This may be useful for those who are considering or who have already submitted a deposit for multiple schools!

http://blog.spiveyconsulting.com/on-multiple-depositing/

Good afternoon 7sage community,

I have been brainstorming ideas and thoughts for my personal statement. Is it recommended to personalize each personal statement for each school? Same goes for recommendation letters, do you use a general letter for all schools or unique versions for each school? I am new to the process, please excuse my lack of knowledge.

Thank you

I have been admitted to a few schools, and one of them has not yet given me their financial aid decision. It has been about a month since I was admitted, and I completed my financial aid application forms shortly thereafter. I am worried about the fact that I have yet to hear back from them. I'll note that they let me know I must submit all of the materials to them by March 15th in order to have an offer back from them by the seat deposit deadline of April 30th, so perhaps they always take a relatively long time.

My question is this: does my attending or not attending their upcoming admitted students weekend influence their decision on my financial aid? For context I'll add that their aid is based on demonstrated need and I come from a very low income background.

Thank you so much for reading! Please share your thoughts.

https://law.vanderbilt.edu/2017-EmploymentSummary.pdf

Fresh off the press! The employment numbers for Vanderbilt for the Class of 2017

Hey guys, just hoping to get some opinions. I've been studying for the LSAT for over a year now. Took it once, didn't quite the score I wanted, so I'm taking it again in June (and July if necessary).

After my disappointing first test I decided to apply for the Peace Corps as it's something I've always wanted to do and the timing felt right. I was invited to serve (yay!) and I'll be moving to Benin come September. My service lasts until December 2020, so I would plan to apply for Fall 2021. I know LSAT scores technically last 5 years, but I've heard schools feel differently about older scores. I'm not super worried about it if I do end up applying for Fall 2021, but I think there's a chance I may apply the following Fall if I extend my service or decide to work for a non-profit for a year between PC and law school.

I've already dedicated so much time to studying and am feeling pretty positive that I'll be able to get my goal score come June, so I don't want to let this progress go to waste. Are schools going to care if I apply for the Fall 2022 semester with a June/July 2018 LSAT score?

Just got my first rejection. Got denied by Texas Tech. Pretty sure its due to my gpa. Thought I had a fairly good chance due to being 4 points above their 75th LSAT. Oh well. Still waiting on Texas AM and UNT. I appreciate this forum, everyone here has always been very kind and cordial to one another. I've been browsing the r/lawadmissions subreddit and it seems very toxic to me. I'm glad 7sage is not the same!

Hey everyone!

I was recently admitted to UChicago and I've gotten a handful of questions about the UChicago interview, so I thought I'd write up an in-depth post about it so that those of you interested in Chicago now and interested 7Sagers in the future can know what to expect :smile:.

For the sake of transparency, here are my numbers and how my cycle has gone: lawschoolnumbers.com/ApplicantFor2018

To add some color, I transferred universities from a T50 to a T20 after my first year of college. After transferring I received a 4.0 in all semesters. My letters of rec came from two professors - one I took for 3 semesters and the other just for 1 - whose classes I was #1 in consistently and whose office hours I attended religiously. I also took ~9 months off of school to work on Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign but am still graduating on time.

Time for the interview

In broad strokes, here are general points you should know:

1. It is structured.

In stark contrast with the Georgetown Alumni Interview (see: https://classic.7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/14244/i-just-interviewed-with-georgetown-heres-what-to-expect), the UChicago interview is structured. As in, the interviewer has a set of pre-determined questions they are trying to get through and they are taking notes on what you say. In this regard, this interview seems to matter a good amount. While the Georgetown Alumni Interview felt like a "gatekeeping" interview - where you were basically already admitted but they want to make sure you're not a weirdo - the UChicago interview felt more like your answers could not only preclude you from admission, but also EARN you admission. In other words, this interview is important and you should prepare for it.

