168 & 3.85 shutout of T14 : BU, WUSTL, UCLA, or RETAKE? Forum

[quickquestionthanks]

BU is such a t14 reject school. Everybody there (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else

Where are you even getting this from?

It's true. BU has BO and no one wants to be around them.

[imisscollege]

BU is such a t14 reject school. Everybody there (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else

Where are you even getting this from?

It's true. BU has BO and no one wants to be around them.

Things I had read around this forum that were confirmed when I went to their ASD and literally NOBODY wanted to be there. Everybody was optimistic about their chances off a WL here or was hoping to receive more money from another place (you'd be surprised how many were accepted at BU and WL at BC and not happy about it). It struck me as the opposite of a place like BC or UT, schools at which people seemed far more excited to have been admitted to at their ASD's.

You always see people saying, "shut out of the T14 should I got to BU with money?" And they never seem psyched about their options.

[sven]

I have the same LSAT, a 3.9 GPA, and am nearby, in Spain. I've decided that I'm going to retake in Europe this June. It's totally reasonable to retake a 168 if you think you can do better. And probably, holding off for another year will mean that you get a chance to wait a bit more for the legal market to improve. I vote: reapply.

[ls10]

BU is such a t14 reject school. Everybody there (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else

Where are you even getting this from?

It's true. BU has BO and no one wants to be around them.

Things I had read around this forum that were confirmed when I went to their ASD and literally NOBODY wanted to be there. Everybody was optimistic about their chances off a WL here or was hoping to receive more money from another place (you'd be surprised how many were accepted at BU and WL at BC and not happy about it). It struck me as the opposite of a place like BC or UT, schools at which people seemed far more excited to have been admitted to at their ASD's.

You always see people saying, "shut out of the T14 should I got to BU with money?" And they never seem psyched about their options.

Yes, because it makes complete sense to generalize about an entire student body based on people who aren't even students at the school. Just because you read about people choosing between T14 waitlists and BU on this board, and you may have met a few people at BU's ASD who are waiting on T14 waitlists, that hardly means that every BU law student never wanted to come here and only came because they didn't get off of a T14 waitlist. As a current student here, I can actually tell you that your "confirmed" feelings about our student body are completely false.

Regarding your comments on prospective students' feelings about BU, if you read this thread, around page 89, other people who were at BU's ASD had the exact opposite experience: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=2200

Sorry, I had to counter your unfounded comments because they are actually just wrong.

[imisscollege]

Why because there is a TLS poster or two who says opposite? Yeah of course some people like BU. But there is evidence to the contrary even on the BU! woot thread.


But we don't have to take tiny sample sizes from an elitist forum to disagree with each other. Just look at BU's acceptance rate/yield relative to its peer schools. More are accepted, fewer go because it is just not a place that most people (relative to its peers, again) want to be. Additionally their number-whoring, non-holistic admissions (see LSN) doesn't help with this.

[ls10]

Why because there is a TLS poster or two who says opposite? Yeah of course some people like BU. But there is evidence to the contrary even on the BU! woot thread.


But we don't have to take tiny sample sizes from an elitist forum to disagree with each other. Just look at BU's acceptance rate/yield relative to its peer schools. More are accepted, fewer go because it is just not a place that most people (relative to its peers, again) want to be. Additionally their number-whoring, non-holistic admissions (see LSN) doesn't help with this.

Okay, so let's compare BU to some of its peers for the 2009 year.

Applicants
BU: 7,660 (http://www.bu.edu/law/prospective/jd/class_profile/)
Vanderbilt: 4,851 (http://law.vanderbilt.edu/prospective-s ... index.aspx)
USC: 6,024 (http://lawweb.usc.edu/how/jd/classProfile.cfm)

Acceptance rate (http://brightcoast.wordpress.com/2010/0 ... 939483c_o/)
BU: 24%
Vanderbilt: 24%
USC: 22%

Total accepted students
BU: 1,838
Vanderbilt: 1,164
USC: 1,325

First-Year class size
BU: 271 (http://www.bu.edu/law/prospective/jd/class_profile/)
Vanderbilt: 195 (http://law.vanderbilt.edu/prospective-s ... index.aspx)
USC: 215 (http://lawweb.usc.edu/how/jd/classProfile.cfm)

Yield
BU: 15%
Vanderbilt: 17%
USC: 16%

Doesn't seem like BU is lagging so far behind in acceptance rate/yield to support anything you've said.

