180/2.2 33 year old re-applicant from 2018, Advice? Forum

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deventine

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180/2.2 33 year old re-applicant from 2018, Advice?

Post by deventine » Sun Sep 02, 2018 5:40 pm

2.2 from a state school, spent 3 years as a full-time rock climber, became a sommelier and ended up working at the #1 ranked restaurant in the world for 3 years. Left end of 2016, traveled the world for a year and got married, took the February LSAT because it was the only one I could schedule around my wedding and got a 180 and applied to 20 schools.

I got basically universal rejections/wait lists but I've been told that the late LSAT hurt me a lot and I'm reapplying. In the interim year I got a job at a tech company and I'm now director of partnership at a small (40 employee) tech company and a senior business analyst and head of enterprise marketing at another larger (150 employee) tech company (they're sort of affiliated).

I'd love any advice that I can get on being a re-applicant, a super-splitter, and an older applicant. My goal is to practice appellate and I'm told that there are only a few schools that can reasonably set you up for that. I'm applying to all of the top schools but I think I might have a good chance at UVA?

Npret

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Re: 180/2.2 33 year old re-applicant from 2018, Advice?

Post by Npret » Sun Sep 02, 2018 10:17 pm

I think I remember you asking for advice before maybe a couple of years ago?

You are unique and it’s difficult to give you advise.
Often a low gpa can be overcome by time and solid employment, but you still seem flakey, for want of a better word, compared to your typical law student.

I think you need to explain your low GPA and then show how you’ve matured since undergrad.

I think you are going to have an uphill road- a 180 doesn’t help a top school in medians as much as a 2.2 GOA hurts them. I don’t want to minimize your accomplishments, you just need to package them correctly for the best schools.

Going to law school to do aopeallate litigation seems specific for someone who hasn’t done anything law related. Just FYI, it’s incredibly competitive and while a top school can help you get that work, you still have to have good/top grades at that school. Is there a reason you want to do this?


At any rate, you should apply broadly but very carefully draft every word of your application materials. You need to write convincingly in your personal statement to show you aren’t a “flake” and you also need a grade addendum.

A 180 is a fantastic score, but coupled with a 2.2 and your background, you aren’t auto admit anywhere.

Applying early can help you as well.

Good luck.

deventine

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Re: 180/2.2 33 year old re-applicant from 2018, Advice?

Post by deventine » Mon Sep 03, 2018 12:24 pm

Npret wrote:Going to law school to do appeallate litigation seems specific for someone who hasn’t done anything law related. Just FYI, it’s incredibly competitive and while a top school can help you get that work, you still have to have good/top grades at that school. Is there a reason you want to do this?
I did a lot of reading and soul searching before I decided to make a mid-life career change and appellate litigation is where I ended up. I'm drawn by the application of the abstract to the practical and the potential to have a significant effect on American society by influencing precedent.

I definitely understand that it's a high barrier to entry but I decided that if I was going to jump into this at this point in my life, I just had to assume that I was going to be one of the absolute best and plan for it. If it doesn't turn out that way, then I'll work with that as it happens. I'd rather aim high at this point.

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