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From 135 to UChicago: A Story of Failure and Determination
JustDoIt
Alum Member ⭐
I've been waiting for a long time to write this. Perhaps too long. But as I sit here on this rainy day I couldn't think of a better time.
Before I start, I have to give a huge thank you to @danielznelson and @dml277. They have helped me so much on this journey and I'm so appreciative for everything they've done. But the person I attribute most of my success to is @twssmith. Without her motherly love, there's no way I would have gotten into the schools I have. She has been more than a study buddy. She is one of my best friends and I am eternally grateful for that. We even went to the masters together! Anyways, on with the story.
I started my LSAT journey around 2014. I took my first PT during that summer and got a 132. The 135 comes from me bubbling in B on the 40 or so questions I didn't have time to get to. When I looked at where I was and where I wanted to be, I was furious. I wanted this so bad and reading TLS articles where people scored higher than me without even trying enraged me even further.
I was using fox test prep at the time. The instructor said on average, people go up ten points. This was so discouraging. I wanted to get into Harvard. How am I supposed to do that with such low scores? So I followed his curriculum and kept burning fresh PTs. I didn't know what I was doing. Logic games seemed impossible. I didn't even know what a game board was never mind writing rules down. So I did what any rational person would do. I walked away and tried to find other resources.
I stopped studying for a few months. I bought the trainer but didn't read it for two years. Instead, I used fox prep books, foolishly, despite knowing that the course wouldn't work for me.
Where I was in undergrad, I focused on my grades for the rest of that semester and tried not to think about LSAT much. But I knew I wanted to go straight through so I had to get started soon. Towards the end of that academic year, I found 7Sage. At that point, I made up my mind that if this didn't work, I would quit studying and find a new career path.
So I made it work. I studied all the time. I studied at my summer internship. I sacrificed everything: my college friends, my family, even my girlfriend. All to beat this test. I was even studying during my classes to get ready for the September 2014 LSAT. Which got postponed to December. Then June 2015. Which meant I had to find a job because I no longer could go straight through. But I kept telling myself, "how bad do you want it?"
I finished the curriculum in May 2015 was PTing around 155 during that time. But for some reason I thought that I could go in there and hit a new personal best of 160. I was so wrong. I left the test center, crying, regretful. I blew it and I knew it. I wasted my time and my score ultimately reflected that. 153. I wasn't surprised but I was disappointed. Following the familial pressure, I applied anyways. I blanketed the T14. Shockingly, I was waitlisted at Chicago and Columbia. Hell, I even interviewed with Chicago. And even more surprisingly, I got into Georgetown. I had such mixed feelings. I went to the open house and all that it did was motivate me even more. "If this is the results I got with a 153, imagine what I could do with a 163 or 170," I told myself.
Where there were some things going on at my job that I won't mention, I decided to leave and study full time for the September 2016 LSAT. After restarting my studies in January of 2016 I was now well into the 160s. I was happy with my scores but not satisfied. I was working with Nicole Hopkins and felt myself improving each day. But when I walked in that testing so center on September 24th, 2016, it all hit the proverbial fan.
It was a disaster. It was the first time in my life that I was suffering from severe anxiety. I felt paralyzed. I put so much pressure on this moment that I could not move. I was petrified of making a mistake. I mean I'm not trying to make excuses but I feel that my situational anxiety got the best of me. Even worse, I was going home unemployed, leaving my job for what felt like nothing. I took a risk and failed, only scoring 1 point higher than my 153.
I applied anyways and was waitlisted at every single school from #4-9. Again, I was just more motivated than before. If these are the results I'm achieving with a 154, what could I do with a 164? How bad did I want it?
I didn't do any LSAT until I found a new job. But where my commute was now 2 hours each way and I was too tired when I got home, I woke up at 5am four days a week to study. Every single day I woke up, I would ask myself "how bad do you want this? How bad do you want to go to Harvard?" So I did what was necessary and plugged along.
It was around this time, in February 2017 that I found my lord and saviors: @twssmith and @dml277. For some context, I can be really rude sometimes. In fact, I hated Tyler. More than I hated study groups. I was a lone wolf. But she pushed me. She forced me to dig deeper. Literally our study calls would not progress until I provided her with an answer sufficient enough to make her happy. Which is exactly what I needed. @dml277 did the same thing...but was less Socratic about it. Kinda like good cop, bad cop. This was all so weird to me. I hated studying in groups but this was working so well.
Still, there was another postponing dilemma. I postponed June. Then September, ultimately taking December 2017 reluctantly, knowing that this is late in the cycle.
But it finally went well. Finally. After 3 long years I felt like I had taken an official test that I did well on. Given my standards, it was still not good enough. I crawled under my bed and laid there for an hour. But that day, I mustered up the courage and pressed submit on all of my apps.
