Top Law Schools

Hey, all. This is my first post.

I'm just curious if my current university, Cal State Northridge, will be a negative factor when I apply to Hastings, Gould, and UCLA. I currently have a 3.5, and I'm in the first semester of my junior year. I've got a definite upward grade trend, so I anticipate a 3.6-3.7 LSDAS GPA upon graduation.

It's hard to really offer me much advice because I haven't taken the LSAT. However, if I'm averaging 162 after only three practice tests and no prep classes/books yet, do you think an average GPA from a Tier 3, vocational-track school, would hurt my chances? I'm wondering if I should transfer to USC (I'll have ~$25k debt), where I was admitted this spring, because it may increase my chances of acceptance to Hastings, Gould, and UCLA.

Is it true that law schools will consider prestige of a university only after LSAT and GPA are considered? Is prestige for the three mentioned weighted really heavily? I'm not applying to HYPS or anything...hmm.

Thanks.

Side note- I've been on the board of directors for an ACLU chapter for a year and a half now. I've also interned at an LGBT legal organization. Doubt these two matter too much, though.

I doubt it will change anything at UCH, UCLA, or USC. Focus on getting as high an LSAT as you can and acing your remaining classes.

Hastings student here. School doesn't matter. You need a 164. Go get it.

Awesome. Thanks so much, guys! To beanie: where do most Hastings students come from, anyway? Do you see a wide range, from private elites to wherethehellisthat?

USC posts their UG representation here:
Berkeley 28
UCLA 28
USC 23
UCSB 10
UCI 9
UCSD 6
UCD 3
UCR 1
Cal Poly SLO 1
Cal Poly Pomona 1
SDSU 1

EDIT: Looks like they only have 3 CSU students in their class of 220, and all 3 are stronger than CSUN.

Gahhh!! Maybe I should transfer...

poogus wrote:Gahhh!! Maybe I should transfer...

No, it doesn't matter for your admissions chances, that's a million other reasons why Hastings is UC dominated.

im_blue wrote:USC posts their UG representation here:
Berkeley 28
UCLA 28
USC 23
UCSB 10
UCI 9
UCSD 6
UCD 3
UCR 1
Cal Poly SLO 1
Cal Poly Pomona 1
SDSU 1

EDIT: Looks like they only have 3 CSU students in their class of 220, and all 3 are stronger than CSUN.

This is probably self-selection due to the differences between students who go to CSU's and those that go to UC's. I would expect across the board UC students go to law school far more than CSU students and that USC is merely reflecting that trend, not showing a bias towards one of them in particular.

Don't transfer in hopes that it will help you get into law school.

You do not have to transfer. You have to worry about grades and the LSAT, that is all that you have to concern yourself with.

flyingpanda wrote:

poogus wrote:Gahhh!! Maybe I should transfer...

No, it doesn't matter for your admissions chances, that's a million other reasons why Hastings is UC dominated.

Because kids are going to the UCs for undergrad and then just sticking with it?

poogus wrote:

flyingpanda wrote:

poogus wrote:Gahhh!! Maybe I should transfer...

No, it doesn't matter for your admissions chances, that's a million other reasons why Hastings is UC dominated.

Because kids are going to the UCs for undergrad and then just sticking with it?

Yes or maybe more people from UCs go to law school in general. It won't affect your admissions chances at all.

I see. Makes sense, thank you. I guess that means another year of braving the CSU. Yikes!

I think I'm going to have a canned answer to these questions from now on.

Do/did you go to an Ivy League Undergrad? Do you go to Stanford, MIT, Caltech or Berkeley? Did you go to school online? Are you applying to your own university's law school? If the answer is no to all* of these questions, it doesn't matter where you went to school.

Hannibal wrote:I think I'm going to have a canned answer to these questions from now on.

Do/did you go to an Ivy League Undergrad? Do you go to Stanford, MIT, Caltech or Berkeley? Did you go to school online? Are you applying to your own university's law school? If the answer is no to any of these questions, it doesn't matter where you went to school.

Well, the thing is that if I transfer to USC, I would be applying to my own school's law school. And I'd love to be at USC's law school.

do UG's even have tiers.

