I made it into my "REACH" Forum

[Aggiegrad2011]

Snowball, it's like reverse denial for the reverse splitter!

[HeavenWood]

I'd be much happier with #28 than #98, no doubt. So would the massive chip on my shoulder that's been prodding me to keep a 4.0 grade point average through 4 years of undergrad.

I know! I realize that it is very time-consuming and difficult to score well on the LSAT, but 4 years of maintaining a high GPA is very time-consuming and difficult, too!

I have to admit that I feel very strongly that higher GPAs are much more difficult to achieve than a high LSAT (coming from a splitter)

Not to knock high GPAs (I'm a semi-reverse splitter myself), but it's not that difficult to stack the GPA deck in one's favor. One can go to a school with rampant grade inflation, pick a soft liberal arts major, and take courses which one knows he/she will do well in. The factors in attaining a high GPA are relatively flexible. No two college curriculums are alike.

But we all take the same LSAT, and depending on the strength of our rapid-fire reading comprehension, affinity for in/formal logic, and spatial skills (for logic games), some of us will have a much better aptitude for the test than others.

[Aggiegrad2011]

I think that's why a lot of schools (or all of them) say that they look at the rigor of the coursework as well as the average grades. I am sure my 18 unit quarters (quarters are hell on earth, if you're on semester, consider yourself luuuucky) @ 4.00 look a lot better than if they had been 12 unit minimum forward progress quarters. There are also other ways to distinguish yourself academically. There are people who have 3.8/3.9 GPAs that do not graduate magna and summa cum laude because they do not put the requisite work into doing required collegiate voodoo (long ass papers, theses defenses, etc) and I think (or rather, hope?) that matters also.

The two metrics DEFINITELY test different attributes/qualities and the amalgam between the two really is the best to look at. It's sad that law is such a numbers-driven field that a single bad day on the LSAT can really, truly wipe out 4 years of hard work and determination whereas you can jack up 2 entire years of undergrad, wake up, get decent grades and still get into a top 14 school with a solid LSAT day. This is imbalanced in a system already full of imbalances. But like I said before, I "own" my LSAT performance and am not trying to make excuses for it or anything of the sort.

[snowballgirl]

Snowball, it's like reverse denial for the reverse splitter!

Haha. Very true

[HeavenWood]

I think that's why a lot of schools (or all of them) say that they look at the rigor of the coursework as well as the average grades. I am sure my 18 unit quarters (quarters are hell on earth, if you're on semester, consider yourself luuuucky) @ 4.00 look a lot better than if they had been 12 unit minimum forward progress quarters. There are also other ways to distinguish yourself academically. There are people who have 3.8/3.9 GPAs that do not graduate magna and summa cum laude because they do not put the requisite work into doing required collegiate voodoo (long ass papers, theses defenses, etc) and I think (or rather, hope?) that matters also.

All law schools say they are holistic, but in the end, most of them are 90% numbers, with soft factors filling in the remaining gap.

I am no way advocating for this method. I think the legal profession would be much better served if all law schools mimicked Boalt's admission process, using 1/3 LSAT, 1/3 GPA/academic curriculum, and 1/3 everything else. Unfortunately, the USNWR rankings have pushed most schools into a "rank or perish" corner. This is why YP is so rampant and PT classes have been slashed. It's disgusting, but unfortunately, it's the reality we have to deal with.

[Aggiegrad2011]

I think that's why a lot of schools (or all of them) say that they look at the rigor of the coursework as well as the average grades. I am sure my 18 unit quarters (quarters are hell on earth, if you're on semester, consider yourself luuuucky) @ 4.00 look a lot better than if they had been 12 unit minimum forward progress quarters. There are also other ways to distinguish yourself academically. There are people who have 3.8/3.9 GPAs that do not graduate magna and summa cum laude because they do not put the requisite work into doing required collegiate voodoo (long ass papers, theses defenses, etc) and I think (or rather, hope?) that matters also.

All law schools say they are holistic, but in the end, most of them are 90% numbers, with soft factors filling in the remaining gap.

I am no way advocating for this method. I think the legal profession would be much better served if all law schools mimicked Boalt's admission process, using 1/3 LSAT, 1/3 GPA/academic curriculum, and 1/3 everything else. Unfortunately, the USNWR rankings have pushed most schools into a "rank or perish" corner. This is why YP is so rampant and PT classes have been slashed. It's disgusting, but unfortunately, it's the reality we have to deal with.

No doubt. We definitely agree on both counts - 1. It's the reality we're stuck with and 2. It should be different.

Oh well. Let's blame Cooley.

