Hi everyone,

On Thursday, March 7 at 9 p.m. ET, I'll host a webinar with Julian Morales, Director of Admissions at Penn State Law. Julian will give us a five-minute presentation on Penn State, and then I'll ask him some of the questions you're dying to know:

You'll get a chance to ask your questions at the end.

:warning: You’ll have to register for this webinar in advance.

:cookie: After the webinar, we'll award one attendee a free Edit Once (see https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/enroll).

→ Please register for the webinar (March 7, 2019 @ 9:00 p.m. ET) here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3fe1b3f716828578d746f627e8486654

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Zoom might prompt you to download something before you can join the webinar, so I’d advise you to show up a bit early.

I hope to see you there!

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: Mar 7, 2019 9:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Webinar with Julian Morales of Penn State Law

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3fe1b3f716828578d746f627e8486654

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

My undergraduate alma mater (top 10 school) received my LSAT score, emailed me a fee waiver, and told me the application deadline is tomorrow. Every instinct in me is telling me no, but an internal devil is telling me WHAT DO I HAVE TO LOSE?!

GAH.

Do LORs need to be in any particular format; addressed to each school, LSAC? How long should they be (roughly)? I understand you should not fill a paper with empty words, but how concise is too concise?

Also, is it important that the letter actually say somewhere "letter of recommendation"? I had one recommender put "in reference to: my name", "asked to serve as a reference," etc.

I'd appreciate any input. Thank you!

Hi everyone,

We've posted a new law school success story about an applicant with a very low LSAT score and a just-above-median GPA who got into a T-14 school.

https://classic.7sage.com/law-school-success-story-low-lsat/

Hi all!

At my smaller state school a lot of the teachers that taught my department's classes were non-tenured adjuncts. Thus, there are only 2 full time faculty I could pull an LOR from. Lucky for me (sarcastic), 1 of those two faculty members and I did not click due to our differences in appreciation for his teaching style.

Thus, I am in a conundrum where I have potential LOR's from my work place (will be out of school for 4 years by the time I start Law School in Fall 2020), but I will only have 1 from my college faculty. Based on the admissions course I realize I will need more academic "beef" to make my application stand out.

What are everyone's thoughts on an AP teacher from high school that I still talk with regularly or an adjunct professor from school? Both would be able to speak to my academic chops as well as the other issues that are discussed in the admissions course. My hesitation is that both may not be considered "academic" enough for admissions officers to take seriously. Looking for some advice on if I should ask one/ both of them for an LOR!

Anything will help! Thanks!

Best,

Jonah Chadwick Griego

So my application status was updated on Friday to "Decision rendered, letter mailed" good, bad, or ugly? It sounds like a nice way of saying no but the office claims they send it to everyone.

Hi everyone,

Does anyone have insight as to the best way to approach the "post-college activities" section on the Yale app? I'm not sure if they want something very brief and matter-of-fact or something more like an additional essay which [however concisely] explains important motivations, lessons learned, etc.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi all,

I submitted late (mid-Feb) and I was hoping some 7sagers could share their stories? Particularly their results.

Obviously there's nothing I can really change but it'd be nice to hear from people who were are currently in my situation or were late applicants in the past.

Hi everyone,

Been a while since I posted. How's everyone doing? Just wanted to check in, say how my cycle is going, and send love to anyone else out there riding this slow, slow cycle.

I ended up with a 169 LSAT, which was disappointing given my PT average and my last fresh PT. The LSAC engaged in some last minute shenanigans and changed our exam from an afternoon one to a morning one, which didn't exactly calm me down. And I was unwell the week of the test, right through to test-day. In the U.K. we call this Sod's Law.

As for applications, I almost blanketed the T-14, and also Vanderbilt. Let me just say, I was naïve to think GULC, Cornell and Vandy were safety schools. Lord, have mercy. So far I've had 4 waitlists (GULC, Cornell, Michigan, Columbia) and 4 rejections (Penn, NYU, Chicago, Harvard). The Cornell waitlist stung the most as I really liked the school and didn't think my interview went badly. Was pleasantly surprised by Columbia. For context, I don't have a GPA as my undergrad is international.