2. But that doesn't mean be a robot.

A structured interview doesn't mean your answers have to be rigid. Demonstrate your intelligence and capability but also demonstrate your interpersonal skills. While the questions are structured, it is still fair-game to ask questions mid-interview. For example, it turns out my interviewer took time off of school to work on Obama's campaign, so we had something in common. I asked her a bit about her experience there and it was a great way to bond with her as an interviewer. Someone once told me people rarely remember what you said, but they always remember how you made them feel. It makes people feel good to talk about themselves, so let them. However, in the context of THIS PARTICULAR interview, because of it's more rigid structure and clear "we have to answer these questions" motive, don't ask too many questions as to seem scatter-brained or to be deliberately digressing. If an opportunity for a cool tangent comes up (like shared work experience, place of birth, etc.), take it! But DON'T MAKE one happen.

3. It is a short interview.

They're only 20 (max 25) minutes. When you first see your interviewer on Skype, he/she won't waste any time - they will jump STRAIGHT into the questions, so be prepared. There isn't much small talk beforehand to warm up, so make sure you're already warm and personable before you get the Skype call. (Also if it wasn't clear, UChicago ONLY conducts interviews via Skype - they do NOT offer in person interviews).

Here's how you should prepare

1. Practice these questions:

Thankfully many past UChicago interviewees have posted the questions they've been asked on various forums. Here are the potential questions you may be asked - practice answers for all of them:

Why law?

Why law now?

Why Chicago?

What am I doing between now and law school (I was a December graduate from UG)?

Resume related questions (questions about specific items or bullet-points on your rezzy).

Have you ever had a time when you were out of your element or comfort zone?

What is your greatest accomplishment?

If you could go back in time and redo one thing in your life, what would it be?

Discuss a memorable class or moment in a class.

Why did you choose your undergrad?

What is your preferred work style?

What do you do in your free time?

How would your professors describe you?

How would your peers describe you?

How would your coworkers describe you?

Do you have any questions for me?

"Who most influenced your decision to go to law school?"

Tell me about a challenge you faced?

Tell me about your current job.

Any points you want me to especially emphasize with the admissions committee?

"What is on your bucket list?"

If you could have a conversation with anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?

2. When practicing your answers, make sure they are ~3-4 minutes.

Again, the interview is short. The interviewer will likely ask you 4-5 questions. As such, allocate your time wisely and be succinct in your answers. Don't be afraid to tell a narrative when answering them, but don't be too verbose either. Also, oftentimes after I would give an answer the interviewer would comment on it. For example, I said I wanted to go into administrative law and the interviewer talked about how fascinating it was for maybe 30-40 seconds after I finished my answer. Be aware that this will also cut into your time.

3. You will 100% be asked why UChicago and Why Law/Why Law Now and What Kind of Law

Okay, maybe not 100%, but as I perused all of the forums people were almost ALWAYS asked these questions. As such, prioritize constructing good answers for these. Remember UChicago has a reputation for being very academic, so I recommend focusing on something academic in your answer (though do whatever you think is best!).

4. Know your resume AND BEYOND

UChicago is not like other schools in their interview process. They want to know that you have critically reflected on key aspects of your life. For all interviews, you should know your resume. But while other schools (like Georgetown) would just ask "can you tell me about what you did on X/Y/Z job?", UChicago will ask "What did you learn about yourself from this job?" This is a much different question and requires introspection and navel-contemplation. I was asked this exact question pertaining to my campaign job - just be ready for it!

5. As always, bring questions.

Like in most interviews, the interviewer will allot a few minutes after the interview to answer your questions. Make sure you have some!

I hope this is helpful to everyone! I wanted to be 100% transparent in this since I know admissions and interviews are often such a nebulous, daunting process. If anyone has any further questions about the interview just comment down below or PM me and I'll respond!

P.S. - Your Skype ID is the thing that pops up in the top left corner of your Skype app when you open it on your computer. So if you made your Skype account with an e-mail, it will be that e-mail. If you made it through Facebook, it'll be something weird like facebook.paul.caint. This ID is what you send UChicago when scheduling your interview.

Hello everyone! Long time lurker and user of all the free aspects of 7sage, lol. I’m in a bit of a predicament.

I’ve received two acceptances thus far. One from my alma mater, Howard University, with a 35,000 yearly scholarship. And one from UC Berkeley, with no mention of any aid beyond their supplemental gift aid application which I’ve yet to fill out.

