Hi everyone,

This month only, 7Sage Consultant Selene Steelman is offering a new service called Application Review.

What is Application Review?

Our goal is to tell you what an admissions officer might think after reading your file. Selene will review your application (a PDF preview) along with other materials that an admissions committee will see (LSAT history, academic summary, etc.). She’ll give you feedback in a conversation via the phone or Skype and send you notes after the call.

Who is Selene?

Selene worked in law school admissions for fourteen years before coming to 7Sage. You can read more about her (and all of us) here: 7sage.com/admissions/about-us

What’s the difference between Admissions Consulting and Application Review?

Admissions Consulting comes with unlimited help on all aspects of your application, including strategy, editorial guidance on every essay, and after-app follow-up (for interviews, letters of continuing interest, etc.). Application Review is, well, a review of a single application. It’s evaluative (“Is this good?”) rather than editorial (“How can this be better?”).

The difference between Admissions Consulting and Application Review is like the difference between (1) going to your college’s writing center and (2) turning your paper into the teacher. Imagine, though, that you could turn your paper into someone else’s whip-smart teacher and process her feedback before you turned it into your actual teacher for a grade: that’s Application Review.

How much does it cost?

$499.

How many Application Review packages are there?

Five.

What do I need to do before I use this service?

You need to write all of your essays, fill out an application via LSAC, and upload all of your attachments. You should be ready to hit “submit” before you buy this.

If you’ve already applied, we can give you a post-mortem.

Who should NOT use this service?

Don’t purchase this if you want to apply right now. Selene may advise you to revise or rewrite large portions of your application.

When she was working in admissions, she was known as a hard-a$$. Just saying.

How do I purchase?

Email editors@7sage.com with the subject line “Application Review” for a reservation. We’ll give you a start date. If that date works for you, you can hold the spot by purchasing the service through a link that we’ll pass along.

Hi! I applied to Duke via priority track and heard back saying that I have been provisionally admitted. The e-mail I received says that I will be officially admitted once I finish the financial aid/scholarship application process, and that Duke's Financial Aid Office will send the scholarship application form by e-mail in December. Is there anything for me to do before they send me the form (for example, am I supposed to e-mail their office and let them know that I plan to apply for scholarship)?

Also, it says that the "scholarship application process includes the opportunity to participate in a Skype interview with a member of the committee" -- does anyone have any advice on how to approach/prepare for this optional scholarship interview?

Thank you!

I've searched all over the forum and couldn't find anything on this topic. I'm prior military and I went to several institutions before and during my service to complete my undergrad degree. The LSAC has my GPA listed as "3.0 - 3.49". Why is that? What does that mean (other than I was a very mediocre student 😁)? It never really stood out to me because I thought perhaps everyone's was listed in a similar way, but having searched the forum, I can't find another example of anyone with an LSAC GPA listed as a range... I'm a bit confused because my actual degree GPA is within that range, so why not just use that GPA?

Can someone explain this sorcery?

Hey guys, so is it recommended to always waive your right to see your LOR?

A brief search here seems to indicate that is so. Just wanted to confirm.

Also, if I do waive the right, would it be unethical to ask my recommender to see a copy of the letter before he submits it? Just trying to do the right thing.

Thanks!

I just posted a new "why X" essay. Take a look if you need some inspiration!

https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/good-why-x-essay/

I have an early decision deadline tomorrow. Yesterday, I sent in all my application materials. Also, my CAS (law school report) has been complete for awhile on the LSAC website. Additionally, it says that LSAC sent my CAS report to the school last night. Does anybody know how long this process takes, that is the process of LSAC sending it and the school updating my application with it? I ask because my application needs to be complete by tomorrow. Stressed out, thanks in advance for any help.

Hi all! I wanted to get this wisdom of my peers on whether either of these is a good choice, and the potential pitfall I see with each.

A tale of two births. I wanted to explore how the contrast between the entries of my first & second kiddos into the world had a profound effect on me. There are external challenges, internal challenges, turning points, solutions, specific changes of perspective, and it's a very personal and passionate thing for me. My only hesitation is that it involves both a c-section and non-surgical birth (no gory details, I promise) and I worry that might be controversial. I would not be taking a stand, just talking about how I felt & what I learned, but it can be a sensitive subject for some. What do you think? Too risky? Or possible with careful handling?

The time I moved halfway around the world, just because I could. It was the most amazing three years of my life, my first kid was born there, and I grew/learned a ton. No human rights angle. It makes for interesting telling, but for a law school application is it too close a variation on the overused semester abroad theme?

What do you think? 1? 2? Or are there reasons I should scrap both and go back to the drawing board?

I am having a hard time deciding what to write about. I can write about my background: growing up with a father addicted to heroin, working at 15 years old; and what led me to here and now which includes me graduating from undergrad at 31 as a single parent working full time as a paralegal at a personal injury firm; or

If I should write about how my gluten allergy was undiagnosed for many years and inspired me to learn more about food policy and fueled my desire to go to law school even more.

I thought the LSAT was hard but writing about myself is just as hard! What should I do?

Hi guys!