While I'm by no means an LSAT aficionado like many of you here, there's one thing I'm really good at: crafting an application. My application tells a coherent story that makes sense and captures the readers attention. Just like an LSAT question, each and every part of my application lends support and is supported by something else. In a cycle like this, that is the most important thing. To some ends, it is a numbers game. But that's only 67% of the application. What about the other third? Why should the admissions committee pick you? It's truly because my essays (thank you @"David.Busis") and résumé telling a compelling story. It's because of the hard work I put into not only studying but the application.
My results are as follows:
Yale: Denied
Stanford: DLS (Waitlist or Denied (probably denied))
Harvard: Waitlist
Chicago: In with $$
Columbia: In with $$$
NYU: In, awaiting aid
Penn: Waitlist then denied (lol whatever)
UVA: In with $$
Duke: In with $$$$
Michigan: Didn't apply because I can't stand @danielznelson
Yes. I didn't get into Harvard (yet). I failed at my ultimate goal. But Chicago is more than good enough. And I'm not saying that out of pure rationalization. I'm saying that because I went there and I loved it. Small class size, great faculty, amazing clerkship numbers. I truly feel that there is nothing I couldn't achieve from Chicago in this profession.
This process has been a long and difficult one. Honestly it's been the hardest thing I've ever done. By far. But without this community I couldn't have done it. I'm so appreciative I can't put it into words. Thank you all so much. I hope I can help the same way that I have been helped time and time again.
Edit: I had no intentions of making this controversial but the internet being the internet, the trolls came out to play. I am a URM. I also had 16X, 3.7X, one year in a V50 firm, one year in a top state public office, and other great softs with only 3 months off to study. I wrote this to express gratitude and motivate those in similar positions, not to promote any controversial or particular agenda.
Comments
I've been waiting for this post, thanks for your time and thanks for sharing your story. I'm on the same boat as you and I your story helps me see the light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck at Chicago. Your perseverance and dedication will help you succeed at such a fantastic institution. Cheers.
Patience, persistence, perseverance = huge rewards!
This is amazing, congrats on all your hard-work and your amazing results!! This is the kind of stuff the community needs to hear. This shows that people are capable of chasing their dreams. Congrats on all you have done and will do!
That whole story of your LSAT journey and you don't even tell us what your final LSAT score was?!?!? I feel cheated :P congratulations though!
@blueteawallet @LSATcantwin thanks so much for your kind words! Means a lot
@"mickey.caleb" that’s the mark of a good writer...always leave them wanting more
it was intentional too btw
Happy for you man! Congrats on reaching, not settling, perservering and...just doing it (obviously, no way I could resist). I'm honestly so annoyed at all these other prep companies though that always say most people can only improve by 10 points from their diagnostic. Whereas 7sage is like nah man if you put in the right kind of effort, you can improve shitloads.
Amazing story!! Loved reading this and I relate to a good chunk of it. Congratulations!!!!!
this is amazing! Congrats!
Thank you for this, and congrats on UC!
@JustDoIt didn't apply to Michigan because he doesn't want to be a lame-o 1L compared to my amazingness as a 2L.
Congratulations nevertheless and what a story. Lot of time, effort, AND risk put into an incredible result.
If your friends and girlfriend gave up on you during this time they weren't real anyway. Good work my dude. We can all gain something from this kind of post.
I'm pretty certain that the OP is an URM. How else would they have waitlisted at U Chicago and Columbia and accepted into Georgetown with a 153? Based on the timeline they provided, they would not have had much work experience at this point. If I had to guess, I would say that the OP's final LSAT score was somewhere in the mid 160s. They said it themself, "If this is the results I got with a 153, imagine what I could do with a 163 or 170."
Anything in the 170s is respectable enough to post. 169 is basically 170 so that's good. 168 is basically 169 - two more guesses right and in the 170 club, albeit disappointing. I think it's possible they got a 167 - perfectly respectable score, but not to the level they set for themself. 166 it is.
LOL!
Congrats @JustDoIt! You deserve it!
Maybe they are a URM, maybe they have nice softs and a nice GPA, maybe their application just showed up as really driven.
Either way it's a great success story and we don't need the score to know. The score is just a means to the end and the OP found a nice end indeed through hard work and improvement.
OP has since edited the post. He originally ended the post with something along the lines of, "Some of you will say this is because I am a URM, but we all know that isn't true."
Nothing wrong with that of course, but in combination with the ability to take 9+ months off of work to study, it came off as smug and out of touch with how big of a factor URM status is. We can glean the great trait of perseverance, but without more information like WE, GPA, LSAT, topic of PS, softs, etc., people are going to infer that URM status had a significant role in the above results even if it did not.
Great post! Thank you for sharing. I am still going through the many lows of studying and being discouraged, but your post is motivating. It gives folks like me some hope!!!
