How hard is it to get off a law school waitlist?

Asked by: Jamar Runte  |  Last update: September 28, 2023
Score: 4.3/5 (36 votes)

Realistically, your chances of getting of a law school waitlist this cycle are slim. There are simply so many people on the waitlists that your odds of being the one to get off are not high. Though if your stats are within the school's median numbers, you are more likely to get off the waitlist.

Is it common to be waitlisted for law school?

Well, you're not alone. According to the Law School Admissions Council, law school applications are up substantially compared to 2020. That means more competition and higher chances of landing a spot on the waitlist.

Is waitlisted better than rejected law school?

Being waitlisted isn't an acceptance letter, but it's not a decline either. Law schools waitlist students they are interested in, but cannot yet offer a spot. It means they liked some other applicants better than you, but if those applicants choose a different school, you have a chance of getting accepted.

What are the odds of getting off the law school waitlist reddit?

Tl;dr: According to LSData since the 2017-2018 cycle, the T50 law schools have admitted about 4% of waitlisted applicants who choose to remain on the waitlist. The T14 sits at about 3%. For almost all schools WL-->A rates tend to hover between 1% and 6%.

What percent of waitlisted students get admitted?

As a rule of thumb, around 10% of students who are waitlisted at an elite universities will ultimately earn admission. This, of course, can vary from year to year. There are years when some colleges, like Dartmouth College for the Class of 2025, don't turn to their waitlists because they don't need to fill seats.

The Law School Waitlist: What It Means & How to Get Admitted

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Is waitlist worse than rejection?

Getting on a waitlist is not a rejection — waitlisted students still have a shot at earning admission to the school. College waitlist statistics from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) show that 43% of postsecondary institutions used a waitlist during the 2018-19 school year.

Is getting waitlisted impressive?

Getting waitlisted at a college certainly isn't a bad thing—your application was good enough to not get rejected! —but it's definitely an uncomfortable place to be. After all, when you're on the college waitlist, you don't know whether you'll be admitted or not, and that alone is anxiety-inducing.

Why did I get waitlisted law school?

Being on the waitlist means they still think your application is strong and you might be accepted at a later date. However, if you are starting law school with the next wave, then it is important to continue looking at other options in the event you are not accepted to your top choice.

What is the likelihood of failing law school?

“The flunk-out rate for law students is in the range of 12-25%” says Lisa Blasser, a Claremont-based attorney, and author of “Nine Steps to Law School Success: A Scientifically Proven Study Process for Success in Law School.” So, what explains someone failing? “They simply are not taught how to study.

How many people flunk out of law school?

According to the American Bar Association (ABA), the attrition rate for first-year law students was 17.3% during the 2019-2020 academic year. However, this is significantly lower than the previous ten years, where the average attrition rate was 22.2%.

Is a waitlist a soft rejection?

If a student is waitlisted, it usually means that a school feels the student is a good fit, but the school is constrained by class sizes. Keep in mind, however, that some schools use waitlist offers as “soft rejections.” The waitlist offer is more of a “courtesy” and they have no intention of admitting you.

Do most people who get waitlisted get accepted?

While many colleges will waitlist hundreds or even thousands of students, not all of those students will accept a spot on the waitlist, making the pool and the chances of getting in slightly better in some cases. According to NACAC, 20% of all students who chose to remain on waitlists were ultimately admitted.

Is it OK to go to a lower ranked law school?

Earning a law degree from any reputable program is an impressive achievement. A glance at the bios for any major law firm will reveal many successful lawyers who attended low-ranked schools. Admittedly, it is harder for graduates of lower-ranked schools to compete on the job market.

What is the difference between waitlist and hold in law school?

Being waitlisted is an official application decision. Most times, waitlist decisions come later near or after deposit deadlines once the school has a better sense of how the incoming class is shaping up. Most times, however, you will receive a hold decision (admit/deny/waitlist) before the deposit deadlines.

What is the average age of law school acceptance?

The average age of law students is 25 or younger. Only 20% of law students are 30 or older. While only a small percentage of law students are above the age of 40, there have been several successful older graduates.

Can you defer a waitlist offer law school?

Students who are granted a deferral request will typically be allowed to defer for only one year; very few schools allow longer deferments. Students who are accepted off of a waitlist typically do not have the option to request a deferment.

What is the toughest year of law school?

Most students consider the first year of law school to be the most difficult. The material is more complex than they're used to and it must be learned rapidly. What's more, the way students are taught and tested is very different from high school or undergrad.

What percent of people regret law school?

A substantial majority of vocational and technical students (60 percent) wish they'd gone for more schooling, while less than 40 percent of law, life science and engineering students believe the same. The burgeoning regret among humanities and arts majors may help explain why humanities graduates are a dying breed.

How many lawyers regret law school?

Law School Regret by the Numbers

Only 37 percent strongly agreed that they would attend law school again. Only 35 percent said law school prepared them well for practicing. Only 20 percent strongly agreed that their law school was worth the cost.

Why are so many students getting waitlisted?

Schools use waitlists to ensure that they can remain selective while still knowing that they will be able to fill their freshman class, even if yield drops a bit. If fewer students enroll than were anticipated, the school can turn to the waitlist to fill the gaps.

How do you respond to a law school waitlist email?

This can be as simple as “Thank you for your consideration. I'm still very interested in your school, and I'm grateful for a place on the waitlist.” Don't use those exact words, though, or it will sound like you've copied them from the internet, which would be true. I see you just wrote “LOCI.” What's that?

Is waitlist acceptance binding?

Keep in mind that college waitlist offers aren't binding. You won't be required to attend the college if they accept you from the waitlist.

What not to do when waitlisted?

Waitlisted students can accept or reject the offer presented by the college. However, don't take up a spot on the list if you're not planning on attending the school anymore. You'd be taking the spot away from another student who may be more interested.

Is there a downside to accepting waitlist?

There are three primary drawbacks to being waitlisted: Your chances of being admitted off the waitlist are typically low. Although numbers in recent years have increased for waitlist admissions, they're still markedly lower than if your student were to have been accepted in the initial wave of applicants.

Why am I getting waitlisted so much?

Many schools look for a balanced makeup of their freshman class in terms of area of study. If there are too many students with your intended major, you might be placed on a waitlist while the school attempts to accept more candidates from other majors.