Top Law Schools

GPA: 2.34, LSAT: 170, Academic probation for a semester
Started a small business management consulting company sophomore year. Started an NGO (hopefully will become a charity) in May, 2010, will graduate from Carnegie Mellon May, 2011 with B.S. in Biology and Psychology-not a double major

I was wondering whether you guys think some of these schools are ones that I definitely shouldn't apply to (the application fee isn't really a factor for me, but if there is a school where there is pretty much no chance of me getting in (i.e. they have never accepted anyone below a GPA of 2.75 or whatever) then I would rather not throw money away. Also, from this list, do you think I'll at least get into one or a couple of the schools?

American U
Boston College
Boston U
UC Hastings (resident of CA)
Cardozo
U Denver Sturm College (fee waiver)
Fordham
George Washington
UIUC
Iowa (fee waiver)
Kentucky
Maryland
Miami (fee waiver)
U Minnesota (fee waiver)
Northeastern
Syracuse
U Virginia (fee waiver)
Wake Forest
W&L (fee waiver IIRC)
William and Mary (fee waiver)
Wisconsin

Thanks

Your results will be interesting due to your low GPA. My best guess is that several schools on your list will accept you due to your LSAT score, but will not be willing to invest merit money due to your shockingly low GPA (unless due to a disastrous freshman year followed by a substantial upward trend).

Syracuse will eat that LSAT up. I live near there though. Not really a nice city.

First of all, where do you want to work? Those schools are all over the place. Legal hiring is regional unless you attend a T14, and even then it's still regional to a degree.

In addition, some of those schools aren't worth considering, anyway, if you have a 170 and want a legal job: Syracuse and Miami come to mind. I've read some other Midwestern schools are splitter-friendly: Minnesota, Indiana, WashU (maybe).

Also, you would probably be served well to take some time off and get work experience considering your GPA. Common advice on TLS for people in your situation: get 2+ years of meaningful work experience, apply ED to Northwestern early in the cycle, enjoy Chicago.

atresia wrote:Also, you would probably be served well to take some time off and get work experience considering your GPA. Common advice on TLS for people in your situation: get 2+ years of meaningful work experience, apply ED to Northwestern early in the cycle, enjoy Chicago.

Thanks, definitely not something I'm ruling out, but I just figure-why not apply and see what happens. If I get into American or GW I'd be really happy. WRT the region-I almost feel like it doesn't matter. I'm fine with working in the location of all of those schools except for maybe 1 or 2.