Berkeley came as a shock to me! As did Howard’s generous scholarship. I’ve heard a lot of varying opinions on the matter. Some say T-14 or bust, and some say the loans/debt just isn’t worth it.

I’m at a bit of a crossroads here and I’d love to hear some opinions on my situation in particular.

I can provide more info if necessary but let me know what you guys think! Thank you.

UPDATE: Applications for pro-bono consulting are closed. We've already chosen our winners.

Hi everyone,

On April 15, we’re going to raise the price of Admissions Comprehensive Consulting from $2999 to $3499.

I was going to spin this like, “Hey, lock in your 2017 price now,” and to be honest, I might still spin it, but the forum didn’t feel like the right place for a sales pitch, so I’m just going to explain why we’re doing what we’re doing.

This past fall, we were overwhelmed with demand, and we had to shut down our sales page throughout most of October, our busiest month. I could have responded by quickly hiring a bunch of editors and consultants with fancy pedigrees, but I was concerned about the quality of the product. I would much rather be a premium service than an application widget factory.

We want to use the new revenue to create an even more premium experience, which means the following:

Already we’ve hired a new manager and contracted with proofreaders to ensure that the final draft of every document in a consulting package gets a second pair of eyes. Look out for even more improvements in the future.

I’ll answer a few potential questions in FAQ style.

Can I purchase consulting at the old price?

Yes! We will offer 20 more Admissions Comprehensive Consulting packages at the old price.

If I purchase now, can I use the package for the 2018-2019 admissions cycle?

You sure can! Comprehensive Consulting entitles you to help for one admissions cycle—any cycle you want. You can work with us on your applications for the current cycle or you can work with us on applications for a future cycle. Note that after you apply, we won’t be able to help you reapply in the next cycle.

The package doesn’t expire until you’re completely squared away. For example, you could purchase consulting now, apply to law school in the fall of 2018, and continue working with us through the summer of 2019 as you negotiate your scholarship offers and try to get off waitlists.

Who will I be working with?

You might be working with any of our expert admissions editors. I personally supervise every consulting client, but I’m going on paternity leave from February 14 to March 15. :smiley:

That also means that if you email editors@7sage.com with questions about consulting, you may not get a response for a few days. Bear with us!

What’s this pro bono consulting thing you mentioned?

We’re offering two packages of Admissions Comprehensive Consulting completely free to low-income or under-represented applicants.

In order to apply, please answer the following prompts.

More notes and instructions:

https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/yale-law-school-to-accept-gre-scores?hs_amp=true&__twitter_impression=true

First off, I love 7sage for helping me achieve a decent LSAT score and also the admissions site was extremely helpful as well. The only thing I think is glaringly missing from the admissions curriculum is a section on negotiating scholarships. I imagine there are A LOT of accepted students out there in the same boat as me - comparable scholarships from a few comparable schools trying to decide where to attend, with one of the biggest priorities being who will give me the most money? There is some good info out there on the interwebs about it but I would definitely love to see a well-vetted 7sage take.

All that said, I'm wondering if anyone with experience negotiating can answer this for me:

What is the best way to contact admissions to ask about negotiating a scholarship? By email? By letter attached to an email? By snail mail?

Any other advice would be appreciated too. As seat deposits start to come in and others start to withdraw, it'll be negotiating time soon (rubs hands together)

Thanks!

I would like to retire around 40.

Barring crazy circumstances --inheriting money from a long-lost uncle, inventing the next FB, etc-- what would that look like with a law degree? I am 22 right now, plan to start law school in '19 and be finished by '22, at 26. Would you go Big Law for 14 years and try to make partner really early? Try to find a niche and start your own law firm? Consult? Work internationally? I live a very modest life, have no undergrad debt, and can't see myself living "big" even if I had the money. Would love to hear your advice or anecdotal stories of people with law degrees who were able to retire a lot earlier than 65 (and who actually used their law degree to do so).

Thanks!

Hey 7Sage,

We put together a nice new tool that combines 2019 USNWR rankings with the latest available medians: https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/top-law-school-admissions/

Scroll down for even more fun.