I went to a pretty TTT state school and still got into Hastings

as someone said you need about a 164, and you should try to be averaging well above your target score before test day

poogus wrote:

Hannibal wrote:I think I'm going to have a canned answer to these questions from now on.

Do/did you go to an Ivy League Undergrad? Do you go to Stanford, MIT, Caltech or Berkeley? Did you go to school online? Are you applying to your own university's law school? If the answer is no to any of these questions, it doesn't matter where you went to school.

Well, the thing is that if I transfer to USC, I would be applying to my own school's law school. And I'd love to be at USC's law school.

For what it's worth, I've heard that Gould doesnt give a boost to its own students. Take it for what it's worth.

speedyj88 wrote:

poogus wrote:

Hannibal wrote:I think I'm going to have a canned answer to these questions from now on.

Do/did you go to an Ivy League Undergrad? Do you go to Stanford, MIT, Caltech or Berkeley? Did you go to school online? Are you applying to your own university's law school? If the answer is no to any of these questions, it doesn't matter where you went to school.

Well, the thing is that if I transfer to USC, I would be applying to my own school's law school. And I'd love to be at USC's law school.

For what it's worth, I've heard that Gould doesnt give a boost to its own students. Take it for what it's worth.

I've actually heard the opposite, that the median GPA for accepted USC grads was around 3.2. I found it hard to believe, but it might be worth your while to do a little research to see if it is actually true.

im_blue wrote:USC posts their UG representation here:
Berkeley 28
UCLA 28
USC 23
UCSB 10
UCI 9
UCSD 6
UCD 3
UCR 1
Cal Poly SLO 1
Cal Poly Pomona 1
SDSU 1

EDIT: Looks like they only have 3 CSU students in their class of 220, and all 3 are stronger than CSUN.

Calpoly SLO (not pamona) is far better than many of the UC's. In fact, the only UCs that beat it is UCLA UC Berkeley and UCSD. Not many Calpoly slo student go to law school as it is a science school. many med students though

theredman100 wrote:

im_blue wrote:USC posts their UG representation here:
Berkeley 28
UCLA 28
USC 23
UCSB 10
UCI 9
UCSD 6
UCD 3
UCR 1
Cal Poly SLO 1
Cal Poly Pomona 1
SDSU 1

EDIT: Looks like they only have 3 CSU students in their class of 220, and all 3 are stronger than CSUN.

Calpoly SLO (not pamona) is far better than many of the UC's. In fact, the only UCs that beat it is UCLA UC Berkeley and UCSD. Not many Calpoly slo student go to law school as it is a science school. many med students though

I assume you mean at their specialties. Even then, hahahahhaa.

poogus wrote:

flyingpanda wrote:

poogus wrote:Gahhh!! Maybe I should transfer...

No, it doesn't matter for your admissions chances, that's a million other reasons why Hastings is UC dominated.

Because kids are going to the UCs for undergrad and then just sticking with it?

Because the number of UC kids with LSAT scores good enough for Hastings is far, far greater than the number of CSU kids with those LSAT scores. There are very few students at CSU (outside SLO and Pomona, probably) who can do well on the LSAT.

Hannibal wrote:

theredman100 wrote: Calpoly SLO (not pamona) is far better than many of the UC's. In fact, the only UCs that beat it is UCLA UC Berkeley and UCSD. Not many Calpoly slo student go to law school as it is a science school. many med students though

I assume you mean at their specialties. Even then, hahahahhaa.

I agree with Hannibal-Cal Poly SLO is by far the best CSU and is probably better than many of the UCs, although I would include Santa Barbara and Davis in Hannibal's list. Most people don't even know it's part of the CSU system, so it avoids the CSU stigma.

The hassle of transferring just for the sake of an increased application shot is not worth it in my opinion. Save yourself the 40 grand in tuition/etc cost for a year at USC, and get a decent LSAT. If you can get in the high 160s then you'll be in good shape for UCLA and USC.

PS: High 160's from a seriously-timed PT of low 160s after just a few practice tests is DEFINATELY doable, so if you just set aside the time to work on the LSAT (3-4 months of serious study) I can practically guarantee you'll hit those numbers for those schools by the test date.