Top Law Schools

So I've been going back and forth for quite awhile as to whether or not I should bother to throw an app to Yale. As you can tell, my LSAT is solid, but I'm lacking in the GPA department. LSP gives me a deny, though it does put my index "at/above" 35% of the class, which doesn't sound *that* horrible. Softs are decent (a master's in a relevant field, a couple minor publications, and a bit of work experience), but I haven't exactly cured cancer.

To complicate matters, my fiance has applied to Yale's PhD program (and several other schools where I've also applied). To be honest, it's very unlikely he'll get in at Yale, but if he did I would feel pretty bad about not even trying!

In any case, I was hoping to hear back from Harvard first to get a sense as to whether or not it's worth my time/money (neither of which I have much of), but I haven't yet, and the Yale deadline is tomorrow...

Before anyone jumps on me that it's too late in the cycle, keep in mind that Yale operates somewhat differently, so applications there are not as time-sensitive. Still, I feel like applying on the second to last day could seem a bit slacker-ish - and although I've started my 250, I'm not sure I'd have the time to make it really stellar...

...thoughts?

PS - if it's helpful at all, I'm currently on hold at Columbia, and have been accepted to NYU and Duke. Still waiting to hear back from Harvard, Chicago, Michigan, Penn, Virginia, Northwestern, Cornell, Georgetown.

send it in... you may hear good things, you may get dinged. however, you wont know unless you try

gpa is too low.. and though I feel the softs are impressive they aren't that strong for Yale.. I'd do it anyway so I'd never have to wonder.. hopefully youll be able come back here and tell me how wrong I was.. good luck

If you don't mind paying the app fee, why not? You'll never know unless you try, right? I for one, knew I stood pretty much a 0% chance, if you're even considering it, just go for it! Good luck!

The cost of the app compared to the benefit you get if you get accepted makes this a no-brainer; send it in, dude. If this was poker, you'd be getting like 10,000-1 pot odds here.

And LSP is a nice tool, but don't take it as gospel. FWIW, I was a deny at Penn and got accepted. Not exactly Yale, but still.

Good luck.

No question. Send it in. The application fee is a damn good investment on possibly being set for life.

FeelTheHeat wrote:No question. Send it in. The application fee is a damn good investment on possibly being set for life.

QF anti-Cooley ranking trolling.

Alright, I'll suck it up and get on this 250... thanks for the advice, all!

Might as well.

Upton Sinclair wrote:The cost of the app compared to the benefit you get if you get accepted makes this a no-brainer; send it in, dude. If this was poker, you'd be getting like 10,000-1 pot odds here.

And LSP is a nice tool, but don't take it as gospel. FWIW, I was a deny at Penn and got accepted. Not exactly Yale, but still.

Good luck.

+1

got a waitlist from GULC even tho it says admit -_- (yp i hope)

I'm debating this too with a 3.5/177, but I went to Yale undergrad and think that could make my low GPA seem even worse since almost everyone from Yale applies to YLS. Have one more day to decide...

I always thought HYPS undergrad improved your odds at HYS. Send it in.

acadec wrote:I always thought HYPS undergrad improved your odds at HYS. Send it in.

P?

Upton Sinclair wrote:

acadec wrote:I always thought HYPS undergrad improved your odds at HYS. Send it in.

P?

Princeton

amorfati wrote:So I've been going back and forth for quite awhile as to whether or not I should bother to throw an app to Yale. As you can tell, my LSAT is solid, but I'm lacking in the GPA department. LSP gives me a deny, though it does put my index "at/above" 35% of the class, which doesn't sound *that* horrible. Softs are decent (a master's in a relevant field, a couple minor publications, and a bit of work experience), but I haven't exactly cured cancer.

To complicate matters, my fiance has applied to Yale's PhD program (and several other schools where I've also applied). To be honest, it's very unlikely he'll get in at Yale, but if he did I would feel pretty bad about not even trying!

In any case, I was hoping to hear back from Harvard first to get a sense as to whether or not it's worth my time/money (neither of which I have much of), but I haven't yet, and the Yale deadline is tomorrow...

Before anyone jumps on me that it's too late in the cycle, keep in mind that Yale operates somewhat differently, so applications there are not as time-sensitive. Still, I feel like applying on the second to last day could seem a bit slacker-ish - and although I've started my 250, I'm not sure I'd have the time to make it really stellar...

...thoughts?

Bother. Worst case you get to berate them in the ding bar later. Best case, we get to berate you in jealous rage.

As apparently the only person here who values money.. I say dont bother. You dont have much of a hope and you said you dont have the cash to burn.

The 3.6/176 and 3.5/177 are not getting into Y/S; GPAs too low. Nor Harvard; The 3.5 needs a 3.6 at least, and the 3.6 needs to be a 3.7-3.8 with those LSATs for Harvard to work.

You should both enjoy Columbia and pick up some scholly.

tkgrrett wrote:As apparently the only person here who values money.. I say dont bother. You dont have much of a hope and you said you dont have the cash to burn.

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.

You both should apply.

OP: play up your MA and your publications, work that into a narrative about a specific legal academic topic that you want to study. Hope that your LSAT gets you into faculty review and that an academic is interested in said topic.

Yale UG: Your GPA is probably too low and it'll be an uphill battle, but your LSAT might be high enough to put you into faculty review and YLS does demonstrably go easier on Yale undergrad students. Your odds will go up if you can get a LOR from somebody with buddies in the law school.

EDIT: Yale also seems to be having a strange cycle this year - there are relatively few admits on the facebook page and they just extended their deadline. So the class is still fairly open.

amorfati wrote:PS - if it's helpful at all, I'm currently on hold at Columbia, and have been accepted to NYU and Duke. Still waiting to hear back from Harvard, Chicago, Michigan, Penn, Virginia, Northwestern, Cornell, Georgetown.

Harvard is a ding, but you should get into all the rest, with scholarships. I would say you have less than a 5% shot at Yale, despite what LSP says. Doesn't hurt to apply, but if you want the odds, there they are.

lolschool2011 wrote:

tkgrrett wrote:As apparently the only person here who values money.. I say dont bother. You dont have much of a hope and you said you dont have the cash to burn.

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.

Be careful.

It is always a silly thing to give advice, but to give good advice is fatal.

whitman wrote:

lolschool2011 wrote:

tkgrrett wrote:As apparently the only person here who values money.. I say dont bother. You dont have much of a hope and you said you dont have the cash to burn.

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.

Be careful.

It is always a silly thing to give advice, but to give good advice is fatal.

Well then...

Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.

don't bother

If you went to an elite undergrad school (HYSP), ask your career center for their stats on alumni entering law school. You will see that there are students with slightly lower stats getting in to places others wouldn't. 3.6 from Yale is a 3.7+ anywhere else.

Bother.