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I find it astonishing that I have to address Character & Fitness issues every year, but despite having written here and here about being completely candid in your application, every year I come across applications that provoke me to shut the door...
I've been increasingly getting writer's block when sitting down to write for the blog, and realized recently that it might be because we've been blogging now for FIVE YEARS and have already covered a lot of ground. Going back and reading some...
OK, so I'm a year late with the promised second round of my P.S. Boot Camp , and frankly, much later into the summer than I had hoped to be in writing this. But I was gone to San Diego for a much-needed vacation, and San Diego isn't a place where...
It's that time of the year again when we get inundated with emails from applicants letting us know that they have scholarship deadlines and that they "must" receive a decision from Yale or that they will be required to withdraw their application...
I've been procrastinating about writing on the blog, because the more time that passes since my last post, the more embarrassed I am to come back. "Fell off the wagon" doesn't really do justice to the THREE posts we've been able...
Yes, I've been away from the blog for a while, and my plans for a fall P.S. Boot Camp II got waylaid in light of recruitment travel, flexapp issues, and life in general. Usually, when I come back on the blog after the summer I try to write some cleverly...
Originally posted April 6, 2011. In my last post , I referenced some law schools' practice of giving "exploding" scholarship offers, requiring students to accept a major, full-tuition scholarship offer within a matter of days. Well, as usual...
I spent the holidays alone , in my office, reading files. Seriously. Not J.D. admissions files (I'm all caught up with you guys!), but L.L.M. files, which are an international bunch. L.L.M. files are...interesting. Especially the transcripts. For...
We've concluded our recruiting for the season, and I hope that many of you got to see us in person, either at your school or on one of our webinars. I think I've covered most of the questions usually asked in our information sessions at some point...
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, many of you are putting the finishing touches on your law school applications. You might also be getting a few cooking tips from some of the great chefs at The Food Network. We here at 203 are especially big fans...
This week we are going to conclude our P.S. Boot Camp series, since it's almost the end of October and many of you have already sent out your applications (I begin reading next week!). Keep in mind that, unlike most schools, Yale's admissions...
Hello, 203 readers. I'm back in town after being on the road for a few information sessions. If you're interested in having some of your questions answered, check out our recruiting schedule to see whether we will be visiting your college this...
Greetings from New Haven! School has started, the new class has settled in, and we're busily booking recruiting trips, which means it's time to kick off the admissions season. The school year started with a week-long orientation for new students...
OK, back on the wagon here with writing on the blog (sorry, things get hectic with the start of the school year). So, where were we? Oh yes, I think in our last Boot Camp we discussed obstacles versus disappointments , and why it's important to know...
For this book club selection, we're going to move into nonfiction territory. Like my fiction tastes, my proclivities in nonfiction are kind of all over the place: Indian royalty, personal finance, Renaissance history, and childrearing, are all random...
Sorry I've been away from the blog...we admissions deans take vacations too, and I was in the Great State of Texas for the past week. Love Texas -- I have to be honest, if you like Mexican food, Connecticut is definitely not where it's at. Anyway...
OK, this week we're going to talk about another one of my least favorite law school personal statements: the One-Trick Pony Essay. Simply put, the OTPE usually involves an applicant who is extremely accomplished in or committed to a particular activity...
OK, it's time to kick off my promised Personal Statement Boot Camp , which is designed to help you avoid some of the major mistakes I see in law school applications, and hopefully give you some ideas of how to make your P.S. better. I'm going...
We've been wrapping up the class over the last month or so, and now are pretty much set to coast for the summer. Usually we sign off for the summer, but this year I thought I'd try to do something different: for those of you getting a head start...
In addition to performing my regular, admissions dean-y duties, I get approached by a variety of media people throughout the year asking for "help." Sometimes these are authors writing books on how to get into law school. Sometimes they are...
You know, I didn't get around to many BIJ posts this year, mainly because it's been a good season. Applicants were very well-behaved -- even the admitted students who turned down our offers this year (yes, people do turn us down, and it makes...
Since we've been getting quite a few queries from those of you on our wait list, I thought I'd do a quick post and answer some FAQs. First, there's been some scuttlebutt about the number of people we have on the wait list. We keep a fairly...
As some of you start getting antsy awaiting a decision as the end of admissions season approaches, you might have read my first BIJ post from last year, which exhorted you not to call or write to check on your status. I was admittedly grumpy in my second...
So, rather than do a traditional "Ask Asha" post this round, I thought I would answer some of the questions -- and correct some of the off-base answers -- which have been circulating in the online forums. Yes, we do read them. And yes, it's...
