Profile of a BIPOC Non Traditional (mid 30s) facing a number of rejections

In business school I took an elective law course from a program currently ranked in the 70s and did really well. It was a huge confidence booster knowing I had plans for law school in the future. Fast forward eight years, I ran into my prof at a gym and he mentioned my performance and how I held my own against his best law students. With this feedback I knew I’d thrive in law school environment. However the LSAT had different plans. Here’s how things went for me.

Dismal LSAT 2024-134, Nov 2025-147, Jan 2026-147 (second attempt prometric crashed and stalled my exam by 40 minutes)

First Gen

3.5 undergrad

3.6 MBA

501c3 nonprofit founder - raised 100K first year to send students abroad at no expense to participants; thousands in scholarships given away for transition to college

Military leadership during a war campaign

LGBTQIA

10 years corporate work experience fortune 100 and 200 companies

Three years and counting board member for a half billion dollar hospital network leading two subcommittees

Great letters of rec including top researcher at grad school Alma mater

Great personal statements (an admissions person from a T14 wrote me privately to make this point)

So far…

Rejected by 3/5 T14 (still waiting to hear back from two.)

Rejected by 2/4 T25

Rejected by Chicago-Kent ranked in 100s (quite surprised by this one NGL)

The theme I’m hearing across all rejections is the same: we are experiencing a historic number of applicants not commensurate with the availability of seats we have available. UChicago specifically said 195 seats available for the class of 2029.

I knew my LSAT score would be the dagger for me. But I had really hoped that demonstrated success in completing a demanding graduate program among other personal, profesional and life achievements would overshadow that, to a degree (pun intended). Not to mention having taken a law course for a 60 ranked program and done well. I’m really beginning to think the “holistic” review most programs subscribe to really do lean heavily on LSAT scores more than they lead you to believe.