School List Thoughts Forum

[maxm2764]

Hey everyone, I'm just finalizing my app list and wanted to see if I'm aiming for the right schools. I'm Hispanic and my stats are a 158 LSAT with a 3.4 cumulative GPA (3.8 degree GPA). Here's the list I've narrowed it down to:

Baylor
University of Denver
DePaul
University of Houston
LSU
Loyola
University of Miami
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
Santa Clara
South Texas

I know my stats aren't astronomical but I think that these schools are in the general vicinity of where I should be applying. What are everyone's thoughts? Should I add more reaches/safeties? Thanks in advance.

[Marionberry]

I think you have a great shot at either Spring or Summer quarter at Baylor. Maybe not so much the fall, but possibly. I don't know how much of a boost they give to URM, and hispanic is kind of barely URM in Texas, from everything I've heard. Spring or summer quarter has its own benefits, too, as you are ranked by the people who started in the same quarter as you, so presumably since the stats are lower for spring and summer the competition should be less.

Houston might be iffy. It seems like I read somewhere that their median LSAT for the last cycle jumped up about 2 or 3 points to the area of 163-164. I'm not sure about that though.

South Texas should be for sure, and if you want to stay in Houston its really not a bad choice.

Anything on your list outside of Texas I know nothing about.

[maxm2764]

Yeah Im pretty sure that I want to stay in Houston so STCL is definitely a strong possibility. I hear you about U of H though, they're medians really jumped in the last cycle so it seems my shot there keeps getting worse. I'm not too sure about the out of state options either, but I'm very curious to what my chances are.

Thanks for the help though marrion. How's this cycle looking for you?

[Fresh]

.

Anything on your list outside of Texas I know nothing about.

If you're not worried about application fees, you should consider adding more reaches:
Florida, Florida St. come to mind.

And one or two high reaches:
Wash U, Emory

In terms of safety schools, I think you have plenty (unless you put together a bad application, so make sure you work hard on them!)

[Marionberry]

Eh, it's looking unpredictable. I'm a splitter, with what I feel is a pretty compelling addendum and solid work experience. Before someone jumps in and tells me that my softs don't matter, I don't expect them to help me anywhere that I'm not at or above the 75th percentile for the LSAT.

But, I'm hitting up Texas schools with the exception of SMU, which I don't really have much interest in. Also some of the lower T14. I'm looking at Baylor and U of H as my safeties, with U of H probably being the first choice out of those two. The big issue is going to be if I can get my s/o to transfer her job to Houston if I decide to do that.

I haven't visited any campuses yet, have you been to U of H's law school? I'm gonna take a trip down there sometime this fall, hoping that the campus is relatively nice, even if it is in the heart of "tha tre".

[maxm2764]

Thanks for your reply fresh, maybe I will add those few schools you mentioned. Why not right?

Marrion, I actually took a summe pre-law program at u of h two summers ago and while the campus isn't exactly the best, I would say that the school itself definitely feels like it fosters learning. I dint really know how to explain it but that was the general vibe I got for that month or so I was there. Also, I think softs are important just undervalued on TLS.

Good luck though, I'll keep my eyes open during this cycle to see how yours is going.

[beachbum]

Hell, add Davis and Hastings to that list (since you seem to be looking at CA schools). URM cycles are always unpredictable; it would be worth it to send a few more apps to reach schools.

[maxm2764]

Hell, add Davis and Hastings to that list (since you seem to be looking at CA schools). URM cycles are always unpredictable; it would be worth it to send a few more apps to reach schools.

I am applying to a bunch of CA schools, so might as well I guess. The worse they can do is say no.

It would be pretty damn cool do somehow slide into Davis or Hastings. Thanks for the suggestions everyone, if there are anymore please send them my way.

[nealric]

That looks like a list that was mostly compiled based on admissions criteria. I think that's a mistake.

Law schools outside the very top are regional and primarily place regionally. It makes no sense to go to California unless you really want to spend most of your career in California.

