Score and schools to go into academia Forum

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 12:16 pm

Hi All,

As you can see, I am new to this forum, but I have been a long time lurker and I am hoping that someone can answer a few of the questions that I haven't been able to find answers to. I graduated UG in December and I am currently working at a hospital. I finished with a lousy 3.4 GPA because my last semester was a 2.96. I took a diagnostic LSAT in October and scored a 156 and I have since been studying about three hours a day for the June test. I studied about an hour during my lunch break and about two hours when I get home from work. What score would I realistically need to score to gain admission into the T-14 schools with my GPA, and assuming a well put together admissions package?

Also, I would like to practice in an area related to sports law, but my final goal is to become a law professor. That would really be my dream, but I do understand the difficulty in becoming a professor. Are there any schools in particular that I should be interested in if I want to go into academia? What LSAT score would be needed for said schools also? I am working on having all my material sent out the first day of the new cycle also.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you

2014 · Post by **2014** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 12:22 pm

Your best shot at academia is a T6 school which is out of the question with your GPA so your best bet if that is what you want to do is going to have to be busting your ass for law review at a lower T14 and doing your best to get published elsewhere as well.

In terms of t14s you are going to need a 170+ either way and your best shot is probably going to be UVA with a very early ED application. Northwestern dips down to your GPA and lower but would require you to probably sit another year out to get some work experience.

Before you worry about any of that though focus on doing what it takes to hit 170, the LSAT forum here is a great resource.

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 12:27 pm

Thank you for the prompt reply!

I have been studying and I took a PT and scored 165 on Saturday. RC is a struggle, but I received all of the Manhattan and Power Score books on Saturday, so hopefully that will help. How does my URM status play a role in my application?

bdubs · Post by **bdubs** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 12:34 pm

LoveLife89 wrote:Thank you for the prompt reply!

I have been studying and I took a PT and scored 165 on Saturday. RC is a struggle, but I received all of the Manhattan and Power Score books on Saturday, so hopefully that will help. How does my URM status play a role in my application?

What kind of URM?

I was going to say you had zero chance at getting into a school that had reasonable academic placement, but if you are AA that completely changes the picture.

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 12:43 pm

well, my father is from African, hence my last name, but my mother is Brazilian and German. I am not full URM so I am not sure that I qualify as one. You all have said that T-6 is a long shot, but hopefully I can get into T-14 with more practice on the LSAT..

I am only getting about seven or eight correctly on RC and about seven wrong on LG so enough prep should help? Thanks for the help guys

goodthings · Post by **goodthings** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 12:50 pm

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 1:08 pm

Thank you!! I truly am grateful for all the advice. This is all great info. The admissions process is so intimidating that I just needed some help lol...I know that I would like to become a professor, but many of the sites don't offer much information on employment rates for academia from different schools so I was somewhat nervous.

ThreeRivers · Post by **ThreeRivers** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 1:17 pm

Going to be a law professor is an excellent goal and one I feel you should strive for, but I'd also caution against going to law school unless you'd be happy being a lawyer. LS professor is such a great gig that it is really tough to crack into, so sure I wish you the best in trying to reach it but I'd advise in being certain you'd also be happy with plan b.

(I'm really not trying to be rude, its just I've known of people who went to ls with the sole purpose of only being a ls professor and it didn't work out)

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 1:29 pm

Thank you for that. I definitely understand what you are saying. So, I have two goals that I would like to accomplish: practicing in sports law and becoming a LS professor. I was particularly interested in Duke Law because I heard that they have a fantastic sports law program, but one of the above posters mentioned that its best to attend a T6 for that. I don't have the GPA for that, but I am still interested in sports law. Becoming a professor was something that I am interested in because it would be a way to teach or give back the knowledge that I have gained. I've played basketball my whole life and I was at a D1 school for basketball on a full scholarship. Because of this background, I wanted to get into sports law because I love the law and I like how they regulate the sports world, in a way.

I certainly won't be disappointed if LS professor in unattainable, but I know that isn't my only reason for wanting to attend law school.

AntipodeanPhil · Post by **AntipodeanPhil** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 1:42 pm

LoveLife89 wrote:Thank you!! I truly am grateful for all the advice. This is all great info. The admissions process is so intimidating that I just needed some help lol...I know that I would like to become a professor, but many of the sites don't offer much information on employment rates for academia from different schools so I was somewhat nervous.

For data, check out this thread:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 1&t=150721

The basic point: your chances of working as a law professor depend enormously on which t14 school you go to.

