splitter: 177/3.12

[almostfamous]

Hey all!
I've been hanging around these boards for a while, and owe everyone here a LOT for the awesome LSAT studying advice. Thanks to that, I feel like I might have a good chance at some top schools despite my awful GPA. My numbers are 3.12/177.

-Science major at a Top 5 public undergrad, with no grade trends to speak up (a few bad semesters scattered amongst some really great semesters)
-non-URM
-Really average softs, nothing that will really gain me any extra consideration (some community service/volunteering, a pretty interesting part-time job).

I've been on law school predictor, but from my understanding, it can be a little unreliable for splitters, so I'd love people's advice about where I should apply!

Here are the schools I'm most interested in (in order):
NYU
Penn
UVA
Cornell
Georgetown
Michigan
Duke
UCLA
Vandy
USC
Emory
UNC

The ones at the top of the list are definite reaches but I thought I'd get your advice on whether or not its worth applying. Also, I'm debating whether it would be more advantageous for me to apply early with a 3.12 (ED somewhere and EA at Cornell) or wait until grades for the first semester to come in, which could potentially raise my GPA to a 3.248. I feel pretty confident that I could raise my GPA since my classes next semester aren't the most challenging, and my lowest GPA semesters have all been pretty loaded with hard sciences.

Thanks!

[Tautology]

I think it's worth applying to all of those schools, people have gotten into NYU with those numbers before, just don't get your hopes up and make sure you apply early. Late applications hurt splitters more than anyone.

[Lawquacious]

With your LSAT I suspect you have a good shot at all on your list (though not positive about NYU or PENN).

[almostfamous]

bump. Does anybody else have any thoughts?

[lawls]

Apply early for ED. When you get your new grades, you can send a LOCI to those schools which haven't given you a decision yet. Definitely don't wait to apply, as a splitter you want to apply as early as possible.

[Patriot1208]

Your cycle will be really unpredictable... apply everywhere in the t14 save stanford and yale (harvard may even be worth the chance, even if its unlikely).

[IAMGenius]

What is a splitter?

[almostfamous]

Thanks...there are very very few people on LSN with numbers the same/similar as mine, so I'm pretty unsure about how I'll do in the process. What is the best school that you think I have a really good chance at?

On another note, does an F on my transcript seriously hurt my chances, outside of being reflected in my GPA? Physics was not a good subject for me, but I'm retaking and am doing a lot better this time around