I'm getting ready to apply to a few schools before December 25, and am considering writing diversity statement. I am the daughter of immigrants and know that is a decent topic for a diversity statement, but I think I want to focus on my undergraduate studies for a potential topic instead. I majored in Human Biology and Spanish in undergrad, and I know probably the majority of people applying to law school will not have science majors in their background. As odd as it may be that I am applying to law school with Bachelor degrees in both these two areas (maybe less so with Spanish), I really do think that my studies have contributed to my continued desire to study the law, and have prepared me in different ways for doing so. I declared a major in human biology for the opportunity to master something much greater than just the natural sciences, but to apply the sciences to the bigger picture by incorporating information learned from the social sciences and the humanities.I have learned the importance of collaborative problem solving, ethical reasoning, the application of scientific reasoning in a non-scientific setting, etc.

Because of the material taught at all three levels in this department, I have the skills to see health with a more holistic approach as it relates to environmental issues on the global scale, and how the branches of natural and social sciences and the humanities all overlap, allowing for identifying and addressing issues we face today. This has motivated me more to study environmental and health related law, while I am still interested in exploring other areas of law as well.

To me, I think this gives me a different perspective and allows me to stand out at least somewhat against other applicants, but I would love to hear if you guys think this is a compelling enough for a diversity statement. As David and the admissions team have said so many times, I don't want a poor diversity statement to negatively impact my application. All comments and suggestions are welcome!

Thanks guys! Hope you all have an awesome week!

Some discussion on reddit about getting emails from better tier schools 1-1.5 weeks before official score release - anyone have a similar experience?

I did not waive my rights to view my LORs in LSAC. I should have done my homework on this ahead of time so I would have realized that it's pretty standard for students to waive their rights. I cannot figure out how to change it in LSAC... help!

hi! for law school apps under the "List the academic honors and awards, or other recognitions you have received"

do I list all/any of the following:

thanks!

Hi 7 sage fam!

So I've actually been tying myself in knots, trying to find answers to this question. But I realized (silly me) that I have an amazing resource right here! Thanks in advance for your time and attention!

So my situation is pretty straightforward. I was going to take the LSAT this Nov and then postponed till Jan because I knew I wasn't ready. Made that decision the week of the exam. On the one hand, this is great, because my blind review is already in the 99th percentile and all I need is time to get my timed score to match (thanks 7 sage!). On the other hand, it does mess up my application plans. I had planned--and common wisdom I collected told me--that I should have my application in before Thanksgiving if possible to have the best chance. And if not, then before Christmas. Now, my common wisdom maybe old, as the last time I attempted a law school bid was about 5 years ago, but that's what I was told at the time. Given the fact that I won't have my scores until Feb, when should I submit my application? I do have an old score (161) on my record so technically my application, when complete, can be considered.

For those of you who'll want more context, I'm applying to mostly T-15 schools. During my last attempt at law school, I was waitlisted at Columbia, NYU, Georgetown (special waitlisted there) with 158, 15x and 161 lsat scores on my record. The high 150 scores have since expired.

Thank you!

Hi all,

I already took a gap year, so I do not want to wait for the next cycle. I am registered for the January LSAT, but am not sure of whether I should submit my applications before that, or just hit the send button after I receive my score sometime in February. I'm applying to regional schools with priority deadlines in mid-March, April, and even August, but I'm still extremely worried. What should I do? I would appreciate any input. Thanks.

In the generic Employment section of schools' online applications you list all your jobs, including internships. Because of the way you fill in the information, you aren't able to list one job with multiple hours worked (e.g. lower hours for a while when studying, then back to normal hours).

How do you handle working the same job but with periods of different hours? Do you list the same job twice with different hours? Just list one job but using your current hours? Any tips? It feels a little misleading just using current hours, but then it feels really silly putting the same job twice (as if you're trying to make yourself look busier than you are..?)

Up until July of this year I was working a good job at a well-known law firm. I then quit to study for the Sept LSAT, and in October I moved across the country and got a minimum wage job. I think my job at that firm would look really good at the top of the experience section in my resume, but I also don't want it to look like I have been unemployed for 5 months when I submit my applications in December. What should I do??

Is it acceptable to have, say, a size 12 font resume and a size 11 font personal statement (or vice versa)? Or am I taking the "be consistent" advice too far?

The deadline to request an admission interview (for Vandy) is Dec 1st. However, since I took the LSAT (for the first time) in Nov, I will not receive my score until the first week of Dec. So....

Should I go ahead and schedule an interview without knowing my LSAT score? (They do allow you to request an interview before your application is completed.)

If I do move forward with the interview this year, but decide to postpone my application until next year, will I need to do another interview?

Any advice or additional information would be great! Thank you!

Does Yale 250 essay have to have exactly 250 words? Can it be less than 250? (for example, can it be 210 words? or should I fill it up at least to 245 words if I can't make it exactly 250?)

Thank you in advance for your responses!

Three days ago, I got admission from Cornell Law school under binding ED program.

I know this is nothing to brag about as I am more than convinced there are many prospective law school applicants who will definitely do better. But for me, this is a great accomplishment and I don't think I could have made it happen without the help from JY and David.

