Top Law Schools

I'm an AA female. I have a 3.2 from a Top 20 university with 2 majors and a minor. Currently I have a 165 on record. I plan on applying next cycle (Fall 18). I'm an immigrant, moved to the US at the age of 1.

Work experience: 2 internships at Fortune 50 companies, one was abroad for 5 months. Currently working at a Fortune 50 company. I'll have >1yr experience by the Fall since I started right after graduation and 2 yrs of experience entering law school in Fall 19.

Leadership: TA 3 years of college, President of Model UN, Secretary General of Model UN conference (planned a conference for 100+ people and raised $30K).

Looking at the Top 40, dream schools are Northwestern and Berkeley. What are my chances of these and some of the T16?

Any insight welcome!

To start, idk where you got t16? If you look at the employment data, it’s clear it’s t13 and then a fairly rigorous drop off. Just so everyone is on the same page.

You should retake in the fall. Get your application materials ready and retake in August/September. 5 more points will really help. As it stands, you have a chance at lower t13 but maybe without much money. You hot 170, which you certainly are capable of, you will be in the range for serious money.

As far as Berkeley specifically, they really care about gpas. They are not splitter friendly. Don’t know exactly how it will work out because of the urm angle, but don’t put your hopes into Berkeley too heavily.

As far as your other factors, they are good but not anything special. They won’t help or hurt you.

I would counsel a retake as it may make a real difference in scholarship money and could open up a bunch more schools. Each point for you above what you have is money in the bank.

Good god it really doesn't matter whether people say T13 or T16 or what. These are all completely artificial categories used as shorthand.

sparkytrainer wrote:To start, idk where you got t16? If you look at the employment data, it’s clear it’s t13 and then a fairly rigorous drop off. Just so everyone is on the same page.

You should retake in the fall. Get your application materials ready and retake in August/September. 5 more points will really help. As it stands, you have a chance at lower t13 but maybe without much money. You hot 170, which you certainly are capable of, you will be in the range for serious money.

As far as Berkeley specifically, they really care about gpas. They are not splitter friendly. Don’t know exactly how it will work out because of the urm angle, but don’t put your hopes into Berkeley too heavily.

As far as your other factors, they are good but not anything special. They won’t help or hurt you.

I would counsel a retake as it may make a real difference in scholarship money and could open up a bunch more schools. Each point for you above what you have is money in the bank.

Yeah yeah, I meant to say T14 which is the correct grouping, not T13. Regardless, I'm applying in the fall. IF I were to retake I'd take it in July so I could still apply really early. I've also already taken it 3 times, so I'm not really looking to retake if I can get into a good school with the score I currently have.

nomes wrote:
Yeah yeah, I meant to say T14 which is the correct grouping, not T13. Regardless, I'm applying in the fall. IF I were to retake I'd take it in July so I could still apply really early. I've also already taken it 3 times, so I'm not really looking to retake if I can get into a good school with the score I currently have.

Are you independently wealthy? The return on investment that a few points on the LSAT delivers is some of the easiest money that will be available to you in the next several decades.

You'll probably get Northwestern; I don't know about Berkeley as they love GPAs.

I'd say you are fine with the mid-to-lower T14. Apply broadly though. You'll definitely get some hits. I wouldn't retake, but if you are going to, then try for a 170, so you can start leveraging bigger scholarship awards.

jacketyellow wrote:You'll probably get Northwestern; I don't know about Berkeley as they love GPAs.

I'd say you are fine with the mid-to-lower T14. Apply broadly though. You'll definitely get some hits. I wouldn't retake, but if you are going to, then try for a 170, so you can start leveraging bigger scholarship awards.

Do you have any basis for this? There's not a whole lot of data for URMs, but what I've seen doesn't necessarily suggest a great cycle.

Here's admission data for AA only:



11 out of 32 appliactions were accepted to the T13. Three got money.

That indicates a 50% chance of getting Northwestern, based on only two applicants, and paying sticker.

Like I said OP, you ought to retake. 5 points is the difference between those iffy chances with no money posted above and much better chances along with $$$