Top Law Schools

Hello,

I am currently a junior at UNC Charlotte. My GPA is a 3.3 and I major in Criminal Justice. I have not taken the LSAT yet. I could take a 5th year and add a history degree and bring up my GPA some as well, does anyone else think that would be worth it?

Also, I'm trying to figure out where I want to go to law school.

I've looked at UNC Law, but I'm right around their 25th percentiles. I'm not too worried about that, because I can get my GPA up a little higher and I'm in state...so I know my GPA and LSAT can be a little bit lower than normal.

I'm also looking at Campbell, Elon, Wake, and Charlotte. My issue is, all of them are private. Wake is up there with UNC in rankings, but the other schools are fairly low. Charlotte has gotten their ABA accreditation.

Would it be worth it to stay the 5th year? Does a 5th year look bad to law schools? Also, if I don't get into UNC would it be worth taking time off and reapplying instead of going to one of the other schools? I know UNC's transfer rule and would not want to get "stuck" at Elon or Campbell if the education there is not as good.

Thanks.

Instead of spending the money on a 5th year, you could consider trying to ace your senior year and then taking a year off so that you will be able to apply to law schools with your entire undergrad gpa on transcripts.

Then spend the money you would have spent on that 5th year of undergrad on an intense LSAT prep course and study as hard as you can and try and ace your LSAT. Hopefully that could get you into UNC.

I wouldn't go to the other schools in your state. If you want to work in North Carolina, go to UNC.

Graduate and try getting some FT w/e in while studying for the LSAT. Kill it and shoot for Duke--although your GPA is a tad low I'd say it could still be done.

http://www.lstscorereports.com/?r=nc

This pretty much rules out Charlotte, Elon and Wake. Campbell's employment stats aren't as horrendous but their salary stats are (considering tuition is over $30,000). Honestly the only schools worth it would be Duke and UNC, anything else and you better be going for free.

Are you URM? Regardless, please retake the LSAT.

If you get a 163 or higher UNC will probably take you, even with a 3.3 GPA. Wake too. 164-165 for $$$. Start studying.

hobie2515 wrote:http://www.lstscorereports.com/?r=nc

This pretty much rules out Charlotte, Elon and Wake. Campbell's employment stats aren't as horrendous but their salary stats are (considering tuition is over $30,000). Honestly the only schools worth it would be Duke and UNC, anything else and you better be going for free.

Are you URM? Regardless, please retake the LSAT.

URM?

And thanks for the tips everyone. I meet with my advisor soon and I'm gonna check on what she says as well.

I wouldn't go to Elon or Campbell. maybe campbell at a full ride with no stipulations, but even then, probably not. north carolina has a really high unemployment rate and an abundance of law schools.

unc (with in-state) is your best option (assuming duke is out). wake is not bad, but only with a significant scholarship and low to zero stipulations.

Wake is a peer to UNC. Various places give WFU an A+ for alumni network. Also keep in mind that WFU is more expensive then UNC but generally gives more $$$.

0% chance at Duke with that gpa. UNC sounds like the way to go. Kill that LSAT!

You'll need 164/165 to get UNC/Wake. Wake is fine if you get $$ (they're fairly generous) and few stipulations. Try and get that GPA up, but unless you honestly think you can get a 4.0 your fifth year, it's a far better investment to work that year, save some money, and intensely prep for the LSAT, like the above poster said. Dook is probably out unless you're above their 75% (what is it, like 172 or something?). Stay away from Charlotte and Elon with a 10 foot pole. Campbell/Central wouldn't be completely terrible decisions with a full ride and no stips.

TL; DR get a 165+ and go to UNC/Wake (if enough $$)

jackattack17 wrote:You'll need 164/165 to get UNC/Wake. Wake is fine if you get $$ (they're fairly generous) and few stipulations. Try and get that GPA up, but unless you honestly think you can get a 4.0 your fifth year, it's a far better investment to work that year, save some money, and intensely prep for the LSAT, like the above poster said. Dook is probably out unless you're above their 75% (what is it, like 172 or something?). Stay away from Charlotte and Elon with a 10 foot pole. Campbell/Central wouldn't be completely terrible decisions with a full ride and no stips.

TL; DR get a 165+ and go to UNC/Wake (if enough $$)

IIRC, Campbell doesn't give full rides. They told me I got the largest scholarship they give, at around 22k/year, albeit this happened a few years ago and they could have been flaming me. If you have strong Raleigh connections and money to spare, I guess it would be an okay choice... UNC or Wake would be a better investment. Good luck!

I also got the max Campbell scholarship last year and it isn't nearly enough to make that place worth attending. Do not, under any circumstances, go to Elon or Charlotte. It's not that the educational quality is poor, it's that they don't have any legal alumni network to speak of and they hold the 6 and 7 spots respectively in an over-saturated state with 7 law schools. I would say study incredibly hard and realistically try for Wake with money or UNC with in-state tuition. Just remember that even though these are both great law schools, they don't necessarily have the employment numbers to match so taking out more than 80K or so in loans is going to be a dangerous gamble. Also, I assume that this is the case but make absolutely sure that you want to live in NC because neither Wake nor UNC is likely get you out of the state. Oh and DO NOT go anywhere expecting to transfer up.

