Top Law Schools

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Apply earlier than the previous cycle, preferably the first day CLS begins accepting applications.

In the event you are offered $$$$ which can then be used for negotiation purposes, I strongly advise you not ED anywhere.

hhh

foolishgirl33 wrote:Why is ED a bad idea? Bc I might lose the money? You think my stats are good enough for a place like Columbia?

And thank you for your help! Appreciate the reaching out

It's not necessarily a bad idea, however, why lock yourself to one school that can then use that against you to not offer you more money to attend? You'll pretty much be laying all your cards on the table and as such, will lose all your bargaining power. Don't give any law school that much authority. Know your worth and understand that the process is not only about getting into a top law school but getting into a top law school with as much free money as possible.

And yes, your numbers can get you into CLS. I will post shortly some examples of those with comparable numbers who got in.

As promised:

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/lawhopeful1215/jd
AA female
GPA: 3.41
LSAT: 162

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/plaid2012/jd
AA female
GPA: 3.17
LSAT: 168

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/goldfish115/jd
Hispanic female
GPA: 3.35
LSAT: 162

Don't ED. You will get into a good school with mad skrilla.

Check out this dood: http://lawschoolnumbers.com/rj127

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foolishgirl33 wrote:Oh TY! How sweet of you!

Is it true that even elite law schools really LOVE AfA men? even more than AfA women

Also because I'm both AfA and AsA, would it hurt me to mention both? I self-identify as both...

From what I understand AA men are the diamonds in the rough, but there are Blasian women roaming the prestigious halls of Harvard Law as we speak.

The schools won't hold Asianness against you. They just want to be able to report that they have a certain percentage of URMs in each class.

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I am not a URM and don't pay particular attention to URM cycles so I can't speak definitively on what Columbia does, but if I understand correctly URM cycles can be pretty random so I would apply broadly to lots of schools and hope to get an offer you really like. lawschoolnumbers.com will be very helpful to you. There are search functions so you can look at the past cycles of applicants similar to you. Also your soft factors (especially if your Ph.D. is science or engineering) are really good, so I would be optimistic if I were you.

foolishgirl33 wrote:You are so helpful!

Is it true that Columbia admits almost completely based on LSAT? without caring about these other things or my PhD or the clerkship! that's the blog impression I get! a dear dear friend of mine (also AfA) had numbers far better than mine and was rejected

No, that is not true, though most of these schools have an unsaid cutoff (this need not apply to you given your numbers). I would say Columbia, like most other elite law schools, take a more holistic approach to admittance. A great recommendation and even a stellar personal statement can sway things in your favor.

Just make sure to get your apps out early. The rest is out of your control.

Thanks!

Is the timing factor really that important?! I guess it could be that if they REALLY want you and they know it early in the season then they can make room for you by taking some straight-up high scorers later in the process. But if you apply later, they cannot make that particular accommodation....am I right? But does it make a tangible difference really?

foolishgirl33 wrote:Thanks!

Is the timing factor really that important?! I guess it could be that if they REALLY want you and they know it early in the season then they can make room for you by taking some straight-up high scorers later in the process. But if you apply later, they cannot make that particular accommodation....am I right? But does it make a tangible difference really?

Also just because you were rejected at Columbia doesn't mean you can't get into even higher schools. URM cycles are random. I was rejected at Chicago but got into multiple higher ranked schools.

THANK YOU! Your kindnesses are deeply appreciated.

Well, the first time I didn't claim URM. I just put down Asian. My grandmother was from East Africa and I am only now getting to know that part of me, so it didn't feel right. I suppose on this go-around I might put down AfA. People thought me utterly silly for forgoing that choice.

Also please answer my timing question if you can ...

Is the timing factor really that important?! I guess it could be that if they REALLY want you and they know it early in the season then they can make room for you by taking some straight-up high scorers later in the process. But if you apply later, they cannot make that particular accommodation....am I right? But does it make a tangible difference really?

foolishgirl33 wrote:Also please answer my timing question if you can ...

Is the timing factor really that important?! I guess it could be that if they REALLY want you and they know it early in the season then they can make room for you by taking some straight-up high scorers later in the process. But if you apply later, they cannot make that particular accommodation....am I right? But does it make a tangible difference really?

Applying early is helpful but you dont have to send them out day one if they arent ready. Anytime before Thanksgiving is early.

foolishgirl33 wrote:THANK YOU! Your kindnesses are deeply appreciated.

Well, the first time I didn't claim URM. I just put down Asian. My grandmother was from East Africa and I am only now getting to know that part of me, so it didn't feel right. I suppose on this go-around I might put down AfA. People thought me utterly silly for forgoing that choice.

I know people who go to my school who aren't visibly, culturally or anything else black, have never claimed to be black but because it's the biggest boost in law school admissions they find ancestors they never knew existed (or maybe existed) to claim AA. If you truly are part black why not claim it? Even if you never have before it will definitely increase your chances of being admitted to a highly ranked law school.

Wow I honestly had no idea things could get so desperate!!!

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foolishgirl33 wrote:So you think that checking AfA AND AsA would give me the same boost as just AsA?

Afa would be a significant boost. Not so with Asa.

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foolishgirl33 wrote:So am I at liberty to check both and they will just credit whichever??? the reason is that some law schools I am considering have Asian scholarships. Or will this mess up my chances of getting in?!

Check all the boxes, apply for all the scholarships. Adcomms are fully aware that people of different races can breed.

foolishgirl33 wrote:So am I at liberty to check both and they will just credit whichever??? the reason is that some law schools I am considering have Asian scholarships. Or will this mess up my chances of getting in?!

Yes, check them both. It will only help you.

ha

foolishgirl33 wrote:I had no idea that to admissions committees AfA men are hot commodity! Can you comment? Is this because the stats are skewed? How much more help does being an AfA man help than being an AfA woman?

It is due to there being less black men in law school than black women. Black women outnumber black men in higher education and the gap is further widened the further you go in education.