Is it common to be waitlisted for law school?

Do law schools reject quickly?

Generally, admissions offices start reviewing applications around October and aim to make decisions within six weeks. So the earliest you may hear back is likely mid-November. However, law school decisions often take an agonizingly long time.

Do law schools send rejection letters?

Law school applicants receive one of four different responses after they submit their application package. Law schools send letters to accept applicants, place applicants on their waitlist, decline applicants, and place applicants on hold.

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.

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.

What law school is the hardest to get accepted?

What are the odds of me getting into law school?

Admission to law school is competitive. Of all people who apply to law school, about 55 to 60 percent are accepted at one or more schools. In other words, about 40 percent of all applicants to law school aren't able to go because they aren't admitted anywhere.

How quickly do law schools make decisions?

Most law schools will start sending out decisions around 2 months after an application is submitted, but this time may be shorter or longer depending on the school, and the time of year you submitted the application.

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 percentage of law school applicants are accepted?

How competitive are law school admissions? Law school admissions is notoriously competitive in the US, and law school admissions statistics reflect this. The median acceptance rate for all law schools in the US sits at 40.8%, which is already a fairly competitive rate.

What happens if you don't get accepted into law school?

You can wait for a year or two and then try again, or you can change your career plans. Note that there are choices (e.g. earning a graduate degree) that allow you to keep both of the preceding options open.

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.

Is being waitlisted a rejection?

Waitlists and deferrals are two different things, but they share some similarities. While neither is an outright rejection, they both mean you will have to wait longer to see if you will be admitted.

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.

Why was I waitlisted instead of rejected?

Too many students enrolling can be just as bad as too few. The waitlist gives the admissions office flexibility to maintain a good class size of incoming students. Once a school has instituted a waitlist, the admissions office will admit students off the waitlist as needed until they have filled the incoming class.

How many applicants are waitlisted?

The truth is, the number of students who are waitlisted changes from year to year, so it's impossible to say how many people will get waitlisted at a certain school. The number can range anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred.

Why did I get waitlisted instead of accepted?

Colleges have a limited number of seats each year given physical space requirements or to maintain faculty-to-student ratios, so some students are put on a waitlist in case enrollment spots open up. Universities offer some applicants spots on the waitlist during the regular decision round of admission.

Do employers look at law school GPA?

There's no doubt about it — your law school GPA is important for your first job (or two) after law school graduation. If you review job ads (which are a fantastic research tool), you'll often see law firms and other employers demanding top academic credentials.

Why haven't I heard back from law school?

If you haven't heard back from a law school that means you are still in consideration for a spot, but you aren't at the top of their list. They are waiting to hear back from others that they have accepted. As they have a better sense of how many vacant seats they have, they will get back to you.

Is it worth applying to law school with a low GPA?

It is possible to get into law school with a low GPA by overshadowing it through extracurricular experience, a high LSAT score and a stellar grad school application. However, it is recommended that you try to raise your GPA for law school to help improve your chances of getting into the law school of your choice.