159/160 LSAT, 3.58 GPA--Looking for Boston or DC Forum

[ejrubin]

.

[Grizz]

Study more for the LSAT. I wouldn't go to any of those schools but UConn in this economy.

[Case2L]

If you get into UConn and can pay i/s tuition, then definitely go there. Suffolk, American, et al, are not worth the debt. You can try to hustle your way into Boston since UConn is a prominant New England school, and if that doesn't work, you'll still have all of Connecticut as a back-up.

[ejrubin]

Thanks for the advice, Case2L

What about Suffolk with a lot of money v Uconn (in-state) for Boston prospects.

[Grizz]

Thanks for the advice, Case2L

What about Suffolk with a lot of money v Uconn (in-state) for Boston prospects.

Neither. Seriously, aim for BU or BC.

[deakon10]

Agreed on that... With a 160 LSAT and 3.5 GPA you shouldn't be going to a T3/T4 school, esp in this economy...Aim for the better end of T2 or worse end of T1... American U and UConn are both good, top T2 schools, but with UConn in-state tuition I would choose that, since AU and UConn are pretty comprable in terms of quality. This is assuming you have no preference with Boston v DC.. obviously you will want to try Boston if you go to UConn and DC if you go to American U.. switching them might not do much because of their regional influence.

Either way, the impression I got from my research is that with T2 schools you will still need to aim for top 15% of class AND get law review (meaning you need to be in top of your class during 1L, and then remain that way til you graduate.) If Suffolk gives you a full ride, then it might make sense to go down to a T3, but again, you would want top of your class and law review to have a chance at BIGLAW.

As stated... if you study more for your LSATs and bring your score up a few points to 163-165, you have a good chance of getting into BU/BC. Those schools will have a substantially higher value in Boston than Uconn... They are also both more likely to have more value outside of boston region.

[Grizz]

Whatever you do, don't go to AU. Overpriced and in probably the most competitive market in the country.

[akili]

I got W/Led at American with a 160/3.8 ....

[JOThompson]

With 3.75/159/okay softs, I was waitlisted at GM and American. In at Northeastern with $24k. Not a particularly great range of prospects ITE. I'd suggest that you consider retaking and aiming for BU/BC.

[deakon10]

I got W/Led at American with a 160/3.8 ....

The 160 is just at AU's median... so it makes sense sometimes for them to waitlist, to see if they can accept someone with higher scores than you.

Really sad how it's all bout numbers...and how it's probably like 60%-40% LSAT-GPA

[deakon10]

Whatever you do, don't go to AU. Overpriced and in probably the most competitive market in the country.

Really? AU is a good school... and I don't see any major city as not being competitive. You could say the same about BU/BC... I am sure boston is quite competitive with law jobs...

I feel like AU is to G'town
as
Fordham is to NYU/Columbia
as
BU/BC is to Harvard

All 3 groups are in big, competitive cities, with the latter having an competitive edge over the former.

[nematoad]

I got W/Led at American with a 160/3.8 ....

The 160 is just at AU's median... so it makes sense sometimes for them to waitlist, to see if they can accept someone with higher scores than you.

Really sad how it's all bout numbers...and how it's probably like 60%-40% LSAT-GPA

Well American is also a little ridiculous with yield protection and WLs everyone who has higher than 165.
http://american.lawschoolnumbers.com/st ... Cycle=1011
prolly one of the odder graphs out there

[AreJay711]

Maybe George Mason but it'd be far from a sure thing

[tea_drinker]

I'm taking the LSAT in a week and have scored a 159 and a 160 on my last two tests. I have a 3.58 GPA. I am interested in technology law, most likely in the IP field (trademarks/copyrights, not patents). No need to give me the whole speech on how difficult soft IP law is, I already know, and it's what I want to do.

I've gone to school in DC for four years and would like to go to live in Boston or DC. Really, either would be fine.

Here's my list of schools so far, let me know what your thoughts are on these schools as they relate to my interests and numbers:

Suffolk ("strong" IP program, focus on technology)
Northeastern
American (WCL)
George Mason (reach...they do have a technology law program)
UConn (I would pay in-state, I live there)

Any other schools I should be looking at? It seems to me that my numbers can't really match up with schools that have reach, so I am trying to get the best mix of location, job prospects, cost, and the school's academic strengths in relation to what I want to do.

