Top Law Schools

Hi guys,

I really don't know what to do I have been accepted to the American University WCL and Chicago-Kent and I can't make up my mind where to go. I didn't get any scholarship to any of the universities. I really want to settle in Chicago area but according to the ratings the American University is ranked a little better (49 compared to Kent-62). I know that it's not such a big difference but....Also, life in Washington is really expensive. I am considering to transfer my second year if I go to Washington.
Any opinions on the matter? Which school is better? Better chances of finding a decent job that will help me pay my loan?

kaya_lv wrote:Hi guys,

I really don't know what to do I have been accepted to the American University WCL and Chicago-Kent and I can't make up my mind where to go. I didn't get any scholarship to any of the universities. I really want to settle in Chicago area but according to the ratings the American University is ranked a little better (49 compared to Kent-62). I know that it's not such a big difference but....Also, life in Washington is really expensive. I am considering to transfer my second year if I go to Washington.
Any opinions on the matter? Which school is better? Better chances of finding a decent job that will help me pay my loan?

Do you have to go to law school this year? Both schools are in tough markets, and both schools don't rank high on the list of places that firms look to for job candidates. What were your LSAT and GPA? Taking a year off, retaking and reapplying next cycle might be a better option.

Being totally honest - neither.

36% of American grads secured full time, bar passage required employment (LinkRemoved) - full sticker price puts you 250K in the hole.

50% of Chicago-Kent grads secured full time, bar passage required employment (LinkRemoved) - full sticker price puts you 230K in the hole.

These are really expensive schools with really, really awful job prospects. Don't go to these schools, ever.

Think about it - your chances of being unemployed from American are twice as good as your chances of getting a job as a lawyer. TWICE AS GOOD.

Don't do it. Retake the LSAT if you want to go to law school.

kaya_lv wrote:Hi guys,

I really don't know what to do I have been accepted to the American University WCL and Chicago-Kent and I can't make up my mind where to go. I didn't get any scholarship to any of the universities. I really want to settle in Chicago area but according to the ratings the American University is ranked a little better (49 compared to Kent-62). I know that it's not such a big difference but....Also, life in Washington is really expensive. I am considering to transfer my second year if I go to Washington.
Any opinions on the matter? Which school is better? Better chances of finding a decent job that will help me pay my loan?

If you didn't want to settle in Chicago I would say American.

Yea, I was considering waiting another year too. However, I spent so much on applications and sit deposits...But I guess it's better to look ahead, the long-term cost.
My LSAT is not that good 155 and my GPA is 3.84. I don't know about taking the LSAT again, whether I'll do much better so that it'll be actually helpful. This year I applied late, I mean like couple of weeks before the deadlines for some of the schools, which probably hurt my chances too.

kaya_lv wrote:Yea, I was considering waiting another year too. However, I spent so much on applications and sit deposits...But I guess it's better to look ahead, the long-term cost.
My LSAT is not that good 155 and my GPA is 3.84. I don't know about taking the LSAT again, whether I'll do much better so that it'll be actually helpful. This year I applied late, I mean like couple of weeks before the deadlines for some of the schools, which probably hurt my chances too.

Yeah, retake. I'd kill for a 3.84

tfleming09 wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Yea, I was considering waiting another year too. However, I spent so much on applications and sit deposits...But I guess it's better to look ahead, the long-term cost.
My LSAT is not that good 155 and my GPA is 3.84. I don't know about taking the LSAT again, whether I'll do much better so that it'll be actually helpful. This year I applied late, I mean like couple of weeks before the deadlines for some of the schools, which probably hurt my chances too.

Yeah, retake. I'd kill for a 3.84

+1

tfleming09 wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Yea, I was considering waiting another year too. However, I spent so much on applications and sit deposits...But I guess it's better to look ahead, the long-term cost.
My LSAT is not that good 155 and my GPA is 3.84. I don't know about taking the LSAT again, whether I'll do much better so that it'll be actually helpful. This year I applied late, I mean like couple of weeks before the deadlines for some of the schools, which probably hurt my chances too.

Yeah, retake. I'd kill for a 3.84

Haha, I wish they were looking at GPA. Mine is descent but good schools put emphasis on LSAT.

kaya_lv wrote:Haha, I wish they were looking at GPA. Mine is descent but good schools put emphasis on LSAT.

The good news for you though is that the LSAT is learnable, where I can't do anything to correct my shitty GPA. Seriously, don't go to these schools. Spend $250 on prep materials, self study, take in October or December and enjoy a T14 law school with money.

Retake the LSAT.

Do not go to either of these schools without substantial scholarships.

kaya_lv wrote:Haha, I wish they were looking at GPA. Mine is descent but good schools put emphasis on LSAT.

I know I'm not the best person to say this, but the LSAT is learnable. If you put in the time, you can definitely improve that 155. With a 3.84, you're already above median at pretty much every school outside the T10, so every LSAT point makes a difference. With a 160, you're looking at a strong consider for places more like UNC. A 165 and you're in T20 range. How much did you study for the 155?

Bedsole wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Haha, I wish they were looking at GPA. Mine is descent but good schools put emphasis on LSAT.

I know I'm not the best person to say this, but the LSAT is learnable. If you put in the time, you can definitely improve that 155. With a 3.84, you're already above median at pretty much every school outside the T10, so every LSAT point makes a difference. With a 160, you're looking at a strong consider for places more like UNC. A 165 and you're in T20 range. How much did you study for the 155?

Unfortunately, I did take Kaplan class and that's all I did on the LSAT However, the thing with me is that I wasn't born here and I've been in the USA for about 7 years.I think I had a problem with the reading section as a result. I just couldn't manage it in 30min. That's why I am a little afraid to take it again since that's something I might not be able to improve.
Otherwise I totally agree with all of you. I seriously thought about waiting another year and just improving my resume or something.

kaya_lv wrote:Unfortunately, I did take Kaplan class

Found your problem.

tfleming09 wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Unfortunately, I did take Kaplan class

Found your problem.

