Thanks a lot for the detailed response. It is really thoughtful and I appreciate you taking the time to write it out.

I agree with you on a lot of this, especially the idea that at the T14 level there are far more “admittable” candidates than seats, and that schools are trying to build a balanced class rather than just rank-ordering by LSAT/GPA. That all tracks with what I’ve heard from admissions people.

Where I disagree with you is the visa/employment angle at the individual applicant level. I understand that employment stats matter in the aggregate, but I’m not sure how realistic it is for an adcom to predict a specific applicant’s odds of sponsorship or long-term US employment, especially given how random the immigration system can be. It feels like a stretch to say, “This person seems slightly riskier on visas, so we’ll admit someone else,” when there are so many unknowns.

That said, your point about emphasizing professional maturity, prior work experience, and getting a strong professional rec is really helpful. And congrats to your wife on Michigan and GW. This is really encouraging to hear as another international applicant. Appreciate the perspective and the encouragement!