Permanent resident seeking input - [Redacted] Forum

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iar

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Permanent resident seeking input - [Redacted]

Post by iar » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm

Hi folks,

I'm putting together a target list of schools and trying to assess what goes where (in terms of reach, middle, safety), how different LSAT scores might impact my chances of being admitted and of receiving any scholarship money. I've done some reading around, but I'd also love to hear your thoughts.

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Last edited by QContinuum on Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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iar

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by iar » Fri Aug 10, 2018 6:21 pm

Forgot to add (couldn't find an edit post button?) that I also have a couple of research publications.

goingnutslawschool

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by goingnutslawschool » Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:21 am

You need to post your actual undergraduate GPA. Also, it’s confusing that you posted your grad gpa (all but dissertation). Was this in a PhD program here in the States? My understanding is that law schools don’t really care about graduate GPA’s since they are only mandated to report the undergrad gpa for ranking purposes. Go to LSN and compare your undergrad gpa and your LSAT with the targeted schools on your list.

goingnutslawschool

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by goingnutslawschool » Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:27 am

No, don’t do ED if you can avoid it. There are a few schools where ED might make sense (NU) because they give a great scholarship to those that are accepted. With ED you are throwing money out the window. BTW, congrats on the LSAT 172- that’s a great score. It does get harder to score higher the higher you score. What were your practice tests scores? If you were consistently scoring higher than a 172 with timed practice tests, then retake.

goingnutslawschool

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by goingnutslawschool » Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:29 am

About the retake- I was commenting on your other post where you were thinking about a retake.

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nixy

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by nixy » Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:55 am

goingnutslawschool wrote:You need to post your actual undergraduate GPA. Also, it’s confusing that you posted your grad gpa (all but dissertation). Was this in a PhD program here in the States? My understanding is that law schools don’t really care about graduate GPA’s since they are only mandated to report the undergrad gpa for ranking purposes. Go to LSN and compare your undergrad gpa and your LSAT with the targeted schools on your list.
GPA: Superior means that the OP doesn't have an actual undergraduate GPA for LSAC purposes - they did their BA internationally and that's how those GPAs are reported. I presume the grad stuff was just to provide context to their academic history; grad GPAs don't "count" like UGPA does, but adcomms will still look at them (and people who've failed out of grad programs, for instance, have struggled with admissions).

iar

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by iar » Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:37 pm

Yes, thanks nixy, that is what I meant. My GPA is not in American form because my undergrad is British. As you mentioned, LSAC will score it with average, above average, superior. (It's a First Class degree with hons)

My abd is from a US University so I do have a numeric GPA for that one. I didn't fail out of it (not that you insinuated that), I opted to leave after passing preliminaries and defending my thesis successfully. I ended up living in the US because I was given a place and funding for that particular PhD programme (my MA is from Britain also), so I can't really just pretend it doesn't exist. It explains how I'm here and why my letters of recommendation come from there. So I did include that part of my education, as well as the MA, to provide proper context; I'm nearly 10 years out of undergrad.

I think I will continue to try and boost my LSAT score, even though I know it's going to be tough to eek out more points. I haven't studied hard or for that long yet so I may as well give it a shot and see what kind position that puts me in. I'm reading more and more on TLS and getting a better sense of how I can try and position myself.

SFSpartan

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by SFSpartan » Thu Aug 16, 2018 5:55 pm

I don't really think it's necessary to try and boost your LSAT score here unless you're going for Y or S (and even then, your LSAT score, plus consideration of your academic success in re: advanced degrees may be good enough).

Unless you're ED-ing NU (which comes with pretty close of a full scholarship), I wouldn't ED. Since law's barriers to entry are on the back end of law school, the name of the game is to get as much money as you can out of the best school possible. Applying ED generally means that you aren't going to get significant scholarship money (again, except w/r/t NU). Applying ED would be a waste of your numbers. Just get your apps in by early-mid December and watch your cycle play out.

iar

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by iar » Tue Sep 11, 2018 6:25 pm

Hey SFSpartan, I didn't get a chance to thank you for your advice! Sorry for being slow on that. I appreciate your input.

Was wondering about a hypothetical situation. If you get an offer from your number 1 choice school and an offer from another school slightly lower in the rankings, but the latter comes with far more money than the former... What should you do?

I am of the opinion that you should always take the money (provided the schools are similar enough in rankings), so are many others. But if you felt as though your application could be stronger the following year, what would happen if you turned down both offers and reapplied the next cycle hoping to get money from #1? I assume this is a terrible move... but I've already been surprised by some of the Law School application conventions/practices.

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hdivschool

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Re: Permanent resident seeking input - 172/superior

Post by hdivschool » Tue Sep 11, 2018 6:49 pm

You don't need to apply to those safety schools. You've got a good shot at some of your reaches and are probably a lock for your middle schools.

What is your #1 choice? I don't think SLS or HLS give merit scholarships--it is all need-based.

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