If you click on every single dot in that scatterplot, your decisions might be in your inbox by the time you're done.

Does anyone have experience taking a mock class in open house? The school gave us a case to study to prep for class and I dont know what to expect. The class will be taught by the dean

Just released http://blog.spiveyconsulting.com/new-2017-2018-cycle-data-as-of-3-27-18/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Hey 7Sage,

While 7Sage Editor @Ben.Mauk was helping you get into law school, he was also, apparently, writing a feature on a stateless people in Cambodia who live in floating villages. This article is an absolute stunner:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/28/magazine/cambodia-persecuted-minority-water-refuge.html

Hi All,

I wanted to start a discussion for those who currently live in the SF Bay Area/Silicon Valley. Those who have plans/dreams to attend law school in the SF Bay/Silicon Valley are welcome to join too! #NorCal

I’m curious to see out of those who currently live in the Bay Area, if you plan to attend a local law school or venture on to a new locale. I currently live in the heart of Silicon Valley and will be applying to some of the local law schools, as well as some out of the area/state.

Local Bay Area Schools: Santa Clara Law, Stanford, Berkeley, UC Hastings, Golden Gate, and USF.

Please feel free to share your thoughts. Looking forward to connecting!

My reach school is WUSTL - I have a friend who is a 1L there and had the opportunity to have lunch with a professor and sit in a class. I'm smitten.

I scored a 161 on the February LSAT. I'm an older student so there's a decade gap in my undergrad. My most recent GPA is 3.75 (one full time semester) but my overall GPA is 2.9 because of my early (under)performance.

My personal statement was about an experience which inspired me to pursue law school. I have a strong work history and I've spent the past couple years working at a nonprofit which offers pro bono legal services.

So far I've been accepted to Mizzou w a 60k scholarship. If WUSTL is your reach/dream school , I'd like to hear your story.

I was planning to take the lsat in December, knew I wasn't ready, and postponed until February. I'm content with my score but I didn't get a "get into any school you want regardless of when you apply" type school, you feel me? When I was preparing for the LSAT people loved giving me "law school" advice but not once did I hear about how rigorous the application process would be. Don't get me wrong, I didn't think it'd be a cakewalk, but it seems like every time I think I can send my application in there's some new information I need to add, overlooked, or just didn't know regarding law school. When planning for the lsat, I had a mental calendar: first focus on the lsat, then focus on schools/applications. Only problem is that by postponing my applications and school searches I got WAY behind and have missed deadlines. On top of that, my undergrad university didn't actually graduate me until December, waiting for my transcript to get finalized, and now waiting on it to be reviewed and approved by lsac. My letters of recommendation came in later than expected but I didn't realize that I myself couldn't submit them. I'm freaking out guys! I don't usually post so I guess everything is just spewing out at once, sry. I really want to enroll this fall but I'm not sure what else to expect. On my applications (from my understanding) it looks like I can submit them without having my LOR and Transcripts processed but that doesn't seem right. If I send in my app now will they just receive the additional information once processed or will/should I just wait? Looking for a light at the end of this tunnel here!

Good evening,

My English 1101 teacher from 2015 made a big impact on my academic career. In the past, he was written the strongest letters of recommendation for me among my professors. My only concern about getting him to write my Law School LOR is the class level he taught me. Would admissions prefer to see a letter from a more recent class you took and higher course than Eng 1101? I know he will write the best letter, but is he the right fit? He received his Ph.D. from Emory in English.

Thank you in advance!

Hi,

In the midst of studying, I take some time to draft multiple versions of personal statements so I am not rushed later when I am looking to apply and to remind me why I am doing this studying. It’s helpful!

But, I am torn on the statement vs supplement strategy. I have a very mixed background: I started college at a conservatory for musical theatre and left reimbursed due to harassment by a faculty member, which drove me to consider legal coursework at my new university. However, at my new university, I also interned in the legal field (with a Judge, at a class action nonprofit, with men re-entering public life post-incarceration, at the US Mission to UN) and took several legal studies courses at the undergraduate and graduate level (wrote papers on LGBT asylum procedure, which included an interview with an asylum grantee in the US from the Middle East, Fourth Amendment tights and their protection of Christian religious single cell terrorism in the US; the legality of securitization around drone warfare, etc.). My thesis was very legally focused (exploring how indigenous communities in Alberta might use international norms to subvert environmental degradation and displacement).

