I need some advice on where I should put my deposit money. My goal is to work in immigration law, and I've got no strong feeling one way or another about where I want practice, but I do not want to feel limited. I've received a full ride from Indiana (they've extended their deadline for me), Illinois, and Wisconsin. I've been offered $30,000 a year from Minnesota. I know that Minnesota has a lot of options for those interested in immigration, however the price tag scares me. I'll be paying for law school all on my own, I'm out of state, and I've already got to worry about $30,000 in undergraduate loans. Is Minnesota worth the extra debt, or should I take the full ride at a different school?

Hi all,

I received a full-tuition scholarship from a 100+ ranked school that I have little intention of attending. However, I would like to continue leveraging this scholarship as I negotiate with other schools. I understand that May 15th is the "First Deposit Overlap Report" and I know that schools will see which offers I am still holding on to. Do you think it's necessary for me to put the 1st deposit ($300) on a school that I don't really want to attend in order to continue utilizing it as a tool for scholarship negotiation?

I don't want to tell schools that I am "considering a full-tuition scholarship from X school" and request a scholarship offer "more in line with X school", only to have them be able to call my bluff on May 15th...

Let me know what you all think!

Thank you,

LAWYERED

Help! Seat deposits are due in 4 days and I am at a lost. I have narrowed it down to two schools, but am having trouble deciding where to go. I could use some input or advice.

School 1:

Full Ride, but in a not-so-fun location. Have a two year option available, but it isn't guaranteed. It has a good program for what I want to do, and is regionally close to where I want to practice. It starts in August which would give me more time to save up before matriculation, but assuming I am able to complete the two year track, I would be finishing up school and studying for the July bar at the same time.

School 2:

Great scholarship, but with inflation would put me 20-30K in the hole. It is in a much better location fun wise, with plenty to offer recreationally. It is not regionally close to where I would like to practice. Has a two year program that is guaranteed. It starts in May which would put me in debt that much faster. However, I would finish in May and have those free months to focus exclusively on the July bar and maybe do an internship.

Both schools are just about equal in ranking, bar passage rates, and employment. Given my two year track, I don't know if having fun options is as big a deal if I am studying 24/7.

Where should I go!? Any and all input is appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Hey gang!

My LOCI is clocking in at about 550 words. It's one page, with 8 inch margins, single spaced (spaces between paragraphs). Is this too long? I'm trying to be as specific as possible and name what I would do as a student: specific orgs, clubs, clinics, what I uniquely offer the school, etc. I also visited the school (tour, sat with adcomm, and saw a class) so I reflect on that a bit. What do you think? Are there rules in this? Thanks!

Hi everyone,

First, a PSA: several major independent scholarships have fast-approaching deadlines:

Due April 14, 2019

Due April 15, 2019

Due May 1, 2019

Due May 15, 2019

Due May 28, 2019

You can find a longer list of independent scholarships and a lot of information about financial aid in our updated lesson on scholarships:

https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/law-school-financial-aid/

🔔New

💪Improved

I’m wondering if anyone has some input on the law schools below.

Is Brooklyn Law School or St. John’s University School of Law stronger in the following areas:

-New York job placement?

-Big-law in New York?

-Reputation in New York? Overall?

-Alumni network in NY? in general?

test

Hi there, I received my first rejection letter. It's from my top choice school. Predictable, given my LSAT score was way below the school's lowest median percentile score. However, the letter, after saying no, says: "Should you consider attending [the school] in the future, I would encourage you to explore the opportunities available as a transfer student." This struck me as unusual in a rejection letter. Is it? Is it normal for the school to suggest they'd be interested in seeing you re-apply as a transfer? And, if anyone has the patience to reply: I've been leery of the whole idea of transferring, thinking that missing out on 1st year relationships at the school you transfer into might negatively affect all your eventual outcomes? I'd appreciate any insights and wisdom anyone might be willing to share. Thank you.

Is it the time of year to be asking this, or what?

So here's what happened: I visited a school I am applying to this past week---went on a tour, observed a class, and spoke with the Dean of Admissions. I consider this school a safety. I applied in mid-January and went complete Feb 15 when the January LSAT came out. I have been under review since February at this school. When I spoke to the Dean, she said to me, "Aren't we still waiting on something for your application?" I hope my jaw did not drop when she said this, because internally I was freaking the freak out. I said I didn't think so, and she told me that they would respond to my app this week or next week. It made me start worrying, though, that other schools are sitting on my apps, not reading them while they dish out all their scholarship money, and I'll be left in the dust, because they think they're waiting on something too. It's totally possible that that adcomm said that with no context, and was just saying it.

Would it be weird, or hurtful to my app in any way, to contact the other schools and ask them if my app is ok? If they need something? My status checkers all say, "Complete and Under Review" or something of that sort. When I asked this question on Reddit they said that the school would ask if my app needed something. Also, a lot of people who are February applicants are saying they haven't heard back yet. What do you think?

