LSAT 167, GPA 3.9 Where can i go? Forum

[IWantToBeAFarmer]

You can join Mensa!

http://www.us.mensa.org/join/testscores ... ingscores/

IWantToBeAFarmer

[Plainsman11011]

You're still likely going to work the same shitty job. Yale gives you a better shot at landing biglaw/clerkships, but firm jobs are still generally shitty. And what do clerks do after clerkships? Generally firms. So you're just going to a school that gives you a higher chance of ending up in a shitty job? Makes sense to me...

Why not just take the money and do fed gov/PI/etc.? I don't think people understand what it means to have six figure debt - it is debilitating in every conceivable way, and frankly, there is not enough financial upside in law whatsoever to compensate for it (unless you're a SCOTUS clerk). (Given, I think Yale might be okay with its unusual loan repayment plan, but I don't think Harvard or Stanford are worth sticker...)

There is VERY little financial upside in law, especially given the high burnout rate/cost of schools/etc. Most law jobs are sheer grinding, forever - as in it does not get better even when you're senior. If you don't care about money, and you like working a lot, forever, then law is a good career for you. Just keep in mind the vast majority of law jobs are NOT 9 to 5 (even public interest) and you will be making not so great money unless you are a magical unicorn and become partner at a biglaw firm.

To be fair, I am at a school that will pay my loans for me if I go fed gov etc. But also, I think many people do not realize how difficult the best of these jobs are to come by -- Y/S give an incredible advantage in pursuing these types of opportunities. Sure, maybe you end up at a firm. But the difference is, at most schools your likelihood of landing the best govt/PI jobs is close to 0.
Also, if you're considering biglaw associate salaries "not so great money" I've really underestimated how different my background is compared to the rest of TLS... Yikes. But maybe I misunderstood.

[CTT]

No one thinks it's not good money in an absolute sense. But if you spend three years in law school, forgo savings of $60,000 and take on $200,000 in debt, the question is when do you start getting ahead. $260,000 in post tax income that you can devote to savings will probably take you 4 years of big law assuming frugal living. At that point, you're financially even, at which time you burn out and do something else. And over those four years, you're working 60-80 hour weeks, whereas you might otherwise have been working 40.
That's why the money isn't great.

[sd1111]

Id say it depends on your softs and the quality of that 3.9. If everything else is stellar, you may have some solid shots at T14 with moneyb

I think retake is the right choice, since it can really only help you. If you do worse, schools which would accept a 167 will only care about your highest score.

But, to further provide context, with a 168/3.9 I did get full rides to Northwestern (not ED) and UVA. Also accepted to Columbia, UChicago, and wait listed at Harvard. With a 167, you'd probably get a few T14 acceptances, although scholarships might be hard to find. That being said, I should have retaken the lsat and so should you.

Thats fantastic