[dddhhh]

GPA: 3.85 , LSAT: 153
URM: No

NAME OF REACH SCHOOL: Washington & Lee

Optional Essay: Yes, ethical, why W&L included in PS & LSAT addendum

Finally, what you think (totally subjective) got you into that school: I applied last year and was rejected- so this quick acceptance came as a complete shock! I think my softs were strong and allowed them to take a chance on me.

month you sent in applications: After Thanksgiving.

Good luck to everyone!

[snowballgirl]

GPA: 3.85 , LSAT: 153
URM: No

NAME OF REACH SCHOOL: Washington & Lee

Optional Essay: Yes, ethical, why W&L included in PS & LSAT addendum

Finally, what you think (totally subjective) got you into that school: I applied last year and was rejected- so this quick acceptance came as a complete shock! I think my softs were strong and allowed them to take a chance on me.

month you sent in applications: After Thanksgiving.

Good luck to everyone!

Congrats on W&L! I think their 3rd year curriculum sounds very interesting.

[anthropologieaddict]

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[MrThomasFT3]

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[ShuckingNotJiving]

GPA: 3.83 , LSAT 151
URM: Yes, AA Male

NAME OF REACH SCHOOL(S):
UGA
Wake Forest

Optional Essay:
Yes, Diversity Statement and a Why Statement

What you think got you into that school:
Probably my Master's from UNC and my work experience.

UMMMM that's a reach? I think not. Sorry, not trying to derail.

[sophia.olive]

GPA: 3.83 , LSAT 151
URM: Yes, AA Male

NAME OF REACH SCHOOL(S):
UGA
Wake Forest

Optional Essay:
Yes, Diversity Statement and a Why Statement

What you think got you into that school:
Probably my Master's from UNC and my work experience.

UMMMM that's a reach? I think not. Sorry, not trying to derail.

I dont even know what this thread is about any more because of the last post. Georgia, urms, reaches?

I have a crush on your avatar, Shuck.

[MrThomasFT3]

Maybe I don't understand the concept of a reach or something. It seems that a school like Georgia, that has an average LSAT school 10 points higher than my highest LSAT seems to be a reach to me. Maybe I'm crazy but UGA is ranked 28. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the idea of a REACH.

[ShuckingNotJiving]

Maybe I don't understand the concept of a reach or something. It seems that a school like Georgia, that has a average LSAT school 10 points higher than my highest LSAT seems to be a reach to me. Maybe I'm crazy but UGA is ranked 28. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the idea of a REACH.

u lie. wut u don't understand is the concept of urm. do some research.

I dont even know what this thread is about any more because of the last post. Georgia, urms, reaches?

I have a crush on your avatar, Shuck.

thx. it's dawn weiner from "welcome to the dollhouse." it's also how i feel on the inside.

sry, i'm further derailing the thread.

[sophia.olive]

Maybe I don't understand the concept of a reach or something. It seems that a school like Georgia, that has a average LSAT school 10 points higher than my highest LSAT seems to be a reach to me. Maybe I'm crazy but UGA is ranked 28. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the idea of a REACH.

Your GPA is above their 75% and you are an AA male. I would add some higher ranked schools.

[HeavenWood]

Maybe I don't understand the concept of a reach or something. It seems that a school like Georgia, that has a average LSAT school 10 points higher than my highest LSAT seems to be a reach to me. Maybe I'm crazy but UGA is ranked 28. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the idea of a REACH.

Your GPA is above their 75% and you are an AA male. I would add some higher ranked schools.

+1 URM cycles are highly unpredictable. Go for the gold, man!

[MrThomasFT3]

Maybe I don't understand the concept of a reach or something. It seems that a school like Georgia, that has a average LSAT school 10 points higher than my highest LSAT seems to be a reach to me. Maybe I'm crazy but UGA is ranked 28. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the idea of a REACH.

Your GPA is above their 75% and you are an AA male. I would add some higher ranked schools.

Will do... I didn't really think about the GPA in that way. So many folks here on TLS make such a big deal about the LSAT and I just assumed that it would be most important. Sorry for my misinterpretation.

[sophia.olive]

Maybe I don't understand the concept of a reach or something. It seems that a school like Georgia, that has a average LSAT school 10 points higher than my highest LSAT seems to be a reach to me. Maybe I'm crazy but UGA is ranked 28. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the idea of a REACH.

Your GPA is above their 75% and you are an AA male. I would add some higher ranked schools.

Will do... I didn't really think about the GPA in that way. So many folks here on TLS make such a big deal about the LSAT and I just assumed that it would be most important. Sorry for my misinterpretation.

You better be sorry. I would like a more formal apology PMed to me.

