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Had been planning to apply this cycle, however, a few issues caused me to have to cancel my Dec 09 score and retake in Feb. Scored a 177, right on par with my PTs. Graduated with a 3.97 from an Ivy -- English/Psych double.

Have pretty good softs through undergrad and post (two years teaching High School English in Japan till Aug 09), but the last few months have been rough (no steady job, freelancing and living off savings), and I'm applying for Class of 2011.

Given the six months until apps are due, any advice on how best to spend that time to improve my YHS chances, or should my existing qualifications be enough? Would rather spend the time working on passion projects (film production and iPhone app development) but could take a job at a law firm if that might help (interned at a Manhattan firm during undergrad), but I'm worried a resume with no steady employment for a full year might look bad.

Any other advice on trying to lock up spot at the big three?

Thanks for the help!

You're absolutely a lock for Harvard, with good chances at YS.

Just make sure you have a good personal statement and that you have good letter writers, and you'll be in at Harvard and probably Yale and Stanford (but no guarantees with those schools).

.

Zatarra wrote:Had been planning to apply this cycle, however, a few issues caused me to have to cancel my Dec 09 score and retake in Feb. Scored a 177, right on par with my PTs. Graduated with a 3.97 from an Ivy -- English/Psych double.

Have pretty good softs through undergrad and post (two years teaching High School English in Japan till Aug 09), but the last few months have been rough (no steady job, freelancing and living off savings), and I'm applying for Class of 2011.

Given the six months until apps are due, any advice on how best to spend that time to improve my YHS chances, or should my existing qualifications be enough? Would rather spend the time working on passion projects (film production and iPhone app development) but could take a job at a law firm if that might help (interned at a Manhattan firm during undergrad), but I'm worried a resume with no steady employment for a full year might look bad.

Any other advice on trying to lock up spot at the big three?

Thanks for the help!

you could spend the next several months sitting at home twiddling your fingers and never venturing outside and I'd still give you a 90%+ chance at getting into either H,Y, or S.

Most likely your in to at least 2 of the 3.

Quick responses! Thanks! I was afraid that bizarre Voodoo-admissions-magic going on at Yale and Stanford might prove to make things a bit unpredictable! As it seems softs are pretty important, here's a bit more clarification.

I've been unemployed partly due to a medical scare forcing some time off [which has turned out benign], and partly due to significant tax rebates/savings from Japan, allowing me to take the LSAT and work on a few personal projects in writing and game development (my immediate alternative to Law School would have been an MFA) -- if any of those actually pay off, my resume for the last six months might look much better -- but I'm trying to be a bit pessimistic/realistic at the moment.

The Japan experience was through JET, rather than a run-of-the-mill company, so I'm hoping that'll look good -- regardless, it was a fantastic experience living abroad, which I hope to parlay into an effective personal statement.

I've secured a few good recommenders (Head of the Psych Department; Director of Graduate Admissions at my University, [both Stanford alums], and Head of the English Department at my Japanese High School). I also completed a thesis and graduated Magna Cum Laude at my University -- which is particularly stingy with honors, and has a rigorous thesis structure. I also worked as Teaching Assistant, founded a game development club, and served as the Literary Editor for Science publication (yeah, my interests are ALL over the map!).

Thanks again!

great chance at all 3!

Dude, your set.....or as close to set as one could be.

Apply early next year, and Harvard is for sure.....

Yale is a bit more of a stretch (just their blackbox admissions), but i think high gpa+ivy ug+Japan Teaching seals the deal and as for Stanford I can see you getting in there too.

I would send an app to Columbia too, if you want a free JD, I'm sure you'll get a the Hamilton.