{"id":5751,"date":"2024-12-06T12:13:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T12:13:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/lsat-the-180\/?p=5751"},"modified":"2024-12-06T18:13:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T18:13:06","slug":"waitlisted-for-law-school-heres-what-to-do-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/lsat\/waitlisted-for-law-school-heres-what-to-do-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Waitlisted for Law School? Here\u2019s What to Do Next"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being placed on a law school\u2019s waitlist may seem like a setback. However, it\u2019s important for applicants to remember that getting waitlisted is actually a positive reflection of the quality of their <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">application<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014and way better than getting rejected.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you find yourself waitlisted at one or more law school, take a deep breath and try to look at the situation in a clear light. There are many practical steps that a student can take when waitlisted to increase their chances of admission.<\/span><br \/>\n<div  style='height:15px' class='hr hr-invisible   avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_iconlist  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner ' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class='avia-icon-list-container   avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_heading '><ul class='avia-icon-list avia-icon-list-left av-iconlist-big avia_animate_when_almost_visible avia-iconlist-animate'>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Confirm Your Waitlisted Status<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is extremely important for waitlisted applicants not to feel discouraged. Being waitlisted means that the law school is extremely interested in you, but at that time cannot formally offer you a spot in their class\u2014though they may be able to in the near future. So, it\u2019s important to maintain communication with the program so that they know you haven\u2019t accepted an offer elsewhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At many law schools, applicants will need to formally accept their waitlisted status. You\u2019ll need to submit your acceptance as soon as possible. If you do not let the school know your intentions, you may not automatically be placed on the waitlist.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Keep the Admissions Committee Updated<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some law schools will also allow you to subsequently submit a \u201cletter of continued interest,\u201d which is meant to update the admissions committee on any new information related to your\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/law-school-insider\/2016\/03\/07\/5-common-law-school-admissions-misconceptions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">candidacy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0and to communicate that you are still available and interested as a potential matriculant.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to keep your letter short and to the point, no longer than one page single-spaced. Some law schools will have their own requirements for the letter, so be sure to follow those if any are specified. The letter of continued interest should mention any new information that was not in your original application\u2014anything that would enhance your application and show how much you want to attend that law school. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If that program is your first choice, let them know. It does not hurt mentioning what you can add to their institution as a student, especially if that wasn\u2019t something that you touched upon in your original\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/law-school-insider\/2016\/11\/09\/law-school-personal-statement-faqs-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">personal statement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, like your personal statement, your letter of continued interest is not a sob story. Keep it professional.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<li><div  class='iconlist_icon  avia-font-entypo-fontello'><span class='iconlist-char ' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue816' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><\/div><article class=\"article-icon-entry \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='iconlist_content_wrap'><header class=\"entry-content-header\"><h4 class='av_iconlist_title iconlist_title   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Make Sure Your Application is Complete<\/h4><\/header><div class='iconlist_content  '  itemprop=\"text\"  ><p>If you are still completing your undergraduate degree while on the waitlist, you\u2019ll want to keep your grades as high as possible\u2014since you\u2019ll need to submit your final transcripts to LSAC as they become available.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, if you have an update to your\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/law-school-insider\/2016\/06\/21\/showcasing-work-experience\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">resume<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, be sure to submit that to the school as well. If you didn\u2019t submit the maximum number of letters of recommendation with your original application, adding another outstanding letter may be one option for improving your chances of getting off the waitlist. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only submit a letter of recommendation if it is personal, written by somebody who knows you well, and if it will add something to your application. For example, if you already submitted two academic letters of recommendation, you may consider having an employer who is close to you submit one.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><footer class=\"entry-footer\"><\/footer><\/article><div class='iconlist-timeline'><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<div  style='padding-bottom:10px; ' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3    avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_iconlist  el_before_av_hr  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Most importantly, stay positive. A waitlist decision is not a negative thing and can often result in an acceptance further down the road.<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' ><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<div  style=' margin-top:30px; margin-bottom:4px;'  class='hr hr-custom hr-center hr-icon-no  0  avia-builder-el-3  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_sidebar '><span class='hr-inner  inner-border-av-border-none' style=' width:50px;' ><span class='hr-inner-style'><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Low LSAT Score? Should You Retake the LSAT<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Re-taking the LSAT is a big decision, and your\u00a0<\/span><a title=\"lsat score\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/study\/lsat\/what-lsat-score-do-i-need\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LSAT score<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0(when you receive it) should not be the only factor you consider when deciding whether you should retake the test. That\u2019s why we\u2019ve created a fail-safe checklist of questions you need to ask yourself when you evaluate your LSAT score:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Is Your LSAT Score Lower Than Expected?