Michigan vs. UCLA vs. USC Forum

[AlohaFriday]

As deadlines approach, I am trying to decide where I should deposit. I have been accepted at Michigan, UCLA, USC, and Georgetown. I am awaiting decisions from Stanford, Columbia, and NYU. Wait listed at Harvard, Penn, and Duke. Rejected at Yale and Boalt. I did not apply to any other schools.

Scholarships/COA:
Michigan: $75,000 total; $142,284 COA
UCLA: $105,500 total; $118,484.98 COA (Will gain CA residency after 1L)
USC: $159,000 total, $92,469 COA
Georgetown: Yet to receive offer

I will be financing my education through loans.

I am from Hawaii, but I am currently an undergraduate in CA. I'd like to work in CA if possible. Not opposed to other markets, but CA is a preference. I would say my ties in the area are average.

I am hopeful for biglaw. Not entirely set on biglaw but definitely private practice. No interest in PI.

LSAT: 168; GPA: 3.9 (URM)

Took LSAT once after 6 months of classes. Was PTing in a wide range of 163-169 range about 1.5 months out. First LSAT was 157 or 159, can't remember.

I'd appreciate any input!

[KMart]

Your GPA will be loved by Boalt. Retake, get Boalt/Stanford, enjoy CA.

[ILoveYou]

Your GPA will be loved by Boalt. Retake, get Boalt/Stanford, enjoy CA.

With your goals, as a URM, I think this is TCR. Seems like wasting that GPA to take one of these offers when a reasonable LSAT increase would get you such better options in CA.

[BigZuck]

Are you sure that you're a URM? I would think the offers would be a bit better based on URM status and those numbers but I could be wrong.

[071816]

what is your specific ethnic background?

[Winston1984]

Are you sure that you're a URM? I would think the offers would be a bit better based on URM status and those numbers but I could be wrong.

Thinking the same thing..

[AlohaFriday]

Yes, I am URM. You can PM me for specifics but I am sure that my ethnicity is considered a URM. I was also wondering whether I got reasonable outcomes given my stats and it seems like I may have under-performed.

Would cramming and taking the LSAT in June be a poor decision? I am hesitant to sit out an entire cycle due to my PT range

[zombie mcavoy]

Well you might be a URM but you sure didn't get a boost from it. None of these options are very attractive. USC is probably best here but that is still a relatively risky debt load for it. Better option is to get a job and retake though.

[KMart]

I was also wondering whether I got reasonable outcomes given my stats and it seems like I may have under-performed.

You did.

[BigZuck]

You're black, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and/or Native American? And the schools knew that? I'd maybe go back and make sure your applications indicated that because it doesn't look like you got a bump at all.

[indo]

I was also wondering whether I got reasonable outcomes given my stats and it seems like I may have under-performed.

You did.

+1

[AlohaFriday]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I understand that this is conjecture but could anyone give me any examples of typical outcomes someone with my stats could reasonably expect? I understand that this is a difficult and likely inaccurate estimation but everyone has lamented that my application has under-performed. I'd like a general idea of how badly it did

[zombie mcavoy]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I understand that this is conjecture but could anyone give me any examples of typical outcomes someone with my stats could reasonably expect? I understand that this is a difficult and likely inaccurate estimation but everyone has lamented that my application has under-performed. I'd like a general idea of how badly it did

if you were getting an AA boost as someone with a 168/3.9 Harvard would be a real possibility, and CCN would be blowing its collective load on you.

[Hand]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I understand that this is conjecture but could anyone give me any examples of typical outcomes someone with my stats could reasonably expect? I understand that this is a difficult and likely inaccurate estimation but everyone has lamented that my application has under-performed. I'd like a general idea of how badly it did

if you were getting an AA boost as someone with a 168/3.9 Harvard would be a real possibility, and CCN would be blowing its collective load on you.

see this: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 4&t=245831

[BigZuck]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I understand that this is conjecture but could anyone give me any examples of typical outcomes someone with my stats could reasonably expect? I understand that this is a difficult and likely inaccurate estimation but everyone has lamented that my application has under-performed. I'd like a general idea of how badly it did

Depends on what kind of URM, you might get better feedback on that in the URM forum.

http://www.mylsn.info might be somewhat helpful, I dunno.

[AlohaFriday]

I will sit tight to see if anything new comes up this cycle and consider retaking and/or reapplying. Thanks for all of the input

[Yea All Right]

I advise reapplying as well, and even retaking if you have the time. You should have gotten way better options, not just acceptances at schools that waitlisted/rejected you but also sizable scholarships.