Anyways, if I was a black man with a 3.85, APART FROM RETAKING THE LSAT NOW!!!!!!, I would apply to every T14 that my GPA is above their 75th. This includes CC on down. Maybe even stanford. Well I think stanford's lowest lsat was a 160 last year so maybe not. I am being extremely optimistic here but if you meet me in the middle you should have a realistic shot.



But seriously if you STUDY LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT for a couple months you could easily make HYS with a 10-15 point increase.

Make sure to apply to NW

[Kaitlyn]

Maybe I don't understand the concept of a reach or something. It seems that a school like Georgia, that has a average LSAT school 10 points higher than my highest LSAT seems to be a reach to me. Maybe I'm crazy but UGA is ranked 28. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the idea of a REACH.

Your GPA is above their 75% and you are an AA male. I would add some higher ranked schools.

Will do... I didn't really think about the GPA in that way. So many folks here on TLS make such a big deal about the LSAT and I just assumed that it would be most important. Sorry for my misinterpretation.

You better be sorry. I would like a more formal apology PMed to me.

Anyways, if I was a black man with a 3.85, APART FROM RETAKING THE LSAT NOW!!!!!!, I would apply to every T14 that my GPA is above their 75th. This includes CC on down. Maybe even stanford. Well I think stanford's lowest lsat was a 160 last year so maybe not. I am being extremely optimistic here but if you meet me in the middle you should have a realistic shot.



But seriously if you STUDY LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON IT for a couple months you could easily make HYS with a 10-15 point increase.

Make sure to apply to NW

I don't know if that's wholly sound advice- and this is coming from an AA 3.9 HYPS grad with a 160/strong softs who just got deferred at GT. 151 might be a little too low to crack T14. But- barring a retake- shooting some apps at the DCG (and maybe, MAYBE the MVPB) class of schools is definitely worthwhile. Do it! And congratulations on your acceptances so far.

[sophia.olive]

I don't know if that's wholly sound advice- and this is coming from an AA 3.9 HYPS grad with a 160/strong softs who just got deferred at GT. 151 might be a little too low to crack T14. But- barring a retake- shooting some apps at the DCG (and maybe, MAYBE the MVPB) class of schools is definitely worthwhile. Do it! And congratulations on your acceptances so far. [/quote]

yeah, yeah, you are right. I just got a little excited because Shucking is around.

[pppokerface]

Thanks for downplaying my acceptance. Legacy isn't as important at Penn as one would think.

But haters gonna hate.

I know how impressive a 3.94 is. There is also nothing wrong with being a legacy. Many of us will have legacy children one day, and I would love to hear any of you will tell them not to put you on their app.

Is this legacy thing true-that it doesn't really matter unless they donated a building? i hear that sentiment a lot on TLS, but it seems murky/opinion based. I'm not trying to knock anyone down or anything-a huge congrats to everyone who got in

[r6_philly]

Thanks for downplaying my acceptance. Legacy isn't as important at Penn as one would think.

But haters gonna hate.

I know how impressive a 3.94 is. There is also nothing wrong with being a legacy. Many of us will have legacy children one day, and I would love to hear any of you will tell them not to put you on their app.

Is this legacy thing true-that it doesn't really matter unless they donated a building? i hear that sentiment a lot on TLS, but it seems murky/opinion based. I'm not trying to knock anyone down or anything-a huge congrats to everyone who got in

I don't honestly know about law school, but Penn UG is big on legacy. There is a whole department in the Alumni Association devoted to mentoring/helping legacy children on college admissions.

[anthropologieaddict]

.

[HeavenWood]

Thanks for downplaying my acceptance. Legacy isn't as important at Penn as one would think.

But haters gonna hate.

I know how impressive a 3.94 is. There is also nothing wrong with being a legacy. Many of us will have legacy children one day, and I would love to hear any of you will tell them not to put you on their app.

Is this legacy thing true-that it doesn't really matter unless they donated a building? i hear that sentiment a lot on TLS, but it seems murky/opinion based. I'm not trying to knock anyone down or anything-a huge congrats to everyone who got in

I don't honestly know about law school, but Penn UG is big on legacy. There is a whole department in the Alumni Association devoted to mentoring/helping legacy children on college admissions.

Over the years, my father donated a grand total of $0.00 to Penn.

[law_monkey]

I don't honestly know about law school, but Penn UG is big on legacy. There is a whole department in the Alumni Association devoted to mentoring/helping legacy children on college admissions.

Over the years, my father donated a grand total of $0.00 to Penn.

My friend's dad is a G'Town alum, and when her sister applied there for undergrad it was one of the few schools she didn't get into. He never donated anything...