Hope everyone on here is doing well. Whatever you're doing, just remember that you're a beautiful, valued person who isn't defined by a number! (3(/p)

Hi everyone! Today I got an email from Cornell requesting a Kira interview and started googling it online. What I initially thought would be a simple online interview actually turned out to be a challenging Q&A based on the posts I've found online. I'm really nervous now, can you let me know your experiences about it? Were there current events in the interview process they quizzed you about?

Hi everybody,

I've already written a GPA addendum to explain a chronic disease and how it negatively affected my grades.

My question is... should I also write an LSAT addendum? I got a 169 on the November LSAT but was shooting for at least a 170 so I retook it in January. Instead, I dropped down three points to 166. I was consistently scoring in the 170-175 range on the PT's and so I don't feel like 166 is reflective of my abilities, and it also doesn't look great to have retaken it just to have my score drop. I feel as though I need to explain in an addendum that the 169 is a more accurate predictor of my success in law school than the 166 is, and also explain the decrease.

One of the reasons my score dropped is because my boyfriend that I've been with for over two years/live with lost his job at the beginning of January and had to take a job on the East Coast (while I'm still here in San Francisco). So not only was I not studying much that month because of worrying about his unemployment, I also had the added pressure to get a high score to get into the law school in his new city. Plus, add anxiety about potentially having to do long-distance, breaking up, etc... Basically I was a frazzled anxious mess by the time I took the January LSAT and I think that was a large contributor to my score decrease.

I'm not sure if relationship woes are addendum worthy, but I also feel like the general consensus is that you should explain a decrease. Plus, I definitely want to keep the GPA addendum but I feel sort of weird writing an addendum for both.

Should I write an LSAT addendum, or leave it at the GPA addendum? All advice is appreciated!

Hi all,

I submitted my apps in mid-Feb (yes, I know--rather late but life happens) and I was wondering how long it takes to hear back from most schools? I've almost exclusively applied to CA schools (Santa Clara, Chapman, USD, Pepperdine, USC, etc.).

What was the average wait time for the schools you applied? 3 weeks?

Thanks!

So I didn't apply this cycle and my LORs are in CAS. Has anyone seen a sample email to recommenders on this? Thanks!

I have written the LSAT 2x now, and only marginally improved my score (both times I wrote I was not prepared, the first time I had been finishing my undergrad and studying and scored a 148, the second time was this past Nov with a 153). Bottom line is that I know I can do better and I am willing to put the time and effort in to scoring high 160's on my BR's before I dare write again, even if it takes me a year! However, I did apply to some law schools in the States and Canada just in case there is a chance that I could get in. My question is, how much does the rank of a law school matter in the grand scheme of things? I am Canadian and would like to go to the States and take a concentration in International and National Security law. When I looked into it, there are some schools that are in the top 10 for that type of law but are ranked 50-110 on the national law school rankings by 7 Sage. For example, according to this article Albany Law school was #10 for that program but on 7 Sage it is #106. In sum, should I apply to schools that are (for example) #80 and #100 because they are known for what I want to take? Or aim for the top schools (who will may be able to offer me more in the long run?) once I have improved my LSAT score? I do not know how much weight I should put on the law school's national ranking. Ex) George Washington University or the American University?

Thank you in advance!

Hi all, I wonder how long it usually takes for Umich to send an applicant the email with online status checker. It's been five days since I turned in the application. I have received emails from all the schools I applied to except for Umich. Do I need to call them and ask about it?

If anyone used 7sage's Comprehensive Admissions Consultant , I'd love to learn about your experience. I'm thinking about getting it myself. Please share your stories or review on the service. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

A few years ago, we worked with a remarkable non-traditional applicant who wound up attending Northwestern with a significant merit scholarship despite a below-median LSAT score. I posted an account of working with him, along with his personal and diversity statements, here: https://classic.7sage.com/law-school-success-story-the-non-traditional-applicant/

The question is the same? I don't mean the GPA but if some of the courses I took are kinda similar(like,'fundamentals of social sci research' and 'research methods in social science'). Actually those are the courses I am talking about. I worry if they might look the same and the admission office might not admit the credits I got. Anyone who knows about this??

are schools required to contact you / update your application to "denied" if you're not accepted? a few of my applications have been "in review" for over a month now and i wasn't sure if i will still be contacted if i'm not accepted.

