Being that I've made my decision as to where I'll be attending come fall, it's time to post....
PROFILE:
Type of Undergrad Institution: Private Southern Institution, Top 50
Major(s)/Minor(s): History/Poli Sci
Undergrad GPA: 3.2 (3.4 in major)
Type of Grad: Law School, Top 30
Grad GPA: 3.0
GRE: 720 V 540 Q 6.0 Writing
Any Special Courses: Exchange student during law school with a European institution.
Letters of Recommendation: One from Poli Sci, one from History, one from Law School
Research Experience: In the legal profession, lots. Outside of that, standard undergrad research papers.
Teaching Experience: None
Subfield/Research Interests: American/Regional Ideology
SOP: Why I'd be a lazy, crappy student who shows up to class unshaven and pants-less...or, you know, why I'd be a good fit at the school, noting their faculty and how my interests overlapped with theirs.
Other: Roughly 3 years of practicing as an attorney in two Northeastern states, including a year as a public defender, and appellate experience. Club sport athlete as an undergrad, including 2 years as co-captain. Intermediate German language proficiency.
RESULTS:
Acceptances: Ole Miss, Oklahoma, U. Georgia, U. Kentucky, FIU. (No funding at UGA and UKY)
Waitlists: None
Rejections: Vanderbilt, Brown, Maryland, Texas A&M, UNC, UVA
Pending: None
Going to: Ole Miss
What would you have done differently?: Well, it's not like I could have gone back in time and boosted by undergrad GPA, and it's not like I could have applied in a less competitive year. Re-taking the GRE may have helped, but I'm not unhappy with how things worked out for me.