Atypical Transfer Situation Forum

[captainslow]

Feel like I can post this now that I (finally) got my score.

I'm graduating in December with a 3.85 which bumps up to a 3.93 with all those lovely A+'s, summa or magna cum laude (pending thesis evaluation) from a top 10 public. Additional facts: junior VP of a PR firm, 8 political campaigns and a small business under my belt, several student orgs with leadership, lots of service, a couple internships (Governor's office, law review, GOP, local paper) and a buttload of debate awards. Pseudo-URM (Mexican kid adopted by white family).

LSAT score: 173

PROBLEM: Yeah, so my 4-year GPA is pretty hot, but I'm a transfer student and my CC GPA... well, it pretty much blows. Drags the whole thing down to about a 3.48.

QUESTION: How heavily do you think my CC performance will impact me, especially given how successful I've been since then? Which schools will this bar me from? Just HYS or CCN as well? What about the rest of the t14?

[James Bond]

Feel like I can post this now that I (finally) got my score.

I'm graduating in December with a 3.85 which bumps up to a 3.93 with all those lovely A+'s, summa or magna cum laude (pending thesis evaluation) from a top 10 public. Additional facts: junior VP of a PR firm, 8 political campaigns and a small business under my belt, several student orgs with leadership, lots of service, a couple internships (Governor's office, law review, GOP, local paper) and a buttload of debate awards. Pseudo-URM (Mexican kid adopted by white family).

LSAT score: 173

PROBLEM: Yeah, so my 4-year GPA is pretty hot, but I'm a transfer student and my CC GPA... well, it pretty much blows. Drags the whole thing down to about a 3.48.

QUESTION: How heavily do you think my CC performance will impact me, especially given how successful I've been since then? Which schools will this bar me from? Just HYS or CCN as well? What about the rest of the t14?

Your CC, which I'm assuming means community college, grades count just as much as your other grades. It will heavily impact you, because law school is all about numbers.

HYS is out. CCN...meh...maybe someone will bite. I'd be looking at lower T14 though with Northwestern easily your best bet with your softs.

[captainslow]

Thanks for the feedback. Believe me, I'm well aware of the destructive powers community college on my LSAC GPA. While I'd be pretty darn happy with GULC or Boalt, I'm basically planning on writing an addendum, crossing my fingers, and praying to sweet baby Jesus for the rest of the t14.

[James Bond]

Not to be a dick, but keeping with my theme today...

Why law school?

Between the LSAT and the GPA you're obviously smart. You have PR experience, which is one of the 10 fastest growing industries in the country (as opposed to law, which is horrible in that aspect). You have political campaign experience, which will always be needed. You have business experience, which too is always needed, and an MBA has better earning potential than a JD. Finally, you have leadership experience, which all job interviews and school applications adore...well...outside of law since it's just a numbers game.

It just seems like you have a lot of options. Being Mexican raises your profile as a URM, but I still don't look at your resume and scream "duh! law school!" I see a move to DC, or applications to Masters in Public Relations or Masters in Business Administration programs.

[captainslow]

There was nothing dick-ish about that post, all legitimate questions.

I would love to be able to pull off a joint program for my MBA, but my multitasking abilities are stretched to the limit right now so the GMAT's been put on hold. Plus I've put in less than a year at my PR firm and while I was promoted incredibly quickly and the CEO loves me, I'd like to have more experience before I head that route. I've read that I can apply for the business school program as a 1L so that's something that I'm looking into, in addition to possibly cramming my apps into a lot of business schools Rnd 2 for this cycle.

I'll be totally honest: I'm not 100% sure what I want to do in life. The closer I get to my "future," the less sure I am about it. What I know about law, I've picked up from the attorneys in my office and the guys at the law review: basically, that it is what you make of it. Rather than pursuing a degree with limited applications or diversity (e.g., political science, art history), I've decided to pursue a field with nearly limitless options. I think what you see reflected in resume is a diversity of interests and a JD is a far more versatile option that an MA; I'm hoping it will give me more opportunities to pursue those interests than I would expect from other degrees.

[thexfactor]

you are technically a URM. Im not sure how schools will view you but i think some schools will count you as URM. If not you have a really unique situation.

I would apply from Harvard down. You never know!

[James Bond]

There was nothing dick-ish about that post, all legitimate questions.

I would love to be able to pull off a joint program for my MBA, but my multitasking abilities are stretched to the limit right now so the GMAT's been put on hold. Plus I've put in less than a year at my PR firm and while I was promoted incredibly quickly and the CEO loves me, I'd like to have more experience before I head that route. I've read that I can apply for the business school program as a 1L so that's something that I'm looking into, in addition to possibly cramming my apps into a lot of business schools Rnd 2 for this cycle.

I'll be totally honest: I'm not 100% sure what I want to do in life. The closer I get to my "future," the less sure I am about it. What I know about law, I've picked up from the attorneys in my office and the guys at the law review: basically, that it is what you make of it. Rather than pursuing a degree with limited applications or diversity (e.g., political science, art history), I've decided to pursue a field with nearly limitless options. I think what you see reflected in resume is a diversity of interests and a JD is a far more versatile option that an MA; I'm hoping it will give me more opportunities to pursue those interests than I would expect from other degrees.

I think your, and much of society's, idea that a JD is a degree of limitless options is antiquated. Maybe in 1970, but not anymore. It just seems that you're doing it just to do it, and there are much better ways to spend $300,000

Especially because it's not like a JD is your only option.

[captainslow]

I think your, and much of society's, idea that a JD is a degree of limitless options is antiquated. Maybe in 1970, but not anymore. It just seems that you're doing it just to do it, and there are much better ways to spend $300,000

Especially because it's not like a JD is your only option.

I think it's my turn to make a not-to-be-a-dick disclaimer. It's a bit difficult to argue against warrantless claims, re: antiquated perspectives. This discussion's also tangential to my original post. I appreciate the challenge so if you'd like to issue a rebuttal, feel free to PM me.

That aside, I think a 'doing it just to do it' mentality is more likely to have its origins in a lack of options. If anything, the number of opportunities I have has encouraged me to carefully consider the decision to go to law school. Law school certainly represents a high opportunity cost; whether or not it's too high will be determined factors at the schools to which I'm accepted.

you are technically a URM. Im not sure how schools will view you but i think some schools will count you as URM. If not you have a really unique situation.

I would apply from Harvard down. You never know!

I've been trying to figure out what role that would play. Whenever I'm given the option I list both Mexican and Caucasian. My rough PS has a line or two about it, but I feel a little crappy trying to take it any further than that.