Over the 2003-2011 period, for example, about 10% of Yale graduates got jobs as professors at t14 schools, but only 0.5% of Georgetown graduates got jobs as professors at t14 schools.

That said, if you have URM status, it should be significantly easier for you to get in to the t14, and then significantly easier for you to get an academic job from a t14 school.

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:54 pm

Wow, that link has so much information!! haha, that's awesome. Thank you soo much. Thanks for all who have given their input. I really didn't even know it was this difficult to become a LS professor. Scoring a 171+ seems to be the only way to even stand a chance. I'm going to look up information on these schools and just continue studying!

Randomnumbers · Post by **Randomnumbers** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:11 pm

I'm assuming you are a troll, but I'll reply anyways. You had a 3.4 UG GPA, which means you aren't that great at academics. You took an initial diagnostic LSAT at a 156, which means you aren't naturally that smart. You aren't going to get into a top 6 school, due to your GPA. You have no chance of ever become a law professor - you lack both the natural talent and the academic drive, and I wonder why you would even want to?

Commendations on throwing in the sports law bit to make this an even more complete troll.

bmore · Post by **bmore** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:21 pm

Sports Law...that may be even more difficult than academia.

"hence my last name" 89????

180asBreath · Post by **180asBreath** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:31 pm

Randomnumbers wrote:I'm assuming you are a troll, but I'll reply anyways. You had a 3.4 UG GPA, which means you aren't that great at academics. You took an initial diagnostic LSAT at a 156, which means you aren't naturally that smart. You aren't going to get into a top 6 school, due to your GPA. You have no chance of ever become a law professor - you lack both the natural talent and the academic drive, and I wonder why you would even want to?

Commendations on throwing in the sports law bit to make this an even more complete troll.

Nice reverse troll, brah.

20130312 · Post by **20130312** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:33 pm

Randomnumbers wrote:I'm assuming you are a troll, but I'll reply anyways. You had a 3.4 UG GPA, which means you aren't that great at academics. You took an initial diagnostic LSAT at a 156, which means you aren't naturally that smart. You aren't going to get into a top 6 school, due to your GPA. You have no chance of ever become a law professor - you lack both the natural talent and the academic drive, and I wonder why you would even want to?

Commendations on throwing in the sports law bit to make this an even more complete troll.

C'mon, man. Her father is from African.

CodyRuegger · Post by **CodyRuegger** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:34 pm

Few things.

Becoming a legal prof is the most selective post-law school pursuit. You'll need experience at a prestigious firm, a similarly prestigious clerkship, flagship law review at a T6, excellent class rank, and so on and so forth.

Also, you're not screwed out of the T6, as I'm in with a 3.35 as non-URM. Your initial diagnostic means nothing, I probably would have scored in the 140's had I actually taken one. Just practice without time limits until you get everything right then bring it down to 35 minutes gradually.

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:30 pm

Randomnumbers wrote:I'm assuming you are a troll, but I'll reply anyways. You had a 3.4 UG GPA, which means you aren't that great at academics. You took an initial diagnostic LSAT at a 156, which means you aren't naturally that smart. You aren't going to get into a top 6 school, due to your GPA. You have no chance of ever become a law professor - you lack both the natural talent and the academic drive, and I wonder why you would even want to?

Commendations on throwing in the sports law bit to make this an even more complete troll.

Troll? Sorry, definitely not a troll, but I'll let you continue to believe that. My initial diagnostic score was a 156 without ever having looked at the LSAT. It's not great, but there is definitely room to improve. My GPA was also a 3.67 at my UG, but my last two semesters weren't good at all.

Sports law is what I am interested in. I am interested in becoming an agent or legistlation at the amateur level. I"m not sure where the trolling is in anything that I've said

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:32 pm

Thanks again to all who have provided their input. My focus is on the LSAT, while also trying to figure out different schools that would be best for my interests. I'm not timing myself until the last week in March so hopefully I can really the material by then

20130312 · Post by **20130312** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:32 pm

Just curious, OP: Do you have any interest in international law?

LoveLife89 · Post by **LoveLife89** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:39 pm

no, I don't...My interest really is rooted in sports policies and how they intertwine with the law. Professor Weistart at Duke is someone who I really admire (I am always reading his articles), but again, it seems that becoming a LS professor is elitist.

BTW, that was a typo. My father is African. He is from Ghana. No need to be rude on a site that is supposed to help other people. I made the thread because I really wanted to know what I should be doing to get into the profession.

stillwater · Post by **stillwater** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:40 pm

InGoodFaith wrote:Just curious, OP: Do you have any interest in international law?

Definitely.