Some specific questions:

1.) UConn--easier for in-state applicants? Also, if I were to land in the top 10-15% or so would I have any reach in Boston?
2.) Suffolk: Any chance I could get +50% scholarship? Also, Suffolk v. Northeastern for what I want to do?
3.) Other schools for the regions I want to live and the type of law I want to practice? My list is short.
On a side note, I know my numbers and I understand biglaw is quite the stretch in my situation. I don't need biglaw. If I could get midlaw in the field I want to work in (and I'm not swamped in debt), then I'd be happy as a clam.

I don't know much, or at all, about your softs or your financial capacity, but if I were you, I would apply to every respectable law schools in Boston and DC areas (except HLS and GULC).

[JOThompson]

Whatever you do, don't go to AU. Overpriced and in probably the most competitive market in the country.

Really? AU is a good school... and I don't see any major city as not being competitive. You could say the same about BU/BC... I am sure boston is quite competitive with law jobs...

I feel like AU is to G'town
as
Fordham is to NYU/Columbia
as
BU/BC is to Harvard

All 3 groups are in big, competitive cities, with the latter having an competitive edge over the former.

I think Rad Law's advice is sound here.
From what I gather on TLS, the D.C. market is especially saturated. Something like one in five people in D.C. have a JD. You're squaring off against the elite local schools (GULC and GW), which push out roughly 1200 combined JDs each per year. You also face competition from T14 grads who are looking for work in the highly desirable D.C. market. The gap between AU and GULC is much broader than the Fordham and NYU/Columbia gap IMO.

[Patriot1208]

Whatever you do, don't go to AU. Overpriced and in probably the most competitive market in the country.

Really? AU is a good school... and I don't see any major city as not being competitive. You could say the same about BU/BC... I am sure boston is quite competitive with law jobs...

I feel like AU is to G'town
as
Fordham is to NYU/Columbia
as
BU/BC is to Harvard

All 3 groups are in big, competitive cities, with the latter having an competitive edge over the former.

This is bad reasoning. The VAST majority of Harvard graduates do not want to stay in Boston and there aren't that many outside kids trying to get into the Boston market. American is more like Cardozo or even Brooklyn then Fordham, and Fordham is not doing that well. DC is also maybe the hardest place to get a legal job now out of any of the large legal markets. People from top schools all across the country are trying to get DC let alone the vast majority of students from Virginia, GULC, and GW who want DC.

[Grizz]

Whatever you do, don't go to AU. Overpriced and in probably the most competitive market in the country.

Really? AU is a good school... and I don't see any major city as not being competitive. You could say the same about BU/BC... I am sure boston is quite competitive with law jobs...

I feel like AU is to G'town
as
Fordham is to NYU/Columbia
as
BU/BC is to Harvard

All 3 groups are in big, competitive cities, with the latter having an competitive edge over the former.

I think Rad Law's advice is sound here.
From what I gather on TLS, the D.C. market is especially saturated. Something like one in five people in D.C. have a JD. You're squaring off against the elite local schools (GULC and GW), which push out roughly 1200 combined JDs each per year. You also face competition from T14 grads who are looking for work in the highly desirable D.C. market. The gap between AU and GULC is much broader than the Fordham and NYU/Columbia gap IMO.

Pretty much this.

[deakon10]

I got W/Led at American with a 160/3.8 ....

The 160 is just at AU's median... so it makes sense sometimes for them to waitlist, to see if they can accept someone with higher scores than you.

Really sad how it's all bout numbers...and how it's probably like 60%-40% LSAT-GPA

Well American is also a little ridiculous with yield protection and WLs everyone who has higher than 165.
http://american.lawschoolnumbers.com/st ... Cycle=1011
prolly one of the odder graphs out there

I don't get this... why does AU waitlist people with higher lsats than people with 165? Makes no sense to me

[Patriot1208]

I got W/Led at American with a 160/3.8 ....

The 160 is just at AU's median... so it makes sense sometimes for them to waitlist, to see if they can accept someone with higher scores than you.

Really sad how it's all bout numbers...and how it's probably like 60%-40% LSAT-GPA

Well American is also a little ridiculous with yield protection and WLs everyone who has higher than 165.
http://american.lawschoolnumbers.com/st ... Cycle=1011
prolly one of the odder graphs out there

I don't get this... why does AU waitlist people with higher lsats than people with 165? Makes no sense to me

To yield protect. They know those people are very likely not attending American and will attend a better school. This way it doesn't look like their yield is as low as it is.