Here is my thoughts on Campbell after attending.

Campbell Law has lost 30ish spots on the US news rankings in the span of only 1 year.

The employment numbers are terrible, and even worse when you consider that many of those who are counted as "employed" alums simply hang out a shingle because there is nothing better for them.

I graduated in 2013 cum laude. I still am unable to find a job. If I were to cross the state line to find work in another jurisdiction they wouldn't know where I went to law school.

Do Not Go To Campbell.

If anyone wants to talk about Campbell Law, please send me a PM and we can skype, or chat. I do not want some 21 year old making the same mistake I did.

Are you just searching for all threads that mention Campbell (like this one that is over two years old) and telling the people not to go there?

JusPassItToWill wrote:Are you just searching for all threads that mention Campbell (like this one that is over two years old) and telling the people not to go there?

This is the only way I know of to tell my story. Feel free to PM me and we can talk about it. Looking back I made a mistake. I wanted to be an attorney since early high school and I thought that Campbell was a viable option. Only after attending, graduating and becoming and attorney did i realize my error. I ignored the numbers, and more importantly I didn't ask where those numbers were coming from.

I wish that someone had cautioned me with their actual experience when I was applying to law school. My former classmates who are in the same boat that I am in are often too embarrassed to even speak to another soul about the issues they are having trying to find work (never-mind the 200k cloud over their head). I don't mind telling others what I have been through or the fact that I blame a large part of it on Campbell and how they market to those fresh out of undergrad.

again, PM me if you want to talk.

JusPassItToWill wrote:Are you just searching for all threads that mention Campbell (like this one that is over two years old) and telling the people not to go there?

Pretty much

Looks like OP is going to Miami in the fall.

Definitely dont need a 164 to get into wake and UNC, i got into both with pretty good scholarships and I have a 3.3. Im also out of state and non URM.

I read through OP's post history. Took the LSAT twice (149 & 154). Was admitted to Syracuse, South Carolina & Miami with a 154/3.3. Waitlisted at Washington & Lee. Denied by Wake Forest University.

CanadianWolf wrote:I read through OP's post history. Took the LSAT twice (149 & 154). Was admitted to Syracuse, South Carolina & Miami with a 154/3.3. Waitlisted at Washington & Lee. Denied by Wake Forest University.

Awkward. I feel bad for never doing the investigative work, but someone is always looking out. Do they really think that we won't notice??

BasilHallward wrote:

CanadianWolf wrote:I read through OP's post history. Took the LSAT twice (149 & 154). Was admitted to Syracuse, South Carolina & Miami with a 154/3.3. Waitlisted at Washington & Lee. Denied by Wake Forest University.

Awkward. I feel bad for never doing the investigative work, but someone is always looking out. Do they really think that we won't notice??

Won't notice what? Why awkward? OP was looking at NC schools in 2013. In fall 2015 they're going to Miami. So what?

JusPassItToWill wrote:Are you just searching for all threads that mention Campbell (like this one that is over two years old) and telling the people not to go there?

He was cum laude and has been unable to find any job in 3 years while racking up debt. It's understandable why he'd be upset. When you account for the fact that most lawyers are driven to make a difference in someone's life, it's hardly surprising he'd want to at least use his experience to help other people.

AReasonableMan wrote:

JusPassItToWill wrote:Are you just searching for all threads that mention Campbell (like this one that is over two years old) and telling the people not to go there?

He was cum laude and has been unable to find any job in 3 years while racking up debt. It's understandable why he'd be upset.When you account for the fact that most lawyers are driven to make a difference in someone's life, it's hardly surprising he'd want to at least use his experience to help other people. He has extra freetime to vent his hatred of the school.

FTFY.

KMart wrote:

AReasonableMan wrote:

JusPassItToWill wrote:Are you just searching for all threads that mention Campbell (like this one that is over two years old) and telling the people not to go there?

He was cum laude and has been unable to find any job in 3 years while racking up debt. It's understandable why he'd be upset.When you account for the fact that most lawyers are driven to make a difference in someone's life, it's hardly surprising he'd want to at least use his experience to help other people. He has extra freetime to vent his hatred of the school.

FTFY.

I am frustrated, and I am frustrated because I have so much free time. I have done a great deal to try to support my family including spending three years of my life in law school working my ass off. The end result has been a great deal of nothing. Networking, volunteering, resume after resume, lunch after lunch, and all of this while accruing 7.5% interest on a loan that I have no ability to pay off. You bet your ass I have some hatred. I don't want others to share in my hatred after making the same mistake that I made. That mistake is called Campbell Law.