[imisscollege]

We both know that Vandy and USC aren't really "peer schools" with BU. BU should be compared more to east-coast regional powerhouses, such as GW, Fordham, and BC.

And look--acceptance rates for all the above are all lower than BU's. What a surprise. Not only that but its peers hover around 15th or 20th lowest rates and BU isn't even on the top 50 in 2009 according to this site. I'm sure I could find yield info online to support my claims also (acceptance rates and yield tend to go together) but I'm at work and really need to stop procrastinating on TLS haha. (but it's so god damn addicting isn't it?)

Link: http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/asc/Accept

[ls10]

We both know that Vandy and USC aren't really "peer schools" with BU. BU should be compared more to east-coast regional powerhouses, such as GW, Fordham, and BC.

And look--acceptance rates for all the above are all lower than BU's. What a surprise. Not only that but its peers hover around 15th or 20th lowest rates and BU isn't even on the top 50 in 2009 according to this site. I'm sure I could find yield info online to support my claims also (acceptance rates and yield tend to go together) but I'm at work and really need to stop procrastinating on TLS haha. (but it's so god damn addicting isn't it?)

Link: http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/asc/Accept

That website is old information; the information and sites I presented to you are the most current (where Vandy and BU have the same acceptance rate). Your site also shows BC's LSAT range as between 162 - 165, but the most recent is actually 163 - 167 (http://www.bc.edu/schools/law/admission/profile.html).

Look, we can argue all day. You have your opinion of BU, I have mine. I just don't think yours is fair or accurate given the most recent information that I provided and the fact that I actually go here.

[Blindmelon]

We both know that Vandy and USC aren't really "peer schools" with BU. BU should be compared more to east-coast regional powerhouses, such as GW, Fordham, and BC.

And look--acceptance rates for all the above are all lower than BU's. What a surprise. Not only that but its peers hover around 15th or 20th lowest rates and BU isn't even on the top 50 in 2009 according to this site. I'm sure I could find yield info online to support my claims also (acceptance rates and yield tend to go together) but I'm at work and really need to stop procrastinating on TLS haha. (but it's so god damn addicting isn't it?)

Link: http://www.ilrg.com/rankings/law/index.php/1/asc/Accept

I don't get the BU bashing. Yea, certain schools tend to bring in a lot of T14 rejects because their medians are pretty close to at least hitting Cornell. Schools like BU/WUSTL tend to be the spill off - its the same way with Columbia and Chicago - those who could almost get into HYS. I don't understand how thats a bad thing.

I also have absolutely no idea how you got the idea that people don't want to be here. I'm completely candid on these boards and honestly I haven't experienced that yet. I think ASDs and the application season tend to bring out the worst in people regardless - if you have something like a 168/3.8 and you're at BU's ASD hoping to get off the waitlist at Gtown, then its no wonder why someone would be a little bummed. I won't lie, I was a pretty unique applicant and was hoping that I would get through a SECOND faculty committee review at Berkeley and I didn't. Doesn't mean I don't want to be here. But when they strung me around I was a little beyond grumpy.

Some people don't like schools for whatever reason - I wouldn't turn that into some huge over-generalization about the student body at large. I don't think I've ever heard anyone even mention BC - whether they got in or not. No one cares. They're 2 different schools - there are lots of applicants that got into one and not the other. That doesn't mean anything.

[imisscollege]

Yeah I mean you easily could be and probably are right about the students who ATTEND BU. I was more speaking to threads like this about admits that are always considering BU with $$ and not happy about it because they didn't get into the T14's they wanted to. So I wasn't really speaking to satisfaction of students, more satisfaction of admits if that makes sense.

That plus the BU ASD for me left a really sour taste in my mouth just in terms of how little it seemed to be that the kids actually WANTED to go there. I was seriously considering the school until the ASD just for that reason although I do have to say the panel was very honest and the faculty does seem great. We all have different priorities I guess when picking an LS and that was all it took (especially when compared to admit satisfaction at UT and BC) to turn me off from the school.

But yes I DO NOT go to BU. I CAN NOT speak to what people there are actually like. Obviously, there are BU students on these forums who can. I can only speak of my general sense that it seems to me (in my limited experience as an admit) rare that people are diehard gunning for a top choice of BU. I do, however, believe that applicants are considerably more diehard about some of BU's peer schools that I mentioned.

So yes sorry if I offended anybody but these forums are for expressing opinions backed by evidence and experience and that's all I was doing.

