Getting into my 1st ranked 2nd choice school - and infiltrating Barrister's Ball

An Acceptance Letter!
Ah, so bittersweet! Literally a couple days after the U.S. News (I have mixed feelings about U.S. News, more on that another time) law school rankings came out, showing my second choice school shot up this year, I was accepted there. Not the letter I was hoping to get, but I was happy nonetheless. I had pretty much decided I wasn't going to get in, and was wondering why it was taking them so long to send me a rejection letter, so this was a nice surprise to say the least. Also, since it was a numerical long shot, it makes me feel good about the long hours spent obsessively pouring over my personal statement and resume. Despite the fact that I don't particularly want to go to OutOfTownStateSchool, I was really happy that I got in, and glad to have a solid backup plan.

Another good thing about getting into OutOfTownStateSchool is that, while nothing is for sure in the law school admissions process, the general consensus from people familiar with our state law schools is that it almost certainly means I will get into InTownStateSchool. OutOfTownStateSchool is considerably harder to get in to.

Also, I got the letter less than a week before preview day, and it was too late to make plans to go. Well that's the official story. The unofficial story is that it actually coincided with B's 3L Barrister's Ball. Before I lose all credibility as a serious law school applicant, let me just say that I thought that would beat out any scripted admitted students weekend as far as researching what it would really be like to go to InTownStateSchool. Plus, I can visit OutOfTownStateSchool on a day where class is actually in session, and have an excuse to take a day off work while I'm at it. And truth be told, I just really wanted to go to Barrister's.

Barrister's Ball Reconnaissance
I've been to Barrister's Ball (aka "Law School Prom") at my undergrad school, but needless to say under the circumstances, I approached this one with a much more observant albeit champagne-influenced eye. B and his 3L friends, who I've gotten pretty close to over the past year, enjoyed giving me commentary on all the law school archetypes. The girl who presented the 3L slide show was unanimously "the prettiest girl in our class," and last everyone heard, was dating the guy who is the biggest jerk (the tacky wide pin-stripe suit type) in B's Public Defender Clinic. The older, heavy-set guy in the bow-tie tux, dancing with three girls most of the time was apparently, "that guy." Meaning, from what I gathered, that he was one of the self-proclaimed cool kids (to use the word "kid" loosely) in law school, and planned all the social events, ski trips, etc. B and I both love to snowboard, so I was always confused as to why he consistently turns down these invitations. Now I see why.

I also met the nicest 1L whose name completely alludes me, who came as the date of a friend of one of my friends. I feel bad that I've forgotten her name, because she wants me to look her up if I get into InTownStateSchool, so that we can be law school BFFs, forever.