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I am just curious to see who got into a "reach" school, and if so what you think the largest factor in your acceptance was. GPA, LSAT, PS?

I got into a reach, but not my super reaches. I think my biggest beneficial factor was either PS or addendum.

OmbreGracieuse wrote:I am just curious to see who got into a "reach" school, and if so what you think the largest factor in your acceptance was. GPA, LSAT, PS?

I got into one of my reaches. (About 10-15 ranks higher than other schools I got into.) My GPA was lower than the 25th percentile and my LSAT was just the median. I think an upward trend in grades, very strong soft factors, a personal statement that was well-tailored to that particular school, and some very good recommendations were what gave me the edge.

Currently waitlisted at even higher reaches. We'll see.

I got into one of my reaches. LSAT around the median, GPA at the 25th. Had a note about my personal statement on my acceptance letter.

I got into a few of my reaches. I think my soft factors played a larger role than I thought they would. It seems like the reach schools that did a holistic review accepted or WL'd me, and the ones that didn't rejected or WL'd me, either way half my decisions are WLs haha.

NU, 2.8/176, my lsat.

Also in before a shit ton of posters post TTT schools where they are autoadmits and call them reaches.

In after splitter posts T14 school where they are autoadmit and calls it a reach.

In almost T20 I applied to, should have been out of all TTTs

I had about a 25% chance of getting into my number one choice (GPA at their median but LSAT a little below their 25th). People may not consider that a reach but I do. Anyways, I think what eventually helped me get off the waiting list was all of the face time I was fortunate enough to get, plus sending in another LOR from a distinguished alumni and writing a LOCI. Basically, I was lucky enough that they looked past my LSAT score to all of my softs.

I was below the LSAT 25th by a few points but above the GPA 75th (with the help of some CC grades) and I got in so it felt like a reach. I expected a rejection so it felt like winning the lottery! I think it was my PS. I wrote about a unique experience abroad and tailored it to International Law which is the #1 strength of my school.

I got into my reach which was also my number one choice.

LSAT below 25%, GPA at 75%, URM, Went to Undergrad at my reach as well. I hope I had a good PS, seems to have done the job.

MY GPA, PS and URM status helped a bunch.

3.67/152

I was seriously reconsidering retaking the LSATs since I scored lower than my average on practice coming into the test this past September (I averaged 161) and I became almost depressed when I saw my score.

But I applied anyways to see how this cycle would go almost bent on waiting until next year's cycle but lo and behold I got into a reach school and the school I wanted to attend in the first place (L&C).

So, for the few of you who said you think your 'soft' factors may have played a large role...

who wrote your LORs?

Were they professors... people you volunteered with?

I am curious only because I am getting ready to start applying this fall, and am trying to figure out who would be best to ask.

On that topic, too, how many did you have? LORs I mean?

Got into 4 out of 5 of my reaches, including a T20 and two T50's. I was well below the 25th percentile on the LSAT score and GPA for all of them. I think my personal statement and LOR's helped. I'm a little older than the average applicant so I submitted 3 LOR's from professors and one from an employer.

OmbreGracieuse wrote:So, for the few of you who said you think your 'soft' factors may have played a large role...

who wrote your LORs?

Were they professors... people you volunteered with?

I am curious only because I am getting ready to start applying this fall, and am trying to figure out who would be best to ask.

Had 3 LORs. All 3 were from profs that I had for at least 2 classes each, both of which I made As in. I doubt my recs played any kind of significant role in my decision.

OmbreGracieuse wrote:So, for the few of you who said you think your 'soft' factors may have played a large role...

who wrote your LORs?

Were they professors... people you volunteered with?

I am curious only because I am getting ready to start applying this fall, and am trying to figure out who would be best to ask.

I had a bunch or LORs, but I remember a few specifically

1) Professor from undergrad who I took 5 classes with and TAed for 3 times; knew each other pretty well.
2) Phd. TA from undergrad who I took several classes with and have become and stayed friends with ever since.
3) Grad school research advisor who I have a great relationship with.
4) Director of the bridge program at my undergrad who I also had a strong relationship with.

I was allowed to see (3) and (4), and they were quite strong, but I don't think they were as strong as (1) and (2).

I would guess that my PS and DS played a very large role.

Doing TFA probably helped a little

Coming in with a graduate degree from a T5 ed. school (4.0 w/publication pending) and three years of WE probably helped a bit too.

In sum, softs may have been hard for me.

got into my reach... it was the "Why X" essay and LOR's from bosses (one of whom went to the reach university.) I was hovering around median age, LSAT, GPA with no strong softs and had the app in the first day they could be submitted