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Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:32 pm
by OrangeJournoLaw
Goals: BigLaw is almost certainly not in my plans. Nothing locked in, but I'm likely leaning towards criminal or civil rights law trying to go for ADA/AUSA roles. I also have a background in sports broadcasting, know plenty of folks in media and have been around athletes quite a bit, so sports/entertainment could be a logical step.
UGPA: 3.71 (University isn't notable, but school and program are considered best in the country)
LSAT: 158, taking again next week and expecting mid-160s based on practice and what happened with the last test (I went to the bathroom before the test but with no break my bladder didn't outlast the final section, my best)
Regional preference: Northeast, but open to Atlanta
Current list: NYU/Columbia/Cornell/Harvard for reaches, Fordham, BU, BC, Emory, Georgia, UConn, Cardozo, Northeastern, Pace, Quinnipiac, Suffolk
My main question is how much ranking should matter in this equation. I'll try for T14, but I'm being realistic. If I know my regional preference with these goals in mind, should I just go for the best package?
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:29 pm
by ESQ92
Wear a diaper next LSAT and lock in that 160!
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2021 4:54 pm
by Wubbles
Brutal truth but with your numbers, 0% chance at the T14s you listed, and the last 3 schools you listed you should not go to under almost any circumstances. Best of luck on getting the score up even higher than you plan, it'll pay off on the backend
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2021 6:48 pm
by CanadianWolf
OrangeJournoLaw wrote: ↑Thu Oct 07, 2021 5:32 pm
Goals: BigLaw is almost certainly not in my plans. Nothing locked in, but I'm likely leaning towards criminal or civil rights law trying to go for ADA/AUSA roles. I also have a background in sports broadcasting, know plenty of folks in media and have been around athletes quite a bit, so sports/entertainment could be a logical step.
UGPA: 3.71 (University isn't notable, but school and program are considered best in the country)
LSAT: 158, taking again next week and expecting mid-160s based on practice and what happened with the last test (I went to the bathroom before the test but with no break my bladder didn't outlast the final section, my best)
Regional preference: Northeast, but open to Atlanta
Current list: NYU/Columbia/Cornell/Harvard for reaches, Fordham, BU, BC, Emory, Georgia, UConn, Cardozo, Northeastern, Pace, Quinnipiac, Suffolk
My main question is how much ranking should matter in this equation. I'll try for T14, but I'm being realistic. If I know my regional preference with these goals in mind, should I just go for the best package?
Based on your numbers (3.71 GPA & 158 LSAT), your only choice between the two is to aim for scholarship money as admission to a top ranked school is highly unlikely due to your LSAT score.
With your current numbers, it would be a waste of time & money to apply to NYU, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, BU, BC, Emory, & Georgia assuming that you not an URM.
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 3:40 pm
by cavalier1138
Where do you want to be an ADA (not a region, a state/metropolitan area)? It's extremely hard to land an AUSA position straight out of school, and as others have noted, you're not getting into any schools that would give you a shot at that anyway. But becoming an ADA is doable from basically anywhere, so you need to make a decision about where you want to end up after school, then target schools in that region for as low a price as you can get.
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:54 am
by OrangeJournoLaw
cavalier1138 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 3:40 pm
Where do you want to be an ADA (not a region, a state/metropolitan area)? It's extremely hard to land an AUSA position straight out of school, and as others have noted, you're not getting into any schools that would give you a shot at that anyway. But becoming an ADA is doable from basically anywhere, so you need to make a decision about where you want to end up after school, then target schools in that region for as low a price as you can get.
Highest preference would be CT (Fairfield or New Haven county preferably), since that's where I live now and have most enjoyed. Not in NYC, maybe in Boston, but likely just in the surrounding areas. I have no problem with working for a small/medium firm.
Current thinking is UConn would be most ideal. At minimum I'd have in-state tuition and from what I've gauged a good chance at a healthy scholarship, while also being in the state where I want to practice. I think the LSAT I took this week will give me a slightly better score to work with too. Pace and Quinnipiac are really on the list because I could commute to them from where I live now, but if the outcomes are that bad I can accept there not being a point to attending
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:11 pm
by OrangeJournoLaw
Just as an update: I'll be heading to UConn in the fall and won't have to take on debt!
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2022 11:32 am
by trebekismyhero
OrangeJournoLaw wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:11 pm
Just as an update: I'll be heading to UConn in the fall and won't have to take on debt!
Congrats. That is a good outcome and choice for someone interested in ADA work in CT
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2022 5:36 pm
by CanadianWolf
OrangeJournoLaw wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:11 pm
Just as an update: I'll be heading to UConn in the fall and won't have to take on debt!
Congratulations regarding UConn law.
To which other law schools were you accepted ?
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2022 11:21 am
by GFox345
OrangeJournoLaw wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:11 pm
Just as an update: I'll be heading to UConn in the fall and won't have to take on debt!
Please tell me you at least retook first.
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 6:07 pm
by OrangeJournoLaw
CanadianWolf wrote: ↑Mon Jul 18, 2022 5:36 pm
OrangeJournoLaw wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:11 pm
Just as an update: I'll be heading to UConn in the fall and won't have to take on debt!
Congratulations regarding UConn law.
To which other law schools were you accepted ?
NYLS ($$$$), Quinnipiac ($$$.5), Albany ($$$.5), Rutgers ($.5), Brooklyn (no scholly)
WLs at both BU and Fordham. Considered R&R but UConn is sufficient for my desired trajectory so figured I might as well get to it
Re: Am I in the right ballpark? Shoot for rank or $?
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 6:08 pm
by OrangeJournoLaw
GFox345 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 11:21 am
OrangeJournoLaw wrote: ↑Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:11 pm
Just as an update: I'll be heading to UConn in the fall and won't have to take on debt!
Please tell me you at least retook first.
I did, no improvement