[ls10]

Yeah I mean you easily could be and probably are right about the students who ATTEND BU. I was more speaking to threads like this about admits that are always considering BU with $$ and not happy about it because they didn't get into the T14's they wanted to. So I wasn't really speaking to satisfaction of students, more satisfaction of admits if that makes sense.

That plus the BU ASD for me left a really sour taste in my mouth just in terms of how little it seemed to be that the kids actually WANTED to go there. I was seriously considering the school until the ASD just for that reason although I do have to say the panel was very honest and the faculty does seem great. We all have different priorities I guess when picking an LS and that was all it took (especially when compared to admit satisfaction at UT and BC) to turn me off from the school.

But yes I DO NOT go to BU. I CAN NOT speak to what people there are actually like. Obviously, there are BU students on these forums who can. I can only speak of my general sense that it seems to me (in my limited experience as an admit) rare that people are diehard gunning for a top choice of BU. I do, however, believe that applicants are considerably more diehard about some of BU's peer schools that I mentioned.

So yes sorry if I offended anybody but these forums are for expressing opinions backed by evidence and experience and that's all I was doing.

I guess this makes sense. But then again, any prospective applicant with an LSAT in the range of, for example, Northwestern, Duke, Michigan, Vanderbilt, and USC would likely be a bit upset that they were waitlisted at one of the T14s and had to "settle" for Vanderbilt or USC. There are lots of those threads floating around here as well (especially given this thread's OP is also considering WUSTL and UCLA). You're talking about a portion of applicants, whereas there are likely many people who are prospective students targeting BU and schools in its range, and they'd be more than happy to be at BU's ASD. I think your point is pretty anecdotal.

The reason why I responded so quickly and passionately is that you originally said, "Everybody there [at BU] (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else," which sounds like a statement about the CURRENT BU student body, not prospective students.

[Blindmelon]

Yea... people have issues with ASDs that other people don't as well. A friend of mine in the beginning of the year told me he wanted to go to BU because all BC students/faculty could do was talk about how traditionally they are ranked higher and more prestigious, etc like some weird inferiority complex, while BU was much more chill.

GW's ASD turned me off for a similar reason - everyone kept talking about GTown's waitlist, it was sort of annoying. I got into BC, but I didn't go, mostly because I had an extremely negative experience with their admissions/financial aid office. But anecdotes are just that, anecdotes and I'm sure something can chime in about how their experience at GW's ASD was amazing or not.

[imisscollege]

Yeah I mean you easily could be and probably are right about the students who ATTEND BU. I was more speaking to threads like this about admits that are always considering BU with $$ and not happy about it because they didn't get into the T14's they wanted to. So I wasn't really speaking to satisfaction of students, more satisfaction of admits if that makes sense.

That plus the BU ASD for me left a really sour taste in my mouth just in terms of how little it seemed to be that the kids actually WANTED to go there. I was seriously considering the school until the ASD just for that reason although I do have to say the panel was very honest and the faculty does seem great. We all have different priorities I guess when picking an LS and that was all it took (especially when compared to admit satisfaction at UT and BC) to turn me off from the school.

But yes I DO NOT go to BU. I CAN NOT speak to what people there are actually like. Obviously, there are BU students on these forums who can. I can only speak of my general sense that it seems to me (in my limited experience as an admit) rare that people are diehard gunning for a top choice of BU. I do, however, believe that applicants are considerably more diehard about some of BU's peer schools that I mentioned.

So yes sorry if I offended anybody but these forums are for expressing opinions backed by evidence and experience and that's all I was doing.

I guess this makes sense. But then again, any prospective applicant with an LSAT in the range of, for example, Northwestern, Duke, Michigan, Vanderbilt, and USC would likely be a bit upset that they were waitlisted at one of the T14s and had to "settle" for Vanderbilt or USC. There are lots of those threads floating around here as well (especially given this thread's OP is also considering WUSTL and UCLA). You're talking about a portion of applicants, whereas there are likely many people who are prospective students targeting BU and schools in its range, and they'd be more than happy to be at BU's ASD. I think your point is pretty anecdotal.

The reason why I responded so quickly and passionately is that you originally said, "Everybody there [at BU] (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else," which sounds like a statement about the CURRENT BU student body, not prospective students.

No no you're right I miswrote. It was obviously supposed to appear to be an exaggeration but I do see your point.

[TTTeacher]

Become an African American and go to Yale.

Seriously, retake the LSAT in June (if you think you bombed it, then cancel), and apply as early as possible.