Specifically speaking, I would have expected you to get into NYU, Penn, and Duke, perhaps Columbia if they don't mind the LSAT, and probably Boalt as long as you have a strong overall application with a good story.

Consider if you did anything badly on your application (personal statement or letters of recommendation?). You have a high GPA, you have a good LSAT, and you're an URM, so presumably you should have gotten better results. But you didn't, so at that point you need to consider the other parts of your application.

[cron1834]

I advise reapplying as well, and even retaking if you have the time. You should have gotten way better options, not just acceptances at schools that waitlisted/rejected you but also sizable scholarships.

Specifically speaking, I would have expected you to get into NYU, Penn, and Duke, perhaps Columbia if they don't mind the LSAT, and probably Boalt as long as you have a strong overall application with a good story.

Consider if you did anything badly on your application (personal statement or letters of recommendation?). You have a high GPA, you have a good LSAT, and you're an URM, so presumably you should have gotten better results. But you didn't, so at that point you need to consider the other parts of your application.

I agree with all of this, though it's still unclear if OP is one of NA, AA, MA, or PR. If so, reapply for SURE.

[Rigo]

Way too many Michigan votes here.
Of the current options, I'd go USC.

Underperforming if you are an actual URM though.

[KangarooCourt13]

Wait...USC is essentially a full ride?

Dude I would take that. Others are thrown off by this URM stuff...I don't know. At USC you could really be top of your class, if a place like Harvard takes you (as another has suggested) you risk being another body.

That's my two cents.

[BigZuck]

Wait...USC is essentially a full ride?

Dude I would take that. Others are thrown off by this URM stuff...I don't know. At USC you could really be top of your class, if a place like Harvard takes you (as another has suggested) you risk being another body.

That's my two cents.

This is dumb, keep the change

[KangarooCourt13]

Wait...USC is essentially a full ride?

Dude I would take that. Others are thrown off by this URM stuff...I don't know. At USC you could really be top of your class, if a place like Harvard takes you (as another has suggested) you risk being another body.

That's my two cents.

This is dumb, keep the change

Are you this pleasant IRL

[Clyde Frog]

As deadlines approach, I am trying to decide where I should deposit. I have been accepted at Michigan, UCLA, USC, and Georgetown. I am awaiting decisions from Stanford, Columbia, and NYU. Wait listed at Harvard, Penn, and Duke. Rejected at Yale and Boalt. I did not apply to any other schools.

Scholarships/COA:
Michigan: $75,000 total; $142,284 COA
UCLA: $105,500 total; $118,484.98 COA (Will gain CA residency after 1L)
USC: $159,000 total, $92,469 COA
Georgetown: Yet to receive offer

I will be financing my education through loans.

I am from Hawaii, but I am currently an undergraduate in CA. I'd like to work in CA if possible. Not opposed to other markets, but CA is a preference. I would say my ties in the area are average.

I am hopeful for biglaw. Not entirely set on biglaw but definitely private practice. No interest in PI.

LSAT: 168; GPA: 3.9 (URM)

Took LSAT once after 6 months of classes. Was PTing in a wide range of 163-169 range about 1.5 months out. First LSAT was 157 or 159, can't remember.

I'd appreciate any input!

You're getting f'd in the A if you're only getting that as a URM with those numbers.

[Rigo]

At USC you could really be top of your class, if a place like Harvard takes you (as another has suggested) you risk being another body.
That's my two cents.

This is dumb, keep the change

Yeah Kangaroo, this fallacy has been beaten to death.

[BigZuck]

Wait...USC is essentially a full ride?

Dude I would take that. Others are thrown off by this URM stuff...I don't know. At USC you could really be top of your class, if a place like Harvard takes you (as another has suggested) you risk being another body.

That's my two cents.

This is dumb, keep the change

Are you this pleasant IRL

Probably less

It's alarming to me that you would say something like this because people might actually believe it

The OP really could be top of the class at Harvard. Or at USC. Or bottom of the class at Harvard. Or at USC. There is nothing to suggest the OP would do better at one or the other, and even if the OP is likely to do better at USC than at Harvard, I don't think it's near as stark as top of the class vs unwashed masses.

Anyway, to me it's all about average outcomes. If the average outcome at USC is fine for the OP, then fine. But going with the expectation (or whatever it is you're trying to say) that he/she will bink top of the class grades is dumb.