Is a strong LSAT (172) a good enough asset? Forum

[halfwaygone]

The GPA/LSAT calculators have told me I will have a decent shot at many good schools, I'm guessing because of my LSAT, but they don't take into account many of my weaknesses, so I just wonder...

Trying to narrow down where to apply for law school next year. The basic is I scored a 172 on the LSAT. That is the biggest thing I have going for me, by far. My GPA was kind of meh -- 3.65 in English: Writing at a state school in Florida, decent extracurriculars (all related and tied to writing, several Editor positions) -- with a graduate certificate in Education (not a degree; just a 15 credit certificate that got me state-certified) that has a 3.87.

My worry: I'll be 26 and will have lived abroad 2 years. My employment history was spotty for 2 years in Florida (3 marketing jobs, all quit within the 2 years, then some time off during grad school), then steady for 2 years, teaching overseas at the same school the whole time. I do sincerely want to go to law school, and it was always a goal of mine. I just never had the guts until I'd lived overseas. My PS is about my time here, mainly. I have 1 letter of recommendation from a Professor (graduate school), and 1 from my boss overseas. I have another one I can get from a friend (and former client) if needbe, but that seems to peer-like. If I really need a 3rd, I'll have to, though. I just don't have any other recent academics, and while my old employer from a restaurant remembers and likes me, my marketing jobs were too short-lived. I have an addendum statement of 4 sentences to address the "3 jobs, 2 years" issue.

I know either way, I'm not going to Harvard with my GPA, but other than T3, the calcs don't rule anything out (and even give Stanford a Weak Consider). Still, I don't want to apply too out of my league. How much do schools care about "other factors" beyond GPA/LSAT?

[Grizz]

Mainly just GPA and LSAT. Don't worry too much.

[Jacktone]

The GPA/LSAT calculators have told me I will have a decent shot at many good schools, I'm guessing because of my LSAT, but they don't take into account many of my weaknesses, so I just wonder...

Trying to narrow down where to apply for law school next year. The basic is I scored a 172 on the LSAT. That is the biggest thing I have going for me, by far. My GPA was kind of meh -- 3.65 in English: Writing at a state school in Florida, decent extracurriculars (all related and tied to writing, several Editor positions) -- with a graduate certificate in Education (not a degree; just a 15 credit certificate that got me state-certified) that has a 3.87.

My worry: I'll be 26 and will have lived abroad 2 years. My employment history was spotty for 2 years in Florida (3 marketing jobs, all quit within the 2 years, then some time off during grad school), then steady for 2 years, teaching overseas at the same school the whole time. I do sincerely want to go to law school, and it was always a goal of mine. I just never had the guts until I'd lived overseas. My PS is about my time here, mainly. I have 1 letter of recommendation from a Professor (graduate school), and 1 from my boss overseas. I have another one I can get from a friend (and former client) if needbe, but that seems to peer-like. If I really need a 3rd, I'll have to, though. I just don't have any other recent academics, and while my old employer from a restaurant remembers and likes me, my marketing jobs were too short-lived. I have an addendum statement of 4 sentences to address the "3 jobs, 2 years" issue.

I know either way, I'm not going to Harvard with my GPA, but other than T3, the calcs don't rule anything out (and even give Stanford a Weak Consider). Still, I don't want to apply too out of my league. How much do schools care about "other factors" beyond GPA/LSAT?

Law schools care very little about other factors. You will probably be accepted at a T10 and have a shot at T6.

[d34d9823]

How much do schools care about "other factors" beyond GPA/LSAT?

Very little. They're more like hoops you have to jump through to show you're a normal, responsible person.

[toolshed]

You should be fine.

[Dany]

I predict - and I think other posters will as well - that your cycle will go as your numbers predict it will. Your softs are neither great nor bad, and as long as your PS is good, a 172/3.65 will get you into plenty of T14 schools. Definitely apply to CCN, one or more of them may bite, and I think you will get several T7-14 acceptances as well. Congrats on the great LSAT score, your softs will not adversely affect your application process at all (in my opinion.)

[tru]

.