I don't understand how it is important whether or not OP is a URM? It's not even that a couple people above mentioned it, but it's the way you put it out there like it makes his story any less. It actually came across as a complete non sequitur.
Oh wow here is someone who did something great and achieved a big goal... Ignore that. "I'm pretty sure he's just a URM" Like it's some dirty secret.
How sad you take this motivational post and turn it into trolling. This forum used to be way more supportive and positive. Not sure what's happened around this forum lately but it's definitely missing the positive support it had when I joined.
Congrats @JustDoIt UChi is an amazing school. And thanks for sharing your story! It's helping to keep me motivated.
@JustDoIt congrats
also thank you for sharing your story.
@JustDoIt I am very disappointed, you did not mention the most important person in this whole process. Please give Shia LaBeouf the credit he deserves. I think he could use the love.
In all seriousness, congratulations! You deserve it!!! It has been a pleasure knowing you. I will always remember our BR calls and Selena.
You are going to crush it at Chicago!
Despite whether or not he is urm, he is quite an inspiration. I came from a similar place as him and while I am sure I didnt make as much improvement, i realize how difficult it is to make a 20 plus improvement coming from a low diagnostic. Like him, there were many times where I doubted my skills and where my friends thought I should just apply. I was fortunate to have parents, especially my father, who motivated me to strive for my best on this exam and retake as necessary. He was the one who first told me that an exam like this one will probably take at least a good year. Enough about me. @JustDoIt ignore the all the comments about URM. This story overcoming plateaus through guided and diligent practice should not be overlooked by comments that appear to undermine one's achievements by mentioning urm status
Big, big ups!
Not sure if it’s trolling, but who cares about the URM thing—really not the point of this at all, and the story, I’m sure, generalizes. Enjoy tha’ Chi
Great work! Thanks for sharing your story.
This is awesome!
Congrats to you and please don't let anything take away from the high of this moment. Your hardwork is inspiring and that level of sacrifice is so real. I'm experiencing the consequences of that and no one understands lol. Oh well though, because I'm hoping to this point one day!
I am so proud of you. I know how hard you’ve worked and how many difficult and brave decisions you’ve had to make. You truly deserve what you have achieved.
I’m just as, if not more, grateful to have you along my side on this journey. Thanks for encouraging me and pushing me to try things I might not have done otherwise. You’ve been an inspiration to me! All the random late night calls we had are probably my favorite part of this LSAT journey. Yes we commiserated - but we also somehow made studying more fun together.
Never thought I’d make such good friends through LSAT but I am so glad to have done so!
THIS!!! THIS!!! Your story gives me a lot of hope. Reading your story, it seems like once you put your mind into doing something, you will conquer it. This is inspiring and motivating! My story mirrors yours. My diagnostic was at 136 and I am in mid-150s now, aiming for high 160s. It was discouraging reading TLS and the forum saying you can only improve +10 points. I am glad I found 7sage and this community of supportive people going through this ardious journey. Thank you for this.
What is URM?
This is an amazing accomplishment! Your work ethic and persistence speaks for itself. Thank you for sharing.
@PandaRamen Under Represented Minority
Very inspiristional @JustDoIt! On the same boat as you, low diagnostic, lone wolf, been a difficult long journey..so glad to hear such an amazing success story from someone I can actually relate to, it motivates me to work even harder now. I sincerely thank you for sharing your story @JustDoIt
It is extremely sad that OP has taken his/her time to share his/her story and there are people who came to debate whether his URM status contributed to his/her success. Congratulations OP, you earned every acceptance and all your success. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. You're an inspiration.
@blljhnsn35
Their entire story is about how they got a low LSAT score, did not get the results that they wanted, studied endlessly and put their life on hold so that they could improve, and after a long time of dedication and struggling achieved a better score. They then re-applied to schools and got better results than before. Not only can we see the progress that OP had on their LSAT score, but we can also see the rewards they owe to that LSAT progress.
So, they are like every other applicant, URM or not, who retook the LSAT to improve their chances at getting into their dream school....and they were successful. So your point about URM status is ultimately missed and unfounded. It has little or nothing to do with URM status and everything to do with the improvement in their LSAT.
I am sorry you feel so privileged, so wronged, and so bitter, that you are willing to comment on someones post about their struggle and success to try and draw question to their hard-work. It really doesn't leave much to the imagination of what kind of person you are.
Oh bugger off.
Major congrats to the OP. He is clearly a person with grit and determination. Absolutely inspiring.
Congrats @JustDoIt ! You've been an amazingly supportive member of this community and I know you'll be a huge asset at Chicago both as a student and just as a wonderful individual to have around. This is what it's all about, and I know you're going to do great!
@blljhnsn35 i got waitlisted to Columbia with 154. I am not a URM.
