Hi all,

I've been out of college for a few years now, so I asked my manager to write me a letter of recommendation and she readily agreed. She would like to see some examples of good letters of recommendation, since she's never written one for law school apps. Anyone have any helpful links and/or words of wisdom? I've found plenty of examples for letters from professors, but not a lot of robust guidance for employers.

Thanks!

Hey guys, so I have a dumb question. I just started my CAS stuff on LSAC.org. But where do I write and submit my PS, resume, etc?

Do they have to be individually submitted to individual schools, or through CAS?

36 out of 37 law schools I emailed waived my application fee. I am wondering if they would also be willing to pay the report fee LSAC charges? Does anyone have any experience with this?

I have a sentence in my diversity statement that reads "The X that I faced gave me thicker skin and a resilience to bend to others’ expectations and adversity." A few people read my DS and didn't notice it. I didn't even notice it until I had already sent it out to a bunch of schools this week and the last. I meant to say that I gained a resilience to bendING not to bend, which means the complete opposite of what I intended. The way it's phrased now sounds like I DO bend to other peoples' expectations.

Please help! What should I do? Is it understandable enough to leave it as is or should I email or call the schools and ask to send in an amended draft?

Hello everyone!

I am a foreign attorney and since I'm planning to live in the States, I want to have a J.D. My dream is to go to a Top 15 Law School, but since I don't know if I'll be able to get the score (My highest score was 164 this week, but I've been averaging 161 the past month), I have considered applying to both LLMs (in which LSAT is not required) and JDs. That way my chances of being admitted to a top 15 would increase. But lately, I've been having serious doubts and I would like to hear other opinions regarding the following options:

-Would it be better to have a Master's from a really good school like Harvard or Yale and then transfer to another school (not every school accepts LLM to JD transfers), or would it be better to be admitted to a top 25 school JD program, and then trying to transfer on the 2L to an even better school?

-Do you think that it would be counterproductive to apply to both the LLM and JD program within the same school? Let's take for example Columbia, which is my dream school. In case I don't get admitted to a JD program, I could still get admitted to the LLM. But I am afraid that the admissions council would think that I am just applying in a "volume" format, trying to send as many applications as I can or that they might say "Well he has a good JD profile, but he would definitely be a better fit to our LLM program".

Does anyone know someone that has applied to both programs?

Since I am planning to spend a lot of money on application fees (crying), I really want to make the correct decision. Moreover, the deadline for the LLM programs is December 15th, which means that I won't have my LSAT score by then.

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts since I am really looking for help!

I will likely be starting a new job (same industry, new company) within the next few weeks. I've already submitted my law school applications, but I'm wondering if I need to send an updated resume to the schools listing my new job? The resume was current and correct when I submitted it, but will be outdated by the January/February time when decisions are being made. I plan to call my top schools to hear their individual preferences, but I was just wondering if anyone had faced a similar situation. Thanks!

UBC says refrences are optional for the general category. How optional is this? UBC is a pretty strong Canadian school (LSAT median 165 GPA 3.7), but it does clearly say you dont need to send refrences, but would it hurt my chances? Unlike most US and Canadian schools, UBC is not part if any credential assembly service, everything must be sent to them manually which may explain why they have this policy. I didnt think I was applying here, but changed my mind and would prefer not to bother my references if possible

Hey there -- anyone out there want to read over a Why Berkeley essay? Happy to edit your PS/DS/Why X/whatever!

Hi guys, I'm kind of freaking out a little here. I sent in my first applications yesterday and I realized that I had made a mistake on one of the multiple questions part. Do I need to reach out to the law school by email? How should I do that? Please help!!!!

Hi,

I'm in the process of writing the Berkeley Law Opportunity Scholarship essay (anyone also applying for BLOS??) and was wondering if anyone would be down to read my draft? I would really appreciate any feedback. And if anyone wants to have a second pair of eyes read/edit their BLOS essay, feel free to DM me as well!

the prompt for this essay is - How do you think being a first generation college student has shaped your perspective, and how will that perspective contribute to the Berkeley Law community?

