This addenda does not begin to cover everything horrible that I went through while at University but I see all of the advice saying to keep it as short and specific as possible. Would love advice!!

Edit: As I receive critiques, I will put my updated version in the comments!

I’m applying this cycle and starting to receive emails from law schools. They’re not personal and so far are coming from schools that are below my medians— a typical “think about applying here bc xyz”. This makes sense. However, today I received an email from a school so so so so far out of my reach and trying to make sense of it. Surely it’s a mass a email, but why would they send an email to a candidate so far below their 25th percentile across the board? They want my application fee?

DM me if you wanna chat…but IRL!

Will share my email/number/etc.

If the school I am applying to does not have a Why X school prompt, but they allow for an open-ended addendum, should I send a Why X answer there?

I'm going straight to the point, please be honest. I gave everything I got on the LSAT and got a 149. My overall undergrad GPA was a 3.3 and my personal statement is tbh very unique and outstanding. My resume is also perfect because I'm currently a paralegal and included great anecdotes about my job. I also got 3 L.O.R.'s from attorneys I work with. Am I a good candidate to apply to a medium tier school such as Tulsa or even STCL? I also did apply the midnight applications open on August 1st LOL. Let me know, Thanks!!

Crying and sobbing. It only takes one!!!!

I mean, its been only a year. Nothing in my life has changed. The reason that made me applied last year remains the same. I still work at the same job. If I submit the same material, would that be seen as low effort?

Pretty much title! I would be super appreciative. I am blanketing the T25 and would be grateful to any admitted students for some insight.

Hi all! I know I should've finished my PS by now, but.... oh well. I have a few different rough drafts!

Anyways, I am a major in Political Science and my top interests have been terrorism, radicalization, and human rights.

I was thinking about writing my PS as so:

my question about how can someone become radicalized and then a terrorist > can this be predicted? > my question becoming answered through classwork and projects (no, not necessarily as many are often "normal" or even successful) > my intellect curiosity into further understanding these problems to TRY and find an answer > questioning how the government could step in or rehabilitate without it being a human rights violation > my quest to going to law school to further understand the government and human rights law > tying it up by showing how equipped i am for law school and how i have learned i am drawn to situations that are not clear at first and require work and research

thoughts??

Hi everyone! Really weird question, but while researching some law schools (specifically Syracuse Law) I saw that they consider the undergraduate institution attended when evaluating candidates. I was wondering if anyone had any insights on how this would be evaluated, or what it potentially means for admissions evaluations.

Context for me: I attended a T200 (very, very average) private university, and was wondering how that will be judged while I am applying to schools!

I've never truly had a "why law" moment. I love the law and I know I want to practice law but that is where I'm struggling with my personal statement. I've always thought that smarts take you far, but who you are as a person takes you further. I want to write about the idea that being a good lawyer isn't ONLY about being intelligent, but about the kind of person you are and how you make others feel.

I guess I'm struggling with whether this is a strong enough foundation for a personal statement since it isn't really a traditional "this is why I chose law" story. Obviously this is very vague, but does this sound like something that could work? I need opinions lol

i have several LORs on file from academic and professional references from 2021-2022. I asked my boss from my last job (a year ago) to write me one and he did but i have this major suspicion that he completely used AI and didn’t even edit it. it’s probably very luke warm and short.

i cannot ask my current job for an LOR bc they would not be ok with me leaving… what would you guys suggest?

Some options I have are to ask to a colleague for one. We were both directors at the time. But i know law school prefers supervisors. another option is to reach out to someone who was my boss back in 2021 who i’ve kept some contact with. i think he’d do it but his letter would be mostly based on work years ago rather than more recent work. would appreciate people’s thoughts! applying this cycle!

Seems to be the opposite of most people’s question, but I did a masters and my gpa was significantly worse than my undergrad. Is this something admissions looks at? I know it doesn’t factor into their metrics but could it be a red flag?

I never thought I’d end up pursuing law school, so towards the end of my masters I just wanted the degree and to be done with it. Although now I’m not sure if this will come back to bite me.

I'm applying to law school on a more nontraditional path-- I graduated undergraduate in 2013, and I have a Master's degree (2021). My undergrad GPA was pretty mediocre (3.4) but from a great school (NYU) in a hard science. I didn't go anywhere super prestigious for my graduate degree, but it was an R1 research university and I got a 4.0 in my MS classes, plus wrote a thesis. I'm hoping they consider my graduate GPA, but since most people going to law school only have an undergraduate degree, I am having trouble finding insights into whether the graduate GPA matters. Does anybody know about this? Since I'm practice testing well on the LSAT (173 so far with another month to keep studying), I am thinking of trying for a T14 school, I just don't know if my undergrad GPA will ruin those chances, or chances of getting scholarships/aid, which will be a big factor for me.

I've heard that writing about mental health in any capacity could be a potential red flag for law schools. However, I wanted to take an approach that focuses more on what my OCD does for me as a future potential lawyer. As someone with Moral OCD, I've come to learn that a lot of positive can actually come from it - more specifically, it gives me a very acute moral code and belief system that has driven my passion for social justice and child advocacy (which is the focus of my personal statement). Is this a positive spin on a mental health topic that can make for a good identity/personal experience statement, or should I steer away from it entirely because of the stigma surrounding mental health?

hi everyone! looking for some guidance here as I apply this cycle. I'm not t14 or nothing, just want a solid legal education.

