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I'm an applicant this cycle with my dream school being UCLA. I'm wondering if it would be smart for me to apply ED on Nov 15 or if doing so would only hurt my chances in negotiating potentially better offers. I'm applying as a URM, Mexican American, with 165 LSAT with 3.75 GPA. Good softs (I think?): I've worked as an aide at a BigLaw Firm in LA for the past few years, taught English in Spain, interned for a State Representative, and I'm Phi Beta Kappa graduate.

The schools I'm looking at are..Stanford (parents are legacy), UCLA, USC, Cornell, Berkeley, NYU, Georgetown, Fordham, BU.

I guess I'm asking: am I at least competitive for some of these schools, and/or what should I do about the ED thing?

Never apply ED without a guaranteed scholarship.

Jackthelad wrote:I'm an applicant this cycle with my dream school being UCLA. I'm wondering if it would be smart for me to apply ED on Nov 15 or if doing so would only hurt my chances in negotiating potentially better offers. I'm applying as a URM, Mexican American, with 165 LSAT with 3.75 GPA. Good softs (I think?): I've worked as an aide at a BigLaw Firm in LA for the past few years, taught English in Spain, interned for a State Representative, and I'm Phi Beta Kappa graduate.

The schools I'm looking at are..Stanford (parents are legacy), UCLA, USC, Cornell, Berkeley, NYU, Georgetown, Fordham, BU.

I guess I'm asking: am I at least competitive for some of these schools, and/or what should I do about the ED thing?

I'm curious why UCLA is your dream school, yet you're looking at NYU, Georgetown and BU too. Where do you intend to practice as a lawyer? What kind of law?

At the moment you should be blanketing the T13/14 with applications. For better advice, give us some more background. If UCLA's ED is binding, I would avoid it. With a well crafted application including good, tailored, Why-X essays for each school, I think you're competitive at higher ranked institutions.

albanach wrote:

Jackthelad wrote:I'm an applicant this cycle with my dream school being UCLA. I'm wondering if it would be smart for me to apply ED on Nov 15 or if doing so would only hurt my chances in negotiating potentially better offers. I'm applying as a URM, Mexican American, with 165 LSAT with 3.75 GPA. Good softs (I think?): I've worked as an aide at a BigLaw Firm in LA for the past few years, taught English in Spain, interned for a State Representative, and I'm Phi Beta Kappa graduate.

The schools I'm looking at are..Stanford (parents are legacy), UCLA, USC, Cornell, Berkeley, NYU, Georgetown, Fordham, BU.

I guess I'm asking: am I at least competitive for some of these schools, and/or what should I do about the ED thing?

I'm curious why UCLA is your dream school, yet you're looking at NYU, Georgetown and BU too. Where do you intend to practice as a lawyer? What kind of law?

At the moment you should be blanketing the T13/14 with applications. For better advice, give us some more background. If UCLA's ED is binding, I would avoid it. With a well crafted application including good, tailored, Why-X essays for each school, I think you're competitive at higher ranked institutions.

My family is based in Southern California so I'd really prefer not to move. I list NYU, Georgetown, etc because if it came down to it, and I got rejected from USC and UCLA, I'd rather attend an east coast t-14 than a Loyola or Pepperdine. Am I correct in this thinking? Ideally, would like to practice in California, but again, I guess that could change if I got into an NYU or something.

I'm looking at Public Interest Law and Policy...maybe something to do with Disability Rights(?). I'm hoping to get a clearer picture of the kind of law I want to ultimately practice in law school but as of right now I've got a personal statement that fits really well with my interest (overcoming a childhood stutter).

Jackthelad wrote: My family is based in Southern California so I'd really prefer not to move. I list NYU, Georgetown, etc because if it came down to it, and I got rejected from USC and UCLA, I'd rather attend an east coast t-14 than a Loyola or Pepperdine. Am I correct in this thinking? Ideally, would like to practice in California, but again, I guess that could change if I got into an NYU or something.

I'm looking at Public Interest Law and Policy...maybe something to do with Disability Rights(?). I'm hoping to get a clearer picture of the kind of law I want to ultimately practice in law school but as of right now I've got a personal statement that fits really well with my interest (overcoming a childhood stutter).

First off, make sure you actually want to be a lawyer, not a policy wonk. Law school is good for becoming a lawyer, and not much else.

Secondly, I'd try to get a better grasp on what you want to do as a lawyer. If, by disability rights, you mean local lawyering, for example at legal aid, then staying local to build connections while minimizing debt makes sense. If, on the other hand, you want to shape national policy through litigation at a national non-profit, then those jobs are incredibly competitive and you want to attend the best school that's affordable to you.

Your cycle is likely a bit unpredictable as a Mexican American with a GPA and LSAT that are both just a little low for ordinary T-14 admission. I still think you should apply broadly - probably to the entire T-20. Then compare offers, hopefully having had some time to consider what you really want to get out of school.

Jackthelad wrote:My family is based in Southern California so I'd really prefer not to move. I list NYU, Georgetown, etc because if it came down to it, and I got rejected from USC and UCLA, I'd rather attend an east coast t-14 than a Loyola or Pepperdine. Am I correct in this thinking? Ideally, would like to practice in California, but again, I guess that could change if I got into an NYU or something.

This is pretty reasonable. I'd ax BU and Fordham from your list, though - much harder to get back to California from those schools. Meanwhile you should be looking at Michigan and other t-14s. Agree with the above poster that you definitely shouldn't apply ED (although, IIRC, USC offers a guaranteed scholarship for ED apps and that kind of deal wouldn't be insane).

I'm looking at Public Interest Law and Policy...maybe something to do with Disability Rights(?). I'm hoping to get a clearer picture of the kind of law I want to ultimately practice in law school but as of right now I've got a personal statement that fits really well with my interest (overcoming a childhood stutter).

Law school generally isn't great for policy work. Disability-advocacy PI is real but you should talk to attorneys who currently do the job you envision to get a better idea of 1) what you'd be getting into 2) how best get get your career started.