Top Law Schools

So far, out of the twelve schools I applied to, I have heard back from two--one target (well above top 25th percentile GPA and one point under median LSAT) and one safety (at both top 75th percentiles). I have been wait-listed at both.
(1). Why is this happening?
(2). Should I be worried?
(3). Can I call the admissions office to find out if there is something wrong with my application?
I am scared there is a red flag on my application. If there is, I would like to know so that I can fix the applications I sent to other schools.

PS. I have a ton of legal internships, research positions, etc. on my resume and my personal statement was revised by multiple people.

I have no real statistics to support this, but my sense is that outcomes break down like this:

• Under-qualified Candidate--> Rejection
  Marginal Candidate --> Waitlist/Rejection
  Good Fit --> Acceptance
  Above average --> Acceptance + Money
  Egregiously Overqualified --> Waitlist to protect yield (or acceptance + money if you show continued interest)

For the school where you were a borderline candidate (under median LSAT and GPA), the waitlist is a real waitlist. You might get in if slots open up, but I wouldn't keep my hopes up too much.

For the school where you are overqualified (above the 75% percentile in LSAT and GPA), they probably waitlisted you to protect their yield. For schools that are a little lower ranked, they assume you will go somewhere else. They would rather waitlist you as opposed to have an offer declined. If you wrote them a letter of continued interest, they would almost certainly accept you.

Anyway, there is no need for concern. There is a small chance that there was something horrendously wrong with you application (e.g., a recommender just totally bad-mouthing you), but it's much more likely that these schools weren't a great fit. No need to panic and start calling admissions offices.

Yeah, the 75th percentile one is probably yield protect. As for this, "one target (well above top 25th percentile GPA and one point under median LSAT)," that's not really the strongest application for that school - I would say that at/above both medians is more of a target. Doesn't mean you couldn't get in, but the waitlist isn't shocking.

Sorry—I meant to write that I’m “well above the top *75th* percentile of UGPAs.” The law school in question is GW and I have a 164 LSAT (one point under median) and 3.9 GPA (their top 75th percentile is 3.. So I’m a strong splitter numerically—which is why I’m scared about typos on my app or rogue recommenders.

rogeliolimon wrote:my personal statement was revised by multiple people.

This usually makes personal statements worse, not better, FWIW.

Agree that you probably actually got waitlisted at GW by virtue of being below the LSAT median—I can't guarantee that's what's happening, but it's the most likely by far among the various possibilities—and that the "safety" probably intuited that you think of them that way and YP'd you.

Wouldn't get too worried yet, especially since we're dealing with a sample size of two (2).

I don't have particularly helpful advice here, but I thought I might commiserate. I applied a couple of years ago, and I also received a large number of wait lists. My admissions cycle turned into getting 95%+ plus scholarships at 3 schools where I was above 75%, and mostly wait listed or dinged from every other school, including ones where I was top 25% and bottom 25%. I received no acceptances from any school that I was an average candidate. I can't complain too much, however, because I accepted $$$$ to my top choice.

It'll work out! The LOCI sounds like a good strategy if there are any safeties that you would actually be genuinely interested in.

rogeliolimon wrote: ↑

Mon Oct 21, 2019 1:20 pm

Sorry—I meant to write that I’m “well above the top *75th* percentile of UGPAs.” The law school in question is GW and I have a 164 LSAT (one point under median) and 3.9 GPA (their top 75th percentile is 3.. So I’m a strong splitter numerically—which is why I’m scared about typos on my app or rogue recommenders.

FYI a splitter is above median LSAT/Below median GPA, and a reverse splitter is the opposite. You are a reverse splitter at GW, though just barely. If GW is a target, by all means reach out and try to get off the waitlist. This cycle is particularly competitive so it's not shocking that you didn't get an auto-accept. With that GPA though you could always sit out if you don't get the right combination of money and school and retake in August. The sky is the limit. Obviously if you are dead set on matriculating this cycle you have to work with what you have.