2.9/160 URM Forum

[ponyboy7]

Hello, thank you for reading. As you know by the title I got a 160 on my LSAT.

My lsac UGPA is 2.9, it is this low because of classes I took in high school. My major GPA is 3.17 with an increase in grades semester by semester. My undergrad institution is an average private school in Texas. I graduated December with a BA in Poli Sci.

I am a 22yr old Latino male from a border Texas town and I will be writing a diversity statement.

As far as softs go, I was a steering committee member of a well regarded national farmworker rights organization. In school I was president and captain of my school's Model OAS and I led our team to pass almost all our resolutions in Texas wide competition. I worked as a legislative intern for a Texas State Senator. And I did an internship with a national non-profit in Washington DC, while taking a continuing education course with the The Washington Center for Academic Seminars and Internships (twc.edu) receiving a certificate in the Post Graduate Professional Development Program (I hope this can show that I am committed to education and being a better student) I am also planning to volunteer in 3 months in Bolivia through Sustainable Bolivia this spring (still debating whether to add this to my resume). I've been currently working as a paralegal since May (I know)

My rec letters are from my Model OAS sponsor and from a professor who will give me an excellent rec vouching for my writing and scholarly abilities (I received the only 110 she's ever given on a paper).

As far as schools I am trying to think realistically and would love to have to chose between Pepperdine and American. Other schools include:
USD
Loyola
STCL
Santa Clara
UC Boulder
Tulane

What are my prospects at these schools? Am I aiming too low or too high? What about GW (<--legacy) or UT?

Before it comes up, I am privileged enough to not have to worry about covering the cost of school. Also, I got a minor in possession of alcohol in 2009, during break, that was removed from my record, and a couple of minor traffic violations, but I do plan on disclosing all this.

I hope that my PS, DS, and GPA Addendum will paint a complete picture as a low risk candidate. Any advice is completely appreciated.

[twenty]

You'll probably get a couple of those, and you have a solid shot at Pepperdine and American. The real question you should be asking yourself is, are any of those schools worth close to what you'll be paying for them? None of them will be giving you money, so you'll be 170k in debt with pretty poor job prospects (i.e, you'll be lucky to get insurance work at 45k a year). That should be a pretty stark and terrifying reality for you.

However, if you can get your LSAT score up to around 166, you'll be looking at GULC, GWU, WUSTL with money, and Fordham with money. You might even have a shot at Michigan or Northwestern. If you can score between 171 and 172, you can probably ED to UVA/Penn.

Study your rear off, retake the LSAT, and future-you will thank present-you for sitting the year out.

[RickyDnwhyc]

Retake retake retake!

Many people on TLS have brought their PT stores from 150s to 170s, the LSAT is learnable. Don't risk your future at these diploma mill TTT schools! With URM and a higher LSAT you have a great shot at going to a REAL law school!