Thank you!

Hi 7sagers,

I need advice both on the LSAT and admissions fronts.

I got the flu a few days ago the week before the November LSAT. I’m definitely not missing my yearly vaccine again…lesson learned. I’m finally feeling better, but I’m not certain if it’s a good idea to retake the test this weekend.

My question is the following:

If I decide to withdraw from/cancel the November test, submit my applications with my current score, and potentially register later for the January LSAT to retake, would the schools I applied to start reviewing my app or wait to see my new score?

I wouldn’t want all of my schools to wait to review my application since I haven’t even figured out whether my chances of admission are better if I get a higher score provided that I retake or if I submit my applications earlier without retaking.

I’m also wondering if it’s possible to submit some applications with my current score, then later register for the LSAT and submit additional applications with all scores, but not have that affect/halt the review process at the schools I have already applied to.

Thanks in advance for your help!

There seems to be this consensus: applying on late January/early February equals lower chances to get in.

The rolling basis process is real, many schools start accepting people as soon as the application window opens, therefore affecting the seats available. Yet many applicants don't hear back until early spring, actually some numbers even suggest that most applicants send their applications starting January.

https://blog.spiveyconsulting.com/its-early-youre-early-this-whole-damn-place-is-early/

Is it safe to compare the timing with the admission rate? Couldn't this be simply a causation/correlation flaw, just because lots of people get in by applying early on, it could be due to the fact that the most qualified applicants apply early in the cycle and as a consequence are more likely to get in.

I heard a dean of admission -from a competitive school- say that if you don't get in there is a reason why, and timing really doesn't matter.

Hi! Specific question about the Stanford optional essays. I've chosen to do the song one and want to just write the titles of the songs, accompanied by Youtube links, and let them stand on their own. However, the wording of the prompt is making me think that there is a 100 word minimum????? (i.e. "Note that there is a 100 to 250-word limit for each question."). Anyone have any insight on this? Thanks!

.

I know that the Nov LSAT is on the 17th. A lot of schools have their ED deadline as the 15th though, despite the website saying that students taking November LSAT are still eligible to apply ED. In this situation, do you have to call the school and tell them what's going on and they will make a note in your file?

So I have a bit of a dilemma (not really). I am taking the November test next Saturday and I have been drilling RC pretty much this entire week and I am curious to see what improvements, if any, I have made. However, I also have the opportunity to go to an open house for a school that I already applied to and according to my applicaton status am in the "final review stage". I could take the PT during the week but the longer I delay it the less time I have to review it. Yet, if I go to the open house maybe there would be an opportunity to talk to someone on the admissions committee and put a face to the name. Still I am above both medians so I guess chances are already in my favor.

Thoughts ?

Hey 7sagers - just a quick question:

In Penn Law's application, the "Undergraduate Employment" section reads: "If you were employed during the academic year while in undergraduate school, list the positions you held beginning with freshman year" --> does this apply to jobs held during the summer as well, the summer in between freshman yr & sophomore yr etc?

Thank you!

Hi everyone -

I'm in the process of finishing up my application materials for this cycle. I'm planning to apply for NYU's AnBryce Scholarship program. The prompt for the essay is to talk about a personal obstacle, how you embody attributes of an AnBryce scholar in overcoming the obstacle (giving back to society, making a positive impact on the world, etc.), and how you'll use your legal education to promote the ideals of an AnBryce scholar. I basically wrote about a very personal event (a nonconsensual video taken of my legs/thighs on the subway) and how this traumatizing event, rather than letting me down, inspired me to help women facing gender-based violence. I went on to mention how I want to pursue a legal education in public interest to continue helping underrepresented groups. I wasn't sure if the adcom at NYU were looking for something more along the lines of a social/economic obstacle (e.g. overcoming financial hardship or facing discrimination of some sort)? If anyone has advice on the AnBryce essay, and whether I'm on the right track in terms of topic, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks and good luck to everyone applying this cycle!!

