Crunching the Numbers- Becoming LawyHer Podcast Episode 5

“Your success markers are who you are as a person.” – Mike Spivey

If the Becoming LawyHer podcast has not already convinced you that numbers are not the only factor in law school admissions, we hope you will take the advice of an expert in admissions analytics whose firm has over 250 years of combined experience guiding applicants.

In our fifth episode, Hadiyah sits down with Mike Spivey, founder of Spivey Consulting, one of the most well-known admissions firms in the country. Mike and his team have helped thousands of applicants gain admission to law schools nationwide. This episode places a strong emphasis on strategy — both with numbers and beyond them.

While we often stress that your application is more than just GPA and LSAT, numbers still play a role. Who better to explain how than Mike Spivey, often described as an “analytics genius”? One area where applicants get stuck is medians. Trying to measure yourself against a school’s medians can feel confusing and intimidating, but Mike reassures applicants: “Medians are your friends.”

What makes Mike’s perspective valuable is that he does not tell applicants to ignore the numbers — he teaches them how to contextualize them. Medians are simply midpoints, showing where your scores fall relative to a school’s range. They are not averages, and they are not absolutes. As Mike explains, medians actually give admissions officers flexibility to admit applicants with scores below the median. In other words: do not count yourself out.

Beyond the numbers, Mike and Hadiyah frame differentiation as the real currency of admissions. It is not about piling on activities or chasing titles, it is about quality, leadership, and authenticity that show who you are.

Applicants right out of college can stand out by translating everyday work into mature, transferable skills: waiting tables shows how you handle pressure and difficult people, working on Capitol Hill shows judgment and professionalism, being a camp counselor shows responsibility and conflict management. Founding or leading an organization signals initiative far more than joining ten clubs, and a focused resume with a few rich bullets is stronger than a page of thin lines.

Professional polish also differentiates you, from how you email to how you follow up after a forum or webinar, including small cues like clearly stating time zones and referencing when an officer shared a card.

Applicants returning after five or more years can lean into employability and results; schools care about outcomes, and sustained work history, clearer communication, and lower interview anxiety often translate into higher admit rates when numbers are similar. Differentiation does not require legal internships; adjacent experiences can be powerful if you explain what you learned and how they shaped your goals, without posturing as a legal expert.

Even your interests can help you stand out if they are specific and genuine, since shared passions create human connection in review. Letters of recommendation should come from people who actually know your work and character, not from famous names with form letters. For advanced degrees, the degree itself can differentiate, but the substance matters most; speak to your research, craft, or expertise rather than relying on a near-perfect graduate GPA that almost everyone has.

Across all these pieces, the throughline is the same: show passion, skills, and impact with concrete evidence, and let your real story carry the application.

This episode also covers practical strategies, including:

• How to address low GPA/LSAT scores with an addendum

• Choosing the right recommenders

• Timing your application for the strongest results

What stands out most in this conversation is how Mike humanizes the admissions process. He offers examples from real applicants, insights grounded in data, and reassurance that your success markers go far beyond a test score.

We hope Episode 5 of Becoming LawyHer leaves you feeling more confident, more informed, and more comfortable as you navigate your own path to law school.

Listen to  Becoming LawyHer on YouTube,  Apple Podcasts and Spotify--or listen wherever you stream your favorite podcasts!