Hey Guys, so I was recently Wait Listed at my top choice Law School. I submitted my wait list form two days after receiving the email along with a Letter of Continued Interest addressed to my assigned Admissions Counselor. I took a visit to the school in 2017 and loved it, which I also mentioned in my LOCI. I am currently contemplating taking another visit to the school and trying to meet with my Admissions Counselor or someone from the Admissions Committee. I don't want to be annoying after I've already taken a visit in 2017 and sent in a LOCI. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Hi, I graduated college about a year ago from a very good US school with a 3.3 GPA (it was a high stress college and took a toll on my mental health). I'm seriously considering applying to Law School as I'm confident I can get 170+ on the LSAT, but I'm struggling to commit fully to prepping as I'm unsure if all the effort would be worth it. Would I stand a chance at top schools with this sort of profile?

Would appreciate all and anyone's thoughts on this.

The largest scholarships I received were to good schools in New York, but I have always planned on moving back home to California after law school. Is it normal to NOT take the bar for the state your law school is in, and to take it for another state instead? Is this crazy? Unheard of? Normal??

Help me!!

Does applying early hurt your chances if you don’t have the exact requirements they’re asking for?

My dream school is Duke law and its a challenging school to get into. I have the borderline GPA and I’m hoping that when I take my LSAT in September, I will get a high enough score to get into. Would applying early to duke get me a better chance of getting in, or would somewhere in the middle (thanksgiving , early December) time be better?

Waitlisted at your top choice school and you've scheduled a visit? In addition to sitting in on a class and taking a tour, make sure to schedule a meeting with an admissions officer.

Treat the visit like it is an unofficial interview (which it is). Dress nicely and be polite and professional. So much of what you might learn from speaking with an admissions officer depends on the tone of your conversation. If they are impressed with you as a person, they may be inclined to vouch for you and support your application when the school is ready to turn to the waitlist. If you are sincere about getting off the waitlist, show your sincerity and say you would definitely deposit if admitted. Do you have other offers of admission? Mention you have other offers but this school is your top choice. In a face to face conversation, it is highly likely that you will be asked what other offers you have, especially if you are an attractive likable candidate and don't offer the information in a threatening way. The school wants to make a fully informed decision so if they want you, they will likely want to know what your options are.

Definitely ask the admissions office what you need to do to get off the waitlist at this particular school. Be ready to ask 3-4 substantive questions about the school and its programming. Do some deep diving research so you aren't asking questions that can be answered from their marketing material. Be ready to talk about yourself and 3-4 ways you would make a great contribution to the law school community at this particular school. Leave them with a great impression.

Definitely do not ask them what your chances are of getting in off the waitlist.

Follow up with a thank you email to the admissions officer referencing enough of your visit and conversation that they remember who you are.

Good luck!

April can be a busy month in the admissions cycle. Here are some thoughts to consider as you navigate your options.

If you haven’t made a final decision on a program because you are waiting for more decisions from other schools, or you are in the process of ongoing scholarship reevaluations, or you are waiting to see what happens with waitlists, you have the option of putting down more than one seat deposit (https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/what-are-seat-deposits-are-they-binding/). This keeps your options open until the second seat deposit date. It is likely that seat deposits are nonrefundable, but in the grand scheme of things, losing a deposit is a small price to pay when making the best choice in law schools.

Different schools have different policies about deposit extensions. If you have a legitimate reason for requesting a deposit extension (for a specific and short period of time), there is no harm in calling the admissions office and asking. Someone might have something pending in their job that may prevent them from attending law school. Someone’s spouse may be waiting to hear about a professional opportunity in a different geographic location. Someone may have a family situation that prevents them from committing by a deposit deadline. The worst thing the Admissions Office can say is No. If the school is a top choice, you should definitely let them know. If you are sincere, they may be more inclined to work with you.

If you have been waitlisted (https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/what-to-do-after-you-get-waitlisted/) and it has been a while since you have contacted a target school with a LOCI (https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/good-loci/), a Why X essay (https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/how-to-write-a-why-law-school-x-essay/), or any updates, this would be a good time to touch base and send an email reminder about (1) how much you love the school, (2) what you have to offer the school, and (3) if admitted off the WL, you would definitely attend. Once the deposit date passes, the school will turn to the WL pool and see which candidates are most enthusiastic/most likely to come.

If you want to ask for a scholarship reevaluation (https://classic.7sage.com/admissions/lesson/when-should-i-start-negotiating-law-school-scholarship-offers/), it would be best to ask before the first deposit deadline. This way, your request is in your file before the deposit deadline and the school is aware of your continued interest. The school may follow up before or after the deadline to see if a revised award would be enough to secure your deposit. If the ONLY thing stopping you from depositing is the size of the award, you should tell the school.

Above all, strive to be polite, persistent, enthusiastic and likable in all interactions (email, phone calls, interviews). Admissions officers will notice.

Join us during 7Sage Office Hours this Wednesday evening at 9:00 pm (EST) when we discuss seat deposits and answer your questions. Here's the link to our office hours discussion: https://zoom.us/j/594695176.

Hey all!

