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nervous applicant
Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:39 pm
by lawschool12345
i am wondering if anyone can share any advice about where i should apply, i have a 3.65 ugpa and 158 on the lsat, i know most will tell me to retake but ive done this test twice with the same score, even while my practice tests were in the mid 160's something about the test kills me. Any advice is huge
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:48 pm
by androstan
lawschool12345 wrote:i am wondering if anyone can share any advice about where i should apply, i have a 3.65 ugpa and 158 on the lsat, i know most will tell me to retake but ive done this test twice with the same score, even while my practice tests were in the mid 160's something about the test kills me. Any advice is huge
Seriously, retake.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:55 pm
by lawschool12345
at this point retaking would be pointless anyway, im planning to start law school right after i graduate, and i graduate in may
if i take in february it would be way to late to get in any universities that i really am aiming for i.e. gw, fordham
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:58 pm
by YankeesFan
WIth those numbers, unless you are a URM, you are most likely out at GW and fordham. I would look at Cardozo PT, Brooklyn, St. Johns and Hofstra for NY and American PT, Mason PT and Catholic for DC
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:06 am
by lawschool12345
thanks yankees, i applied to fordham and gw as pt so maybe i might get a shot but who knows, i already got into hofstra with a 30k scholarship
what would be the job prospects with american in dc with georgetown and gw there?
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:09 am
by YankeesFan
Obviously DC is a big market with a lot of lawyers coming from around the country so there will be competition, especially from higher ranked schools in the area (GW, GT, Mason, WM, WL). But American places a heavy emphasis on international law and public interest and has a stellar reputation for both (placing strongly in the NGOs and State Dept.). That being said I wouldnt go in hoping for Biglaw, but with a little legwork and good grades you should be fine.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:10 am
by lawschool12345
would i have a serious chance at american if i apply?
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:14 am
by YankeesFan
They generally WL staring at 160 or so, but if you did ED you should have a fighting chance. ED PT and I would say you should get in, but I honestly dont know if ED will get you in FT (ive never really seen numbers for FT ED admits).
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:16 am
by EricBerry
3.0, 160 here. My PT average was between 163 and 164. Had I hit my average, I'd have a chance at my favorites (UTenn and Wake), but I decided to settle for 160 after my second try. Taking another year off for the chance that I'd reach my potential on my last try just wasn't very appealing to me. So far, I'm happy with my decision and I've gotten accepted at several schools that I'd be comfortable attending. There are some schools out there that are decent options for people at our level numbers-wise. I wanted to work in the southeast or midwest (somewhat close to my hometown), so I applied to schools that place decently in areas that I'd like to work. For example, South Carolina for Columbia, Greenville, and Charleston. Ole Miss for Mississippi and West Tennessee. Memphis for West and Middle Tennessee. Missouri for St. Louis and KC. Etc. A lot of it depends on your career aspirations and ideal location. If you give me a little more info, I can probably give you some specific suggestions.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:16 am
by lawschool12345
thank you, im also considering schools in ny and nj
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:19 am
by lawschool12345
thanks eric, appreciate it, i am looking to get into corporate law and im looking to get employment mainly in the northeast focusing on new york new jersey philly, or some cities in connecticut
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:22 am
by YankeesFan
I would add UConn, Villanova, Seton Hall and RU-N to your list.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:23 am
by EricBerry
If I were in your position, I'd probably be pushing hard for a school like Maryland's PT program. Also, UConn and the Rutgers. Most of the other schools that you'd be looking at in those regions (Cardozo, American, etc.) have a lot of competition and absurd tuition/COL.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:24 am
by lawschool12345
ive applied to seton hall and ru-n already but according to the lsn and the calculators bs my chances at uconn or nova dont seem good
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:27 am
by pbutta123
Does it have to be east coast?
West Coast has some great programs that might be competitive for you...usd, santa clara, loyola, usf, pepperdine, & with your fingers supertightly crossed uc hastings
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:27 am
by EricBerry
lawschool12345 wrote:ive applied to seton hall and ru-n already but according to the lsn and the calculators bs my chances at uconn or nova dont seem good
You're definitely not so far out of their ranges that it would be worthless to apply. Add Temple too.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:28 am
by lawschool12345
i dont know how comfortable i would be on the west coast that is why im hesitant about applying to any schools out there
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:30 am
by pbutta123
Have you visited? Apply for fee waivers. Visit! It couldnt hurt and there will be a drop in ticket prices after holiday season!
I live in Cali and its great here.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:31 am
by Ford Prefect
FWIW, I was waitlisted last year at nova with a 158/3.06.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:36 am
by lawschool12345
ive only been to san diego, but being someone from nyc the culture change was way too much for me to really get used to in my time there
and did you end up getting off the waitlist?
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:40 am
by EricBerry
Temple seems like a really good fit for you. You're above 75th GPA and at 25th LSAT. I'd say you have a good shot.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:40 am
by Ford Prefect
I withdrew in mid-June. Decided to wait and retest. Now I'm waiting for my December score.
I applied almost on the last day they accepted, though, so that might have hurt me. I would definitely throw an app at them with your GPA if you are thinking about going.
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:45 am
by lawschool12345
it sucks because my gpa is relatively high for most schools i am looking into, its just the 158 that is killing me, and its jsut the test that really hurts me because when i took timed tests at home i scored much better
any other schools i should look into
thank you all btw, means a lot
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:54 am
by YankeesFan
quinnipiac if you really need a scholarship to attend (otherwise dont even bother applying), if you want boston, suffolk and northeastern and might as well add NYLS to round out NYC,
Re: nervous applicant
Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:56 am
by EricBerry
lawschool12345 wrote:that really hurts me because when i took timed tests at home i scored much better
Same here. From the movie "Waking Life":
"It’s like there’s this whole telepathic thing going on that we’re all a part of, whether we’re conscious of it or not. That would explain why there are all these seemingly spontaneous worldwide innovative leaps in science and the arts, you know, like the same results popping up everywhere independent of each other. Some guy on a computer figures something out, and then almost simultaneously a bunch of other people all over the world figure out the same thing. They did this study where they isolated a group of people over time, you know, and monitored their abilities at crossword puzzles in relation to the general population, and they secretly gave them a day-old crossword, one that had already been answered by thousands of other people, and their scores went up dramatically. Like 20%. So it’s like once the answers are out there, people can pick up on them. Like we’re all telepathically sharing our experiences."
Interesting stuff. Could explain the drop in results from practice tests lol. At least that what I tell myself.