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178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 7:09 pm
by sumo
With a 178 LSAT but 3.3 GPA from Duke (though trending upwards if that matters), what am I looking at in terms of T14, top 20, 30, etc?

Is a T14 school possible? The dream would be NYU or Columbia, but I have a feeling that won't be possible.

Thanks guys

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 7:10 pm
by 20121109
ED at either Columbia or NYU

<3

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 7:17 pm
by sumo
I forgot to add that there is nothing like minority status or legacy or anything like that to help.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 7:25 pm
by Drake014
Blanket the T14 other than HYS. You'll get in somewhere. ED Columbia, NYU, Chicago

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 8:07 pm
by februaryftw
4-14 should be your goal, unless you are looking for scholarship money. ED will help. You'll definitely hit t14.

What was your major? Do you have a number of difficult classes? If it is a major renowned for grade deflation, you'll get a little more leeway. The upward curve will help slightly in this context. The reason is some schools will wonder how well you'll do in the classroom, so they'll be more willing to forgive the bad GPA if it isn't so bad for your major. Not a lot--still mostly a numbers game--but might be a tie-breaker somewhere.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 8:20 pm
by sumo
PolSci major. Major GPA is something like 3.5 or 3.6. The bad grades are in math and econ.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 8:24 pm
by NayBoer
februaryftw wrote:What was your major? Do you have a number of difficult classes? If it is a major renowned for grade deflation, you'll get a little more leeway.
This effect is close to zero for almost all schools. It matters more if your UG was HYPS, but even that is a relatively small effect and might only help at certain schools.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 8:57 pm
by h4rryp0tter
sumo wrote:With a 178 LSAT but 3.3 GPA from Duke (though trending upwards if that matters), what am I looking at in terms of T14, top 20, 30, etc?

Is a T14 school possible? The dream would be NYU or Columbia, but I have a feeling that won't be possible.

Thanks guys

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:02 pm
by februaryftw
NayBoer wrote:
februaryftw wrote:What was your major? Do you have a number of difficult classes? If it is a major renowned for grade deflation, you'll get a little more leeway.
This effect is close to zero for almost all schools. It matters more if your UG was HYPS, but even that is a relatively small effect and might only help at certain schools.
I can assure you that a music major with a 3.3 is going to have a different cycle than an engineering major with a 3.3. Even here the effect won't be huge--as I noted--but the music major will have less t14 acceptances, pretty well guaranteed. As a heavy splitter, you are in the mushy middle--a school can take or leave you. Bringing a solid degree to the table helps.

For this case, it won't help or hurt. But we didn't know that until now.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:10 pm
by rayiner
h4rryp0tter wrote:
sumo wrote:With a 178 LSAT but 3.3 GPA from Duke (though trending upwards if that matters), what am I looking at in terms of T14, top 20, 30, etc?

Is a T14 school possible? The dream would be NYU or Columbia, but I have a feeling that won't be possible.

Thanks guys
you can get into any t14 school w/ a 178. in at harvard, yale, nyu, columbia. just make a good ps. i have a 3.3 and im shooting for a 170 to almost guarantee a spot at a t20 school
LOL.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:13 pm
by h4rryp0tter
februaryftw wrote:
NayBoer wrote:
februaryftw wrote:What was your major? Do you have a number of difficult classes? If it is a major renowned for grade deflation, you'll get a little more leeway.
This effect is close to zero for almost all schools. It matters more if your UG was HYPS, but even that is a relatively small effect and might only help at certain schools.
I can assure you that a music major with a 3.3 is going to have a different cycle than an engineering major with a 3.3. Even here the effect won't be huge--as I noted--but the music major will have less t14 acceptances, pretty well guaranteed. As a heavy splitter, you are in the mushy middle--a school can take or leave you. Bringing a solid degree to the table helps.

For this case, it won't help or hurt. But we didn't know that until now.
I disagree. It does not matter what your major is as long as it is a good & competitive school. If you are a music major at a good music school with a 3.3 it holds as much weight as an engineering major at a good engineering school. And who has the right to say that an engineering major is a more solid degree than a music major?

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:16 pm
by Holly Golightly
Some of the people ITT are ridiculous, but yes, you should definitely be in at a few t-14. I was in at a couple with a 3.3 and 172. Blanket them and choose your ED wisely.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:19 pm
by rayiner
h4rryp0tter wrote:
februaryftw wrote:
NayBoer wrote:
februaryftw wrote:What was your major? Do you have a number of difficult classes? If it is a major renowned for grade deflation, you'll get a little more leeway.
This effect is close to zero for almost all schools. It matters more if your UG was HYPS, but even that is a relatively small effect and might only help at certain schools.
I can assure you that a music major with a 3.3 is going to have a different cycle than an engineering major with a 3.3. Even here the effect won't be huge--as I noted--but the music major will have less t14 acceptances, pretty well guaranteed. As a heavy splitter, you are in the mushy middle--a school can take or leave you. Bringing a solid degree to the table helps.

