TL; DR – It’s Not You. Last Law School Application Cycle Was Brutal, and This One Might Feel Even Harder.
The 2024-25 law school admissions cycle was one of the most competitive and emotionally draining in recent memory, and early signs suggest this year may be just as intense. In this post, former UVA Law Chief Admissions Officer Cordel Faulk shares his expert insight on how to manage law school admissions stress, handle rejections with perspective, and stay grounded through the uncertainty of the process.
Last law school admissions cycle (2024–25) wasn’t just competitive; it was emotionally exhausting. High scores, smaller classes, and long stretches of silence left even the strongest applicants questioning their worth. And this year’s cycle is shaping up to be just as intense. This isn’t a strategy guide. It’s a reminder of how to protect your peace, your perspective, and your sense of self when the process gets heavy.
Last Cycle Wasn’t Just “Hard.” It Was Draining.
If last year felt tougher than usual, it was. More people applied, schools admitted fewer, and the
waitlist limbo stretched for months. Applicants who did everything right still faced unpredictable outcomes.
That experience left a mark. Many students finished the cycle proud of their applications but depleted by the uncertainty. If you felt that way, you were not alone. The stress was real, and the numbers only told part of the story.
This Cycle Brings New Pressure
Early data shows another competitive year ahead, but numbers can’t capture the human side. For applicants, the harder part isn’t just how many people apply. It’s the waiting, the comparison, and the noise.
It’s opening Reddit or a group chat and seeing someone else’s acceptance when yours hasn’t arrived. It’s watching classmates celebrate while you keep refreshing your portal. It’s knowing you have done your best and still wondering what will be enough.
What Emotional Survival Really Means
To survive this process is not simply to endure it. It is to come through it with your sense of self intact. That means remembering that admissions decisions are not moral judgments. They are outcomes of imperfect human systems trying to fill limited seats.
Admissions officers care deeply, but they read thousands of files in a short season. Even thoughtful decisions can feel impersonal from the outside. Your job is to separate the process from your personhood.
Remind yourself often:
A rejection does not erase your potential.
A waitlist is not a verdict on your value.
You are allowed to care deeply about your goals without letting them define you.
Protect Your Peace.
If your group chat spikes your anxiety, mute it. If scrolling through admissions forums makes your heart race, step away. There is no prize for being the most informed applicant. There is value in being the most centered one.
You are not competing against other people’s good news. You are competing against distraction, fatigue, and self-doubt. Protect your energy as fiercely as you protect your GPA.
Let Luck Stay in Perspective
Timing and reviewer fit always play some role. But luck is not the whole story, and it is never the headline. What you can control is preparation, professionalism, and self-care. The rest belongs to the randomness that every applicant faces.
A Final Thought
This process asks a lot of you. It asks for focus, resilience, and courage. But it should never take your joy.
So give yourself permission to rest. To unplug. To celebrate small wins. To remember that law school is one chapter of your story, not the definition of it.
If last cycle left you bruised, you are not broken. And if you are stepping into this one, do it with better boundaries and steadier footing. Stay grounded. Protect your joy. Lead with curiosity and confidence.
What’s Next?
The law school application process is intimidating, confusing, and at times scary. We at What’s Next? law school advising can use our expertise to demystify this process. We want it to be more exciting than it is scary. We can help you find the right fit. It’s out there.
Led by Cordel Faulk, former Chief Admissions Officer at UVA Law, What’s Next? is grounded in deep experience and honest guidance. We’ve helped applicants navigate this journey before — and we’re ready to help you do the same.