Where should I go? Forum

[ZSR10]

Alright so I got a higher score for my LSAT than expected and so am not sure where I want go.

I made a 163
Baylor University
Political Science, Graduation December 2010
GPA: 3.4

I know my GPA is rather low but I am really hoping my Resume will make up for it.

*
I know everyone claims they have a good resume but I like to think mine is slightly unique:
I have done a ton of research including as an assistant to a professor in his book on terrorism and will likely gain an acknowledgement for that work.
Countless research papers on international law issues, primarily dealing with Middle Eastern conflict and terrorism.
Attorney General for Baylor University: Managed a $130,000 per year account for distribution to student organizations.
phi alpha delta - Assisted in developing both a comprehensive pre-law program and an actual paid position for a professor to be a full time pre-law advisor.
Delta Epsilon Iota - Academic honor Fraternity
I am on the Model United Nations Travel Team
I have been in constant employment since July 2006
I am a licensed Realtor and have extensive knowledge about Texas Real Estate
Eagle Scout
Graduated from undergrad in a total of 6 semesters despite having 12 surgeries and having to take a semester off my sophomore year due to medical issues. (I will be including this in my personal statement)
*
I am planning on trying to stay in Texas to practice but am willing to go out of state for a prestigious school. I would like to do an MBA joint program and want to try and specialize in Real Estate or Oil and Gas Law

I apologize for the lengthy post. Suggestions on where to apply?

[kalvano]

Alright so I got a higher score for my LSAT than expected and so am not sure where I want go.

I made a 163
Baylor University
Political Science, Graduation December 2010
GPA: 3.4

I know my GPA is rather low but I am really hoping my Resume will make up for it.

*
I know everyone claims they have a good resume but I like to think mine is slightly unique:
I have done a ton of research including as an assistant to a professor in his book on terrorism and will likely gain an acknowledgement for that work.
Countless research papers on international law issues, primarily dealing with Middle Eastern conflict and terrorism.
Attorney General for Baylor University: Managed a $130,000 per year account for distribution to student organizations.
Phi Alpha Delta - Assisted in developing both a comprehensive pre-law program and an actual paid position for a professor to be a full time pre-law advisor.
Delta Epsilon Iota - Academic honor Fraternity
I am on the Model United Nations Travel Team
I have been in constant employment since July 2006
I am a licensed Realtor and have extensive knowledge about Texas Real Estate
Eagle Scout
Graduated from undergrad in a total of 6 semesters despite having 12 surgeries and having to take a semester off my sophomore year due to medical issues. (I will be including this in my personal statement)
*
I am planning on trying to stay in Texas to practice but am willing to go out of state for a prestigious school. I would like to do an MBA joint program and want to try and specialize in Real Estate or Oil and Gas Law

I apologize for the lengthy post. Suggestions on where to apply?

None of that will really do much. If you want to stay in Texas, you'll get into Baylor (stay away), SMU, and UofH. Tulane might be an option, but if it's Texas you want, try to stay with a Texas school.

[veragood]

I believe that resumes aren't weighted very much, unless you're going to somewhere that specifically looks for work experience (like Northwestern). I would more focus on tying in your most impressive work experience into your personal statement or something.

[ZSR10]

Why should I stay away from Baylor?
Does the stay in state comment hold true for the top 20 or 15 schools? And if not should I bother applying?

[kalvano]

Why should I stay away from Baylor?
Does the stay in state comment hold true for the top 20 or 15 schools? And if not should I bother applying?

In-state is a factor for public schools, not private ones. It varies by state.

Baylor is a sweatshop law school in a miserable city with nothing to offer, and you will work twice as hard at Baylor for no real reason other than they pride themselves on being the law school equivalent of "boot camp", and at the end, every major city in Texas already has a school that serves it, so you will be lapping at their leftovers.

[gwuorbust]

I believe that resumes aren't weighted at all. all that matters is LSAT/GPA. very much, unless you're going to somewhere that specifically looks for work experience (like Northwestern is bitches). I would more focus on tying in your most impressive work experience into your personal statement or something.

FTFY

[gwuorbust]

and where you should go depends on where you want to work when you graduate. most LS outside of t14 are regional in nature.

[nihilism is key]

Why should I stay away from Baylor?
Does the stay in state comment hold true for the top 20 or 15 schools? And if not should I bother applying?

I am sorry to say, I do not think you will get in to any schools in the T20 with those numbers.