For this case, it won't help or hurt. But we didn't know that until now.
I disagree. It does not matter what your major is as long as it is a good & competitive school. If you are a music major at a good music school with a 3.3 it holds as much weight as an engineering major at a good engineering school. And who has the right to say that an engineering major is a more solid degree than a music major? A 178 will get you into the school of your choice as long as you arn't totally stupid and mess up the rest of your apps which you probably won't do if you are smart enough to get a 178.
This is wrong. A 3.3 isn't getting into YHS with a 180, and probably won't even crack CCN.

Also, schools tend to be more forgiving of GPAs for engineers within a certain range. NU is a splitter-heavy school but we have like double the percentage of science/engineering majors as peer schools.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:22 pm
by 20121109
h4rryp0tter wrote:
sumo wrote:With a 178 LSAT but 3.3 GPA from Duke (though trending upwards if that matters), what am I looking at in terms of T14, top 20, 30, etc?

Is a T14 school possible? The dream would be NYU or Columbia, but I have a feeling that won't be possible.

Thanks guys
you can get into any t14 school w/ a 178. in at harvard, yale, nyu, columbia. just make a good ps. i have a 3.3 and im shooting for a 170 to almost guarantee a spot at a t20 school
Easily the most uninformed opinion I've ever seen on TLS.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:27 pm
by h4rryp0tter
GAIAtheCHEERLEADER wrote:
h4rryp0tter wrote:
sumo wrote:With a 178 LSAT but 3.3 GPA from Duke (though trending upwards if that matters), what am I looking at in terms of T14, top 20, 30, etc?

Is a T14 school possible? The dream would be NYU or Columbia, but I have a feeling that won't be possible.

Thanks guys
you can get into any t14 school w/ a 178. in at harvard, yale, nyu, columbia. just make a good ps. i have a 3.3 and im shooting for a 170 to almost guarantee a spot at a t20 school
Easily the most uninformed opinion I've ever seen on TLS.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:29 pm
by AngryAvocado
h4rryp0tter wrote:
GAIAtheCHEERLEADER wrote:
h4rryp0tter wrote:
sumo wrote:With a 178 LSAT but 3.3 GPA from Duke (though trending upwards if that matters), what am I looking at in terms of T14, top 20, 30, etc?

Is a T14 school possible? The dream would be NYU or Columbia, but I have a feeling that won't be possible.

Thanks guys
you can get into any t14 school w/ a 178. in at harvard, yale, nyu, columbia. just make a good ps. i have a 3.3 and im shooting for a 170 to almost guarantee a spot at a t20 school
Easily the most uninformed opinion I've ever seen on TLS.
Obama got into Harvard with a 3.3.
rayiner wrote: LOL.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:29 pm
by februaryftw
harry potter casts flame spell

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:29 pm
by 20121109
h4rryp0tter wrote:
GAIAtheCHEERLEADER wrote:
h4rryp0tter wrote:
sumo wrote:With a 178 LSAT but 3.3 GPA from Duke (though trending upwards if that matters), what am I looking at in terms of T14, top 20, 30, etc?

Is a T14 school possible? The dream would be NYU or Columbia, but I have a feeling that won't be possible.

Thanks guys
you can get into any t14 school w/ a 178. in at harvard, yale, nyu, columbia. just make a good ps. i have a 3.3 and im shooting for a 170 to almost guarantee a spot at a t20 school
Easily the most uninformed opinion I've ever seen on TLS.
Obama got into Harvard with a 3.3.
Eschewing the fact that you may be a flame, and/or trying to start a URM debate...Does that mean that anyone can get into any T14 school w/ a 178?

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:29 pm
by 06132010
You should apply to the entire T-14 except HYS. ED at your first choice among CCN.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:36 pm
by Iuvo
Apply to S as well. They're really a black box. That's assuming you're not a boring person.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:38 pm
by romothesavior
februaryftw wrote:harry potter casts flame spell
Haha huge +1.

First of all, grades a few decades ago were a lot different than they are today. Grade inflation is rampant nowadays, which means more high GPAs for schools to pick from. 3.3 won't cut it anymore at Harvard, but it very well could have 20+ years ago. And second, Obama was a URM with decent softs in the late-1980s. You can't compare admissions then to admissions now.

/discussion, but continue thread

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:42 pm
by acadec
februaryftw wrote:harry potter casts flame spell
180.

...which i guess means you're in at HYS, as long as you broke 2.0

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 12:47 am
by merichard87
Sir you are bringing disgrace upon the good name of Harry Potter. HOW DARE YOU? Your opinions are not credited. That is all.

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 2:55 am
by sumo
So some say a chance at CCN, probably? I'll take that.

How much does ED help you? Is it a similar situation to college?

Re: 178 LSAT But Low GPA

Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 9:27 am
by vexion
sumo wrote:So some say a chance at CCN, probably? I'll take that.

How much does ED help you? Is it a similar situation to college?
If you're on the cusp at that school, it will push you over, but it's no guarantee if your numbers aren't already somewhere near their admissions standards. It does have the added benefit of getting you to the top of the stack when all the seats are still open, though.

Congrats on rocking the LSAT, btw! Über-jealous.