169/3.3 Military Vet Forum

[CocoPebbles]

Finance Degree from Notre Dame. Currently in my 4th year as an Army Officer. Combat veteran (Afghanistan 2011-2012.)

Hoping to get into Northwestern, Georgetown, or UVA. What are my chances? Will my military service help give a boost to my file and cancel out some of that low GPA or is that wishful thinking?

[TLSwag]

Finance Degree from Notre Dame. Currently in my 4th year as an Army Officer. Combat veteran (Afghanistan 2011-2012.)

Hoping to get into Northwestern, Georgetown, or UVA. What are my chances? Will my military service help give a boost to my file and cancel out some of that low GPA or is that wishful thinking?

I'm not sure how much the military boost is good for, but I would definitely apply to those 3 schools, at the same time, not really counting on it. Is retake an option? I'm a 169er as well (3.4 gpa) - (K-JD so obviously different circumstances) but nonetheless, there is a MASSIVE difference between 169 and 170....

Look into UMICH ED as well if u'd consider living there for 3 years.... their median LSAT = 169, most other T14's are 170+

Also, prob in at cornell with the good softs.

Finally, thank you for your service. good luck with your cycle wish u the best!

[CocoPebbles]

Good luck to you as well. Not planning on retaking, most of my practice LSATs were between 167-171 and I'm satisfied with it. I'm still looking into Cornell and Michigan more and will probably apply, thanks for the advice!

[CocoPebbles]

So, to expand a little bit to my 169/3.3. Finance degree from Notre Dame with second major in History. Part of my GPA being a 3.3 and not a 3.4 or 3.5 is because I did terrible fall semester freshman year when I was taking classes to be an engineering major of which I had no interest and was only doing it based on advice from several influential people in my life (I got a 2.9), and then I also did pretty poorly (B- to C) in several theology and philosophy courses (mandatory for degree from ND). Should I write an addendum? I didn't plan on it, because the fall semester 2.9 GPA is bad, but it's easily explained by my transcripts. My transcripts also show me achieving poorly in classes that were not a part of my major or interesting to me and to which I honestly just didn't devote the time to, focusing instead on my 2 majors worth of classes and trying to be the best Army cadet I could be and still trying to do enjoy everything else ND had to offer me.

In addition to the 4 years of service as an Army Officer, I have 2 great recs from several superiors I've worked for in the Army, 2 good recs from professors, and 2 more great recs from Army Officers who were instructors of mine (one in a military history/counterinsurgency class at Notre Dame, so that's actually an academic recommendation, and one from my 6 month officer basic course which was a mostly academic class of which I graduated 2 of 127). Also volunteered at a pre-school at Notre Dame and am now a Big Brother for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Manhattan, KS where I am stationed at (Fort Riley, KS).

[CocoPebbles]

My application process is going to look like this, keep in mind money is a huge issue for me because I'm paying for everything myself and don't want to be $150k in debt if I don't have to be:

Northwestern (ED): I have always wanted to go to Northwestern, and if I could get in with tuition paid it would be a dream. I know it's a stretch, but I think I might at least get a look. If not, hopefully put into the regular application pool.

Apply to Georgetown, Virginia, Penn, Michigan, Cornell and hope that at least 1 or 2 of them gives me an acceptance (and hopefully some scholarship money).

Apply to Minnesota, GW, BC, Notre Dame, and William & Mary and see what kind of scholarship offers I get from any of these that accept me.

Does this seem like a good strategy? Part of the reason I'm applying to schools all over the place is that I was born and raised in Minnesota, moved to Arizona in high school and don't want to go back to the west, went to college in Indiana, my extended family is all in the NYC area. I really want to end up in Chicago, NYC, or D.C.

Thanks for your help anyone!

[Jkeenan68R]

With your softs you have a decent chance of pulling off Northwestern. I think you have a damn good chance of pulling off at least one T14 acceptance. Did you use the loan repayment in the military? Do you have the GI Bill?

[CocoPebbles]

I'm not eligible for the GI Bill yet because the Army paid for my undergrad tuition so I won't earn GI Bill benefits unless I stay in the military past my 4 year obligation, which won't happen since I'm getting out. The loan repayment program does not apply to me either for that matter. Applying for FLEP and becoming an Army JAG is an option, but I'd really prefer to enter the civilian world - I accomplished all of my goals I had for the military when I joined and am ready for a more "normal" life... even if law school isn't exactly normal.

[TLSwag]

My application process is going to look like this, keep in mind money is a huge issue for me because I'm paying for everything myself and don't want to be $150k in debt if I don't have to be:

Northwestern (ED): I have always wanted to go to Northwestern, and if I could get in with tuition paid it would be a dream. I know it's a stretch, but I think I might at least get a look. If not, hopefully put into the regular application pool.

Apply to Georgetown, Virginia, Penn, Michigan, Cornell and hope that at least 1 or 2 of them gives me an acceptance (and hopefully some scholarship money).

Apply to Minnesota, GW, BC, Notre Dame, and William & Mary and see what kind of scholarship offers I get from any of these that accept me.

Does this seem like a good strategy? Part of the reason I'm applying to schools all over the place is that I was born and raised in Minnesota, moved to Arizona in high school and don't want to go back to the west, went to college in Indiana, my extended family is all in the NYC area. I really want to end up in Chicago, NYC, or D.C.

Thanks for your help anyone!

throw in apps to BU & Fordham also.... will be very helpful for scholarship negotiations with BC/GW