Why Not U?

There are two types of law schools, private and public. Public schools are (state) government-subsidized, while private schools are not affiliated with the government (although sometimes affiliated with religious or other organizations). Because public schools are subsidized by tax dollars from the school's state, they are typically much cheaper to attend for state residents. Unless you qualify for a top 15 school or want to specialize in some nuanced part of the law, the general rule of thumb is that the best educational value is attending a public university in your home state.

There are only two law schools in my home state of Utah, and only one of those is public: The University of Utah. Therefore, I applied to the U of U Law School.

At Utah, my numbers were fairly close to the medians of accepted students, and I felt like I had a good chance at being accepted there. However, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, I was finally informed that I had been placed on the wait list. I have remained on that list to this day. August 6 is the final day that they could offer me admission, although the chances of that remain slim, and it is doubtful that I would even accept an offer at this late stage.

The University of Utah had been one of my top choices due to value, convenience, proximity to friends and family, as well as the fact that it is a (relatively) highly ranking law school. I felt like I did all I could to gain admission there, even having an on-campus interview. Of course I am curious as to why they passed on me without denying me altogether, but that is something I will likely never know.

In the end, Utah's loss becomes Connecticut's gain! And I couldn't be happier. More on why that is the case tomorrow...