Q: Do minority students who do not fit the tradition URM (under-represented minority) definition get any boost in admissions by submitting a diversity statement?

I understand that traditionally URM includes African Americans, some Hispanics, and Native Americans. How about "non-traditional URMs" (e.g. U.S. applicants who are ethnic minorities, foreign-born, and/or economically disadvantaged)?

I understand the importance of the diversity statement, but is there any measurable boost from it?

Thanks everyone. It's good to be part of this community. I am learning a lot already. :)

Hi all,

I am set to take the November LSAT this week but feel that I could do better if I took the January LSAT.

Should I still submit my applications in December and inform schools of my pending January LSAT or wait until I get the results and apply in February? Some schools I've contacted will look at my application as-is even if I have a pending LSAT score and may render a decision before my January results come in.

Is Feb. too late in the cycle???

Any idea of how good a predictor the 7sage law school admissions predictor is and where it's getting its data from?

Hi 7Sagers,

I’ve been dreadfully remiss in introducing three new members of our team, two of whom aren’t really new anymore. Better late than never, though!

First, I want you to meet Selene Steelman, who spent the last fourteen years reviewing files at the Cardozo School of Law. Selene’s bottom-up knowledge of the entire law school admissions process has already brought a new level of depth to our consulting and editorial services. In addition to sitting on Cardozo’s Admissions Committee, Selene directed the LL.M. Admissions department, so she’s an amazing resource for our international clients—not to mention everyone else. I feel lucky to work with her!

Many of you have already benefitted from the writing expertise of Kurt Pitzer, a journalist and author who’s published two books—The Bomb in My Garden and Eating with the Enemy—that were acclaimed by the New York Times. Kurt has written for numerous magazines and newspapers, and his documentary work in Bosnia, Serbia, and Kosovo earned him the Lange-Taylor Prize. No one who receives Kurt’s feedback would be surprised to hear of his success. Sometimes I pin his editorial letters to the wall and just kinda waft my hands towards my nose while I inhale, as if his words were an incense that could make me smarter. (Hasn’t worked yet.)

Finally, I want to introduce Aaron Thier, my former classmate and hair rival at Yale. (It really wasn’t much of a contest, though. Just look at this guy). Aaron is the author of the brilliant and stunningly inventive novels The Ghost Apple (a semi-finalist for the Thurber Prize) and Mr. Eternity (a finalist for the same award). His latest book, The World is a Narrow Bridge, came out this summer. I kept hearing about Aaron and his work as I went to book-type things in New York—including the book release party for 7Sage editor Amy’s story collection—so I was thrilled when he agreed to come on board. I still am.

Say hello in the comments!

Hello everyone!

So one of my previous professors that has agreed to write me a LOR has asked me to tell her where I've decided to apply so she can tailor the letter for each school's specific programs. Does having a LOR addressing each specific school have any benefit?? Or does it not really matter? I'm not 100% sure exactly where I'm applying yet anyways (will finalize after I've taken my Nov LSAT) and I'm worried I'll decide to apply to an additional program last minute or something and then end up without her letter at all for that school because I didn't tell her about it ahead of time or something. And then there's the fear that I'll assign one of the letters to the wrong school.. Isn't it just easier for her to do one letter that works for all of the schools or what do you all recommend? I'm not sure what looks best.

Thank you for reading!

nm

Hi all, I'm considering applying early to Columbia Law School with the idea in mind that my chances are very low. Columbia Law is my dream school and, though my LSAT score of 165 does not make my chances too high, there were occasions where people in my range did get in, so I'm betting my chances on that.

Brief background, I'm thinking of retaking the LSAT next year and would really begin applying next year as well. I am not planning on applying to other law schools this year, and applying to Columbia Law early is somewhat of a whim, with the thoughts that if I get in, fantastic! If not, I'll just apply again next year.

I've read through several posts on whether re-applying hurts my admission chances and it seems as though the consensus falls in "depends on the school." My questions, so, are as follows:

Thanks in advance!