URM (AA) Non trad. Seeking insight

[Kjmps]

While I usually spend my time foraging through these forums for for random pieces of information/a good laugh at how sensitive people get, I've decided to take a stab at soliciting some insight/advice from anyone with knowledge/experience in admissions potential for someone in my position.

I'm a 29, almost 30 yr old URM (AA) applicant shooting for Fall of 2017. I was born in the Cape Verde Islands, and while I've been in the states since I was 5, I only became a citizen last year. I am multilingual (3 almost 4), and am looking to get into the best school possible for pursuing child/family law.

I 'finished' college c/o 2009, and actually completed my last 6 credits to obtain my degree in 2013. This was due to a variety of factors, including a lack of support during college, working during college, immaturity, and a host of other reasons, and have unfortunately been the guy who 'never worked to his full potential, etc.' I ended with a solid 2.7 lol.

Since then I have put together a pretty solid resume, including years of working 70+ quality hours between multiple jobs. This was primarily running/supervising juvenile treatment group homes (behavioral) in which I provided 24 hour on call crisis management support, and later becoming trained/registered to do 1-1 home based behavioral therapy with children on the autism spectrum, ranging from age 3-11, with behaviors ranging from mild social disorders, to full blown tantrums of hair pulling, bring and scratching. I have yet to find a child I am unable to effectively work with 1-1, and I have a grateful family that will attest to my willingness to wear 8 layers of clothing and allow their son to bite me while in a full blown tantrum, as 1 of my tactics of decreasing that behavior. In short, my professional career/resume will certainly appear impressive, particularly on paper. On the side, I have hosted a weekly trivia night, as well as a karaoke night most weeks. In addition, I have dabbled in stand up comedy during the past few years and even did a couple of gigs at Foxwoods, on top of a couple of other relatively notable gigs.

My first crack at the LSAT came during the most tumultuous time at work, and I took a prep course while studying 20 hours a week, in addition to working 80+ including overnights to assist with lack of direct care staff, and due to stress/improper prep, I walked in, screwed up the scantron by section 2, bit the bullet, held back my tears, and finished up for a solid 143 in June 2015 lol.

I have since moved positions at my primar job, continued doing home based therapy with multiple clients, and was able to study much more effectively, and got a 156 on this June's (2016) test.

Given that I walked in with a certain degree of fear, was a raw point/empty answer away from a 157, and still had a little PTSD from my first experience, I am more than confident that I can reach a 160, and am shooting for a 165 on the following administration in September.

I've got a game plan, and am much more comfortable with the test at this point, and will be due for a solid improvement.

I know I just threw a lot out there, and have got a lot going on, but what are some thoughts on my particular position? Which range of schools should I be looking at applying to with my current numbers? What opens up if I reach a 160/165 in September? How much does my age/resume, help me out in mitigating my UGPA if schools are impressed, and would my age coupled with a solid LSAT give me a boost?

Thanks for takin the time, and I look forward to some insight...

[Stardust84]

What state do you want to practice in? Its all about your LSAT at this point. Your story reminds me of my own somewhat. I have a 2.7 and my transcript is a bounty of terrors filled with course withdrawals and a GPA with a massive downward trajectory. It just screams pure apathy. In truth I was very immature and I graduated in 2010 and fast forward to now I am around your age with meaningful work experience and it helps to have that distance from my abysmal undergrad performance however Im skeptical that these soft factors make much of a difference. I got a full tuition scholarship to my school of choice. Its mostly just a numbers game. The school is basically paying me for my LSAT score.

[Kjmps]

What state do you want to practice in? Its all about your LSAT at this point. Your story reminds me of my own somewhat. I have a 2.7 and my transcript is a bounty of terrors filled with course withdrawals and a GPA with a massive downward trajectory. It just screams pure apathy. In truth I was very immature and I graduated in 2010 and fast forward to now I am around your age with meaningful work experience and it helps to have that distance from my abysmal undergrad performance however Im skeptical that these soft factors make much of a difference. I got a full tuition scholarship to my school of choice. Its mostly just a numbers game. The school is basically paying me for my LSAT score.

Stardust, thanks for taking the time to respond. Ideally, I'd like to practice in Mass or RI, with other considerations of NY or DC.

[Flokkness]

Don't worry about the age thing. It's easy to be preoccupied by it, but don't. Remember that your experience is an asset, not a liability. While it's awkward initially, you'll find there are more students closer in age to you than you'd have guessed. And you'll probably all buddy up. There'll be students who have spent years in the work force, or are coming out of the armed forces, or who stopped to have kids, or whatever. I have a resume that's eerily similar to yours, and am a few years older than you, and while I found the younger students to be annoying as fuck (basically children), they are a minority. In fact, I'd say the young K-JDs in my 1L class weirded out most people, professors included.

Where age *is* a factor is in debt load and school (re: employment prospects).

That uGPA is undeniably a bitch and there's not much to be done about it except smoke the LSAT and write the hell out of a GPA addendum. You do have an interesting story, as described there. Who knows what a superbly polished PS could do for you? AA cycles are hella unpredictable. Lots of applications are in your future, lol.

As much as geography, I think it really depends on how much debt you're willing to tolerate. This might be helpful: http://lawschoolnumbers.com/