[thexfactor]

AU=Brookyln/CarBOZO
GW= Fordham

[2014]

AU=Brookyln/CarBOZO
GW= Fordham

Yeah that's what I was going to say. AU is only probably the third best regional school in the DC market behind GW and GMU. I think the UConn in state option would make some sense here.

Also who said that a 3.5/160 should be looking at lower end of T1... I don't see how with law school admissions being as competitive as they have been in history, why schools in the T1 are going to be taking someone who is less than median GPA and ~25th LSAT. I think T2 or regional T3 on good scholly is the fit for those numbers.

[Patriot1208]

AU=Brookyln/CarBOZO
GW= Fordham

Yeah that's what I was going to say. AU is only probably the third best regional school in the DC market behind GW and GMU. I think the UConn in state option would make some sense here.

Also who said that a 3.5/160 should be looking at lower end of T1... I don't see how with law school admissions being as competitive as they have been in history, why schools in the T1 are going to be taking someone who is less than median GPA and ~25th LSAT. I think T2 or regional T3 on good scholly is the fit for those numbers.

Are people missing that the majority of Virginia students want DC as well.

[frecklesmclean0002]

I got into AU with 3.7 and 155 so I really don't think you'll have a problem, its all about what you bring to the table so do a PS about how you want to save the world and you'll do fine. I agree that you'll be competing with T-14 who have their eye on D.C.but keep in mind that only is valid over the summer when the Ivy league types have the time to come to D.C. During the regular semester you're one of the only options in town for externships and internships and the market is large enough to accommodate G-Town, GU and American during the fall and spring. The best thing about AU is the quality of professors you get. All those fab academics only in town for a short time are more than happy to come to AU and teach a semester or a seminar.

So yes, American is the lowest branch on the D.C. tree but the advantages of being here year-round are ours along with the connections of our professors can provide from being hooked up in the D.C. legal network. So while the T-14 rules in the summer, the rest of the year is ours and G-Town and GW don't take all the spots. Once you have your foot in the door D.C. is just like the rest of the legal world; its all about networking to get a job. So if its choice between you and your year-long work for a D.C. firm of government dept. vs. the fleeting memory of a T-14 summer intern, I wouldn't under sell AU's opportunities.

[Grizz]

I got into AU with 3.7 and 155 so I really don't think you'll have a problem, its all about what you bring to the table so do a PS about how you want to save the world and you'll do fine. I agree that you'll be competing with T-14 who have their eye on D.C.but keep in mind that only is valid over the summer when the Ivy league types have the time to come to D.C. During the regular semester you're one of the only options in town for externships and internships and the market is large enough to accommodate G-Town, GU and American during the fall and spring. The best thing about AU is the quality of professors you get. All those fab academics only in town for a short time are more than happy to come to AU and teach a semester or a seminar.

So yes, American is the lowest branch on the D.C. tree but the advantages of being here year-round are ours along with the connections of our professors can provide from being hooked up in the D.C. legal network. So while the T-14 rules in the summer, the rest of the year is ours and G-Town and GW don't take all the spots. Once you have your foot in the door D.C. is just like the rest of the legal world; its all about networking to get a job. So if its choice between you and your year-long work for a D.C. firm of government dept. vs. the fleeting memory of a T-14 summer intern, I wouldn't under sell AU's opportunities.

Summer associate positions normally lead to permanent offers with firms; lulz @ the above.

[kalvano]

I got into AU with 3.7 and 155 so I really don't think you'll have a problem, its all about what you bring to the table so do a PS about how you want to save the world and you'll do fine. I agree that you'll be competing with T-14 who have their eye on D.C.but keep in mind that only is valid over the summer when the Ivy league types have the time to come to D.C. During the regular semester you're one of the only options in town for externships and internships and the market is large enough to accommodate G-Town, GU and American during the fall and spring. The best thing about AU is the quality of professors you get. All those fab academics only in town for a short time are more than happy to come to AU and teach a semester or a seminar.

So yes, American is the lowest branch on the D.C. tree but the advantages of being here year-round are ours along with the connections of our professors can provide from being hooked up in the D.C. legal network. So while the T-14 rules in the summer, the rest of the year is ours and G-Town and GW don't take all the spots. Once you have your foot in the door D.C. is just like the rest of the legal world; its all about networking to get a job. So if its choice between you and your year-long work for a D.C. firm of government dept. vs. the fleeting memory of a T-14 summer intern, I wouldn't under sell AU's opportunities.

What the hell are you talking about?

There is no "summer advantage" for T14 schools.