Are current stats good enough for top law schools? Forum

[EllieR]

Hello, this is my first time ever posting on TLS but I have been a long time follower of many posts. I am currently in my second year of undergrad but I have junior level standing. I took the LSAT in June-I managed a 174, and as of right now my GPA is a 4.02. I plan on applying to law school in the Fall of next year. I am very proud of my numbers, but I fear that my interesting situation will cause me some trouble when applying to law schools. For starters, I started my undergrad career at a CC. I know law school is devastatingly expensive and being in so much debt during my undergraduate schooling did not seem worth it to me. My AP scores from high school really gave me a unit count boost and thus allowing me to graduate a year early. I am currently still a CC student who just applied to a four year university, but I do have an agreement with a local university so I cross enroll so that I can take upper division major classes at a low cost-$52 a course!! However, that is besides the point, I am very worried that law schools will not care to accept me because of the fact that I attended a CC. I have never read another student who also went to a CC on TLS mention that Yale/Harvard/Columbia accepted them. I do not regret my decision to save money, but I really hope this does not come back to haunt me. A secondary issue of mine is that EC's seem daunting. What qualifies as a solid EC to get into a top law school? I am lacking in the EC department; I interned at my local courthouse for six months and clocked in over 400 hours, but besides that all I have done is teach a Sunday school class for the past five years. I have not traveled to a underdeveloped nation or interned for the governor of my state as I have read on a few posts on TLS. The main reason I am posting now is because I would love to be able to "fluff-up" my application before I apply to law schools next Fall. In terms of LOR, I have my supervisor from the courthouse, the head of the pre-law department at the university I cross-enroll in, as well a professor of mine who was an attorney and is now a mayor of a city.

What is my application missing?

I am sorry in advanced if my CC/University/Cross enrollment situation is unclear/confusing.

[crumb cake]

http://mylsn.info/r/pre-law/admissions/search/

Almost all of the T14 won't care about the community college.

Your extra curriculars are probably average except to Y or S.

[Arboreal]

Your stats make you competitive for admission to every law school in the country, and stats matters far more than any extracurricular you're likely to obtain between now and the fall.

If you're certain you want to go to law school immediately after your quick trot through undergrad -- which I and most posters on TLS would not advise you to do (go experience the world! law school is a drag, and it will still be there in a year or four) -- my only advice for improving your chances would be for you to secure another recommendation from a professor who had you as a student. Elite law schools want to know how you'll fare as a student, so they prize comments from your actual teachers more than the comments of employers or faculty with whom you may have positive relationships but whose courses you did not take. I'm not sure if that applies to the department head you referenced in the OP, but it seemed like maybe that was the case.

Also, you're right that law school is devastatingly expensive. With your stats, don't settle for anything less than a full ride (or maybe Y).

[RaceJudicata]

Don't worry about CC. Your stats are plenty good for admission to the majority of T-14. But IMO, you should seriously consider taking some time to work/experience life. As others have mentioned, law school isn't going anywhere. Also, while your background won't be a problem for adcomms, your age/lack of experience may be a problem when it comes to firm hiring.

Good luck!

[pancakes3]

Congrats on the stats. Schools won't care about where you got your grades, as long as you've got the grades. Also while it's good to do extra curriculars ("softs" in the local parlance), nothing short of pulitzer winning astronaut would make any sort of noticeable impact on your chances at admission.

[pleadthafif]

Post removed...

[cub1014]

I wouldn't worry at all. With what you have you have a great shot at every school. In fact I think you're crazy for worrying with those stats haha.

[Hand]

The likes of harvard may very well want nothing to do with a sad little penny pincher like you who will give them a sadface when they send you their bloated tuition bill. Maybe you could negate the negative impression by visiting the campus wearing a rolex?

[OhBoyOhBortles]

you'll be fine.

[Gray]

.

[Hand]

you'll be fine.

Don't listen to these fools. For a mere $100/hr I will give thee valuable insights into how to get into the most preftiguous law schools despite the obvious deficiencies in your application.

[OhBoyOhBortles]

you'll be fine.

Thanks this was a solid contribution go back to panera.

I cooked food by myself like a real human being today. It was a very empowering experience. I'll go back tomorrow though, probably.

[pancakes3]

you'll be fine.

Thanks this was a solid contribution go back to panera.

I cooked food by myself like a real human being today. It was a very empowering experience. I'll go back tomorrow though, probably.

<- Chipotle 4x a week minimum, dgaf