Does Undergrad Matter? Forum

[jared6180]

I am in a situation where I have 2 law schools within 20 miles of my home, neither will probably offer the ability to move outside of the region to practice law after graduation, but given my family situation and some health concerns in the family I know in the next 10 years I will need to be closer to home. On one hand I have Washburn University, and on the other I have the University of Kansas. I would rather go to KU as they are ranked much higher than Washburn, and will cost about $1000-1500/yr less.

Washburn is local, and is a Tier 4 Law School according to the rankings I have seen, KU is a stronger Tier 2 school with obvious connections the the Kansas City Market in which I would like to work.

i think the real question is, when applying to KU Law, will an undergrad degree from KU be viewed more favorably than one from Washburn?

[2011Law]

no

/thread

[Knock]

I am in a situation where I have 2 law schools within 20 miles of my home, neither will probably offer the ability to move outside of the region to practice law after graduation, but given my family situation and some health concerns in the family I know in the next 10 years I will need to be closer to home. On one hand I have Washburn University, and on the other I have the University of Kansas. I would rather go to KU as they are ranked much higher than Washburn, and will cost about $1000-1500/yr less.

Washburn is local, and is a Tier 4 Law School according to the rankings I have seen, KU is a stronger Tier 2 school with obvious connections the the Kansas City Market in which I would like to work.

i think the real question is, when applying to KU Law, will an undergrad degree from KU be viewed more favorably than one from Washburn?

It won't matter for the most part. Maybe very, very, slightly, but nothing to base your decision on. Attend whatever undergrad you truly prefer (preferably one that minimizes cost), without worrying what affect it will have on law school applications.

[dr123]

Not particularly, might give you a tiny minisicule bump if you're a borderline candidate

[jared6180]

Because of some bad choices in my first 4 semesters, I am having to work my backside off to get my GPA up to the level it needs to be for KU, and I have a feeling I will be a bubble candidate, and wouldn't be surprised if I am waitlisted at first at KU, so ever advantage will help me.

[dr123]

fyi LSAT matters way way way more than gpa

[jared6180]

fyi LSAT matters way way way more than gpa

I know that, the practice test I took a month or so ago was my first, taken absolutely cold with no prep...ever, and got a 164 on it. I am sure that will improve.

[Tom Joad]

Well if you got a 164 cold, then after practice you should max out around 178 and be a strong applicant for Yale. Congrats.

[Emma1]

Ignore the above post but make sure you really prepare for the LSAT with actual former LSAT tests not made up questions as some test centers do. If you can afford a prep I would do so before the actual LSAT. It really helps. I think you get an edge by attending KC undergrad but you can also get in with the right LSAT score.

[redsoxfan2495]

Medians at KU are 158 and 3.46. If you really did get a 164 on your very first test it's very likely that you could work your way into the 170's. Unless your GPA is truly awful you should get in easily, possibly with significant scholarship money.

[BeachedBrit]

Some say no. I hypothesize that it may affect splitter candidates more. With that said there are a variety of reasons why this may appear to be the case without actually being so, most of which have been covered in similar threads.

[2014]

It would be a nice tiebreaker if they are considering you and someone else from a different school with otherwise identical profiles.
GPA is what is going to matter though so do the best you can. If you are still in High School, which seems plausible given your post, and looking at UGs in Kansas, your GPA will be higher at K-State, which also is more generous with scholarships and has cheaper COL and tuition. It isn't much further from Topeka either, if that is a consideration.

Btw, do NOT go to Washburn, KU is 1000% better of a choice. Washburn has no stronger ties to any market than KU, and Topeka blows compared to Lawrence.

[DeeCee]

no

[FiveSermon]

Did you go to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, or Princeton? If not no. If yes then maybe a little bit.

[Drake014]

fyi LSAT matters way way way more than gpa

Eh... really depends on your definition of way way more and what schools you apply to.

[unc0mm0n1]

fyi LSAT matters way way way more than gpa

Eh... really depends on your definition of way way more and what schools you apply to.

I love when you post in any thread just so I can see your tar. It is in my top three on TLS. I love TNG, and I could just imagine Picard saying that.