However, even with all of this passion for law, I wanted to test the aspects I loved of my studies in different settings to ensure law is the field for me, so I worked in the non profit sector (public health campaigns) and now I work in the private sector (analytics) to address two main facets of law I love (serving the public as analytical thinking and persuasion).

Now, I know I want to do law, as these career experiences have taught me that I can’t do either in isolation nor address public interest needs in as proactive or impactful a way as I desire without practicing law.

So I’m torn on where I start. I’ve written about 3 statements, ranging from very plain Jane to driven by a metaphoric concept.

Is there a strategy, given my story, that I should focus on with what goes in personal versus what goes in supplemental?

Part of me thinks I shouldn’t take up space sharing the details of my transition from musical theatre to academia given I have other more recent and relevant experience. However, I know an ad com will look at my transcript and say “what happened here/what was that semester gap”? Do I mention anything about the research work I did in while in school, or is the fact that I took a class titled "Rights of the Accused" or "International Human Rights Law" enough?

My gut is to write a very direct statement that focuses on my legal interests/studies and decision to test the other career paths I thought might address them (recognizing they did to no avail). Then, I would write a supplement that discusses how I went from musical theatre to law (this would likely have some more metaphor than the statement).

Thoughts on this strategy? Am I wrong in assuming an ad com will want to hear about what happened that early in my university career, even though I ended up with a pretty decent GPA (3.79)? Also, given that I took about 6 graduate-level courses in undergrad, is it worth listing those out in a supplement as well so that they are aware of the rigor of some of the courses I took?

Should I nix mentioning my research work I did in school and instead include something like that in a supplemental? I plan on addressing my thesis work in my resume under the "academic" portion, which might be enough.

Thanks for the help and guidance!

One of the professors that I was planning to ask for a letter of recommendation told me that she was moving to the other side of the country at the end of this school year. Could I ask her for a letter of recommendation now and just let the letter sit in my CAS until I need it when I apply next cycle?

I am a current junior, planning to apply during next year's cycle (October, 2018). I think I saw online that letters of recommendation are valid for up to five years, but I was just worried that the date difference between when I receive the letter and when I use it may affect my applications somehow.

Does anyone have any advice or insight on my situation? Thank you in advance!

Hey Guys! I have a quick question. I emailed UGA my LOCI about a week ago and I have not received a reply email. Is that normal? I don't want to call and bother them if that is standard protocol. Thank you so much!

Hey!

Just got my first acceptance last week and it was not my first choice but seeing how this cycle is going it might be my only choice.... so now I am stuck between the choice of going or wait till next cycle and would really like to get your opinion on the matter (it's a big decision!)

Option 1: Go (oh it's BYU btw)

Pros:

Cons:

Option 2: Don't go and move to California

Pros:

Cons:

I currently have a 161 and 3.74, applied to BYU (duh), UCLA, USC, Berk, UT, but I doubt I'll get into any of the other schools this cycle. Let me know what you think? I keep getting the "Top15 or don't go" vibe, is that true?

edit: Might I add that BYU is flying me out from Dublin to Utah next weekend to admitted students day so I could check out the school. They spent like $1k on the ticket and I feel like a superstar.

I was visiting Georgetown when I found out I got wait-listed to Harvard.

Although it's not a yes (and I am still in a limbo), I am elated to be even considered by Harvard. I wanted to thank the 7sage community for being so supportive and incredibly kind throughout this long journey. 7Sage helped me increase my 158 (September) into a 168 (December). I wouldn't have applied to Harvard had it not been for my increase - still a shot in the dark. But here we are, in D.C., paranoid that I clicked the wrong button for my confirmation to remain on HLS' waitlist.

I hope to ply through this. And I think I will do that by re-studying for the June lsats to increase my chances. But I wanted to take this time to really thank you all for being the community that I know.

Seriously, thank you guys.

"Let me pray for the best without the worry of a lost that isn't mine"