[sissyclark]

BU is such a t14 reject school. Everybody there (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else

What's wrong with you? This is EXACTLY the kind of attitude that was BC's ASD, and why I really don't want to attend BC. I'm going to start naming it the BC Complex. It seems like BC students have a tendency to attack BU because they know that BU has the higher ranking, and it just itches them to the core. I find it funny how each BC law student I meet feels the need to attack BU (met one at church the other day and said I wanted BU over BC and he got so defensive, like suddenly I was putting him down on a personal level or something), and BU students just kind of act like BC doesn't exist.

What ASD were you at? Everyone I met at mine was so excited to be there. The 1Ls seemed so exciting and thrilled about the professors there. Sure, I did meet a one person who was choosing between BU and Georgetown, and was leaning towards Georgetown, but that was about it for people who were not thrilled to attend.

I have a theory Either you are 1) Very insecure about BC, so you feel the need to make it known, even in threads that have nothing to do with it, which drives you to put down BU every chance you get or 2) you didn't get into BU, and you are a little irritated by it and it makes you feel better to put it down like Tram does because she didn't get in (even if you say you did....I don't believe you. You seem too nervous about it and the ASD you keep describing in all your posts was nothing like what actually tok place)

Also, you, informative, tram, Small law tend to sound very.....similar with the nervousness....hmmm

[motiontodismiss]

Retake. It looks like another 4 points and you'd be good for everywhere except HYS.

[fortissimo]

BU is such a t14 reject school. Everybody there (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else

Where are you even getting this from?

It's true. BU has BO and no one wants to be around them.

hahaha

[imisscollege]

BU is such a t14 reject school. Everybody there (with the possible exception of blindmelon) wants to be somewhere else

What's wrong with you? This is EXACTLY the kind of attitude that was BC's ASD, and why I really don't want to attend BC. I'm going to start naming it the BC Complex. It seems like BC students have a tendency to attack BU because they know that BU has the higher ranking, and it just itches them to the core. I find it funny how each BC law student I meet feels the need to attack BU (met one at church the other day and said I wanted BU over BC and he got so defensive, like suddenly I was putting him down on a personal level or something), and BU students just kind of act like BC doesn't exist.

What ASD were you at? Everyone I met at mine was so excited to be there. The 1Ls seemed so exciting and thrilled about the professors there. Sure, I did meet a one person who was choosing between BU and Georgetown, and was leaning towards Georgetown, but that was about it for people who were not thrilled to attend.

I have a theory Either you are 1) Very insecure about BC, so you feel the need to make it known, even in threads that have nothing to do with it, which drives you to put down BU every chance you get or 2) you didn't get into BU, and you are a little irritated by it and it makes you feel better to put it down like Tram does because she didn't get in (even if you say you did....I don't believe you. You seem too nervous about it and the ASD you keep describing in all your posts was nothing like what actually tok place)

Also, you, informative, tram, Small law tend to sound very.....similar with the nervousness....hmmm

1. Haha I was an autoadmit at BU. I'm deciding between BC $$ and UT $$. I just visited BC and I don't know I just got off on it even though it's the lowest "ranked" school I applied to

2. These things all DID happen at BU's 2nd ASD, from the people I talked to in that mingling/breakfast in the beginning, to the people i sat next to at the mock class and panel (right side of the room, third table back) to the people at the lunch table closest to the podium on the right during ASD, to the people I talked to during the mingling/information table time. If you think everybody at BU's asd or even the majority of people at BU's asd were happy to be accepted to BU as their first choice, you're just delusional. But maybe this is common although I did not find this at UT.

2. I'm not sure why everybody, including myself thinks/thought tram is/was a girl.

3. People come here for advice. I really like Boston and I spent a ton of time seriously considering BU. This involved a lot of research and attending an ASD. And other than farnsworth's (it is farnsworth, right) class that was quite engaging, I really couldn't stand BU. I give people advice based on my experiences and I swear I'm not making stuff up. At the same time, my demographic (young, fun, from boston) would point me directly towards BC so maybe this is all self-fulfilling.

4. And trust me BU students know that BC exists. It hits them in the face every time they attempt Boston BigLaw (ex. Ropes and Gray). I'd imagine the same thing happens the other way.

5. Picking or not picking a school because of their attitude about another specific school in the area is just silly and it seems to be a primary reason for people on this board picking BU (oh bu kids don't care about bc but bc kids care about bu) seriously who gives a shit. pick the school with the right vibe and happy students.

[Blindmelon]

4. And trust me BU students know that BC exists. It hits them in the face every time they attempt Boston BigLaw (ex. Ropes and Gray). I'd imagine the same thing happens the other way.

