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A few perks: I'm a vet and I have 100% tuition covered from the Department of Veterans Affairs. I also get a pretty hefty monthly living allowance and money for books and parking. For Sacramento, my hometown, it's $1,717 a month in my pocket tax-free. I also have a disability pension from the military so I wan't be in debt at all during law school. So I'm really getting paid to get my JD - at the small cost of surviving an IED in Afghanistan. Anyway, my dad has sent hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of work to his friends in biglaw at Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani. Most of them have attended a T20 and the only "advice" they really give me is to call them after I pass the bar. Whatever that means.

I took the lsat three times and 153 was my highest score. My fault for not studying, I know. I graduated from UCLA in Sept 2014 and I've already taken a year off. If I retake, I'll have to wait until December 2016 because of the 3 tests in 2 years rule. So that still puts my applications near the end of cycle. I have an amazingly well-written personal statement, why "X" law school essay, diversity statement, and addendum. Sadly, I have to chose from McGeorge, Santa Clara, or U of Oregon unless I get off any of these waitlists. Remember, I'm getting paid to attend so I probably won't incur any debt. I"d like to work in crim law at a DAs office. If I got to McGeorge here in Sacramento, I have friends at the school and connections in the Sac DA office. Nothing at Oregon or SCU. I would hate to take another year off and retake the LSAT in December, but it seems like the only real shot I have at getting into a T20 or T14. Anyone have any advice?

LSDAS GPA: 3.27
GPA: 3.49
LSAT: 153 (third try)

Here's where I have been rejected, waitlisted, and accepted:

American University Washington College of Law PENDING

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA PENDING

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY REJECTED

BOSTON COLLEGE LAW SCHOOL REJECTED

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW REJECTED

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS REJECTED

UNIV OF CALIF HASTINGS COLL OF THE LAW WAITLISTED
SENT 2 LOCIS ABOUT A MONTH APART. STILL NOTHING.

Univ. of California, Irvine School of Law WAITLISTED
SENT LOCI AND ADDITIONAL LOR

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES REJECTED

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO LAW SCHOOL REJECTED

UNIV OF DENVER STURM COLLEGE OF LAW WAITLISTED

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PENDING

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL REJECTED

LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL- LOYOLA MARYMOUNT U REJECTED

McGeorge School of Law, Univ of the Pacific ACCEPTED

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF LAW WAITLISTED
SENT LOCI

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA LAW SCHOOL REJECTED

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA REJECTED

NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL WL, REJECTED

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY PENDING

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON SCHOOL OF LAW ACCEPTED

Penn State University, Dickinson Law WAITLISTED

Pepperdine University School of Law WAITLISTED

University of San Diego School of Law WAITLISTED
2 LOCIS, ADDITIONAL LOR, ADDITIONAL “WHY USD LAW” ESSAY

SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW ACCEPTED

Seattle University School of Law ACCEPTED

WASHINGTON UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW REJECTED

I'd strongly advocate take time off, study, retake.

First, it sounds like you don't really know what you want to do when you graduate. That's okay, a lot of people don't - but it's especially tough because graduating from any of these schools is going to kind of lock you into the geographical area. ASU is going to have pretty much exclusively employers/networking events/etc. etc. from Arizona. Boston University is going to be pretty much New England and that's about it. If you want to volunteer and extern during the school year at the Sacramento DA office, you're not going to be able to if you go to Seattle University - unless you fly back and forth every week I guess?

Before you do anything this fall, figure out what you want to do. If it's biglaw, you absolutely cannot count on your dad being a big client to land you an associate spot. Biglaw hiring is particularly insulated to avoid this issue.

With a 165, you'd be in the top 20 for sure. With a 168, you could probably ED at a mid-T14. Surviving an IED is a pretty good soft, soooo nothing to worry about there. Take a year off. Take two years off if you have to.

You have to figure out what type of law you're interested in, if that practice is obtainable from the school you choose with median grades, and if your school allows you to practice in the market you're comfortable with.

It doesn't seem like you have defined career goals in mind - what did you write in your "why X" letter?

I'm mainly interested in criminal law. I like the thought of biglaw but I'm more interested in working for a DA's office or for the DOJ. I also took the Feb LSAT this cycle so my apps went out in March . Sounds like taking time off and studying for a retake is the right choice.

pattycake121 wrote:I'm mainly interested in criminal law. I like the thought of biglaw but I'm more interested in working for a DA's office or for the DOJ. I also took the Feb LSAT this cycle so my apps went out in March . Sounds like taking time off and studying for a retake is the right choice.

