3.59 / 167 / Masters Degree / military officer Forum

[sean2win]

Hi, I really want to get into the T14. Just not sure how much my softs make up for my mediocre UGPA and LSAT. I will apply in the 2016 cycle.

UGPA: 3.59 from West Point (do service academies get a boost here?)
LSAT: 167 on first take, this is about what I was scoring on my PTs.

Softs: I hold an MSc in Latin American Studies from Oxford University in the UK (no GPA attached to the masters). I earned this on a one year Rotary foundation scholarship immediately following graduation from West Point. For WE I'm currently a lieutenant in the Army learning to fly helicopters. No combat deployments. When I apply to law school I'll have about three years on active duty.

If you're curious, I'll apply for the Army's Funded Legal Education Program this November to become a JAG after law school.

Thanks for your time!

[ILoveYou]

With those stats and softs, you're likely in at several of the lower t14. I say it's definitely doable at Northwestern, Michigan, etc. FWIW, I got into NU (don't know about $ yet) this cycle with similar stats (though my UGPA was higher) and much less impressive softs.

Thanks for your service and good luck!

[sean2win]

Thanks for the response. Any chance at Stanford or Columbia or would I be wasting my time and money?

[NonTradLawHopeful]

Do you know what the yearly tuition cap is for FLEP right now? That might limit your options too, depending on how much merit aid you receive at a school.

ETA: This, from AR 27-1: (1) Apply to and be accepted by an ABA-accredited law school in the United States. Selectees will normally attend
an institution in their State of legal residency or attend an institution that will grant in-state tuition rates to out-of-State
students. This is to ensure quality of education at the lowest possible cost (See AR 621–1, para 3–4(f), 15 OCT 85
UPDATE).
(2) Must pay all expenses incurred by applying to a law school. Any and all requests for reimbursement (except for
tuition and fees) will be reimbursed up to a maximum of $300.00. (See AR 621–1.)
b. TJAG will determine which law schools selectees will attend. TJAG may direct that selectees apply to additional
schools.

What is your home of residence? Maybe there are former FLEPs on here who can provide more insight, but it seems to limit your options a little.

[twenty]

I'm not certain I see the benefit to going to a T14 school if you're doing FLEP. What do you see yourself doing after you're done with JAG?

[sean2win]

FLEP tuition cap for this year was $42,000, up from $35,000 last year. I have already talked with people from FLEP and they encouraged me to aim high. They say the vast majority of FLEP candidates end up going to their number one choice because most top schools are willing to meet the tuition cap. My home state is Michigan and I will apply there.

Twenty, why wouldn't I want to attend a T14 school if doing FLEP? My plans after JAG are to practice law.

[NonTradLawHopeful]

Wow! That is a huge cap. Well than by all means aim high. Good luck! Do you know how competitive FLEP is compared to other routes to law school?

[ILoveYou]

Thanks for the response. Any chance at Stanford or Columbia or would I be wasting my time and money?

Eh, seems pretty slim to me, but if those are the schools you most want to attend, I say apply. You never know what the pool will look like next cycle, and maybe your softs could give you a boost. Since money isn't an issue, you're not worried about scholly or aid offers, and it wouldn't be the craziest thing ever for Columbia to take someone with a 167 (though assuming you aren't a URM, it's definitely a long shot) at sticker.

[twenty]

Twenty, why wouldn't I want to attend a T14 school if doing FLEP? My plans after JAG are to practice law.

No reason, if you get in, you should probably go. I would just be concerned about not getting FLEP at all if all your top (only?) choices are ones FLEP isn't willing to fund.

[Broncos15]

I say OP has a better chance at Colombia than Stanford ( with a retake). CA schools are extremely picky about GPA compared to LSAT.


Although if anyone has any further info please add...( since military is one of the few softs that can make a idfference it could mitigate the GPA, but I'm not sure if enough to apply to Stanford)

[bjsesq]

NU 1Ls go through indoc and are called plebs through year 1, so keep that in mind.

[sean2win]

Thank you all for your input and Twenty I see your point now about T14 clashing with FLEP. I will apply to a couple state schools in my safe range to keep the FLEP committee happy. Nobody has mentioned the Masters from Oxford as being a strong soft though - I thought this would be what can set me above other applicants more so than simply being military.

Also when it comes to military, anyone know if preference is given to those with combat deployments? I'm currently itching to start law school as soon as possible but could wait a couple years and try to deploy. I want to deploy, would just rather be in law school.

And yes I 'should' retake the LSAT but my life is about to be really busy and I'm unlikely to get the chance to study enough to improve my score.

[TheSpanishMain]

I don't know about admissions committees, but the army certainly favors those with combat deployments. If you're interested in a military career, go get your combat patch while you can

[bjsesq]

I don't know about admissions committees, but the army certainly favors those with combat deployments. If you're interested in a military career, go get your combat patch while you can

And if you're an officer, ENJOY YOUR GUARANTEED BRONZE STAR! grumble, fucking shitbags

[NonTradLawHopeful]

I don't know about admissions committees, but the army certainly favors those with combat deployments. If you're interested in a military career, go get your combat patch while you can

Agree 100% with that if you know of an upcoming deployment for yours or a sister unit you can jump on. You don't want to be the lone MAJ 10 years from now without it in your brigade.