[2014]

Why should I stay away from Baylor?
Does the stay in state comment hold true for the top 20 or 15 schools? And if not should I bother applying?

I am sorry to say, I do not think you will get in to any schools in the T20 with those numbers.

That's the nice way to put it. Bluntly, you have no chance at tier 1 without bumping your LSAT at LEAST a couple of points.

The only qualification I'll make for that is if you go and take the GMAT and dominate it, I think you have a resume that Northwestern might appreciate. However, you are better off retaking if you want to "leave state for a prestigious school". If not, look at SMU or Houston I suppose. Not familiar with their medians so can't say for certain if you would get in, but I imagine you would be competitive.

[voice of reason]

I think the main schools you should be looking at are SMU and Houston. You might also apply to UT Austin as a reach, recognizing that you're very unlikely to get in, and to Baylor as a safety, if you don't find it repulsive.

If you get into both SMU and Houston, the deciding factors should be cost of attendance (where Houston wins unless SMU gives you lots of money or you have free housing in Dallas) and whether you strongly prefer to practice in Dallas or Houston. The two schools have roughly similar job placement success.

Your softs are good, but so are the softs of thousands of other applicants with similar numbers, so they will not carry you very far, unfortunately. Let your GPA and LSAT be your main guide on where to apply, as they will be the schools' main guide on whether to admit you.

[2014]

I think the main schools you should be looking at are SMU and Houston. You might also apply to UT Austin as a reach, recognizing that you're very unlikely to get in, and to Baylor as a safety, if you don't find it repulsive.

If you get into both SMU and Houston, the deciding factors should be cost of attendance (where Houston wins unless SMU gives you lots of money or you have free housing in Dallas) and whether you strongly prefer to practice in Dallas or Houston. The two schools have roughly similar job placement success.

Your softs are good, but so are the softs of thousands of other applicants with similar numbers, so they will not carry you very far, unfortunately. Let your GPA and LSAT be your main guide on where to apply, as they will be the schools' main guide on whether to admit you.

The first acceptance last year at UT for OP's GPA and non-URM was a 171 LSAT.
NO ONE at 163 LSAT who was a non-URM got in, regardless of GPA, not even a waitlist.
UT is a waste of money, even if you get a fee waiver and have to spend only $12, go buy a meal instead.

[HowdyYall]

yeah id work on U of H app hard bud. thats the sad thing about law school extracurriculars/WE hardly matter. Check out St. Mary's too in San Antonio. Job market in SA is pretty good and alumni seem to love St. Mary's grads. you can probly land some sort of scholly too

[voice of reason]

The first acceptance last year at UT for OP's GPA and non-URM was a 171 LSAT.
NO ONE at 163 LSAT who was a non-URM got in, regardless of GPA, not even a waitlist.
UT is a waste of money, even if you get a fee waiver and have to spend only $12, go buy a meal instead.

Is that from UT or LSN? If LSN, you can't use that site to draw that kind of conclusion because it does not represent all applicants. All you can conclude is that admission is unlikely. I agree it's a longshot and probably not worth doing -- and if your data are from UT, then I agree it's definitely not worth doing.

[ZSR10]

2014 I am not sure where you are getting your numbers but I have a friend at UT right now that is not URM and made a 167...
and where are you getting your assessment of me not getting into a T1 school without an LSAT bump? I might be low but I meet a number of 25th percentiles and am even fairly close for a few medians... not a shoe in, but I see possibilities at a number in the top 50. Am I reading something wrong?

[Spinach Lover]

If I were the OP, I'd try at least some top 20 schools.

As to Baylor law school, it is only one and a half hours' drive from Dallas. Plus, there is a significant number of alumni working there. Is Baylor really that bad?

[ZSR10]

I am actually in Baylor undergrad. Waco is nowhere nearly as bad as most people make it out to be. It is actually kind of nice to only have a few main bars because due to the low student population, everyone is usually at the same place every weekend. As for Baylor being a bad law school...I am actually trying to stay away from it if I can. They recently lost Mark Osler who is one of the preeminent legal scholars on sentencing. He was kind of their all star and now there are more rumors that other faculty are considering leaving as well. That said, Ken Starr has been granted an honorary position at the law school, forget what it is, but a lot of people think he is going to try and get Baylor Law back on its feet like he did for Pepperdine.

[Spinach Lover]

Osler has left for St Thomas. He was one of the few in Baylor law that has national fame. But now Baylor has Ken Starr. Who knows what's going to happen.