I am a South Korean and have very limited experience in studying in the United States. And as you can assume, my command of English is naturally not as great as others. Studying LSAT was a huge obstacle for me and it was JY's lectures that really helped me get reasonably good score on LSAT. In fact, 7 sage was the only LSAT resource that I eventually used because I was confident that its methods better befitted me than any other resources did.

When I started studying LSAT, I could not finish half the questions on any sections. I could not imagine how it was possible for anyone to finish LG section in time as I barely finished two games in 40 minutes. I closely followed JY's instruction on Blind Reviews and tried to internalize JY's way of reasoning to eliminate wrong answer choices and choose the right answers. Thinking in terms of example and analogy in understanding the text ( as JY often did) was what helped me the most in tackling hard questions. JY has his own unique tone and way of talking (I think) and when I tried to explain some of the PT questions to my study mates, I realized I was talking like JY at some point. I think that was the extent to which I tried to think like JY and I believe it worked.

JY once visited Seoul to give lectures on RC in person and I think his lectures on low-resolution summary and the way of tackling comparative passages were the reason I could make a leap on my RC scores. Because after adopting his methods and the frame of thinking, my RC score started to improve and I don't think that's a causation-correlation error. He also bought all the students who attended his class some really great burittos, so if JY visits your city, you definitely have enough incentive to go and take his class.

I never broke that wall of 170 by a slight margin and I really wish I had. But I can confidently say that 7 Sage is the way to go if anyone is aiming for 170 over on LSAT.

I also used 7 Sage admission service and David is such a fantastic editor. Seeing his edit is like seeing someone magically solving a rubix cube in an unbelievably short span of time. He can really help you draft a clean, refined and structured essay and can give you specific advice on where to revise and what to revise. Without David and other editors, I am unsure of how my personal essay along with many optional essays would have turned out. I really loved how each of my essay looked after his final edit and was convinced that these essays would work.

7 Sage was how I got the LSAT score and essays that worked for Law school admission. I owe many thanks to 7 Sage for I genuinely believe its service was what enabled me to successfully finish this long and hard journey for law school admission. I will now stop my long rambling praise on 7 Sage and wish all the best luck to 7 Sage users.

Thank you 7 Sage.

Gam sa hapnida.

My undergraduate degree is from outside of the US. I already provided LSAC with an official English transcript of my undergraduate in the sealed university envelop as well as my undergraduate diploma. My undergraduate institution does not issue an official transcript in the original language (which is non-English) in the sealed university envelop. I also have an MS degree from an institution in the US. However, LSAC says they will not process my Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report until they receive the official transcript in the original language in the sealed university envelop. Anybody has had this issue in the past? Any solution? I have asked LSAC multiple times that you can reach out to my undergraduate institution to verify that they do not issue the official transcript in the original language in the sealed university envelop, but LSAC does not want to reach out to my undergraduate institution.

This is probably a dumb question but I have to ask anyways.

I've noticed all the applications want to know how many times you've taken the LSAT and what scores you received. Having taken it multiple times and having some scores that don't look so good, I don't want to.

If schools really only care about your highest score, should I only report that? Or should I swallow my pride and put all the scores I have on the application?. I'm guessing schools could talk to LSAC and see them anyways, so I'm confused why they would inquire about all of them.

If anyone wants to swap, let me know!

Hello-I have an interview coming up & just updated my resume. Would anyone be willing to take a look? I just need another pair of eyes on overall fluidity & organization!

Hey all,

I have a question regarding references on which I'd be interested to hear some thoughts. I'm a Canadian applicant, and I've already submitted my applications for Ontario law schools, which allow three referees. However, I am just finishing up applications for UBC, UVic, and Dalhousie. UVic does not accept LORs (which, in my opinion, lowers their program on my list...but, anyway). UBC and Dalhousie, on the other hand, ask for only 2 letters. Thus, I'm in a position where I have to decide which two referees to ask to submit letters to these schools. Here are a few relevant specs for each referee.

Referee #1: An Associate Professor in psychology who I completed roughly 8 courses with over the duration of my program. I haven't seen the letter he wrote, but I often received back positive comments on my performance and a few times he asked if he could provide my papers as a model for future students in particular courses that he taught. However, I never worked as a TA or research assistant for this individual.

Referee #2: Instructor in sociology. Due to a health condition, he is not able to fulfill the requirements to be a full professor at this time, keeping him at the rank of instructor. However, he does have his doctorate from a prestigious American university. I worked as a TA for him for 4 years, returning each year at his own request. I also worked as a research assistant for him during a summer. I expect the letter would be quite good.

Referee#3: The Vice-President Academic of the university where I graduated. Unfortunately, I never completed any courses with him. Our relationship revolves around his supervising an academic writing fellowship that I was offered, and am now completing, at the the university. His comments to me have been favorable, and he described his letter as "glowing." However, I know that the amount of personal experience with me that he has to drawn on is more limited than the other two. At the same time, his title is impressive.

In many respects, the question this comes down to is...Do admissions committees tend to regard more highly the title/position of the referee or the amount of experience shared with the applicant? Thoughts?