Did you take the February 2008 LSAT?

What should you do with your February 2008 LSAT score? Are you hoping to apply for Fall 2008? You'll probably be ok at safety schools but anywhere that you're mid-range or reaching is going to end up with a wait list response at best. This is the joy of rolling admissions.

It might be a better strategy to wait until Fall 2009 entry. You can really work to create impressive applications, strengthen your LORs and resumes, improve your GPA, and apply early (September/October) for the next admission cycle. This can definitely help you to be a more competitive applicant.

If you decide to do this, don't put law school on the back-burner. Be proactive and get yourself on a time-line. The summer will be here before you know it.

P.S. I am currently accepting law school admission consulting clients for Fall 2009 and will accept fewer than 150 this year. Sign up early.

P.P.S. Trends I'm noticing: The following schools seem to be gunning it for improvement in rankings (based on the fact that they are turning down people this year that I think they would have admitted last year): Boston College, George Washington University, Northeastern, and George Mason.

Getting into Law School

This is one of the best parts of my job as a law school admission coach - hearing back from my clients when there is good news to share. This week, some of the law schools that admitted my wonderful clients include:
Fordham
Boalt Hall (UC Berkeley)
U. New Mexico
Baylor
ASU
Rutgers
Villanova
Baltimore
Barry
St. Mary's

And, if you applied in September/October and haven't yet heard, don't worry. Letters are just starting to go out.... This list is just the tip of the iceberg and I look forward to reporting your successes one day very soon!

P.S. For everyone out there who received a rejection letter from Georgetown this week, know that you're not alone. They must have sent them out in a big batch this weekend....

Starting early for Fall 2009 Law School Admission

Here is the benefit of being on top of things and applying early -

While most of my clients are only now getting underway in the law school application process (and many more won't be doing so until after the December LSAT), I heard good news this week from three proactive people who worked on their applications during the summer and submitted them in August/September:
One was admitted to American - Washington College of Law
One was admitted to Baltimore (with a 25th percentile LSAT score for that school)
And one of my transfer applicants was admitted to Georgetown.

Congratulations to all 3 of you and I look forward to posting lots more good news in the coming weeks and months.

For those of you planning to apply for Fall 2009 admission, try to get your ducks in a row early. By starting in the next 6-8 months, you are at a big advantage in the process. (Just the relief of knowing you've gotten in somewhere is priceless.)

However, for those of you just starting now for Fall 2008 admission, don't be disheartened. It's not impossible, or even necessarily an uphill battle. It's not over until it's over!

Why Rolling Admissions ROCKS

Ok, some of you - all of you - are going to HATE me for posting this today but I have to brag big time. One of my clients who was SUPER on the ball following the June LSAT heard back today from her first law school and already has an acceptance letter and scholarship in-hand!

Here is the e-mail I received tonight:

I just wanted to let you know that I received a phone call earlier this evening from the Dean of the University of Richmond informing me that I have been accepted. She encouraged me to visit and said that he is very excited that I knew about their ******* program and wanted to be involved in it. She also told me she would love to reward my hard efforts and hard work at ******* University with a scholarship. I can't tell you how exciting it was to hear I have been accepted somewhere and I am so thankful to you for all of your help thus far. I am still in shock that the Dean of the law school actually called me to tell me this; it was incredible.

Ok - for the rest of you, what does this mean? It's not too late! But I want you to know your letter with good news (or phone call or e-mail) will come if you put the effort in. It does pay off - this period of stress and uncertainty does not go on forever. Just stay focused on your goal.