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Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:38 am
by AlaskaJD
There have been threads on this, probably, but remember our Internet is slow here. :lol: I moved to rural Alaska after college and thought about moving back to the Lower 48 because it would make the law school process so much easier, but then decided to stay put, partly because I love it here, and partly because I thought it would help my odds. Does it matter much if you're from an underrepresented state?

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:51 am
by goldeneye
Maybe if you had grown up there, thereby having a unique situation. I doubt it helps much. Gpa/lsat matter

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 12:56 am
by Systematic1
Did you take the LSAT in an igloo?

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:11 am
by AlaskaJD
No, but you do have to fly or take a ferry to get to the testing center, and stay overnight in a motel. In February, there was only one LSAT test taker at the center.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:39 am
by 2014
It will only matter if there happens to be a school that has students from the other 49 states and sees you as a marketing opportunity. Short of that, probably not. Interesting PS perhaps?

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 1:44 am
by Colonel Angus
2014 wrote:It will only matter if there happens to be a school that has students from the other 49 states and sees you as a marketing opportunity. Short of that, probably not. Interesting PS perhaps?
This sounds like something they would put in one of those ttt school emails. With students from all fifty states... But yeah its a numbers game. Have you worked any with natives or eskimos? My company is alaskan native owned and I work with many people from alaska, could be a very interesting ps there somewhere.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 2:08 am
by Systematic1
--ImageRemoved--

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:21 pm
by Map Cat
Not sure about admissions, but I'm pretty sure you can get in-state tuition at some schools if you live in Alaska, since there's not a LS there. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:34 pm
by sunynp
AlaskaJD wrote:There have been threads on this, probably, but remember our Internet is slow here. :lol: I moved to rural Alaska after college and thought about moving back to the Lower 48 because it would make the law school process so much easier, but then decided to stay put, partly because I love it here, and partly because I thought it would help my odds. Does it matter much if you're from an underrepresented state?
I'm curious. Why do you think it will help your chances? As Alaska doesn't have a law school there may be some school that accepts Alaska students. I don't think it will help you other than a ps which will be different than other people's.

It might be difficult to get solid advice because you are so isolated, keep posting here even if your net is slow. You are probably going to need more support than people who have other places to go for advice.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:37 pm
by sunynp
AlaskaJD wrote:No, but you do have to fly or take a ferry to get to the testing center, and stay overnight in a motel. In February, there was only one LSAT test taker at the center.
Given the way people complain about testing centers and the other test takers, you might have a good thing going there on your own. No one crying or coughing or arguing with the proctor.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:37 pm
by sawwaverunner
I believe there are some schools that will provide Alaskan residents with in-state tuition because Alaska does not have a state law school..... I think.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:43 pm
by PolySuyGuy
Systematic1 wrote:--ImageRemoved--


Good times LSAT taking in an ingloo!

Remember no hats or headgear.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 12:45 pm
by Kring345
Systematic1 wrote:--ImageRemoved--
Thank you for this lol

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:29 pm
by AlaskaJD
Thanks, guys, and the igloo photo was funny. I've just heard it's better to be from an underrepresented state like Alaska than some state with hundreds of applicants, like California. Definitely not something that would make up for a horrible LSAT, but something that might tip the scales. And, yes, I probably will have more questions, because it's really hard to get back down south. I'm thinking of going to one of those LSAC forums, probably in New York, but don't know if it's worth my time. I also am considering applying ED to NU if they're still doing the full ride guarantee, and that would require an in-person interview that would be extra-fun from AK.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:35 pm
by CanadianWolf
Have you taken the LSAT yet ?

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:37 pm
by Samara
AlaskaJD wrote:Thanks, guys, and the igloo photo was funny. I've just heard it's better to be from an underrepresented state like Alaska than some state with hundreds of applicants, like California. Definitely not something that would make up for a horrible LSAT, but something that might tip the scales. And, yes, I probably will have more questions, because it's really hard to get back down south. I'm thinking of going to one of those LSAC forums, probably in New York, but don't know if it's worth my time. I also am considering applying ED to NU if they're still doing the full ride guarantee, and that would require an in-person interview that would be extra-fun from AK.
The LSAC forums are NOT worth it. They will blow a bunch of smoke up your ass. You can get real answers to all your questions here without having to fly anywhere.

+1 to the LSAT question. You need WE and at least 3.55/174 to get the NU ED full-ride, IIRC.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:38 pm
by dingbat
AlaskaJD wrote: I'm thinking of going to one of those LSAC forums, probably in New York, but don't know if it's worth my time.
It's not.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:48 pm
by AlaskaJD
How valuable are face to face interaction/college visits? Because aside from that NU interview, I won't be taking any visits before I apply.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:51 pm
by Samara
AlaskaJD wrote:How valuable are face to face interaction/college visits? Because aside from that NU interview, I won't be taking any visits before I apply.
Very little beyond how it might help you choose between peer schools. Although, I would advise against it, unless you can visit several/all of your target schools. It is easy to get irrational about a school after a visit, especially one that is an official event, like ASWs. Better to stay objective and rational about choosing a law school, IMO. Too much at stake.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:58 pm
by AlaskaJD
Hmmmm. Don't know if my LSAT post disappeared or not. Anyway, I haven't taken the LSAT yet. I understand this makes pretty much all of my questions irrelevant at this point. Signed up to take it in October.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:29 pm
by bp shinners
PolySuyGuy wrote:
Systematic1 wrote:--ImageRemoved--


Good times LSAT taking in an ingloo!

Remember no hats or headgear.
Or bears.

Re: Do they care that I live in an Alaskan village?

Posted: Fri Jul 13, 2012 10:23 pm
by ScottPilgrim
AlaskaJD wrote:I'm thinking of going to one of those LSAC forums, probably in New York, but don't know if it's worth my time.
Never heard of someone who made it based on an interview, but I'm sure those exist. I think that is usually for those around the line. I would certainly talk up the Alaska part, because it will bump up their numbers (most schools likely covering an extra 2% of the states if they accept you). It won't bump you up from Cooley to Yale, but may get you a spot you wouldn't get otherwise.

My school, and I'm assuming this means most (at least in the top 20) set aside some spots for those with great back stories to help "diversify" their class, at least to the point it didn't change their USNEWS numbers. They would like non-trad applicants. Not sure if this particular applicant made it, but one student who worked with admissions made a hard push for a person who was arrested at a civil rights-type demonstration, despite having low numbers. The school also pulled in some international students. Alaska sounds pretty close to that.