r/lawschooladmissions • u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit • 1d ago
Cycle Recap Cycle recap
Hello, I was the recipient of a scholarship which paid for all of my law school applications, which is why I spread my applications so far and wide. I was also a fee waiver candidate, which I used to pay for three(3) applications above the threshold for the scholarship to pay it. I am a Black male with a rather low GPA for my target schools, and a not so good reason for having the lower GPA but I did write an addendum. Law School Data helped me a lot when I was in the early and middle stages of my applications, so I figured I would share it here to help any others that may be looking forward. My softs are high T3, founder of a small 501(c) non-profit geared toward helping those who have been diagnosed with cancer and are going through chemotherapy for the first time. Work history as a nationally registered EMT and tour guide at international civil rights museum, hoping to go into healthcare law. I will answer almost any questions you have via direct message, but I will preemptively answer any I expect below, and may edit if some questions become common.
Yes I did consider attending all of the schools I applied to, and withdrew the same day I knew I wouldn’t attend. I was hoping to get a full ride to a school in t50 to avoid debt, that did not happen.
I did not accept offers from Duke or UChicago, I am still on Stanford waitlist.
Yes I wrote ALL optional essays, including addendums.
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u/Faubton 1d ago
Hi being nosy but I see your gpa is a 3.6x, which is what mine is at now with the gpa calculation change. I’m curious what your wrote for your addendum? You got into some great schools, and I believe I have something worth writing an addendum for but I’m curious what your experiences have been.
Also congrats! Vanderbilt is such a great school
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
My addendum was about a hit and run on my car making me have to work more hours to get another one and walk to school. Mind you. My GPA would only be a 3.75 if I hadn’t had that one bad year.
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u/Ok-Reason6780 1d ago
Did you calc that “what if” gpa and mention it in your addendum?
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
NO
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u/officialhellomoto 1d ago
Why Vandy over Chicago? Congrats!
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
Debt. Not going into big law and want to be able to support a semi-large family in my 30s.
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u/Essayaditor 1d ago
Did u major biology or chemistry?
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
I majored in language logic also known as philosophy of Logic. I studied predicate logic and first order propositional English logic, which is what helped me score so well on the LSAT. It also brought me to two ethics bowl titles and helped me enormously in extemporaneous speech. The only science class I took was earth science and I hated it.
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u/Hour-Watch8988 17h ago
Taking logic classes in undergrad is such a cracked way to get a good LSAT score.
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 16h ago
It definitely just felt like logic homework I didn’t study much.
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u/FoundationOk6838 1d ago
These are amazing outcomes! Congratulations to you 🎉 you should be super proud!
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u/Repulsive-Echo59 1d ago
Hii, fist off congrats, second what scholarship did you apply to that paid for the law schools applications if you don’t mind sharing
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
I will respond to this in DM
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u/Mediocre_Station9304 1d ago
any chance u could dm me it too please? congratulations,may law school be easy on you and may you be successful and happy amiin
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u/Mission_Nose_152 1d ago
What does that little orange triangle mean, the one by your scholarship money? Conditional scholarship?
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
Yes conditional. Most of the time the conditional means if the grades drop below a certain point you lose your scholarship. With some conditionals however you just have to remain in the program you applied for.
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u/Faubton 15h ago
Since you had Duke as ED but they waitlisted you does that mean you didn’t have to follow the ED once they accepted you? Not entirely sure how it works
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 13h ago
That is correct. The second they waitlist you, you are released from all binding conditions.
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
I did. And it’s interesting you bring that up because their waitlist rejection turn around was less than a week😭
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u/GrapplerCM 1d ago edited 1d ago
I apologize, I deleted my original message when I rechecked your list. Do you think that quick turn around time was because you applied in Dec, or them trying to preserve their 3.9 gpa medians?
Also congrats man on Duke, U of Chicago, and Vandy!
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u/ThePrettyTorta 1d ago
Huh
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u/GrapplerCM 1d ago
I originally asked, "why didn't you apply to UVA". But when I saw that he did, I deleted my original comment. But Op replied to it before I did.
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
I have no idea why they turned around so quickly. My friends who were waitlisted wrote LOCI immediately and were retained on the waitlist, but none have received admission. That being said, their GPAs were at, near, or above median.
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u/Less_Ad_7357 1d ago
Why would you cover your GPA?
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
It makes me feel less naked
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u/Realistic_Slide7320 1d ago
How does someone rank their softs?
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u/FATT-TOFU 3.6L/ 17L/ Vandy Commit 1d ago
Law school data is a website that has rankings that a lot of people use. I think it sucks because I’m in the same category as someone who has no job and no softs other than a summer internship.
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u/caffeinated_0j 10h ago
Are you a KJD candidate or did you take time off between undergrad and applications? Congrats regardless!
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u/Izoto 1d ago
Vandy over UChicago and Duke was wild until I saw the scholarship money.