071816 · Post by **071816** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:42 pm

InGoodFaith wrote:C'mon, man. Her father is from African.

I lol'd

Randomnumbers · Post by **Randomnumbers** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:55 pm

LoveLife89 wrote:
Randomnumbers wrote:I'm assuming you are a troll, but I'll reply anyways. You had a 3.4 UG GPA, which means you aren't that great at academics. You took an initial diagnostic LSAT at a 156, which means you aren't naturally that smart. You aren't going to get into a top 6 school, due to your GPA. You have no chance of ever become a law professor - you lack both the natural talent and the academic drive, and I wonder why you would even want to?

Commendations on throwing in the sports law bit to make this an even more complete troll.

Troll? Sorry, definitely not a troll, but I'll let you continue to believe that. My initial diagnostic score was a 156 without ever having looked at the LSAT. It's not great, but there is definitely room to improve. My GPA was also a 3.67 at my UG, but my last two semesters weren't good at all.

Sports law is what I am interested in. I am interested in becoming an agent or legistlation at the amateur level. I"m not sure where the trolling is in anything that I've said

You'll be competing with the people who came out of undergrad with 3.9+ GPAs, and the people that took 160+ LSAT diagnosis tests cold. You'll be competing with people who did both. Chasing after what is perhaps the hardest thing to accomplish in law school, with no real sign that you have the aptitude to compete with the rockstars - with sports law as your backup?

And why weren't your last two semesters great? I mean, maybe if you came in with a 3.6 but you had pretty much straight A's in your STEM major the last 3 years after a horrible freshman year. Instead you had a crappy senior year (wrong grade trend), probably in some relatively easy major. But hey - you'll be able to land law school academia by finishing in the top of your class at a T14 np.

FlightoftheEarls · Post by **FlightoftheEarls** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:19 pm

Randomnumbers wrote:
LoveLife89 wrote:
Randomnumbers wrote:I'm assuming you are a troll, but I'll reply anyways. You had a 3.4 UG GPA, which means you aren't that great at academics. You took an initial diagnostic LSAT at a 156, which means you aren't naturally that smart. You aren't going to get into a top 6 school, due to your GPA. You have no chance of ever become a law professor - you lack both the natural talent and the academic drive, and I wonder why you would even want to?

Commendations on throwing in the sports law bit to make this an even more complete troll.

Troll? Sorry, definitely not a troll, but I'll let you continue to believe that. My initial diagnostic score was a 156 without ever having looked at the LSAT. It's not great, but there is definitely room to improve. My GPA was also a 3.67 at my UG, but my last two semesters weren't good at all.

Sports law is what I am interested in. I am interested in becoming an agent or legistlation at the amateur level. I"m not sure where the trolling is in anything that I've said
You'll be competing with the people who came out of undergrad with 3.9+ GPAs, and the people that took 160+ LSAT diagnosis tests cold. You'll be competing with people who did both. Chasing after what is perhaps the hardest thing to accomplish in law school, with no real sign that you have the aptitude to compete with the rockstars - with sports law as your backup?

And why weren't your last two semesters great? I mean, maybe if you came in with a 3.6 but you had pretty much straight A's in your STEM major the last 3 years after a horrible freshman year. Instead you had a crappy senior year (wrong grade trend), probably in some relatively easy major. But hey - you'll be able to land law school academia by finishing in the top of your class at a T14 np.

Who pissed in your Cheerios today?

ThreeRivers · Post by **ThreeRivers** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 6:53 pm

Randomnumbers wrote:I'm assuming you are a troll, but I'll reply anyways. You had a 3.4 UG GPA, which means you aren't that great at academics. You took an initial diagnostic LSAT at a 156, which means you aren't naturally that smart. You aren't going to get into a top 6 school, due to your GPA. You have no chance of ever become a law professor - you lack both the natural talent and the academic drive, and I wonder why you would even want to?

Commendations on throwing in the sports law bit to make this an even more complete troll.

It may be impossible make a more incorrect statement than the bolded part of your text.
You offered absolutely 0 appropriate insight.

Not many people get a 156 on their initial diagnostic, with the right study plan / hard work I'm sure he can achieve a 170+. Lol at UG GPA meaning much

To the OP, I missed the sports law part... Just another cautionary post, that is also one of the hardest fields of law to crack (another, such an awesome field that 80% of males would love to do it lol). Just repeat everything I said about becoming a professor with sports law - I think its awesome that you want to shoot for it but be aware that the odds are you'll end up doing something else

By father being African, do you mean you are half black? If so then yes you're a URM and your chances of a top law school significantly increase... if not then it means nothing

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