Latina - Do Direct Admit or Apply to Top? Forum

[anie21]

Hi folks, I never thought I would post on the board, but I never thought I would be faced with this dilemma. I am currently a junior in undergrad. with a 3.86 and intending to apply to law school. I have come across an opportunity at my school to receive direct admission to our law university law school (IU Maurer). Under the direct admit program I would receive half off tuition and no need for taking the LSAT, etc. I would know if I get accepted in May. The only thing is that I would have to promise not to apply to another school or take the LSAT.

I wouldn't mind going to IUMaurer (it's affordable and in the market I want to work (Midwest, IL/IN)) BUT I have a feeling I can get into a higher ranked school. My dream school really is University of Chicago.

I'm not sure what to do! I want to go to UoC but it would be more expensive. I'm not sure what to do: go direct admit at Maurer with a good financial aid or apply to other *higher ranking law schools during regular session.

Here are my stats
3.8
LSAT 160 (have not opened a lsat book at all, just went into a kaplan thing last year as a sophmore)
Lots of EC..they can all be summed up by saying im a Truman Finalist
Study abroad
First generation
Latino (mexican and puerto rican)
Lots of national awards
Female


Thanks for any help!

[jkpolk]

[dolfan0516]

Hi folks, I never thought I would post on the board, but I never thought I would be faced with this dilemma. I am currently a junior in undergrad. with a 3.86 and intending to apply to law school. I have come across an opportunity at my school to receive direct admission to our law university law school (IU Maurer). Under the direct admit program I would receive half off tuition and no need for taking the LSAT, etc. I would know if I get accepted in May. The only thing is that I would have to promise not to apply to another school or take the LSAT.

I wouldn't mind going to IUMaurer (it's affordable and in the market I want to work (Midwest, IL/IN)) BUT I have a feeling I can get into a higher ranked school. My dream school really is University of Chicago.

I'm not sure what to do! I want to go to UoC but it would be more expensive. I'm not sure what to do: go direct admit at Maurer with a good financial aid or apply to other *higher ranking law schools during regular session.

Here are my stats
3.8
LSAT 160 (have not opened a lsat book at all, just went into a kaplan thing last year as a sophmore)
Lots of EC..they can all be summed up by saying im a Truman Finalist
Study abroad
First generation
Latino (mexican and puerto rican)
Lots of national awards
Female


Thanks for any help!

Dont do it. Get a 163+ and you are already in a better position than you would be by taking their offer. Youll be able to get that scholarship amount to equal or higher ranked schools, and if you can get a high 160's, T14 and even Chicago might be reasonable with your Mexican URM bump.

[Perdevise]

I think it sounds shady that by applying directly to Maurer, you can't even take the LSAT or apply to other schools. Michigan had a similar program, but you could apply to other schools and take the LSAT. It sounds very TTT. A 160 plus your GPA and URM status would give you incredible opportunities.

Finish undergrad with strong grades, study hard for the LSAT, maybe work for a year, and HYS/CCN are probable.

[Stanford4Me]

Why would you ever consider doing direct admit with your stats? Run away. Run far, far away.

[sach1282]

The above is good advice, if you hit a 160 cold you could definitely get a 170. If you get that 170, you would probably get a scholarship to your dream school.

[thexfactor]

Id retake. A 160+ your gpa + URM will get you into UVA ED.

Have you seen IU's recent NLJ250 rate? they are placing less than 6.5% in NLJ250 firms. I think santorum has a better chance of beating obammy in the general election than trying to get biglaw from IU.

Even if you aren't for biglaw, PI and fed jobs are just as competitive in this economy.

[BeenDidThat]

Do not take that deal. Whatever you do.

[franklyscarlet]

Do not take that deal. Whatever you do.

+100000000000000

[CanadianWolf]

Consider taking an LSAT prep course. PowerScore, TestMasters, BluePrint & Manhattan receive the most praise on this website.

Indiana's offer of half-off tuition & guaranteed/direct admission without sitting for the LSAT is attractive because Indiana & Illinois are your preferred markets & you like IU's campus. Nevertheless, a LSAT score even in the low 160's may get you a larger scholarship offer to Indiana in addition to opening some Top 14 options. If you had bad experiences with standardized tests or had personal circumstances requiring your prolonged presence in the Bloomington area, then my advice would be different.

[romothesavior]

Study hard and crush the LSAT, and you will be looking at some of the best schools in the country. Heck, even if you just get low-mid 160s you'll get the same kind of offer from IUB and from other schools in the Midwest. Definitely worth taking the LSAT and shooting for the top. The difference in job prospects is just so staggering. IUB's NLJ placement is terrible.

[No13baby]

Retake and go to CCN at least. If you're getting a 160 on the LSAT cold, without having studied or taken an actual test, the odds are really good that you can improve to >170, which will open up a ton of opportunities for you. You will be selling yourself short in a big, big way if you take IUB's offer.

[justicefishy]

Retake, kick the LSATs ass, and enjoy being Yale, Class of 2016.

[yeff]

Retake, kick the LSATs ass, and enjoy being Yale, Class of 2016.

This.

[JoeMo]

Do not take that deal. Whatever you do.

