u/Embarrassed_Two9272

171, 3.85, kjd, nurm, T3 softs

Burner account but I used to watch this subreddit like a hawk. This whole process has been fascinating to me, and I’ve devoted so much time to it. I’m really happy with my outcomes tbh, but I was also very realistic in terms of managing my expectations. The waitlists are kinda sad but very expected. Was flattered to be waitlisted at some T6s. Not hopeful for movement given I’m probably below both medians for the incoming classes.

My thoughts/advice even though no one asked:

I took the lsat twice, and didn’t want to take it again because of a post I saw by a dean who said they see it as a red flag because it’s pompous/shows lack of ability to self assess if you retake a 169+ and then it backfires. While that may be the sentiment at a few top schools, I think the vast majority of them would much rather you have a score at/above median more than they care about how many times you take it. I regret that though. I would have retaken more than twice.

Apply everywhere: acceptances are random and you could end up somewhere you are content with even if you originally couldn’t see yourself there. The most obvious reason to do this is for scholarship leverage. Tbh, I didn’t really ever consider going to osu, but the $$$$+ made me really consider it.

Make sure you directly answer the supplemental question. If it’s a “why” essay, make sure you read the prompt because different schools ask for different content, and i imagine that those who truly focus on the essence of the prompt (if it isn’t a truly standard simple “why”) differentiate themselves.

An admissions consultant is prohibitively expensive, but, I’m really glad I got one. it is certainly not a waste if you can afford it. I sucked up the cost cause I saw a lot of ROI given that I got substantial scholarship everywhere I was accepted (except a&m and asu), although I know correlation doesn’t equal causation. I just worked on core essays and a few supplements, and then used those frameworks to do a lot of other essays. It really provided peace of mind to know that I was doing everything “correctly.”

Different admissions faculty care/don’t care about certain things, and you can’t please everyone with every choice you make either about materials/essays/softs/writing style/exact resume format. I kinda felt like I couldn’t please everyone, which was frustrating but I eventually kinda just resigned to the fact that there was going to be some type of minor negative judgement of my application no matter how much I tried to perfect it, maybe even due to personal preference. The good news is that that same process is probably happening for every applicant. It was helpful to hear a dean say that “no application was perfect.”

Demonstrating interest: Do all the optional essay and interviews even if you think a school is an easy admit. Schools are yield protecting like crazy. Idk if it’s the reason I got into USC/Vandy/UMN instead of waitlisted, but I think it’s really worth it to do something that shows demonstrated interest either before or after you apply. I’m sure the policy differs from school to school, but it’s an hour of your time and could make the difference between a WL and an A

TLDR: take the lsat as many times as you want to, apply broadly, demonstrate interest, answer the supplemental prompts directly, admissions is unpredictable, and a fancy consultant was definitely worth the financial investment.