sign?

It was a good sign for me. I got the letter four days after that.

[ll123]

for those of you on the preferred wl (which i definitely think is a yp move), how were you notified?

[tom2189]

I was placed on the preferred waitlist today via email. But my numbers dont seem to be YP worthy - 169/3.89. What do you guys think?

[Boston_NYG2245]

for those of you on the preferred wl (which i definitely think is a yp move), how were you notified?

Email

[AbLSAT]

hey I've got am interview on thursday with an alumnus in nyc. any tips or pointers? did they ask u about ur resume a lot? for instance i interned at a law firm this summer but they basically gave me some mundane chores, and let me study for the lsats. what should i say if asked abut my internship ?

[snehpets]

hey I've got am interview on thursday with an alumnus in nyc. any tips or pointers? did they ask u about ur resume a lot? for instance i interned at a law firm this summer but they basically gave me some mundane chores, and let me study for the lsats. what should i say if asked abut my internship ?

Mine didn't mention anything on my resume. He implied that he didn't have any of my info (resume, transcript), etc. the only 'interview' kind of question was about my greatest strength. Then it was why law school, why Georgetown, how much do you want gtown, etc

[so_fetch]

hey I've got am interview on thursday with an alumnus in nyc. any tips or pointers? did they ask u about ur resume a lot? for instance i interned at a law firm this summer but they basically gave me some mundane chores, and let me study for the lsats. what should i say if asked abut my internship ?

If they ask that, you should focus on how even though it went by so fast (considering it was just a few months over the summer), you got great exposure to how a law firm works, and the different types of cases the lawyers had, met a lot of really interesting people, confirmed your interest in the law. Don't overinflate what you did but you do not need to come out and say "oh i just made copies" or something. And I am sure as a lawyer he knows that they would not get a summer undergrad intern to go to court or talk to clients or something. Basically show you were exposed and it was interesting and from your limited experience you had a good idea of what was going on there and you liked it and are interested in the law. You do not need to focus on what you actually did. Rather, something like "The firm's main focus is health care, so last summer there were several big merger cases which I found really fascinating." Move along , once you get that basic message of interested/exposed/networking across, move on to something else to discuss, like how he got into his particular practice area, ask all your questions about georgetown, talk about your clubs you're in, etc. good luck!

[Lemon Lyman]

I got placed on the preferred waiting list too. I interviewed last Wednesday, so either its YP or I botched the interview pretty badly.

[PuckCU06]

Hey guys! I'm a GTown 1L. I was a splitter: 173 / 3.1, an Ivy League graduate, former Varsity Athlete, five years out of school when I applied, and I had four years of teaching experience. I was waitlisted almost everywhere in the Top 20 last year (special preferred at Georgetown) and the whole process was emotionally demoralizing. For what it's worth, I was interviewed by Georgetown before I was waitlisted, which seems to have been a pretty common practice. The one thing I am sure of is, GULC does proactively yield protect: if you have T6 numbers, you need to be clear and deliberate about your intent to attend GTown if admitted. I have several classmates who turned down the higher ranked schools, and many were waitlisted first.

Last year I turned to this website for advice and support, but at times it felt a little like the blind leading the blind. I am no expert and I don't claim special insight, but I can tell you about GULC and the waitlist experience if you're weighing choices.

My final choices were between GW, Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Duke and Michigan Law, after absorbing two heartbreaking rejections from NYU and Columbia (early decision). I picked GULC (Georgetown University Law Center) largely because of Curriculum B (an alternative first-year curriculum offered exclusively at Georgetown). Columbia and NYU are excellent schools and I don't doubt I would have been happy either place--- and I don't doubt I could have been happy at the other places I turned down. However, I am thankful CLS rejected my ED application because knowing what I know now, I wouldn't want to be anywhere other than Georgetown.

As for the education, there are a couple things worth mentioning right away: first, the clinical program is the best in the country, and second, our professors have the kind of resumes where they could be doing anything they want in the world (my Legal Writing professor used to represent the Rolling Stones) -- and yes, many professors are keeping current with projects in DC (consulting on or arguing cases before SCOTUS, for example) -- but Georgetown chooses professors who love to teach and who devote themselves to students... not professors viewing the school as a stepping stone to judicial appointments. My professors all know me by name on and on a personal level. This is not the case at every T14 school.

Curriculum B is unique and a progressive experience: I personally believe it is the smartest way to do law school (because you get the "Big Picture" intertwined with traditional doctrines), and I'd bet that 40 years from now it will be the way most top schools approach the first-year curriculum. (Curriculum B was first implemented at Georgetown 20 years ago so those who sign up no longer need to feel like guinea pigs-- they know what they're doing.) And even if you choose to take the standard Curriculum A, exposure to classmates who have taken Curriculum B will provide you a learning resource and perspective in your 2L and 3L classes that you cannot get at any other school. However, I'll admit, I chose Curriculum B largely on blind faith because it sounded cool... I found that the descriptions offered were vague and when I started in August, I did not feel I knew what I was actually jumping into. Thus, I was nervous about how this would end up altering my law school experience and employment prospects. If anyone has questions on Curriculum B, shoot me an email.

Community Myths & Experience: I am from DC and had fought against the idea of going to Georgetown-- my impression of Georgetown Law (from living here) had been that it seemed cold and impersonal (a factory for the "washington lawyer"), and besides, my best friends were all living in New York City so that seemed fresh and exciting by comparison. In hindsight, GULC is nothing like what I expected, and enrolling has proven to be the best decision I've ever made in my life (which is why I'm bothering to share on this website now.) For starters, it is the most supportive, open, caring, eclectic and interesting community I've ever been part of-- I am incredibly loyal to my undergraduate alma mater, but as for as individualized, personal support, Georgetown has the Ivy's beat 10 to 1. I'm in office hours, or asking questions with Career Services or the Dean of Students, every week. My classmates are talented, brilliant, and generous citizens, as well as scholars -- going through first semester exams together, it felt like a team sport... we were in the same bunker, brothers in arms... NOT what I expected. There is no air of arrogance or competition: for example, two of my classmates starred in this semester's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Curtains. The whole section turned out to support them, and additionally, the two cast members had had a crazy production week, missed class, and the rest of us considered it our responsibility to make sure they were thoroughly caught up on notes from class. Exam week especially-- I'd missed an entire unit in one of my classes because I fell behind-- my study group took the time to thoroughly teach me, discuss and debate, what I'd missed, which took the better part of a day. That was much more than I would ever have anticipated, given that the class is graded on a curve.

I don't pretend to be an expert in any way, just happy to share the perspective I've gleaned from making it through to the other side, and concluding my first semester. I'm sorry if any of the above sounds like too much of a sales pitch--- that's not my intent--- rather, my intent is to offer a perspective that I did NOT have last year.

Feel free to email questions...

Best wishes! And don't worry... even if it's stressful now, it really does work out.

-Puck

[ccmbr006]

Received my wedding invitation with a nice handwritten note.

[Strange]

What makes someone get YP'ed over another, given that there are plenty of people with "auto-admit" numbers on the LSN graph? Is there something in the application, or do they YP a certain % of auto-admits?

[zags]

Also preferred waitlist with 172, 4.0+

[snehpets]

What makes someone get YP'ed over another, given that there are plenty of people with "auto-admit" numbers on the LSN graph? Is there something in the application, or do they YP a certain % of auto-admits?

I think for some people at least it has to do with how late in the year you applied. Earlier applicants might signify greater interest in Gtown. Later applicants might mean Georgetown=afterthought.

[franklyscarlet]

Thanks puck! If I get in, I'll definitely have questions for you