How many times have you taken the LSAT? If the number is less than 3, sign up for October. You have nothing to lose.

[maxm2764]

A mistake in what sense? Not trying to be argumentative, I'm just curious as to what you mean.

I would love to end up in California but I'd also like to stay in Houston, so I'm kind of torn.

I've only taken the LSAT once and I get the retake argument but I honestly feel like there isn't much more I can do studying-wise. I took over 25 PT's, reviewed my mistakes, took a Princeton Review course, went through LR/LG bibles, blah blah blah blah. I know my score may seem to suggest otherwise but I don't know what more I could do. Now that I'm off my soap box what should I do to correct my mistakes in my list?

Not trying to be defensive here, really, thank you for your advice maybe it'll help me to apply to more realistic/different schools.

[nealric]

I know my score may seem to suggest otherwise but I don't know what more I could do.

Even a few points can make a big difference in admissions. You've clearly studied enough, but who knows? You could guess a little better the next time around. It can't hurt- you shouldn't even need to really study any more.

[beachbum]

A mistake in what sense? Not trying to be argumentative, I'm just curious as to what you mean.

I would love to end up in California but I'd also like to stay in Houston, so I'm kind of torn.

I've only taken the LSAT once and I get the retake argument but I honestly feel like there isn't much more I can do studying-wise. I took over 25 PT's, reviewed my mistakes, took a Princeton Review course, went through LR/LG bibles, blah blah blah blah. I know my score may seem to suggest otherwise but I don't know what more I could do. Now that I'm off my soap box what should I do to correct my mistakes in my list?

Not trying to be defensive here, really, thank you for your advice maybe it'll help me to apply to more realistic/different schools.

All the schools you're looking at (including Davis and Hastings) are regional and place pretty exclusively into their respective areas. If you don't see yourself practicing in a given region for the foreseeable future, don't apply to school there (unless you're applying with an eye towards scholarship negotiations with other schools).

Retaking the LSAT might also be worth your while. If possible, identify your weak spots and work to improve them. A few more points could go a long way.

[maxm2764]

Ah, now I know what you mean.

I'll probably end up in Texas/Houston anyway but I think it's still worth while to apply to a bunch of places I wouldn't mind practicing. Although, California is kind of in the shitter right now so maybe that's not the best place to live/go to school.

[sophia.olive]

Eh, it's looking unpredictable. I'm a splitter, with what I feel is a pretty compelling addendum and solid work experience. Before someone jumps in and tells me that my softs don't matter, I don't expect them to help me anywhere that I'm not at or above the 75th percentile for the LSAT.

But, I'm hitting up Texas schools with the exception of SMU, which I don't really have much interest in. Also some of the lower T14. I'm looking at Baylor and U of H as my safeties, with U of H probably being the first choice out of those two. The big issue is going to be if I can get my s/o to transfer her job to Houston if I decide to do that.

I haven't visited any campuses yet, have you been to U of H's law school? I'm gonna take a trip down there sometime this fall, hoping that the campus is relatively nice, even if it is in the heart of "tha tre".

Are you a urm

[Marionberry]

nope

[sophia.olive]

Ah, now I know what you mean.

I'll probably end up in Texas/Houston anyway but I think it's still worth while to apply to a bunch of places I wouldn't mind practicing. Although, California is kind of in the shitter right now so maybe that's not the best place to live/go to school.

Can you ED to houston?
Isnt houston around 20-30 thousand in state?
It seems like the second best option for you. The first being RETAKE.

[maxm2764]

Yeah I can ED to Houston, which I am planning on doing.

[sophia.olive]

Yeah SMU creeps me out.......
Baylor also.....
I think houston has a great market.

[maxm2764]

Haha, I'm with you on that previous comment but for different reasons.

SMU is in Dallas and Dallas blows. Baylor is in Waco and Waco is Waco. Houston is hot and kind of dirty but it does have a huge legal market.