Columbia ED Question Forum

[RAM387]

Hello, I just received my LSAT score and did slightly better than I expected (173), however my GPA is not great (3.62 but at a top 30 school with a double major while working, etc.). My softs are decent but nothing spectacular, and I'm not a URM. I REALLY want to attend Columbia but not necessarily at the expense of missing out on all of the top ten. Should I go for Columbia ED or shoot a little lower with Penn or UVA, my next choices? I just don't know how much Columbia ED helps. Any responses would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[smokeylarue]

If you're not afraid of taking on lots of debt/your parents are paying for school, throw in the ED app. But you would probably get a little money from some of the lower T14 schools.

[jayellesse]

I had almost your exact numbers and I ED'd to CLS (and got in - I'll graduate in 2013). I think the ED application made a difference since my GPA was slightly lower and I'm not sure how I would've done as a regular decision candidate. I also had significant work experience (5+ years) which I think probably helped.
I didn't get any financial assistance from CLS but I sort of expected that going in. For me, being in NYC was a priority, both during school and after graduation. I'd suggest thinking about what markets you might eventually want to practice in - if you want to live and work in Chicago, I wouldn't waste an ED on CLS. Feel free to PM me if you'd like to talk about it further!
Good luck!

[theadvancededit]

I REALLY want to attend Columbia but not necessarily at the expense of missing out on all of the top ten.

If missing out on other t10 schools is an issue, then maybe ED'ing may not be the best for you.