Please help with PS topic :) Forum

[bigdreams44]

Hi everyone! I’d like to write some things about me and ideas I’ve had and see if anyone could give advice on my PS topic..
Thank you in advance!

About me:
1. 24 years old, female, not an URM.
2. B.S. (major- forensic science, minor- criminal justice). Took many hard science courses and many CJ courses. Participated on mock trial team and conducted physical chemistry research.
3. Low socio-economic background. Worked full time throughout undergrad.
4. After graduation, went to graduate school for chemistry because I loved physical chemistry and the challenge it presented (very difficult course that most people hate). I became a Ph.D. candidate (much more difficult than obtaining M.S.) but ultimately decided that my research advisor is insane, the experience was horrible for my mental and physical health, and decided not to put myself through it anymore and leave with my M.S. in chemistry and get a job until law school. (Other factor playing a role- internship at AG’s office that I love and made me so excited to apply to law school) While a Ph.D. candidate, I taught 2 years of undergraduate chemistry courses. I just began working in a chemistry lab until I can hopefully find a job in the legal profession until I attend law school.
5. Mainly interested in patent law but still keeping an open mind for my future. Initial interest stemmed from learning about a court case in which a lab had gotten patents on the breast cancer genes (BRCA1+2). I 100% understand the science discussed in that case (I’ve performed all the techniques in my own lab as a graduate student researcher) and also the law (with a background also in criminal justice as an UG, internship at AG’s office, my own reading).
Case: Ass_n for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics_ Inc._ 133 S. Ct. 2107
6. Of course, like everyone else, I can’t see myself in a career other than law.. Except for me, I hope to combine my M.S. in chemistry and J.D. and do patent litigation relating to chemistry. I love both fields (law a bit more) and want to do both.

Possible PS topics I’ve considered:
1. Overcoming challenges (low socio-economic background, working full time through UG, which influenced my GPA in the beginning, becoming the first in my family to graduate with a 4 year degree) but I feel like this is too typical.
2. Competitive nature (which is extreme) but I feel that everyone applying to LS is competitive and do not know exactly how to illustrate it rather than say it, without coming off as arrogant.
3. Interest in the law and how I unexpectedly fell in love with physical chemistry and decided I couldn’t give up chemistry so I would combine the two. But, this takes away from law and could make me seem like I’m unsure. Also, if a school I apply to is not exactly patent law focused, they may not see me as a good fit for them (I want to avoid that at all costs and show that I am open to other areas, not just patent law).

Thoughts:
1. Honestly, I don’t know how to pick one topic or story in my life and writing something “beautiful.” I’m very straightforward and not creative with my writing (I am a scientist, lol). Considered a more chronological story encompassing a few different things I find important but I’ve read this isn’t a great idea.
2. Goal is to be accepted to Cornell law school. Undergrad GPA- 3.39 (do they consider my hard science major?) and graduate GPA- 3.68 (do they even look at this?). LSAT TBD. If anyone has general advice about this and if they'll even consider me with 3.39, that would be great also.

Thank you!!

[34iplaw]

Ithaca is a frozen wasteland of misery. j/k...but yeah the weather sucks 50% of the time that you are up there for classes.

Focus on your chemistry stuff IMO. It'll be the most differentiating factor for you. You'll probably need a 168+ with your GPA. Higher the better.

Patent law and background in chemistry probably helps. I know there are some mixed views on what is and isn't helpful with patent law. They probably do and don't. Basically, you need to not be in their presumptive reject pile for it to matter what your major was in [i.e. not score below their 25th percentile.]

[gery0n]

Topic 3 for PS, topic 1 for a diversity statement. If you have any research experience, I'd maybe add that as well?

[bigdreams44]

Ithaca is a frozen wasteland of misery. j/k...but yeah the weather sucks 50% of the time that you are up there for classes.

Focus on your chemistry stuff IMO. It'll be the most differentiating factor for you. You'll probably need a 168+ with your GPA. Higher the better.

Patent law and background in chemistry probably helps. I know there are some mixed views on what is and isn't helpful with patent law. They probably do and don't. Basically, you need to not be in their presumptive reject pile for it to matter what your major was in [i.e. not score below their 25th percentile.]

That's what I was thinking. Would you suggest somewhat of a story traveling through undergrad, being torn over my love for chemistry and law, and explaining the path that I decided? Or picking one story?

Definitely going for that 180.. Diagnostic was 156, not sure how many points I can go up but I'm pretty confident. Do you have any suggested books to study from? I just purchased the Powerscore bibles and 20 couple practice tests (will get more).

Thank you!

[bigdreams44]

Topic 3 for PS, topic 1 for a diversity statement. If you have any research experience, I'd maybe add that as well?

I wasn't sure that it was appropriate for a diversity statement so I was hesitant but that sounds like a good idea to me.
Definitely will somehow add my research experience.