We here at 203 are thrilled to know that we aren't the only admissions office on campus that likes to have fun and doesn't take ourselves too seriously: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGn3-RW8Ajk It's technically a plug for Yale College, but...
Since I introduced 203's B.I.J. feature last spring, many of you have waited anxiously for the next post, perhaps for no other reason than to discover a new 80's reference you've never heard of as reaffirmation that you're still under...
Dear Asha, I am a senior in college and am planning to work or teach for a year or two after graduation. If I know I will be taking time off, is it better for me to apply now and defer, or wait until I'm ready to go to law school? If the former, how...
The Law School and Yale's School of Management (SOM) unveiled a pilot three-year joint degree program last spring for students interested in an integrated law and business curriculum. At the end of the three year Accelerate Integrated JD-MBA program...
Dear Asha, I am interested in transferring from my current law school to Yale. Do you have any comments for those of us who are willing to make the jump and apply to transfer to YLS? In particular, what are you looking for in a transfer applicant that...
So it's that time of year when I casually troll through some of the discussion boards out there, just to see what you guys are chatting about. I'm usually amused by some of the "facts" circulating out there -- "Yale has already...
Dear Asha, I took the LSAT in December, but had to cancel my score. Can I take the LSAT again and still apply this year, or will I need to wait till next year? Thanks, L.M. Dear L.M., You're in luck -- this year, we are accepting February LSAT, so...
Dear Asha, I recently received a letter inviting me to apply to YLS (thank you!). However, I've applied early decision at another school, from which I have not yet heard. Should I still apply to Yale? Thanks, L.B. Dear L.B., For those readers who...
Dear Asha, What do you look for in a personal statement? Everyone I ask tells me that there's no way to answer that, since it is "personal." This isn't very helpful advice. Can you offer any insight? G.P. Dear G.P., I understand your...
Dear Asha, I'm a senior at a state university (a great school). I made the decision to attend a state school for financial reasons. My parents are middle-class and I learned that I was not going to receive any financial aid from the Ivies. Four years...
Dear Asha, I noticed that there are two new questions on the application that ask whether I took an LSAT preparation course or had any assistance in preparing my application. Will it hurt my chances of being admitted if I took an LSAT prep course? Is...
Dear Asha, Is it too late to apply to Yale Law School? Will I still have a chance to get in if I apply now? C.J. Dear C.J., No, it is not too late to apply, and yes, you still have a chance. First, our application deadline isn't until February 15...
Dear Asha, I know the deadline to apply to YLS is approaching, but I can't seem to figure out what to write about for my 250-word essay. I'm not sure what the Admissions Committee is looking for. Help! S.B. Dear S.B., Sigh. The 250-word essay...
Dear Asha, I took one year off after undergrad and I'm currently in grad school. Will my grades in grad school be weighted the same (or less or greater) than my undergraduate grades? J.J. Dear J.J., Apologies for the three-week hiatus from the blog...
Dear Asha: I have been out of school for several years and am concerned about my recommendations. While I will be able to secure a recommendation from my employer, I also have some recommendations from my undergraduate work filed with a credential service...
Dear Asha, I have heard that Yale does not have a traditional Admissions Committee, like at most schools. Can you please explain how the admissions process works? A.D. Dear A.D., Sure thing. Basically, at Yale, the entire permanent faculty -- over 60...
Dear Asha, I plan to submit my application within a few days. However, I am just beginning some exciting projects that may come to fruition in the next few months. Depending on the outcomes, I may want to provide additional information to the Admissions...
Dear Asha, I'm interested in designing a joint JD/PhD program with Yale's Department of English. Can you tell me anything about whether Yale encourages individually designed programs? Does my unusual profile make me a more or less desirable candidate...
Dear Asha, I received a confirmation e-mail that my application has been received, but have not yet received confirmation that my application is complete. Is this simply because it is early in the admissions season and applications are not yet being considered...
Dear Asha: I am planning on taking the December 2007 LSAT. Will taking the exam so late hurt my chances of gaining admission for Fall 2008? S.K., California Dear S.K., Excellent question. The short answer is no. I realize this contradicts the common wisdom...
Dear Asha, I plan to apply to Yale Law School this fall and have some questions about your courses and programs. I’ve looked through your website, but it would be really helpful to talk with someone from the Admissions Office. I live in Atlanta and won...
Dear Asha, I went to the Washington, D.C. law fair last July and picked up a Yale brochure, but I don’t see an application inside. Where can I get one? T.M. Dear T.M., Thanks for stopping by our table at the D.C. Forum and picking up a viewbook! You can...