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URM: MA

Major: Business

LSDAS GPA: 3.3-3.4 (upward trend)

LSAT: 166 (retaking in June and October if need be)

Softs:
-NCAA D1 two sport athlete (school record holder)
-Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative (was nominated by my university to attend the official conference out in Florida)
-Club Rugby (nationals qualifier)
-Real Estate work experience at prominent luxury real estate firm (Head broker wrote me one of my LOR)
-Real Estate Salesperson License
-Real Estate Society Board Member
-University Ambassador
-Residential Housing Assistant (RA)
-Founding Father and President of a Fraternity
-Investment Club (may leave off)
-University Blogger
-Anchor for University TV

Goals:
-"Big Law" in NY/CA/WA/TX?/NC?

Ties:
-California
-Washington

I will apply Fall 2015 and I am trying to draft a list of schools to apply to. I won't submit any applications unless I reach 168+ and I have bought the appropriate LSAT prep tools to achieve this goal, at least, I think I have (Cambridge packets, LSAT Trainer, etc). Given my circumstances, where should I apply?

SoapyIllusion wrote:URM: MA

Major: Business

LSDAS GPA: 3.3-3.4 (upward trend)

LSAT: 166 (retaking in June and October if need be)

Softs:
-NCAA D1 two sport athlete (school record holder)
-Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative (was nominated by my university to attend the official conference out in Florida)
-Club Rugby (nationals qualifier)
-Real Estate work experience at prominent luxury real estate firm (Head broker wrote me one of my LOR)
-Real Estate Salesperson License
-Real Estate Society Board Member
-University Ambassador
-Residential Housing Assistant (RA)
-Founding Father and President of a Fraternity
-Investment Club (may leave off)
-University Blogger
-Anchor for University TV

Goals:
-"Big Law" in NY/CA/WA/TX?/NC?

Ties:
-California
-Washington

I will apply Fall 2015 and I am trying to draft a list of schools to apply to. I won't submit any applications unless I reach 168+ and I have bought the appropriate LSAT prep tools to achieve this goal, at least, I think I have (Cambridge packets, LSAT Trainer, etc). Given my circumstances, where should I apply?

Well...let's get this out of the way first: mylsn.info will let you run your chances at all the schools under different scenarios/LSAT scores. That's probably a good place to start. Beyond that, your GPA is going to be a barrier to YHS regardless of how well you do on the LSAT. If you get above 168, you've got a good shot at Columbia on down and the higher you go, the better your chances of getting more money at better schools.

If your goal is BigLaw, basically, you want to apply widely to the T14 and go to the best school that gives you the best balance between placement and financial aid.

Good luck!

Thanks for the info! And another question, while my grades are on an upward trend and I have pretty much calculated my GPA through the worse case scenario (3.3), will a C- this semester hurt me in my application cycle? I'm not talking about it in terms of GPA (as it will be a 3.3 regardless) but in terms of seeing a C- on my transcript this semester (As in everything else).

SoapyIllusion wrote:Thanks for the info! And another question, while my grades are on an upward trend and I have pretty much calculated my GPA through the worse case scenario (3.3), will a C- this semester hurt me in my application cycle? I'm not talking about it in terms of GPA (as it will be a 3.3 regardless) but in terms of seeing a C- on my transcript this semester (As in everything else).

The general rule of thumb is that the C- won't make or break you, it's all about the LSAC GPA.