3.77/161 and panicking Forum

[PlugInBaby]

I only applied to three schools since we have limited funds in our family and with the confidence that I would be able to get into one of them for sure. They are U of Washington, Seattle U, and Chicago-Kent. The one I thought was a sure thing, Seattle U, just inexplicably wait listed me. The job market graduating college was demoralizing enough, I took solace that I was well qualified for law school. Now I have doubts about that and feeling rather panicked. I am considering applying to three other schools (DePaul, Loyola-Chicago, and St. Louis) right away to hedge my bets, but it is late in the cycle.

Any speculations on why I was waitlisted for a school i statistically had an 85% change of admission on and should I start applying to those other safety schools. This late in the cycle are they still safety schools?

Any input would be much appreciated.

[BruceBarr]

Your personal statement is probably terrible. Or your letters of rec. Or your softs. Or all.

You may want to re-evaluate your application and apply again next cycle. With your numbers, getting WL'd at University of Seattle should never have happened unless something was off.

[booboo]

Possibly send in a LOCI. Maybe they don't think you will go to their school?

[BruceBarr]

Possibly send in a LOCI. Maybe they don't think you will go to their school?

Mmmm... Good call. This could very well be it. You do have numbers far superior to what they typically get. They may just need to hear that they aren't a back-up school for you, and that they are a REAL option.

[PlugInBaby]

I can't imagine the LORs being the problem...they were from professors that thought highly of me. The personal statement was well written in my opinion, and although the tone was optimistic perhaps they saw the whole thing as a bit too dark and poetic (it was about celebrating the finiteness of everything, applying that philosophy to life and law school). The softs may have been a problem, I didn't have the time nor the energy for volunteering or extracurricular activites, I was too busy commuting and working.

I do have misdemeanor conviction due to a fight I got in when I was a teenager, but that was explained in full and 6-7 years ago.

Should I apply to those other three school or should I just focus on the three I have applied to?

[Maven]

Well you really don't have much to lose if you apply, so apply. But don't panic. If you get into a school that you're hesitant to attend, you should wait and reapply. Maybe you won't even have to wait until next year. As you probably know some admit classes for Jan.
Additionally, sometimes there just is no rhyme nor reason to the application process. For example, many years ago I got wl by Suffolk yet got into NYU. Go figure...

[lawman335]

Don't be panic just apply for it and u will get into it as your LSAT score is average..............

[ggocat]

Possibly send in a LOCI. Maybe they don't think you will go to their school?

Mmmm... Good call. This could very well be it. You do have numbers far superior to what they typically get. They may just need to hear that they aren't a back-up school for you, and that they are a REAL option.

+1. Waitlisting good candidates who are unlikely to attend is a viable strategy for lowering a school's acceptance rate (and thus helping U.S. News rank).

[PlugInBaby]

After much panic after the waitlist shock, I have come up with a plan of attack. Would love your input.

If Accepted to U of Washington
Going to UW for sure.

If Waitlisted by UW
Sending LOCIs to both UW and Seattle U.

If Denied by UW, Accepted to Kent without scholarship $
Going to send Seattle U an LOCI.

Denied by UW, Accepted to Kent with scholarship $
Going to Kent.

Neither UW or Kent admits/replies by Valentine's Day
Applying to the other three schools.

About the LOCI, I assume it would not be best to anticipate why they put you on the wait list and try to address it. It seems it would be best to talk about the appeal of the location (location is my top factor for my decision), the pleasant time I had visiting the school, and my varied interests in law (constitutional law, internet speech law, alternative lifestyles law, veteran law) and how Seattle U would be an ideal place to explore these passions.

Thanks for your support so far, it is much appreciated. Criticism and encouragement is still very much welcome.

[sanpiero]

send LOCI

[englawyer]

After much panic after the waitlist shock, I have come up with a plan of attack. Would love your input.

If Accepted to U of Washington
Going to UW for sure.

If Waitlisted by UW
Sending LOCIs to both UW and Seattle U.

If Denied by UW, Accepted to Kent without scholarship $
Going to send Seattle U an LOCI.

Denied by UW, Accepted to Kent with scholarship $
Going to Kent.

Neither UW or Kent admits/replies by Valentine's Day
Applying to the other three schools.