<\/h2>\n<p>This first question is important in your decision-making process, and it requires you to ask what might have gone wrong on\u00a0<a title=\"lsat test day\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/lsat\/lsat-test\/at-a-glance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test Day<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0that prevented you from getting a better score.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are two of the most common scenarios:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The Bad Day<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>:<\/strong> Stuff happens; people take the LSAT injured, ill, or just in a bad state of mind (one applicant we know of was even hit by a car on the way to the LSAT but still took the exam anyway\u2014a very bad move!). Sometimes a personal misfortune, such as a financial struggle or the death or illness of a relative, can hinder one\u2019s performance. These are all legitimate reasons for a less-than-expected LSAT score.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Preparation Issues<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>:<\/strong> You\u2019ve heard the one about the best laid plans? It is not uncommon to see students start out with some impressive plan for how much LSAT preparation they can squeeze into a certain period of time, and then find themselves unable to actually commit to as much time or effort as they thought they could. Once Test Day arrives, you might also find yourself freezing up or encountering unexpected anxiety that you hadn\u2019t anticipated in advance. Preparation problems are certainly reasonable explanations for a lower than expected score.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you faced some unforeseen issues on Test Day, the question of whether or not to retake is still on the table. You should look at your LSAT practice test scores to gauge whether or not there was a drop in your expected LSAT score, or whether you were close to hitting your goal LSAT score in practice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do believe you are capable of a better LSAT score, ask:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>How Seriously Did You Underperform?<\/h2>\n<p>If your recorded\u00a0<a title=\"lsat score\" href=\"https:\/\/officialguide.lsac.org\/Release\/UGPALSAT\/UGPALSAT.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LSAT score<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0is significantly lower than your practice LSAT scores, that is a huge indication you should probably retake the test. By the way, when we say \u201csignificantly,\u201d we mean at least three or more points. Three or four points can be a lot in the competitive environment of law school admissions\u2014in fact, for those scoring in the 140\u2019s, it can be the difference between getting into law school or getting shut out of an acceptance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At higher scoring levels, three or four points could help edge you into a significantly better school. At all levels, great LSAT scores will absolutely help you get merit-based financial aid from an institution, up to and including a full ride. But just knowing you could do better is not the final barometer of whether or not you should tackle another LSAT test day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The single most important question you should ask yourself about retaking the LSAT is:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Is There Time To Retake the LSAT?<\/h2>\n<p>Will you have the time and peace of mind that you need to effectively prepare for the next (or another)\u00a0<a title=\"lsat test date\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/lsat\/lsat-test\/test-dates-registration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LSAT test date<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This question should be the determinative factor, since you can\u2019t take the LSAT again the next day. Students occasionally decide to retake without having the room in their schedules to continue preparing (often the same students who found that less-than-adequate preparation was the reason for a lower score in the first place), and see the same result come to pass.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, even if you really should retake the exam again, it may not be worthwhile unless you\u2019re able to get what you need in terms of preparation and peace of mind for a new LSAT test date. This isn\u2019t a decision that should be made immediately because it means you are renewing your commitment to working towards a better LSAT score.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that whatever your particular situation, there may be additional questions that you\u2019ll need to ask yourself. For instance, a few of you who are confident about having the time and peace of mind necessary to prepare for your brand new shiny LSAT score may also have some killer upper level courses and finals you may have scheduled or a business trip you\u2019re planning on taking the week before.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We also want to assure you that we know that there are other types of scenarios to consider. For instance, some of you who prepared for the LSAT appropriately and achieved the exact score you were aiming for may now be thinking, \u201cGee, I think I can score even higher and make myself a stronger candidate for even more competitive programs.\u201d This could be a good reason to retake the LSAT, but only if you have the time to fully prepare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, to retake or not to retake? This is often among the most challenging questions that someone will face during an application year. As long as you ask yourself the right questions, you\u2019ll be prepared to make a confident choice.<\/span><\/p>\n<div  class='avia-builder-widget-area clearfix  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_hr  avia-builder-el-last '><div id=\"text-68\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p><span data-sumome-listbuilder-embed-id=\"b09e45baf32bb094b1db7ecb7bbced76db6d5ddeedea46d11ddd040e8de23baa\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><div id=\"text-69\" class=\"widget clearfix widget_text\">\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p><span data-sumome-listbuilder-embed-id=\"47f64185b039c44474f0041fb26ab7c506845672b7ebef37d1d95bc82f27b02f\"><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Being placed on a law school\u2019s waitlist may seem like a setback. However, it\u2019s important for applicants to remember that getting waitlisted is actually a positive reflection of the quality of their application\u2014and way better than getting rejected. If you find yourself waitlisted at one or more law school, take a deep breath and try [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47681,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[486,25],"tags":[452,26],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5751"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5751"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5751\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47684,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5751\/revisions\/47684"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47681"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5751"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5751"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5751"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}