Yeah, a retake is still the right option.

Here's the thing, though: your goals are still vague. Biglaw or criminal prosecution isn't a specific goal, because those are radically different fields. And then in criminal law, there's a world of difference between the type of work offered and the difficulty in getting a job at a local DA's office vs. the DOJ. And while a decent local school without much national reach can easily land you a job with the DA, you need to aim much higher for DOJ work.

The fact that you aren't taking on debt should not impact the analysis. A degree from UCLA or USC is worth significantly more than one from McGeorge or Santa Clara. If you were picking between USC and McGeorge as the only 2 options in the universe, you know you'd pick USC no question. If the best man at your wedding owned Chevorlet and told you could pick any 2 door Chevy vehicle you wanted, would you sit down and weigh the pros and cons of a Chevy Sonic versus a Corvette?

It's the same thing here - you pick the package that offers you the best value. For some people, a full ride to McGeorge carries more value than paying sticker to go to USC, but when both are the same price it would be insane to pick McGeorge. If you left LA, and went to the East Coast, and told somebody you were a lawyer and they asked where you went to law school and you told them McGeorge, they would think you were messing with them and be thinking, "What the fuck is a McGeorge?"

HonestAdvice wrote: "What the fuck is a McGeorge?"

McDonald's new law school

lymenheimer wrote:

HonestAdvice wrote: "What the fuck is a McGeorge?"

McDonald's new law school

Lol, this makes the decision to retake a lot easier. I really don't want to wait another year, but I also don't think I'll be happy investing three years of my life at a TTT. I appreciate the input.

pattycake121 wrote: Lol, this makes the decision to retake a lot easier. I really don't want to wait another year, but I also don't think I'll be happy investing three years of my life at a TTT. I appreciate the input.

I've said this on plenty of other threads, but I'll keep repeating it: I was facing a TTTT at stupid debt (partially due to poor application strategy). I didn't want to sit out a year and I thought I was going to be dead in the water regarding a job and finances. I retook (only improved by a marginal amount) and now I'm going to a T14 with decent scholly.

pancakes3 wrote:You have to figure out what type of law you're interested in, if that practice is obtainable from the school you choose with median grades, and if your school allows you to practice in the market you're comfortable with.

It doesn't seem like you have defined career goals in mind - what did you write in your "why X" letter?

My "why X" essay pretty much discusses volunteering in public service and the emerging veterans treatment courts which better represent vets struggling with PTSD in the criminal justice system. I mention studying criminal law but I don't go into any detail about which career path specifically because I haven't really decided yet. I hope to figure that out once I know where I'll be going to law school.

I've said this on plenty of other threads, but I'll keep repeating it: I was facing a TTTT at stupid debt (partially due to poor application strategy). I didn't want to sit out a year and I thought I was going to be dead in the water regarding a job and finances. I retook (only improved by a marginal amount) and now I'm going to a T14 with decent scholly.[/quote]

Damn, congrats! I'm sure I can improve my LSAT if I retake in December.

pattycake121 wrote: Damn, congrats! I'm sure I can improve my LSAT if I retake in December.

Of course, that doesn't mean you have to go to a T14. Just make sure that you are going to a school that can place you in a career that you want. Check the ABA 509 employment reports (and LST reports) for each school that you are considering. Getting a free education is cool, but you don't want to waste the funding on a school with piss poor employment stats. And if you do want to do that, then pick something more interesting/enjoyable than law.

pattycake121 wrote:

lymenheimer wrote:

HonestAdvice wrote: "What the fuck is a McGeorge?"

McDonald's new law school

Lol, this makes the decision to retake a lot easier. I really don't want to wait another year, but I also don't think I'll be happy investing three years of my life at a TTT. I appreciate the input.

I like adding color to these black and white monotonous discussions, but the idea is that taking on 0 debt should have 0 impact. The reason for this is because every smart person should ask themselves 2 questions when choosing between several law schools.

(1) How much debt would I be comfortable repaying?
(2) What is the value of School A relative to School B?

While these 2 questions often go hand-in-hand, in your situation they do not, because (1) is a non-factor so the only question is (2), and the answer to (2) clearly favors waiting a year as A is well respected throughout the country and B is a shit sandwich. It's two lumps from the stool on white bread with a pickle and house sauce.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the advice! I'm going to get back to the grind and retake unless I get off the waitlist at Hastings or Irvine this cycle. I'd be happy with either one really.