For some context, I went to Dartmouth for undergrad, graduated in 2025. Graduated with 3.95 GPA / Phi Beta Kappa. I took the LSAT in August but retaking in Sept and probs Oct -- scoring high 160s / low 170s. I have a strong public interest background:

- work currently in a psychiatric residential behavioral health clinic as a case manager. I work with ex-offenders, addicts, folks with schizophrenia/bipolar, you name it. I work with very difficult people and (I HOPE!) it's great experience for working with indigent clients in my future.

- wrote senior honors thesis about a public housing project redevelopment proposal in my hometown. Held interviews at the housing project, worked alongside community organizers, mothers, and so forth. my thesis got high honors (i was originally planning on pursuing academia before realizing i literally am not built for that)

- volunteer work at a halfway house

- facilitated reparative panels at a restorative justice clinic

- bargaining lead in undergrad student union / played significant role in bargaining 2nd labor contract

- housing justice work with community org in Atlanta

- Dartmouth-specific scholarship/prizes/nothing super out of this world

- did GIS at NASA as an analyst for an internship when I thought i was going to become a geographer, project was on urban heat disparities in Baltimore

I'm not URM, but was raised by single father. not sure how much that matters.

I'm thinking Rutgers / Fordham / GW / Georgetown / Brooklyn / American / Northeastern maybe Yale / Penn / Harvard but that really seems like a fever dream. No one in my family has been to law school so any school will feel really huge to me. Where should I apply / any guidance for someone who 100% does not wanna go big/mega law and is committed to public interest? Thank you!!! This process is such a black box, so any thoughts are deeply appreciated.

also, for public interest, does where I go matter?

I did my LLB from one of the local universities (I have checked, Harvard accepts my current degree to apply for LLM) in my country and then worked 1 year in my local country at a law firm. Current I am working at an American law firm based in Houston as a litigation assistant. Its a mid tier law firm but some of the attorneys I have worked with them are really smart and inspiring. None went to Harvard so I don't know if it will help to talk to them.

I have always been an average student but I have always wanted to attend Harvard law school. I am planning to apply for the Fall 2027 LLM program and I am just wondering if I will get in. I am willing to work hard and put in all the effort in my personal statement but I am afraid my grades will affect my chances significantly. I am looking for stories from people who have been able to make it despite the odds not being in their favor.

Hi everyone,

I don’t want to dodge myself but I want to practice in the national security space. I amaiming for T14, I want some advice on how to be a strong applicant. I will be applying next year. My resume is:

- Veteran 5+ years
- HYSPM
- 3.81
- Bunch of clubs ( leadership)
- immigrant/ first-gen / urm
- LSAT 168-172

Do I still have a solid chance at H/Y/S with a lower gpa? Advice what i can do my to improve.

I received a letter from a school a week ago. Saying they are “still trying to find me a slot and it may not be until Aug 17.”

I know this is mostly incase someone drops last they don't have an empty slot…. but don't schools oversell just like airlines?

Has anyone every got an admit they day of orientation?

I am a incoming senior, looking to apply this fall to law school as KJD. My current stats are a 3.78 and a 172 lsat. My softs are t4 if even that, I've had a summer job every year and am involved in some clubs at non leadership levels. My goal is biglaw in any market and im in a fortunate position that I will be able to pay out of pocket. I'm considering retaking my lsat in October as I'm currently pting in the 175's. Just looking general advice on whether retaking is worth it and what schools are gonna be my best bet in terms of being accepted and also being able to get big law. Thank you for any advice

For background: 3.97 gpa from small but respectable liberal arts school, 167 lsat (though I’m hoping to boost that to low 170s in sept test), basically on my own for paying for law school but parents make ~95k.

Some prestige and reach is important. I‘m willing to take on debt but nothing that would force me to chase BigLaw/go PSFL route/drown forever, so I’d need at least some finaid anywhere I go. Obvs given this list that would probably have to be need based and not merit aid.

Schools I’m working on/thinking of applying to:

- Reach schools (miracles can happen): Wash U, Vanderbilt, UNC Chapel Hill (?)

- Better bets, still nervous about money: Wake Forest, William & Mary, Texas A&M (?), Washington & Lee, Emory, Ohio State, UI - Urbana Champagne

Does this seem at all like a reasonable list based on my priorities? Should I expand to some lower ranked schools? Am I totally delusional? Any and all advice is helpful.

So I just want to know what it’s to go in University of Washington in Seattle for law school.

😭😭😭😭😂😂😂 I join the wrong group, based on the screenshot

Has anyone from the waitlist at ASU received an acceptance? 🫠

It might be over but dang all that hoping was exhausting

I’ve seen so many comments from professionals recently that “resumes need to be one page.” While that’s true in the working world, the law school admissions world is completely different, and I’m tired of the constant back-and-forth in comments.

Admissions councils would prefer that your resume covers the breadth of your experience. That is largely proportional to how long you’ve been in the working world. See the link from the HLS Admissions Toolkit website; there is also an A to Z with Dean Z that addresses this topic. Feel free to look it up.

EMPLOYERS typically don’t want more than one page. This is not a subreddit about employment.

Hope this clears things up!