Looking for Honest Advice Forum

[Mr.Esquire]

So I am writing to all of you TLS'ers to be straight with me and give me advice on my chances or where I should apply.

Stats:
3.1GPA
171

I currently live in Las Vegas, so Boyd is in my backyard. My focuses in a school are big law options, getting as much financial aid as possible, geographically I am pretty open, but a degree that holds weight nationally would be ideal.

Any kind of help of advice is greatly appreciated.

[jbagelboy]

Simply put, "degree that holds weight nationally" = T14. So with a B average in undergrad, you're looking at UVA, Northwestern, and Georgetown. ED Penn could work out for you, but you'd be faced with sticker and from what you've said here, debt is not an encouraging prospect for you.

I would apply RD to those four in addition to NYU, and then hit GWU, UMN, and WUSTL to pick up full rides. These schools will limit you regionally though.

[Myself]

.

[twenty]

Unfortunately, you're probably looking at either biglaw + debt OR regional school with lots of money.

Don't apply to UVA unless your NYU ED falls through. Then apply to UVA ED.

[BeautifulSW]

It's been a very long time since I graduated law school so I don't know the answer to this:

Do admissions committees look at the OP's 3.1 UGPA any differently if he majored in engineering, math, or a physical science? It is a good deal easier to hit 3.8 in English Lit. than in Computer Science after all and that 171 indicates stellar potential.

Disclaimer: My UG major was in the Humanities because, frankly, math got too hard!

[Myself]

.

[muscleboundlaw]

Sorry to bring this one back if it is dead, but does a Finance and History double major do anything for ones chances with a lower LSAT or am I pretty level compared to English/ Lit majors?

[20141023]

.

[rickgrimes69]

Yes, Law school will take your STEM major into consideration. Are you a STEM major, OP?

No, they won't. Does USNWR?

[Clearly]

Yes, Law school will take your STEM major into consideration. Are you a STEM major, OP?

No, they won't. Does USNWR?

This isn't true. Is it a huge boost? no...but to imply they don't even consider it isn't true.

[rickgrimes69]

Yes, Law school will take your STEM major into consideration. Are you a STEM major, OP?

No, they won't. Does USNWR?

This isn't true. Is it a huge boost? no...but to imply they don't even consider it isn't true.

Between two identical candidates with identical GPAs, sure, the STEM major might get the nod. Otherwise, it's weighted as strongly as any other soft factor - i.e., a negligible amount.

[mr.hands]

Unfortunately, you're probably looking at either biglaw + debt OR regional school with lots of money.

Don't apply to UVA unless your NYU ED falls through. Then apply to UVA ED.

I'm coming down on the opposite side of this. The debt just isn't worth it. I'm at a T14 with scholarship, a SA, and i'm still worried about getting screwed. I have 5 friends who are jobless, each of them is in the top 1/3 of the class.

Go with the money, do well 1L year, and if you land a biglaw gig then you'll be set. If not, the risk is low. You can work in a lower paying job or look for another career path. T14 grads with lots of debt don't have that luxury

[twenty]

It does come down to a risk at some point. From Penn, for instance, class of 2012 had a better-than 3/4 chance of having either biglaw or a federal clerkship. The downside to that is that "winning" means working in biglaw for five years with a take home pay (after student loans and taxes) of about what you would have made as a local attorney in a large metro area.