About the LOCI, I assume it would not be best to anticipate why they put you on the wait list and try to address it. It seems it would be best to talk about the appeal of the location (location is my top factor for my decision), the pleasant time I had visiting the school, and my varied interests in law (constitutional law, internet speech law, alternative lifestyles law, veteran law) and how Seattle U would be an ideal place to explore these passions.

Thanks for your support so far, it is much appreciated. Criticism and encouragement is still very much welcome.

i wouldn't wait at all. send out the LOCI now; time is of the essence. You should also apply to the other three schools now; ask for fee waivers if money is an issue.

[iShotFirst]

Definitely ask those schools you are thinking about applying to for fee waivers before you do, they may give and then the limited funds problem disappears. I definitely wish I would have thought about this when I applied and I ended up paying full application fees at schools I could have easily received a fee waiver from. Just email or call before you apply, then you just have to pay the $12 for the LSAC report fee.

[PlugInBaby]

After much panic after the waitlist shock, I have come up with a plan of attack. Would love your input.

If Accepted to U of Washington
Going to UW for sure.

If Waitlisted by UW
Sending LOCIs to both UW and Seattle U.

If Denied by UW, Accepted to Kent without scholarship $
Going to send Seattle U an LOCI.

Denied by UW, Accepted to Kent with scholarship $
Going to Kent.

Neither UW or Kent admits/replies by Valentine's Day
Applying to the other three schools.

About the LOCI, I assume it would not be best to anticipate why they put you on the wait list and try to address it. It seems it would be best to talk about the appeal of the location (location is my top factor for my decision), the pleasant time I had visiting the school, and my varied interests in law (constitutional law, internet speech law, alternative lifestyles law, veteran law) and how Seattle U would be an ideal place to explore these passions.

Thanks for your support so far, it is much appreciated. Criticism and encouragement is still very much welcome.

i wouldn't wait at all. send out the LOCI now; time is of the essence. You should also apply to the other three schools now; ask for fee waivers if money is an issue.

Seattle U had a little survey they gave people they waitlisted in which you indicated your continued interest among other things. Decisions on the waitlisted aren't made until April, and per the letters of continued interest portion of the site, I should wait to send it until decisions are made on those who are on the waitlist. I still would like some input on my ideas for what to write on that letter however.

Applying for fee waivers will certainly be a priority and I will make a point to apply to the other three.

I was so confident that I had a stellar PS, LoR, and academic accolades to easily put me in for all the schools i applied to with the exception of University of Washington. Now I wonder if I pulled off a Tommy Wiseau (points to those who know who I am talking about) and that what I thought I did well was actually an unmitigated disaster.

[PlugInBaby]

Update: Got into Chicago-Kent...whose GPA and LSAT stats are better than Seattle U's. I still have my heart set on studying in the city of Seattle though. Since my PS was actually the same exact one I sent to Seattle U, I would suppose that a bad PS or bad other things may not be the case. I wonder if it is a residency matter as I live in suburban Chicago and T2 schools are more likely to take the local candidate rather than the out of state or out of region ones.

[sanpiero]

Update: Got into Chicago-Kent...whose GPA and LSAT stats are better than Seattle U's. I still have my heart set on studying in the city of Seattle though. Since my PS was actually the same exact one I sent to Seattle U, I would suppose that a bad PS or bad other things may not be the case. I wonder if it is a residency matter as I live in suburban Chicago and T2 schools are more likely to take the local candidate rather than the out of state or out of region ones.

Congrats. Did you send the LOCI to Seattle?

[PlugInBaby]

Update: Got into Chicago-Kent...whose GPA and LSAT stats are better than Seattle U's. I still have my heart set on studying in the city of Seattle though. Since my PS was actually the same exact one I sent to Seattle U, I would suppose that a bad PS or bad other things may not be the case. I wonder if it is a residency matter as I live in suburban Chicago and T2 schools are more likely to take the local candidate rather than the out of state or out of region ones.

Congrats. Did you send the LOCI to Seattle?

I did, and a good one I think. In addition to why the school appealed to me, I even added more self-promoting firepower just in case it was a matter of softs downgrading me. I just hope they let me in (or U-Dub does, I can dream) before the tuition deposit for Chicago-Kent ($750...ouch) is due.

I suppose its a matter of speculative diagnostics that interests me about why Kent would take me and Seattle would waitlist me.