Hi all! I submitted my apps late in the cycle (late Jan. and early Feb.) since I was waiting for my January LSAT score. I'm thinking of using the next few Fridays to visit schools since I don't expect to hear back for some time (just went complete) and my LSAT score could've been a few points higher... Before I book transport, do you think it's best to wait to hear back or that it's not worth the money/PTO days? I was thinking of sitting in on classes or speaking to admissions and writing LOCI's to strengthen my applications. Specifically talking about schools in DC (& UVA) and in Boston. Appreciate the input!!

I am embarrassed to say I found a present/past tense error when I was uploading a document to a law school app. I had already submitted that doc on another application. Is this really bad? I am over the 75th percentile for GPA and just under the 50th for LSAT by one point. I am really nervous because this was my dream school. Anything helps. I feel so stupid

Hey all,

Not sure which section this belongs in - but just wanted to get your thoughts on the following matter:

I know for American schools - students receive better admission entrance scholarships when they have a stronger LSAT mark (ex. 164 vs. 172). However, I was wondering if inputting the study effort + time needed to go from 164 vs. 172 - if it is worth it? I am a Canadian student and planning on to BE studying at Canadian law school. Anybody know if Canadian laws schools offer large entrance admission scholarships for those students with better LSAT marks?

The only reason why I am asking is that studying for the LSAT (the correct way, the correct process that 7sage recommends + more) - takes a long time to perfect. And as you get older means more responsibility and more time you have to put to other things. I made a pros and cons list below, but just wanted to get everyone's thoughts on the matter.

Currently this what is on my plate: my Masters Program, 15+ hour work weeks & studying for the LSAT + being married LOL.

Pros:

Cons:

Thanks for the advice in advance.

I know there's been posts about this, so I'm so sorry.

I jumped 6 points from November to January (Yay! I got my target score!). I have a 12 point deferential from the June test.

Is it required to write an addendum? Would the schools expect it? A couple explicitly state it, and I have one written. Should I sent it for the schools that didn't?

Thanks for any input!

I am struggling with whether to attach addendum to several applications in order to explain a break in my education. Several schools ask for that information explicitly and I have provided it, but some do not and simply give the opportunity to add additional addenda at the applicant's discretion. Basically, I graduated high school in 2005 and I withdrew from college 3 times in addition to several breaks from school between 2005 and 2012 due to severe mental health issues. I also failed a couple classes. I discuss overcoming this obstacle in my personal statement but I do not go into details like "I withdrew from X school Spring 2006 to seek inpatient treatment..." to explain specific gaps in my record since I figured that would bog down the story. Long story short, my health took a sharp turn for the better and I returned to school in 2014 and my academic record has been very strong since then with no further breaks or issues. In addition, my CAS GPA is still good and my GPA/LSAT are over median for most schools I am still applying to, so I don't feel I need to "apologize" for poor performance. However, I still wonder if committees will see that weird stuff on my transcripts from years ago and have unanswered questions, which is why I am considering attaching a very brief explanation of the specific times I left school or took a break. On the other hand, since my numbers are good for these schools, I wonder whether it would be a bad idea to attach an addendum drawing attention to issues from the distant past when my GPA/LSAT and recent academic record are competitive for the schools I am considering attaching this to? My personal statement and applications are pretty brief overall and I am not attaching other optional statements. Any advice would be much appreciated. I am happy to provide more details on the situation. Thanks for reading!

Hello!

I'm in a bit of a pickle. Here are the facts:

I moved from CO to WA to attend University of Washington (1st choice, the reason why we moved) or Seattle University (back up, try to transfer to UW after 1st year)

I received full tuition at Denver University!!

I have half of tuition paid for at Seattle University.

I planned to use DU to wager scholarship funds at Seattle University but I doubt they'll match full tuition.

My boyfriend and I have been dating for 6 years and made the move to WA together