Anyone else taking the "no safety" approach? Forum

[j.wellington]

None of the nine schools I ended up applying to is a safety. I have a reasonable shot at each one (only one is really outside my range), but I could get shut out of all of them and it wouldn't shock me. I decided that three years and tens of thousands of dollars in debt is too much to commit to a school I'm not genuinely enthused about. I'd rather face the job market, build my credentials and try again next year.

Anyone else decide that safety schools just weren't worth the effort?

[savesthedayajb]

Smart. I would have done something similar if I wasn't so sick of being out of school.

[09042014]

None of the nine schools I ended up applying to is a safety. I have a reasonable shot at each one (only one is really outside my range), but I could get shut out of all of them and it wouldn't shock me. I decided that three years and tens of thousands of dollars in debt is too much to commit to a school I'm not genuinely enthused about. I'd rather face the job market, build my credentials and try again next year.

Anyone else decide that safety schools just weren't worth the effort?

Agreed. The entire idea of a safety doesn't really make sense, unless you are looking for a huge scholarship.

This isn't like undergrad where there is immense pressure to start right away, and the prestige isn't all that important.

Better to sit out til next cycle IMO.

[oberlin08]

I really really really want to be starting law school this fall (of Course within reason, I didn't apply to Florida Coastal..) So I included Safeties that I would be comfortable going to, possibly graduating from, and working in that city afterwards.

[derwin]

I'm with you: go big or go home!

If I don't get in this year, I get a job, save money, retake lsats, get a new LOR, have a higher GPA, learn from my experiences, go to law school that much more mature and still get a T10 JD.

[Marisa5252]

Personally I think it's a better idea to apply to safeties that you would feel comfortable going to with the idea that if you work your ass off you can transfer after a year. That way you're working toward your degree as opposed to spending a year getting WE that may or may not change the outcome of your next cycle. Now, if the problem is that if you absolutely bombed your LSAT and you think a year and a retake could do wonders for your chances then that's another issue.

[neimanmarxist]

I didn't apply to any safeties either.
Mainly because I'm geographically constrained and either I go somewhere fairly good or I go somewhere quite bad. There isn't much of a middle ground around here.

[Thirteen]

I thought about applying to a few safeties, but ultimately decided against it. I'm a lazy procrastinator, and know I wouldn't do well at a school I really didn't want to attend. If I don't get admitted anywhere, I'll apply next cycle with a (hopefully) higher LSAT and another year of work experience.

[nahgems]

Except if you are going to a safety, you are (generally) not accruing $$$ debt. Many people apply to "safety" schools so that they can get crazy scholarships. Even if you don't want to go to at TTT, sometimes you can leverage a giant scholarship at a TTT for a smaller scholarship at a better school.

[nematoad]

yep no safeties. the way i saw it was why apply somewhere and pay 200k for a place you wouldnt really want to attend

[Lurkster]

Yep, no safety schools for me either. If it doesn't work out this time, I'll craft my applications differently and get them in earlier next time. No sense in going where I don't really want to be.

Note: I am, however, getting close to being too old to delay this process. If it comes down to it, next cycle will be my last.

[twert]

i took the opposite approach-no reaches. i want to spend as little money as possible and there is no school i could realistically get into that i would consider paying full price for.

[j.wellington]

Note: I am, however, getting close to being too old to delay this process. If it comes down to it, next cycle will be my last.

Out of curiosity, how old do you consider too old?

[S de Garmeaux]

I decided that three years and tens of thousands of dollars in debt is too much to commit to a school I'm not genuinely enthused about. .

Anyone else decide that safety schools just weren't worth the effort?

yes they are, if it s a true safety, you would likely receive a hefty, if not full, tuition scholarship

and then you wouldnt be in a whole load of debt

With me, i spent a minimal amount of time on my safety application and put no love into it. they dont care if your numbers will help them.

[slider]

I did not apply to any safeties either.

[chadwick218]

Not a bad approach if you are willing to hold off attending another year. I should have done this last cycle to avoid paying a ton in application fees at schools that I would never attend even if admitted.

[Lurkster]

Note: I am, however, getting close to being too old to delay this process. If it comes down to it, next cycle will be my last.

Out of curiosity, how old do you consider too old?

If I start school in the fall, I'll be 29. When I say too old, it's purely personal. I've been laid off from a job in a field that I will never set foot in again, and I don't want to essentially keep my life on hold for too much longer.

[Tangerine Gleam]

I guess it depends on how each person defines "safety", but in general, I think it's a poor idea to apply to any law schools you wouldn't really consider attending. If your sights are set high, more power to you!

Knowing what you want in life = crucial.

[LSAT! Nooooooooo!]

No safeties here. But then again when you throw up a 153 on the LSAT, there's no such thing as a safety. Retake time boys and girls...

[Ayeshabelle]

I've pretty much taken the no safety route as well, but am starting to regret it. I have no undergrad debt so I don't mind taking on loans for law school if I don't get offered scholarships, but I am so nervous about not getting in anywhere that I'm really wishing I didn't

[84Sunbird2000]

See, I like safeties for two reasons:

1. I could see a school sweeping off my feet with a scholly and travel stipend, and there are some T2s in regions I could see myself enjoying, as well as a few schools with public interest leanings that I find really appealing. Some offer not just scholarship but living expenses on top, so yeah.

2. Scholarship leverage, not just against higher-ranked schools, but also to bargain for less stressful scholarship renewal criteria.

Then again, I'm more interested in government service, public interest, and that sort of thing. If I was into the ubiquitous "biglaw" I'd probably take the no-safeties approach, because the cost-benefit pendulum swings.

I think I'm probably applying to more so-called safeties than targets and reaches combined.

[cubswin]

"Targets" are the new "safeties" ITE

[drsomebody]

Harvard is my safety school .

[kalvano]

Thankfully, my safety schools (UConn and Lewis & Clark) are schools I would enjoy attending anyway.

So I never had this issue.

[Vincent Vega]

I only applied to safeties that I got fee waivers from. I have already withdrawn from each of them.