[halfwaygone]

Wow, really good to hear. Thanks! I was so focused in college, and I'm so bothered by those 2 years of basically just floundering around, before I came to work abroad, so I guess I see them as a HUGE BIG DEAL that will follow me forever. Nice to know the schools mostly care about the numbers.

[BenJ]

172/3.65 is plenty good enough for Michigan, Virginia or Penn, a chance at Columbia, Chicago or NYU, and money at lower T14s. You're fine. Apply ED to one of CCN (your favorite of them) and blanket the rest of the T14 (save Berkeley and HYS; Berkeley is obsessed with GPA, while HYS would need very strong softs to dip to a 3.65 regardless of LSAT).

[toolshed]

Wow, really good to hear. Thanks! I was so focused in college, and I'm so bothered by those 2 years of basically just floundering around, before I came to work abroad, so I guess I see them as a HUGE BIG DEAL that will follow me forever. Nice to know the schools mostly care about the numbers.

First time I have ever read this statement on TLS.

[d34d9823]

Wow, really good to hear. Thanks! I was so focused in college, and I'm so bothered by those 2 years of basically just floundering around, before I came to work abroad, so I guess I see them as a HUGE BIG DEAL that will follow me forever. Nice to know the schools mostly care about the numbers.

First time I have ever read this statement on TLS.

Gonna put a wild theory out there and say that whether you think schools should care about the numbers depends on whether you have the numbers or not.

[tinman]

172/3.65 is plenty good enough for Michigan, Virginia or Penn, a chance at Columbia, Chicago or NYU, and money at lower T14s. You're fine. Apply ED to one of CCN (your favorite of them) and blanket the rest of the T14 (save Berkeley and HYS; Berkeley is obsessed with GPA, while HYS would need very strong softs to dip to a 3.65 regardless of LSAT).

I'd say this advice is spot on.

Really, no one will care about those two years of floundering. I bet they will not even notice. And those two years abroad are a decent soft.

Perhaps you don't want to list all those jobs that you quit. Perhaps list the one that you worked out the longest or that sounded the best.

[ohmy212]

172/3.65 is plenty good enough for Michigan, Virginia or Penn, a chance at Columbia, Chicago or NYU, and money at lower T14s. You're fine. Apply ED to one of CCN (your favorite of them) and blanket the rest of the T14 (save Berkeley and HYS; Berkeley is obsessed with GPA, while HYS would need very strong softs to dip to a 3.65 regardless of LSAT).

I think you could get money at Michigan. Also, you ought to get a second academic recomendation. Just my 2 cents.

Don't worry - you'll get in somewhere great.

Good luck!

[halfwaygone]

I think you could get money at Michigan. Also, you ought to get a second academic recomendation. Just my 2 cents.

Don't worry - you'll get in somewhere great.

Good luck!

I'd love to have a 2nd academic recommendation, but I only took 2 classes (both with the same professor) "live" for my graduate certificate. The other classes were mostly online. While I was really active in them and got 'A's, that was also over a year ago now, and they never met me. Odds are they don't know who I am. As far as UG, I graduated in December 2006. So, I'm almost four years out.

[clintonius]

I'd just chime in to recommend that you not include that employment addendum you mentioned. Three jobs in two years doesn't seem highly unusual, and I wouldn't make a bigger deal out of it than it is.

Perhaps somebody can speak with more authority than I on whether EDing at one of CCN will increase your chances. Your numbers are solid -- congrats.

[yeff]

The law school application process is actually quite nicely tailored to people who may have floundered for a while, but have solid numbers. Enjoy!

[halfwaygone]

I guess I won't write the addendum in, if it doesn't seem necessary to anyone.

The law school application process is actually quite nicely tailored to people who may have floundered for a while, but have solid numbers. Enjoy!

Cool. In a way, I thought that, but I totally thought it was a trap. Like it would look like "I have no idea what I'm doing so I'll just go to law school" which actually isn't true. I do know NOW, and have thought about it for over a year. That 172 was the result of working my bum off, spending hundreds of hours practicing for that test.

Thanks to everyone who's been a great help so far! Any thoughts are entirely welcome.

[dutchstriker]

My most extensive work experience is in pizza delivery. I am headed to Yale. QED.