Haha, you think so. I thought they were helpful, but I guess not that much. Still, I have to give them a credit cause otherwise I might've done worse.

Thank you guys for the advice and honesty. It is helpful to hear all of these.

tfleming09 wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Haha, I wish they were looking at GPA. Mine is descent but good schools put emphasis on LSAT.

The good news for you though is that the LSAT is learnable, where I can't do anything to correct my shitty GPA. Seriously, don't go to these schools. Spend $250 on prep materials, self study, take in October or December and enjoy a T14 law school with money.

So much this. OP, you can do better on the LSAT - promise! You owe it to yourself and the hard work you put in UG not to settle for bad options.

kaya_lv wrote:Thank you guys for the advice and honesty. It is helpful to hear all of these.

Seriously, a good self-study regimen with the guide of the TLS LSAT prep forum (what I used) is much better than Kaplan. You could potentially save yourself tens of thousands with just a retake.

Retake, for sure. a 3.84 means you don't even have to go nutso. a 165 puts you in very reasonable debt/school scenarios, and is very doable.

Follow the advice given on this site (specifically LSAT prep/study forum), study hard, get a 166 in October, and reap the rewards for the rest of your life.

kaya_lv wrote:

Bedsole wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Haha, I wish they were looking at GPA. Mine is descent but good schools put emphasis on LSAT.

I know I'm not the best person to say this, but the LSAT is learnable. If you put in the time, you can definitely improve that 155. With a 3.84, you're already above median at pretty much every school outside the T10, so every LSAT point makes a difference. With a 160, you're looking at a strong consider for places more like UNC. A 165 and you're in T20 range. How much did you study for the 155?

Unfortunately, I did take Kaplan class and that's all I did on the LSAT However, the thing with me is that I wasn't born here and I've been in the USA for about 7 years.I think I had a problem with the reading section as a result. I just couldn't manage it in 30min. That's why I am a little afraid to take it again since that's something I might not be able to improve.
Otherwise I totally agree with all of you. I seriously thought about waiting another year and just improving my resume or something.

If it helps provide motivation and perspective, my wife learned English as a second language and she's been in the US for about 11 years. She made a 780 on the GRE verbal section (out of 800)

timbs4339 wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Thank you guys for the advice and honesty. It is helpful to hear all of these.

Seriously, a good self-study regimen with the guide of the TLS LSAT prep forum (what I used) is much better than Kaplan. You could potentially save yourself tens of thousands with just a retake.

I didn't try anything else but Kaplan. It's the reading section that messed up my score bad

Bedsole wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:

Bedsole wrote:

kaya_lv wrote:Haha, I wish they were looking at GPA. Mine is descent but good schools put emphasis on LSAT.

I know I'm not the best person to say this, but the LSAT is learnable. If you put in the time, you can definitely improve that 155. With a 3.84, you're already above median at pretty much every school outside the T10, so every LSAT point makes a difference. With a 160, you're looking at a strong consider for places more like UNC. A 165 and you're in T20 range. How much did you study for the 155?

Unfortunately, I did take Kaplan class and that's all I did on the LSAT However, the thing with me is that I wasn't born here and I've been in the USA for about 7 years.I think I had a problem with the reading section as a result. I just couldn't manage it in 30min. That's why I am a little afraid to take it again since that's something I might not be able to improve.
Otherwise I totally agree with all of you. I seriously thought about waiting another year and just improving my resume or something.

If it helps provide motivation and perspective, my wife learned English as a second language and she's been in the US for about 11 years. She made a 780 on the GRE verbal section (out of 800)

Yea, thank you :)I'm happy for your wife. I might retake the LSAT. I was hoping that at least Chicago-Kent would give me some money. I'm also on a waiting list for George Washington but I know that it is not gonna happen. They stopped sending me updates in late June.Before that I had an email every other week :(

Do you guys consider transferring a bad idea? I know it is hard and I want qualify for any scholarship at the new university.

As other people have mentioned, both of these schools are poor choices. There are also much better alternatives for LSAT prep than Kaplan.

kaya_lv wrote:Do you guys consider transferring a bad idea? I know it is hard and I want qualify for any scholarship at the new university.

Yes. Grading is partially arbitrary, and I've never understood why people think they can do better on a law school exam when they can't do well on the LSAT, especially considering it's much easier to retake the LSAT than to get good grades on a law school exam. Only go to a school that you would be happy graduating from.

Also, don't let being a non-native English speaker deter you from aiming for the 170s. I know many non-native English speakers (myself included) who did well on the LSAT. You have an amazing GPA; don't waste it.

kaya_lv wrote:Do you guys consider transferring a bad idea? I know it is hard and I want qualify for any scholarship at the new university.

Yes, it's a terrible idea. It is, as said above, much easier to retake the LSAt than it is to outgun a bunch of fellow students and then hit the transfer lottery.

Don't attend a Law School you wouldn't be comfortable graduating from. And in this case, that isn't either of these schools.

Retake is a million times easier and more profitable than Transferring. Don't waste that GPA, Fleming and I may have to sacrifice another kitten if you do.

Yes, it's a terrible idea. It is, as said above, much easier to retake the LSAt than it is to outgun a bunch of fellow students and then hit the transfer lottery.

Don't attend a Law School you wouldn't be comfortable graduating from. And in this case, that isn't either of these schools.

Retake is a million times easier and more profitable than Transferring. Don't waste that GPA, Fleming and I may have to sacrifice another kitten if you do.[/quote]

Hahaha, don't I am considering retaking the LSAT.