Basically this, and everything everyone else said. You are not only a URM but you are MEXICAN AND PUERTO-RICAN. How did you get so lucky? Real talk though, don't do it.

[timbs4339]

Hi folks, I never thought I would post on the board, but I never thought I would be faced with this dilemma. I am currently a junior in undergrad. with a 3.86 and intending to apply to law school. I have come across an opportunity at my school to receive direct admission to our law university law school (IU Maurer). Under the direct admit program I would receive half off tuition and no need for taking the LSAT, etc. I would know if I get accepted in May. The only thing is that I would have to promise not to apply to another school or take the LSAT.

I wouldn't mind going to IUMaurer (it's affordable and in the market I want to work (Midwest, IL/IN)) BUT I have a feeling I can get into a higher ranked school. My dream school really is University of Chicago.

I'm not sure what to do! I want to go to UoC but it would be more expensive. I'm not sure what to do: go direct admit at Maurer with a good financial aid or apply to other *higher ranking law schools during regular session.

Here are my stats
3.8
LSAT 160 (have not opened a lsat book at all, just went into a kaplan thing last year as a sophmore)
Lots of EC..they can all be summed up by saying im a Truman Finalist
Study abroad
First generation
Latino (mexican and puerto rican)
Lots of national awards
Female


Thanks for any help!

Absolutely not. Retake retake retake. Self-studying with official LSAT preptests would be better than Kaplan. This forum http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=6 should be where you live.

[Shaggier1]

If you study seriously for the LSAT you are a Harvard/Yale/Stanford candidate

With your background and accomplishments you should feel confident aiming high

Few TLS threads enjoy such unanimity. Yours is an easy question and the above-quoted answer summarizes why.

Study like mad for the LSAT. Your entire career trajectory will change, and a world of options will open to you that would otherwise not be possible with a Maurer degree.

EDIT: just say this "My dream school really is University of Chicago." Chicago is absolutely within your reach. Do NOT sell yourself short.

[Drake014]

I think it sounds shady that by applying directly to Maurer, you can't even take the LSAT or apply to other schools. Michigan had a similar program, but you could apply to other schools and take the LSAT. It sounds very TTT. A 160 plus your GPA and URM status would give you incredible opportunities.

Finish undergrad with strong grades, study hard for the LSAT, maybe work for a year, and HYS/CCN are probable.

I've read about the Michigan program. From what I read, you also could not take the LSAT

OP: You can do SO much better!

[20130312]

Wait, you got a 160 on your diagnostic?

Def don't do direct admit. Take the LSAT and enjoy UChi.

[Perdevise]

I think it sounds shady that by applying directly to Maurer, you can't even take the LSAT or apply to other schools. Michigan had a similar program, but you could apply to other schools and take the LSAT. It sounds very TTT. A 160 plus your GPA and URM status would give you incredible opportunities.

Finish undergrad with strong grades, study hard for the LSAT, maybe work for a year, and HYS/CCN are probable.

I've read about the Michigan program. From what I read, you also could not take the LSAT

OP: You can do SO much better!

Edited, read this on Admissions Dean (http://www.admissionsdean.com/researchi ... h-zearfoss):

AD Gotcha. Now, just so I’m clear, if someone gets admitted as a Wolverine Scholar and ultimately decides to apply to a couple of other schools – say UVA or Northwestern – and they end up taking the LSAT, does that automatically exclude them from the program? Do they then have to reapply as a regular JD candidate?
SZ No they don’t. From the applicant’s perspective, it’s totally risk free to “shop” that offer around. They have an offer from Michigan and if they want to sit for the LSAT and apply to other law schools they can do that knowing they’ve got a spot in the upcoming class at Michigan. Our hope, of course, is to create this incentive so that they’ll forego the hassle of taking the LSAT and simply come join us at the Law School, but that’s entirely up to them.
AD OK, thanks for clarifying that because I thought I had read that taking the LSAT even after being admitted as a Wolverine Scholar automatically revoked the previous offer and they had to re-apply with the regular applicant pool.
SZ No, that’s not the case. We absolutely expect that some of these folks will go out and apply to other law schools knowing that they have an offer from Michigan in their back pocket. Again, we hope they don’t, but expect that some will.

So you couldn't take the LSAT before applying as a Wolverine Scholar, but you could take it afterwards.

[Kikero]

Do not take that deal. Whatever you do.

Take the LSAT again, and apply to better schools. Even if you are strongly considering IU, direct admission isn't the way to go, you can still do a regular application to them, and with a decent LSAT score chances are you could get a better scholarship than half tuition.

[anie21]

Thanks guys. I will then study for the LSAT and take the test this summer! No direct admit. Best idea was that I could still just apply to IUB regular session and maybe a better package. I'm really looking into the amount of debt I will have. The least the better.

[justicefishy]

Thanks guys. I will then study for the LSAT and take the test this summer! No direct admit. Best idea was that I could still just apply to IUB regular session and maybe a better package. I'm really looking into the amount of debt I will have. The least the better.

With a 170-ish you're looking at a free (or heavily reduced) ride at some of the lower T14, anything higher and you start getting into Levy, Hamilton, and Rubinstein territory (from what I've seen on the boards)