Waitlisted at Top Choice; Should I Send Another Rec?

[zucchini90]

Hey all,

So, fortunately after a completely catastrophic LSAT test day in which I severely underperformed, I still managed to get accepted into a school (Cornell). I'm very thankful for that, as I honestly didn't think I was going to get in anywhere. But, before I even took the LSAT, I knew that Columbia was my top choice. After the LSAT, I thought I didn't stand a chance but was somehow placed on reserve there this past week. I've heard that Columbia has a notoriously huge waitlist, and I know that my chances of getting admitted are slim. I at least want to try, though.

I'll be visiting the campus next week and then submitting a letter of continued interest, detailing my visit, why it's my top choice, what specific programs I'm interested in and what I can offer as a student. I've already graduated, and so I won't really have any meaningful resume updates or anything like that, but I can potentially acquire another letter of recommendation.

An undergrad law professor I had not only currently teaches at another law school, but he also went to CLS himself as well as taught there. I know that my LSAT score probably gave the admissions committee cause for concern about my ability to keep up, so I thought a recommendation from this professor could help ease their minds some. I did very well in the class, and my professor wrote me a nice evaluation of my performance, too.

My concern is that a letter from him doesn't exactly highlight a different perspective of me as an applicant. I was reading a post on Columbia's admissions blog where they make a point of warning waitlisted students to really consider what an another letter might add (or not add). I already submitted three other letters with my initial application, one from another undergrad law professor, so I'm worried about just sending in more of the same. Still, I can't help but feel that a letter from someone who knows what CLS requires of its students would be useful. What do you think?

I know this is getting a little long, but I might as well just ask about the content of my letter of continued interest here as well. Is it all right to say I've been accepted elsewhere but would readily accept an offer of admission from Columbia? I wouldn't name names or anything, but I want them to know I'd drop it like a hot potato if Columbia let me in. Also, I was waitlisted at NYU (which is my second choice), and plan on visiting there as well. However, at this point, they're no longer doing student led tours. But I have a friend from undergrad who goes to NYU law. We went to a small liberal arts college, and I plan to get in touch with him about what it's like coming from a school like ours and going to NYU. Assuming he likes it and tells me specific things that make me think I'd be a good fit there, would it be all right to mention some of those?

Thanks for reading, and sorry it was so long!

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hey Zucchini90,

Let me address the points you raised in your post one by one:

Re: WL at Columbia, yes indeed they have a fairly long waitlist (or at least that's been the case so far). A letter of continued interest should explain why Columbia would be your top choice: be as specific as possible. Talk about the clinics you want to do, the professors you want to study with, etc. (They know New York City is awesome, no need to state the obvious . Since you already have three letters of recommendation, one of which from a law professor, another one is unlikely to add anything substantive about you. BUT: if you can your fourth recommender to highlight specific reasons why you'd be a great fit at CLS, definitely do it. He should definitely explain why your LSAT score is not indicative of your academic potential, but also mention why he, as a CLS alumnus, is particularly qualified to comment on your ability to contribute to, and excel at, CLS.

CLS wouldn't care if you got accepted to, say, Cardozo. But It is perfectly reasonable to mention you've been accepted at other national law schools, and that CLS is still your top choice.

About NYU - you should absolutely write a letter of continued interest as well, following the above-mentioned guidelines. Given how slim one's chances are of getting off a WL, you should pursue every WL decision as if it were the only one you have. Again, be as specific as possible: a generic WL letter is useless, and can do more harm than good.

Check out our Blog post on WL decisions here:

http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid/153 ... d-Now-what

Let me know if I answered all of your questions, and good luck!

[zucchini90]

Hey Nikki,

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm going to email that professor right now.

You answered pretty much everything. So you're saying it'd be totally acceptable to say like, "Although I have been accepted to Cornell, Columbia is still my top choice," or something? Also, re: NYU, would it be okay to mention I talked to a current student who went to my undergrad? He might actually be able to show me around tomorrow too, but an any rate he told me a little more about the academic environment there and specifically what it's like coming from such a small school like ours.

Anyway, thanks for all your help!

[Nikki Siclunov]

I wouldn't mention Cornell specifically; just say something like, "I've been accepted at a number of other national law schools, but if given the chance would attend CLS, which has always been my number one choice."

Re: NYU, definitely, if you have a friend from undergrad who is attending NYU Law and can show you around, this is something you can mention in your letter - especially since he's bound to give you a closer, more personal introduction to the school than you can glean from browsing through their website. This, in turn, provides more substantive content for your letter of continued interest

[zucchini90]

Okay, great.

Thanks for all your help!

[zucchini90]

Hello again,

I'm sitting down to write my LOCIs for both Columbia and NYU, but I'm wondering how to phrase a couple things. Columbia is, as I said, my top choice, so I can very easily express that.

I guess you can't have to top choices though, on the off chance that I were to get off both lists? I'd suspect it'd be bad form to tell a school it's your top choice, that you'd definitely attend if admitted, only for you not to follow through. I ask because with NYU, while I would love to go there (especially after visiting; it's a lot prettier than CLS), I suppose it's not my first choice, and so I'm wondering how to approach it as if it were the only WL I have. How do I word that? That it's one of my top choices?

Thanks.

[Nikki Siclunov]

Hey Zucchini,

If NYU is not, in fact, your top choice (and you want to play it safe), you can say it's one of your top choices. This would be the honest thing to do. However, an admissions officer might be able to read between the lines and realize that even if admitted, you may not attend. This is a risk some applicants may not want to take. Most would probably err on maximizing their chances of getting off the WL at either school, and tell each of them that it is their top choice, assuming (correctly) that the chances of getting off either WL are pretty slim (and so the chances of getting off both are even slimmer). Also, what you say in a letter of continued interest is not binding (unlike, say, an Early Decision application). So, on the off-off chance that you get into both schools, I doubt there would be any hard feelings.

I wouldn't sweat it either way, but I guess what it comes down to is your sense of morality... I can't make that choice for you

Good luck! Let us know how it all pans out.

[zucchini90]

Hi again,

I understand... I'll think about it a little more before I send them out, I guess. Thanks again for all your help

-Zuch