Getting advice early.... Forum

[NonTradLawHopeful]

Iowa has a bad image because it is known as a huge drinking and party school. I'd love to go to Illinois and Minnesota but I didn't get direct admit into their business program. This would make my freshman year 100 times more stressful because I would be stressing out over getting it. It could potentially be a giant waste of money if I didn't get into business my second year which would make me need to transfer my second year.

That's the general consensus image of the Big Ten...by next year you'll see it as a positive.

[RZ5646]

If you're sure you want to go to law school, go to the cheapest undergrad you can since UG prestige doesn't matter and law school costs $$$$$. If a candidate school gives an A+ grade, use that as a tiebreaker.

Definitely consider picking a marketable major though. It doesn't have to be chemE or anything like that, but you don't want to change your mind about law school but still be forced to go because it's your only option.

[pylon]

If you go to a school that gives A+, it could be great for your LSAC GPA when you do end up applying (4.33 on a 4.0 scale). Probably meaningless because so much can happen, but now that I'm applying, I wish I went to a school that gave them.

eta was mentioned above

[nothingtosee]

If you're sure you want to go to law school, go to the cheapest undergrad you can since UG prestige doesn't matter and law school costs $$$$$. If a candidate school gives an A+ grade, use that as a tiebreaker.

Definitely consider picking a marketable major though. It doesn't have to be chemE or anything like that, but you don't want to change your mind about law school but still be forced to go because it's your only option.

At the top schools, it's not true that UG prestige doesn't matter. UIowa would be fine for those purposes, but University of Northern Iowa is gonna work against you.

[mike0331]

If you're interested in patent law and IP a hard science is probably a good idea. I'm studying for the patent bar my year off between UG and Law School right now. While there are other ways to qualify to sit for the exam, it seems the easiest is to have a BS in an approved subject. I have a bio degree, I wish I did ME. EVERY friend I have with an ME degree was making 50K+ right out of undergrad, and this is at UMass, which has a strong engineering program but isn't MIT. It's good to have a fall back plan, and underwater basket weaving is not as good as engineering IMO.

Mike

[Clearly]

People downplay the a+ thing. Take all the schools that give a+ grades, then pick between them. A+ is huge.

[jk148706]

I created this account to ask just a few questions about the competitiveness of law schools.

I'm currently 17 and deciding where I'd like to go to college next year.

my god

[RZ5646]

I created this account to ask just a few questions about the competitiveness of law schools.

I'm currently 17 and deciding where I'd like to go to college next year.

my god

I'm only 21 and even my reaction is "good lord kid, go have some fun and enjoy life instead of worrying about this stuff."

[moneybag121]

I created this account to ask just a few questions about the competitiveness of law schools.

I'm currently 17 and deciding where I'd like to go to college next year.

my god

I'm only 21 and even my reaction is "good lord kid, go have some fun and enjoy life instead of worrying about this stuff."

Well..... I'm in the process of picking a school to attend and I know I'd like to be a lawyer. Since almost every post said that getting into a tier 1 school is insanely difficult and requires a 4.0 gpa....i think that this is the exact time to start planning. So I think I made a decision and am most likely going to attend the University of Iowa as long as I don't get into a better business school.

ps...I'm usually not this much of a nerd but want to get this right.....

[Rigo]

Tier 1 schools aren't insanely difficult to get into and they certainly don't require a 4.0 GPA.

[moneybag121]

Tier 1 schools aren't insanely difficult to get into and they certainly don't require a 4.0 GPA.

I understand that but literally ever post here says to obtain that. It's like saying you don't need a 4.0 and a 36 ACT to get into Harvard undergrad....I understand you don't but I'm not a minority nor have I cured cancer.

[A. Nony Mouse]

That's really not what anyone here says. Getting into top schools (leaving aside Tier 1 - most people here identify top schools as the top 14-ish schools) depends on having a good GPA and a good LSAT, but doesn't require a 4.0.

[PeanutsNJam]

Although a 4.0 I'll go a very, very long way for you and open many doors so do please try and get a 4.0.

[Rigo]

Tier 1 schools aren't insanely difficult to get into and they certainly don't require a 4.0 GPA.

I understand that but literally ever post here says to obtain that. It's like saying you don't need a 4.0 and a 36 ACT to get into Harvard undergrad....I understand you don't but I'm not a minority nor have I cured cancer.