So thankful to see the true heart of 7Sage in the posts to recognize that you shared your personal story to give back to the community and provide inspiration to stay strong and true to your goals. What you have accomplished with your dedication, determination and perseverance is inspirational and appreciate you wanting to give back to all of us that are still in the grind of Lsat hell - yes, I cussed,
Cracking me up!! I've been around too long and knew immediately that you had so much potential and wasn't going to back down to do everything I could for you to engage in the interactive BR experience. Thank you for helping me to try to grow a thicker skin and stay true to my beliefs; thank you more than you will ever know how much all of our conversations about my style have meant to me.
Jordan, when you had an issue with a question, it took all of our mental abilites plus Selena (Daniel S) to get to the bones (Nicole H) to ensure we understood the stimulus and ACs when we didn't get distracted by the conversation shifting to the awesomeness of the switch or some great tea (Daniel Z) or Debbie having to be the soft voice of reason to keep us all on track. Thank you for sharing your insight on this test with us all - I learned so much from you:)
Debbie, could you imagine a life without Jordan's laugh? We built a very special BR group that started on respect for knowledge and determination on this test that grew beyond what any of us could have anticipated into trusted and valued friendships. Seriously, Friday night random chit-chat calls with rarely a reference to the Lsat just because it was fun and thanks to Jordan making us laugh. Lsat support groups at its best!
It has been a privilege to be a part of your lsat journey not just for me but for my husband as well. Apologies again for Glenn's pre Dec test "pep-talk" that may have instilled more fear than confidence but we all knew what you were capable of on the test. Thank you for trusting us to be a part of your life. Your gift of sharing yourself with us is something we cherish because of the person we know you are and so excited about your future!
Thanks for not hating me anymore - at least on some days
@dml277 Debbie said it best - hmmm maybe why she was the good cop?
Congrats and I'll see you next year buddy
Thank you all so much for your kind words and even coming to my defense. I would have never asked or even expected that. Feel free to DM me if there is anything I can do!
@JustDoIt thank you for sharing your story! What a great read. You should be so proud of yourself. And thank you for giving people like me so much inspiration to continue and never stop chasing after our dreams. Its so, so hard but you have proven that determination will get things done your way.
@TaylorAnn Stick around, this forum is still supportive. Because it is a public forum anyone can sign up, troll, and say things that will rile up other people. I've seen them too but I think they are far and few between. I do believe that the majority of posters are pulling for each other to defeat this test and to keep us all inspired. Continue to post positive and uplifting things and this forum will continue to be a supportive and positive place for all of us.
I know for sure a story about an Asian international student who experienced probably much more suffering in 5 years and finally got probably a higher score (167) but rejected by all the T14s he applied, and only admitted to a top 30 law school (thankfully with almost full tuition scholarship).
People always interpret the world in the way they want to. That's why we "make mistakes as long as we strive." I have no interest in advocating which way to interpret the world should be justified. Sometimes, I only cannot control my will to say something for those who lose, since those who are successful feel not satisfied unless they can justify why they deserve, and they obviously have much more power in fulfilling this desire.
I have no doubt OP is a good guy. But you should thank the policy that favors URM. This is the most important factor that gets you admitted. If you believe it's justified, why not thank it? If you believe it not justified, why not admit it? To have the willingness to either thank or admit this fact will increase, rather than decrease, the meaningfulness of this story.
I am not an American. I am a stranger. All I have is confusion, and all I want is "more light".
@JustDoIt
THIS IS AN AWESOME STORY!
One question: how did you deal with the test anxiety?
This story inspires me not to give up! I am considering on taking the LSAT for the third time in September. My first try in June 2017 was decent, but I did worse in February, understandably due to the fact that I was grieving a loss at the time.
Or maybe the OP didn't want the thread to degenerate into a conversation about affirmative action's merits and instead wanted the thread to be about the OP's inspiring success story.
I don't know why anyone is guessing the OP's score at all. If the OP got a 165, a 170, or a 175, the story is still an impressive and inspiring increase from the 130's.
I'm sure there are lots of people who underperform their numbers. If at all possible, they should retake or reapply with new personal statements. If the Asian international student you mentioned was in this circumstance that is the advice he/she should have been given. If you read the story of the OP you should see that retaking was the advice the OP heeded and that it worked.
@lizpil simply just recognizing this is a test and that my life won’t be defined by it. I knew I was going to be successful so I just had to put my adult pants on and stop feeling sorry for myself. Granted this was a long process and used the calm app almost every day and did almost every meditation. But yeah it was definitely a process. I also think taking december and knowing I wanted to be a part of this cycle added some finality to it.
Thought I was the only one going through it. Good to know there are all sorts of people achieving success on this exam. Thank you for sharing this!
I'm happy you're happy, but I take issue with this portion of your post:
Prioritizing is one thing, but I think you went overboard and others should be hesitant to follow your example.