So I was just accepted into one of my backup schools (#2 on my list to be specific). I was wondering if accepting at my backup school will have a negative affect on my prospects of being accepted into my first choice program. I'm relatively confident that I can still be accepted into my choice school (it isn't unrealistic, I specifically chose programs I was fairly confident I'd have a realistic shot of getting into, not swinging at the fences here). Would my first choice school see that I accepted elsewhere and think, "well, I guess he's already in another program so we don't need to pursue him anymore." That's my concern. My parents are all "go, go, go!" but I'm leery.

Thanks!

I am 29 y/o looking to apply in the upcoming admission cycle. I finished undergrad in 2012 and completed MA in 2013. Then I joined US military and did 5 years active duty. My LSAC GPA is 3.85, and I just took the March LSAT, but I expect around 165 give or take a few points based on my last few PTs. Now that LSAT is out of the way, I'm trying to make a list of schools to apply, but I'm not really sure how my "nontraditional" background will factor into determining reach/target/safety. I heard nontraditional applicants get a soft "boost", but I wasn't sure if such boost is negligible or not. I don't want to overestimate the impact of nontraditional background, but at the same time I don't want to undercut myself a possibility.

How much can I add to my numbers to compare with school's median for the sake of determining reach/target/safety? Any suggestions for my list would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

So I’m applying ED to BU this upcoming cycle. My GPA is below their 25th percentile and right now I’m PTing around their median, hoping to slowly raise that.

My question is- does it really matter how early I get my application in if it’s in their Early Decision pool? Their ED timeline is actually pretty late into the season; it goes from September until January. Thanks for any input you guys might have.

Hey folks,

I am a current applicant.

I am having problems with the LSAC transcript system. Among which, I am most pissed by the following: I told LSAC that my internship in Germany has no university transcript. They ignored my email and told schools that I applied to that I did not submit any transcript. To me that is lying.

They are still lying to schools: they refused to release my CAS report because they are conducting some magic with my transcripts.

I got rejected by a school because of this. The school simply said sorry we never received your full application.

Any ideas to kick their asses?

I was thinking perhaps local consumer protection agency.

-- A bit more about myself --

I had an US undergrad and an European LLM degree. I had undergrad exchanges, which amounted to less than one year of academic work in total. I asked schools and they said we would not require additional transcripts.

However, LSAC required some Germany University transcript with my internship abroad. They also demanded all exchanges transcripts. They made this demand two weeks after I submitted my application, while they already received my undergrad transcript a year ago and it looked fine on their website.

I quote their rules on international transcript for US undergrad here:

you were directly enrolled at one or more institutions outside of the United States, its territories/associated states, or Canada and the total amount of work you completed at all of these institutions combined is the equivalent of more than one year of undergraduate study in the United States, its territories/associated states, or Canada.

Thank you.

Hi all,

I submitted my FAFSA for law school months ago and I wanted to know if anyone knows when we'll hear back? I've been accepted to a couple of schools at the moment, but not all of them have given me merit-based scholarships and I would need to know how much the government is giving me, before I can safely financially commit to a school...

Hello everyone. As a fellow 0L, just wanted to let you know that I have been working with WUSTL'S career center to improve my resume and get some info about different career/internship options. They have been fantastic!

While I do understand a lot is factored into the probability of gaining admission to any certain school, I am turning to my fellow 7sagers for some insight.

I graduated 4 years ago with a (LSAC calculated) 2.65. I’m doing all I can to study and PT above that 165 mark and have made some significant progress (last PT was 161 after an 11/18 151 official).

To help my chances, I’ve accepted a position at a law firm in the city I’d like to go to school in. The job requires a massive relocation (CA to NY).

I’m struggling to realize my chances of actually gaining admission to ANY school with the above statistics.

Does anybody here have any insight into the probability of getting into ANY school with 2.65/165+?

Thanks all - Stretch

Hey all, I was recently waitlisted at Wash U in St Louis. A friend of mine told me that this was standard procedure and I shouldn’t be nervous. I scored a 167 on my LSAT and I have a 3.94 GPA. Anyone have similar experience or insight that they can share with me? Thanks!

Hi,

I'm about to graduate from a top ten school. I'm taking a couple of hard classes this last semester and my GPA has the potential to suffer a bit. Worst case, I'll graduate with a 3.85 unweighted (without the A+s included) and a 3.92 weighted (CAS GPA, with the A+s included), which will put me in the cum laude group. I'm a bit nervous because I had the potential to graduate with a 3.88 and magna cum laude. Does cum laude vs. magna cum laude vs. summa cum laude matter in the admissions process for law school? In other words, can a cum laude (as opposed to magna/summa) get into a top 3 law school (assuming they have a high enough LSAT of course)?

Thanks so much!

I applied for binding admission at a school and was notified by email that my application was received and completed on March 5th. Their website states you will be notified of a decision within 14 business days of completing your application. It has now been over 14 business days and I have not received any decision. I am looking for advice on how to proceed. Is a phone call better than an email? Should I give it another day in case their office is really backed up?