Law School Admission Blog

OK. We've learned a few things.

Here's the breakdown. Rejection letters from the Univ. of Michigan, Marquette Univ., Wake Forest Univ. and Pepperdine Univ. Acceptance letters from the Univ. of Denver, Seattle University and Vermont Law School. Waitlisted by Cardozo. Deferred by Univ. of Nebraska. Put on "hold" by the Univ. of Miami. Whatever that means.

So that's 12 schools I've heard from, including being accepted at NYLS and McGeorge-Pacific.

I've learned the Univ. of the Pacific has a really great recruitment program. They flew me out to Sacramento to tour the school, meet students and celebrate "diversity." To some people that's a dirty word, but it's comforting to me.

I met the Dean, talked to a federal judge, several faculty and many students. A student cried during her speech. The campus was beautiful. Man, I was really feeling the love. Cali love.

Being a native of the state, I miss home like nobody's business. Plus, it's near hometown, Bakersfield. So I could go see my parents and my sister, who's due to have a baby any day now.

My only concerns are financial and housing. I received a $10,000 scholarship, plus books, but what about the other $13,000? And where am I going to live? Renting in that market is brutal.

I learned that you can call some schools' bluff. Seems like the schools that wanted me didn't have a problem waiving the fee. Schools that weren't so sure, usually hassled me about the fee.

So one school, which shall remain nameless, kept hassling me about the fee. My undergrad and their school have an agreement that grads get fee waivers. They were still dead set on making me pay. I applied anyway, figuring maybe I could convince them to waive it. After discussing it with a few faculty members, they asked me to fill out a fee waiver form.

They rejected my claim, basically saying being poor for a year or so doesn't work. You have to be poor consistently for a long, long time. I told them fine. I'd call them, if and when, I raised the money for the fee.

Received a letter in the mail saying they'd reconsidered and we're giving me the fee waiver. Don't know what this means. Don't know if this is an indication of acceptance or rejection. But it just goes to show you that you don't have to lay down because you're dealing with a law school. They make mistakes. They overlook things. Stand your ground.

I've learned schools are filled with people and people make mistakes. I've had important documents misfiled. I've had documents lost, that I had to resend. I've had schools make me pay the fee when their contract with my school specifically says the fee should be waived. I've had my application deemed incomplete when it's been complete for months.

Point is, keep records. Be nice. But be firm. Double-check everything they tell you. And don't be afraid to ask for clarification or for the status of your file. We know their staff is overworked and underpaid. Well, pardon me, but that ain't got nothin' to do with my file. So put on a smile, your friendly face or your fake "nice" voice, but still don't take no for an answer.

I've learned that contact is a good thing. The schools I was accepted to, I was in touch with faculty, students and administrative officers. I emailed them. I called them. I asked questions. Not on a daily basis. But maybe every few weeks. Just to keep in touch. I told them about my fears about the LSAT. My concerns about financial aid. I told them as much about myself as possible.

This fostered a relationship I think that helped me in the decision process. Of course, if you got a 4.0 and 170, go 'head and be the biggest aloof jerk this side of Bill O'Reilly. You are obviously smarter and more qualified for law school, so we'll allow you to be anal. Me on the other hand, I don't have those qualifications. So every little bit counts.

I've learned that I have a timetable. The scholarships I've been offered are due by April 1. Or that's the date I need to accept them by, or they're taken off the table. This kinda puts me in a bit of spot, because that's only a month away. I still have 25-28 schools to hear from. And what do I do? Call them and say, "Hurry up! I've got decisions to make."

I've learned not to believe that garbage that schools will only notify you by mail. The Univ. of Michigan sent me an email telling me I'd been rejected and to basically quit emailing them. The Univ. of Denver sent me an email telling me I'd been accepted. Maybe, I was too much of a pest. Regardless, it's not something you should ask for. But I've bared witness, that it's not a hard and fast rule, even though they'd like to make you think it is.

I'm still waiting on the schools on my top list: USC, UCLA, Univ. of San Diego, Loyola Law School, Univ. of Texas, Univ. of Iowa, Univ. of Wisconsin and Univ. of Minnesota. My chances of getting into these schools? Slim, I'd say. But doesn't mean it can't happen. We'll see.

I'm really interested in the Univ. of Wisconsin. I visited their law school, talked to their faculty and met with their Dean of Admissions. They seem to have a lot of interest in me. They're a top tier law school, in my opinion.

I know some people are caught up on tiers. I try not to be. I'd be lying if I said it didn't weigh in on my decision. But I used the U.S. News and World Report Rankings as well as Internet Legal Resource Group's raw data grid. I also used LSAC's database.

I find out about a school's tier. I looked at the median, highs and lows, graduation rates and bar passage rates. I also looked at the diversity of the school, the percentage of minorities, specifically African-Americans. I also looked at my comparable stats and how many of those students were admitted.

But basically, it should come down to where you want to be, where you want to practice and what do you want to do. I want to live in Cali, so I applied to Cali schools. I want to practice in a large metro area, so I applied to schools in big cities. I want to practice entertainment law, so I applied to schools with entertainment law societies, intellectual property curriculum or ties to entertainment lawyers.

Not the only way to do it. Just one way.

Once you find a way. Work it like Missy Elliot. And you'll be happy with the responses.

I promise.

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