The medians of several Tier 1 schools (a pretty meaningless distinction) is sub 3.5. Just do the best you can do. It's obviously preferable to go into undergrad knowing that your GPA is very important. So many people on this forum didn't take undergrad as seriously as they should have and they regret that.
Here's a spreadsheet with the current class profiles for all law schools:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... hMXc#gid=9
Obviously it will be very different by the time you actually would be thinking of applying in 4+ years, but this will give you an idea of GPA's and LSAT's to aim for.

[RZ5646]

Since almost every post said that getting into a tier 1 school is insanely difficult and requires a 4.0 gpa....

Nope, look at the chart linked to in this thread: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=234059

It's good that you're thinking about these things, but you're also creating unnecessary stress for yourself.

Don't compare the admissions requirements for Harvard College and HLS. They are completely different.

ETA: Damn you Dirigo... stealing my thunder with the spreadsheet lol

[Ron Don Volante]

It's not even terribly difficult to get into the t6 if you're planning on law school from day one of ug. You just need to game your GPA and crush the lsat.

Getting a 3.9-4.0 is not some crazy task in a non-hard science major at the schools you are considering. we're not saying a 4.0 is a necessary condition to get into a good law school, we're saying that it's a factor completely in your control that you need to focus on above all but the lsat if this is the path you really want to go down.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Although a 4.0 I'll go a very, very long way for you and open many doors so do please try and get a 4.0.

Oh, sure, it's certainly a great way to go if you can swing it.

[NonTradLawHopeful]

I created this account to ask just a few questions about the competitiveness of law schools.

I'm currently 17 and deciding where I'd like to go to college next year.

my god

I'm only 21 and even my reaction is "good lord kid, go have some fun and enjoy life instead of worrying about this stuff."

Well..... I'm in the process of picking a school to attend and I know I'd like to be a lawyer. Since almost every post said that getting into a tier 1 school is insanely difficult and requires a 4.0 gpa....i think that this is the exact time to start planning. So I think I made a decision and am most likely going to attend the University of Iowa as long as I don't get into a better business school.

ps...I'm usually not this much of a nerd but want to get this right.....

Regardless of the party school rep, which I promise you will not see as a negative in 6 months, Iowa has a good business school and Iowa City is a great college town. Enjoy and good luck!

And while you go for your 4.0, don't forget to have fun and get involved on campus.

[RZ5646]

GPA is completely gameable. And if you pick the right school you can rack up A+'s in gen eds and intro courses and then not even care about the rest of your classes.

[mike0331]

Tier 1 schools aren't insanely difficult to get into and they certainly don't require a 4.0 GPA.

I understand that but literally ever post here says to obtain that. It's like saying you don't need a 4.0 and a 36 ACT to get into Harvard undergrad....I understand you don't but I'm not a minority nor have I cured cancer.

So do something different. My mil service undoubtedly helped me get into my top choices despite my GPA, and I wouldn't trade it for the world, including undergrad, law school, etc.

Joining the military to help you get into law school is indescribably stupid, but do you really want to spend the next 7 years after you graduate going to school? Do Peace Corps or something. Also don't do some easy undergrad strictly for the GPA because you think you want to be a lawyer at 17 years old. Get a degree that can get you a job, and then go to law school anyway. Not that business is bad, but I have a lot of friends regretting that degree. I regret my bio degree. Engineering/comp-sci is where its at.

Mike

[Rigo]

Also, when the time comes, put A LOT of time into LSAT prep. It's weighted more than your GPA in admissions.

[PeanutsNJam]

OP just needs to know that he needs a high LSAT and a high GPA. Just because the LSAT means more doesn't mean the GPA isn't important. Don't become a splitter. Especially if you don't major in a hard science and/or double major, it should be very easy to at least get a 3.7+ GPA.

GPA > volunteer work, being president of XYZ club, being on UG student government, etc.

So only do extracurriculars that you enjoy and won't interfere with your grades. Don't take up mock trial or some shit like that thinking it'll help with admissions to law school; it won't.

Party hard but only as hard as you can while maintaining a high GPA. Go get shitfaced and die on spring break or over summer break or during a study abroad in your senior year. GPA is your priority.

[RZ5646]

I mostly agree with Peanut, but there's a certain kind of academic striver out there—and OP may very well be that type—for whom I'd prescribe an initial focus on the social. OP shouldn't spend every night studying to get this perfect 4.0 for HLS, realize after a couple years that it's not really that difficult to get a high GPA, but then find himself without the social network necessary to properly enjoy college. You can always recover from getting a few bad grades your freshman year (which with easy freshman classes is unlikely anyway), but it's hard to get involved once social networks have solidified.