Thank you!

[34iplaw]

Ithaca is a frozen wasteland of misery. j/k...but yeah the weather sucks 50% of the time that you are up there for classes.

Focus on your chemistry stuff IMO. It'll be the most differentiating factor for you. You'll probably need a 168+ with your GPA. Higher the better.

Patent law and background in chemistry probably helps. I know there are some mixed views on what is and isn't helpful with patent law. They probably do and don't. Basically, you need to not be in their presumptive reject pile for it to matter what your major was in [i.e. not score below their 25th percentile.]

That's what I was thinking. Would you suggest somewhat of a story traveling through undergrad, being torn over my love for chemistry and law, and explaining the path that I decided? Or picking one story?

Definitely going for that 180.. Diagnostic was 156, not sure how many points I can go up but I'm pretty confident. Do you have any suggested books to study from? I just purchased the Powerscore bibles and 20 couple practice tests (will get more).

Thank you!

Eh - I'm not certain. It seems like chemistry won in that respect. I'm not sure whether it's worth revealing you were a PHD candidate or not. I have a friend who was pursuing a PHD, but, for similar reasons IIRC, he dropped right when he finished the masters and switched focuses. I'm really too unfamiliar with chemistry to know much about it. I'd just avoid it coming off as if you are settling for law. If anything, perhaps just say how compatible the two are and focus your PS on that rather than drawing contrasts.

It's really a language driven test, and I'm not certain that chemistry has much that strictly translates to the type of language and games issues they have. Maybe molecular diagrams or something of that nature give you some sense of spatial reasoning which can be helpful on games.

+10 is pretty typical with hard work from what I understand, but it gets harder the higher up you are.

What was your breakdown on sections... i.e.

-6LR
-6LR
-12LG
-6RC

???

LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim has a pretty devout following. I enjoyed it, and I, probably, read through most of it too quickly. I think that it serves as a great base, but I think powerscore and Manhattan LSAT can sort of help round it out / finish it out.

[bigdreams44]

Ithaca is a frozen wasteland of misery. j/k...but yeah the weather sucks 50% of the time that you are up there for classes.

Focus on your chemistry stuff IMO. It'll be the most differentiating factor for you. You'll probably need a 168+ with your GPA. Higher the better.

Patent law and background in chemistry probably helps. I know there are some mixed views on what is and isn't helpful with patent law. They probably do and don't. Basically, you need to not be in their presumptive reject pile for it to matter what your major was in [i.e. not score below their 25th percentile.]

That's what I was thinking. Would you suggest somewhat of a story traveling through undergrad, being torn over my love for chemistry and law, and explaining the path that I decided? Or picking one story?

Definitely going for that 180.. Diagnostic was 156, not sure how many points I can go up but I'm pretty confident. Do you have any suggested books to study from? I just purchased the Powerscore bibles and 20 couple practice tests (will get more).

Thank you!

Eh - I'm not certain. It seems like chemistry won in that respect. I'm not sure whether it's worth revealing you were a PHD candidate or not. I have a friend who was pursuing a PHD, but, for similar reasons IIRC, he dropped right when he finished the masters and switched focuses. I'm really too unfamiliar with chemistry to know much about it. I'd just avoid it coming off as if you are settling for law. If anything, perhaps just say how compatible the two are and focus your PS on that rather than drawing contrasts.

It's really a language driven test, and I'm not certain that chemistry has much that strictly translates to the type of language and games issues they have. Maybe molecular diagrams or something of that nature give you some sense of spatial reasoning which can be helpful on games.

+10 is pretty typical with hard work from what I understand, but it gets harder the higher up you are.

What was your breakdown on sections... i.e.

-6LR
-6LR
-12LG
-6RC

???

LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim has a pretty devout following. I enjoyed it, and I, probably, read through most of it too quickly. I think that it serves as a great base, but I think powerscore and Manhattan LSAT can sort of help round it out / finish it out.

I was initially headed to law school until I took a physical chemistry course and that is when I took the diagnostic, 3 years ago, and this is bad of me but I don't even remember the breakdown. I know that it won't be helpful in terms of content and language, but I am hoping that all of the reading I've done (peer reviewed chemistry papers, very difficult reads when they aren't based upon your own research) has helped me somewhat and I'll better be able to tolerate the RC that I hate.

Agreed, it's going to be difficult to persuade readers my love for law when I went to grad school for chemistry, even though my end goal from day one in grad school was to get through it and go to law school after. I've heard that talking about specific court cases is a bad idea for PS but if I somehow work in the court case I mentioned and how it influenced my decision to combine chem & law, do you think that's alright? I really would like to convince readers that the skills I learned through research and chem will translate and help me as an attorney.

Great, I'll take a look at those books. Thanks so much!