Top Law Schools

Hi. I know you probably get these questions a lot.

How are my chances at a top 14?

I'm a English Undergrad (finishing sophomore) at an Ivy: UPenn. I currently have a 3.85 (just cause my A-'s and B+'s in some required math/science brought me down). From here on out its english classes, so I aim to graduate with a 4.0. I expect to be invited to Honors senior year. I have been accepted to study for a semester at King's College London this Fall. I have been invited to make an appointment to discuss potential preparation for national fellowships (Marshall, Fulbright etc). I won a community excellence/leadership scholarship last year, and have been the recipient of a few research and writing awards, publications, and other selections.

I am approaching Junior year, so haven't taken LSAT's yet. However I have always scored in 99th percentile on reading, reasoning, analysis - basically everything but math, which I am probably in the 60 percentile. I plan to pay for a Kaplan prep course for LSAT.

Personal/Softs:
I look younger, but I am actually 32 years old. But people generally think I am a few years older than undergrads, maybe 26-29. I came from nothing- dirt poor, single mom. Worked in non-profit management before ever even going to college, and worked my way up winning upwards of $1 million funding for my company in writing grant proposals. Also wrote public health curricula for CDC. I am very driven. The last year at my company I was making around $50k- which isn't terrible for a high school diploma. I also did some consulting for UPenn (before I ever applied to study there). My non profit management job was a great job, but I could never move up or out because of no BA. I am in the LPS program at Penn, but this won't be indicated on my degree, it'll just say Penn. I have an excellent reputation for being the "go to" person in my city and my niche area in my field. I have a lot of experience as a community leader and helping the less fortunate. I've organized conferences, served as secretary on two non profit boards, did advocacy on capitol hill a couple times when I chaired the CPG for 2 years (which is the body that allocates HIV/AIDS prevention money in the city). I am on the Mayor's advisory board and can get letter of recommendation from his office (the woman in charge of LGBT affairs there was my boss for several years and is a mentor).

I'm male, gay and my partner is also a professional. We plan to live together and share finances, but no kids or need to be attached at the hip.

One thing I loved about my job (and now Penn) is the research and obsessively perfectionistic writing, interpretation, and document review. I'm in the zone doing that kind of thing. So I have no illusions about lawyers being in court arguing etc. I'd be happy to craft or interpret painstakingly critical documents 10 hrs a day. I'd also be happy in non-profit executive management, but at a much larger organization.

So I'm coming down to a Law or MBA. Except I don't have the quantitive background to get into a decent MBA program, and something about the law really draws me- I've come back to it several times over the years as a sort of "if I could do anything".

My partner thinks I can get into a Top 14 Law school. Ideally, to be a lawyer, but I expect if necessary I could get another ED job at a larger org (or even a job like my bosses, who makes about $80k with an MSW as an ED) with Law degree as a sort of back door non-profit MBA. Boards like MBA's and lawyers. And I have a lot of work experience.

Those of you who may know more than I:
Do you think I have a shot at top 14? If so, would I be eligible for at least partial scholarships? Do you think this is a wise choice for me, considering my interests and that I'd like to make more than I did before?

I ask because I prefer to plan for goals ahead of time.

Thank you for your patience and replies.

Come back with an LSAT score
Also, reregister with an account that doesn't have your email as your username - you'll regret it.

Take a Manhattan course, or Blueprint, or do Pithypike's guide in the LSAT Prep Forum... just don't take Kaplan.

Thanks for noting about username. I didn't actually choose that. Must have autotyped.

And for prep course recommendation. Is Kaplan bad?

I realize having a certain LSAT score is necessary. What would I need to score if everything else continues according to plan? Or is it the same for everyone, regardless of pedigree, GPA, softs?

Is it better to take a prep course during the summer after junior year, and test in October as a senior before midterms? Would I have enough time to even see it before applications are due?

Or is it better to take the prep course during the Spring Junior year while doing midterms/finals, rest for a week, and test in June?

Do people generally prepare for the prep course? As in, start spending more free time (such as it is) on chess, Go and logic puzzles, a formal logic course, the side of it I don't get to do in my major?

I plan to make an appt. for pre-law at career center, but figured I'd see what people here thought.

Are you students or graduates?

Thanks

larick wrote: I realize having a certain LSAT score is necessary. What would I need to score if everything else continues according to plan? Or is it the same for everyone, regardless of pedigree, GPA, softs?

It's more or less the same for everyone at the T14, with some wiggle room based on GPA. Since your GPA will be at the top end based on your assumptions, your LSAT can be slightly (slightly) lower. However, I'd still aim for 167+ to break into the T14, and 172+ for a shot at HYS (which, with a 4.0 GPA, you might as well aim for). The higher the better, though.

Is it better to take a prep course during the summer after junior year, and test in October as a senior before midterms? Would I have enough time to even see it before applications are due?

I always recommend taking the June LSAT between junior and senior years. First off, June is in the afternoon, which I vastly prefer. If you're a morning person, though, that's less of an advantage. June will get you your score back before applications open up. If you do great, you're set. If you want to retake, you still have October, which will get you a score by Halloween and still put you ahead of the pack as far as applications go. Law school admit students on a rolling basis, so earlier is better.

Do people generally prepare for the prep course? As in, start spending more free time (such as it is) on chess, Go and logic puzzles, a formal logic course, the side of it I don't get to do in my major?

Don't prep for the prep course, per se. You can start playing Chess, Go, and picking up Games magazines, but I would recommend against a formal logic course. Games magazines will probably help you a bit with Logic Games, but I can't see it helping you much for the other sections.

I plan to make an appt. for pre-law at career center, but figured I'd see what people here thought.

Make sure that you talk with Todd Rothman. Most pre-law advisors don't really know what they're talking about, but Todd's extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. He's also a nice guy. While I wouldn't doubt that the other pre-law advisors are great, I know that Todd will give you good information.

Are you students or graduates?

Law school grad, now I work for Blueprint Test Prep.

I think the only thing people need for LSAT prep is books of practice tests and the bibles.

Basically what other people said...


Your softs don't matter so much as your LSAT score. So study your butt off for that. If you finish with a 3.85+ LSAC GPA, I would even think you have a realistic shot of getting into a T14 with a 165...you have a lot of interesting soft factors and I bet an adcomm would bite. Of course that may just land you on a bunch of waitlists. And if you get a 165, you'd be selling yourself short (for money and school) by not retaking.