5. Picking or not picking a school because of their attitude about another specific school in the area is just silly and it seems to be a primary reason for people on this board picking BU (oh bu kids don't care about bc but bc kids care about bu) seriously who gives a shit. pick the school with the right vibe and happy students.

BU = BC for Boston Biglaw - so yea, its reciprocal. ITE its bad news bears.

2nd part is spot on - you know where you wanna go to school when you see it. imisscollege knows (or almost does because of UT) so more power to ya. I think what people are trying to get at is so that people don't think your experience is a common thing at BU, because I go here, and I'm telling you right now, its not.

[cigrainger]

You are aware that you can take the LSAT in Europe right?

http://www.lsac.org/pdfs/TestCenterCode ... Canada.pdf

[strike]Last I checked, the only French date was in December which would negate the effect of applying early anyhow.[/strike] Nevermind, I'm dumb, I could take it in October in Paris as well if the June retake bombs.

LSAT in Paris...how romantic.

Not really. I'm taking it there in June and apparently the centre is up north of the city in rather rough area.

I vote retake, reapply, and enjoy another year in Paris. Law school will always be there, and I think if you apply early (as you'll be able to do, with your apps nearly all in order anyway), you'll have a very good shot at CCN, let alone the rest of the t14. PI is much more competitive than people make it out to be, so I figure going to the best school you can will give you a leg up. Best of luck!

[Joga Bonito]

Become an African American and go to Yale.

Seriously, retake the LSAT in June (if you think you bombed it, then cancel), and apply as early as possible.

sounds r@(!$t.....jk... sort of

[342848386278]

So? Any update? What did you decide? I finally got into NU (held, then accepted) and Cornell (never even held, just late as f*ck), and I'm deciding between the two-- any movement on your WLs?

I'd pretty much resolved to work another year and retake, and then WHAM I got an email from Cornell last night saying I'm in! Totally unexpected ; I'd forgotten I even had an active app still out! This makes the decision much harder. I've heard great things about Cornell - picturesque small town environment free from distraction, small tight-knit student body, renowned European-centric int'l law program, great study abroad and dual degree programs with the Sorbonne, excellent job placement...

I suppose the argument still stands that I could work another year, retake, and shoot higher in the T14 ; but truthfully, I feel like I'd be incredibly happy at Cornell. Going through the cycle again just to climb in the rankings sounds like the prescription for a life of habitual gunning and perpetual dissatisfaction.

Then again, I'm already incredibly happy in France, and adding another year of foreign work experience under my belt wouldn't be a bad thing. Oof, this is a tough decision.

-------------
Sidenote : what's up with the BU bashing? It's an excellent school in a great location with awesome placement in Boston Biglaw and some interesting int'l study opportunities. The BU students I've spoken to unanimously loved the school (despite the architectural nightmare). Sure, it's no Harvard, but so what, it's still a great place - and besides, every Harvard student or alum I've met has been an abhorrent douche .

[Blindmelon]

So? Any update? What did you decide? I finally got into NU (held, then accepted) and Cornell (never even held, just late as f*ck), and I'm deciding between the two-- any movement on your WLs?

I'd pretty much resolved to work another year and retake, and then WHAM I got an email from Cornell last night saying I'm in! Totally unexpected ; I'd forgotten I even had an active app still out! This makes the decision much harder. I've heard great things about Cornell - picturesque small town environment free from distraction, small tight-knit student body, renowned European-centric int'l law program, great study abroad and dual degree programs with the Sorbonne, excellent job placement...

I suppose the argument still stands that I could work another year, retake, and shoot higher in the T14 ; but truthfully, I feel like I'd be incredibly happy at Cornell. Going through the cycle again just to climb in the rankings sounds like the prescription for a life of habitual gunning and perpetual dissatisfaction.

Then again, I'm already incredibly happy in France, and adding another year of foreign work experience under my belt wouldn't be a bad thing. Oof, this is a tough decision.

-------------
Sidenote : what's up with the BU bashing? It's an excellent school in a great location with awesome placement in Boston Biglaw and some interesting int'l study opportunities. The BU students I've spoken to unanimously loved the school (despite the architectural nightmare). Sure, it's no Harvard, but so what, it's still a great place - and besides, every Harvard student or alum I've met has been an abhorrent douche .

Congrats man! Cornell is fantastic. There isn't a ton of BU bashing on TLS - its just 2 or 3 people that are really outspoken. Thats all.