Should I add safeties? Forum

[thatsnotmyname]

You will probably get in at BC, BU, and WUSTL. So you probably don't need to add safeties.

[vexion]

3.9 and a 169? You're a lock for everything Michigan and under! Don't get so down on yourself.

Now, since you seem very cost-conscious, I'm gonna predict that you'll end up at a school where you receive a significant scholarship, as opposed to a higher-ranked school at sticker. Bear in mind this advice: apply to as many of the T20 as you can stomach. The more scholarship offers you have for negotiation purposes, there's a very good chance you can weasel more money out of whichever school you fall in love with down the road. I'm speaking from (forlorn) experience. I wish I'd applied to more schools that I was a shoe-in for, for negotiation purposes.

Also, I think you should man up and pay the fees for 20+ applications. They're $80 a pop, $1,600 is a drop in the bucket compared to the $100,000+ a solid scholarship negotiation stance could save on your legal education.

[beesknees]

You might actually be YPed if you just add more safeties if next cycle resembles this one in terms of # of applications. I know I got a couple of surprising results from lower ranked schools... I doubt it was because I had some negative aspect, like a negative LOR or something because I got into my reach.

Assuming no ridiculous negative aspects, based on a 169/3.9, you'll definitely be a lock from Michigan/UVA down (though Michigan is infamous for "hand-picking" their admits). I'd say you'd pretty much be looking at some decent $ in the lower T14 and even Michigan (this cycle, virtually anyone accepted with a 169/3.7+ got something). I don't know about the T6, but you might be able to sneak in somewhere (though your LSAT is below their medians, you should be at/above their GPA 75%ile).

Of course, don't blow it by applying late because that changes things too, especially for your reaches. If you really want a T6, try EDing to one that favors high GPAs.

Good luck!

[imchuckbass58]

You do not need to apply to more schools. You are a lock at BC/BU and WashU.

If you would go there, you should apply to Berkeley. They love high GPAs and are more forgiving on the LSAT.

[vexion]

Expanding on my previous post,

Here's what your cycle will look like:

Yale - R
Harvard - R
Stanford - R
Columbia - WL
NYU - WL
Northwestern - A (Maybe a little $)
Penn - A
BC - A with $$
BU - A with $$
Cornell - A with $$
Georgetown - A with $$
Michigan - A with $
UVA - A (Maybe a little $)
Wash U - A with $$

What law school you should attend is a product of a lot of factors, obviously, but there's a lot of truth to the maxim of "Go to the best law school you can get into." Post-grad employment prospects are, fairly or not, based in large part on the name on your diploma. Your LSAT is median at the lower T14 and much better anywhere below. Your GPA is higher than median everywhere. With your numbers, BC, BU and WashU are your safeties. Use them, plus toss Vandy/Texas/UCLA in the mix, to get scholarship offers.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Make sure to request fee waivers from schools. No harm in asking, and you could apply to a few more T20-T30 schools to fish for scholarship money.

[imchuckbass58]

Northwestern - A (Maybe a little $)

I generally agree with your post, but OP will be hard pressed to get into NU without work experience (not sure if he/she has any).

[rayiner]

You'll likely get several of MVPBDNCG and maybe one of CCN, and maybe S as well.

[vexion]

Thanks for all the quick replies.

To clarify: Nope, no work experience, I'll be right out of undergrad - so yes, that makes NW a stretch.

As far as adding Texas/USC/UCLA/Berkeley and the likes: I'm at school in California right now and know I want to head to Chicago or else the Northeast. Of course, if I pulled off a miracle I think I would consider Stanford ...I've been away from cold weather and seasons for too long, call me crazy. But, what you guys say about fishing for money might be reason enough to apply to some of these schools anyways.

Thanks again, it's really helpful.

Any of the T14 can easily get you a job in Chicago, obviously most especially UChicago and NU. You should still apply to NU, cause it's worth the app fee. And Richie Tenenbaum makes a great point about fee waivers. With your numbers you're likely to be given a lot anyway. I had a 3.79 and a 168 and was given fee waivers at places like Cornell, Duke, and a lot of lower ranked schools, without asking for them.

[thalassocrat]

I'll be surprised if you don't get a Priority Track invitation from Duke once the applications open up, and you should get fee waivers from a lot of those schools as people have been saying.

FWIW I have identical numbers (169 in one test though, but I doubt it'll matter) and you can see most of my results in my profile. Columbia I was held and withdrew when I deposited at Michigan. There were some people with our numbers who got into Columbia and Chicago, but I think they went to ivies for UG or had good softs. Pretty sure none of them were going straight through, too. Also UVA's offer was contingent upon me graduating from UG with a 3.85; I'm not sure about others with our numbers who applied while in college but it's something to keep in mind if you were hoping to slack a bit.

[BenJ]

The only additional school I would advise applying to is GWU. They never yield protect, give out a lot of fee waivers, and offer lots of huge scholarships. They're a great fall-back option for someone who should be guaranteed a T14 but is feeling antsy about it, especially given that you want the Northeast. (GWU is of course mostly geared towards DC, but it isn't totally impossible for GWU grads to break into the Northeastern markets if they try hard enough.)

Also, anecdotally, there are people with similar numbers to yours in at Chicago and NYU this year. Not many, but a few. Just be sure to apply immediately in early September and do the best to make your application shine.

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/thebachelorette/jd
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/ameliarose/jd
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/dwolf4/jd


Also, I'm sure some people have already advised this, but it can't hurt to take the LSAT one more time if you really want to guarantee your chances at a T6 or to improve scholarship offers. If you really are PTing well above a 169, then there must be some reason why your actual scores were considerably lower. Think about what's causing your block--nerves, lack of sleep, difficulty dealing with the time limit, etc.--and try to rectify it before the October LSAT (June is too soon). You can still apply in early September with your current LSAT and then get the October LSAT score to schools later on. (No one will reject or waitlist you until well after the October scores come out.)

[09042014]

Safeties are stupid. If you have a bad cycle try again. But if you'd consider attending some schools with large scholarships, then apply.

But apply to a school you'd only go to if your targets all reject to is a bad idea. You don't have to go to law school in 2011.

[harvardgurl4eva]

Serious post (my first!):

Would it be a good idea to ED Columbia with those numbers if you are not as debt adverse as the OP?