Feeling super bummed and dumb

mcglz_64

I applied to Harvard the other day. I don't have the lsat or the GPA so I anticipate a rejection. I've only told a few people that I applied because I'm embarrassed I even bothered. I gave the personal statement my all but obviously you can't write yourself into a school without the numbers.

I was feeling super excited to just finish the application but today I just feel stupid for it. Am I alone in this?

TheMikey

Don't feel stupid or bummed out. there's no harm in just trying by applying! my stats are ass for Harvard and even I applied. There are plenty other schools that are good and could get you where you want to end up. Best of luck!

JPJ July2021

I don't think it's stupid at all if you're always going to think "what if?" if you didn't apply to Harvard. This is going to sound super corny but "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take." It's worth it to take a chance. With that being said, it's of course important to apply to schools where you have a realistic chance of admission. Good luck!

mcglz_64

I'm applying to other schools of course but it would be my dream (mine and in sure 6,000 other students) dream to go to harvard

westcoastbestcoast

Shoot your shot! Also dont tie up your ego with a school name! Prestige matters but hard work will take you far too!

mcglz_64

I have about a few more days of feeling like this as I apply to other schools

lady macbeth

No way. Don't feel dumb haha we call certain schools in our application process "crap shoots" for a reason. Everyone has one. You really never know. And honestly I'm sure a lot of people write themselves into school without the numbers.. the Ivy League is swarmed with nepotism! I'm sure you'll get everything you want out of life if you really work for It. And of course Harvard seems like academic glitter but it's all really up to the person even at the lowest rankest schools.

jdoghoop

You are definitely not alone. I am applying to six T-20 schools, and although my GPA is between their median/75th percentile, my LSAT will inevitably be far below their 25th percentile. Application fees aside, my mindset is that the more "reach" schools you apply to, the greater your chances are at being accepted to one of these schools. There is no point in cutting yourself short. Every school has those few spots saved for applicants with scores below their average, and there is no way of knowing which school may be willing to give that spot to you. As long as you have applied to a quantity of target/safety schools, why not shoot for the stars too?

beezmoof

I know the super majority of the time law school apps are really just all about numbers numbers numbers. But sometimes it is helpful to remember there can be a sometimes kind, empathetic human reviewing your application. For instance, my older sister, who went to a smaller well-known liberal arts school, was telling me about one of her peers who had gotten into Duke Law and this had shocked EVERYONE. She was known for being the nicest girl on campus, but let's just say not for being the smartest person on campus. So when she got in, the girl herself was even shocked. She wrote on her FB status something to the effect of: "Today I got into my dream law school, Duke. I never thought that with a 157 on my LSAT I would get in, but dreams do come true." Real LSAT score. What had happened was that she loved Duke so much and was so genuine about this fact that when she met an admissions counselor at a law school roundtable he/she recognized too. The admissions counselor fell in love with her personality and honesty, so he/she flagged her application and they stayed in touch throughout the admissions process.

SO, sometimes life and serendipity happens. Every application is worth a shot Congrats on your application and good luck!

xtinextine

I definitely agree with @beezmoof ! Yes, scores are super important, but being personable and genuine goes a long way. too! Be passionate! Don't limit yourself. Who knows where you'll end up? Here's a little personal tag to compliment what @beezmoof said:

A few years ago, I was at an LSAC Forum and was talking to admissions reps from UVA. At the time I was only a junior in undergrad and still blissfully naive about the crazy application process. While I saw the scores for UVA, the numbers didn't mean anything to me yet. But from the little research I had done, I knew that UVA would be a school I'd eventually like to apply to. Fast forward through some actual quality discussion (if you ever go to an LSAC event, don't just swoop by the table for the info packets, talk to the reps!), I wrote my contact info down on their chart like everyone else. But then the admissions rep asked me to put a star by my name. When I asked why, he said because they enjoyed talking with me. lol as someone who's very shy, I was surprised. I reminded him that I wouldn't be applying that cycle (only a junior), but he said to put the star down anyway.

Obviously this was a couple of years ago, but I wonder what that star would have done for me if I was actually applying that cycle! Nevertheless, I'll probably YOLO apply to UVA in the fall even though I'll probably be below their medians.

Good luck with your cycle and stay positive!