Top Law Schools

Ok guys I am in what I think is a unique situation.

I'll start off with the positive.
-I go to Yale
-I got a 178 on the June LSAT
-I am a veteran (joined in '08, did a tour in Iraq)
-I'll have some sweet letters of recommendation

Now for the negative.
- My GPA is 2.63 (will be ~2.71 at graduation in DEC)

Some more info, GPA is 2.99 within my major. Since I returned from my deployment I have maintained a 3.25 (this is over the last 3 semesters)

So that being said, what kind of school am I looking at for Law School? What will my "reach" schools be?

Any steps you think I should/could take to make myself a better applicant, i.e. including an addendum on the GPA?

Military is a great soft so I don't know if there is much you can do to downplay your GPA. Working after college for a few years could help some.

Is there any compelling reason why your GPA is so low? If so you should write a GPA addendum when you apply. Try to think of some believable, good reason because your GPA is shit and your LSAT is the opposite of shit, but you know that.

I would just apply to all the T14 and see what happens. I think samara wrote an excellent guide for splitters (you are what is called a splitter if you didn't know).

Any specific career goals?

crazyintel wrote:Ok guys I am in what I think is a unique situation.

I'll start off with the positive.
-I go to Yale
-I got a 178 on the June LSAT
-I am a veteran (joined in '08, did a tour in Iraq)
-I'll have some sweet letters of recommendation

Now for the negative.
- My GPA is 2.63 (will be ~2.71 at graduation in DEC)

Some more info, GPA is 2.99 within my major. Since I returned from my deployment I have maintained a 3.25 (this is over the last 3 semesters)

So that being said, what kind of school am I looking at for Law School? What will my "reach" schools be?

Any steps you think I should/could take to make myself a better applicant, i.e. including an addendum on the GPA?

Not unique.

mylsn.info

Yukos wrote:Not unique.

You don't have to be an alien to be unique. The dude/gal is not a typical applicant.

Oh yeah, thanks for your service by the way.

Tom Joad wrote:Military is a great soft so I don't know if there is much you can do to downplay your GPA. Working after college for a few years could help some.

Is there any compelling reason why your GPA is so low? If so you should write a GPA addendum when you apply. Try to think of some believable, good reason because your GPA is shit and your LSAT is the opposite of shit, but you know that.

I would just apply to all the T14 and see what happens. I think samara wrote an excellent guide for splitters (you are what is called a splitter if you didn't know).

Any specific career goals?

Thanks for the reply. Ill have a look at this guide. I am interested in International Law and Corporate Law.

Can you go to state schools for free? If so, Berkeley and UVA are your friends.

You might be able to pull Northwestern, especially if you get a couple of years of post-grad WE (although the military service will help). Blanket the T-14 and see what happens.

I'd say a great shot at northwestern

Tom Joad wrote:Can you go to state schools for free? If so, Berkeley and UVA are your friends.

ZERO chance at Berkeley. UVa is an outside shot.. Michigan also worth the app fee. NU or Georgetown probably the best realistic shots at t14

Does anyone know if Northwestern would be inclined to view military service prior to college as a sufficient substitute for standard post-college work experience?

OP, your odds at Northwestern are probably good now, but I think you would have a very strong shot if you applied after working for a year or two. The data set for applicants with numbers similar to yours is very small, but here is how folks with stats similar to yours have fared over the last five years on LSN:

http://myLSN.info/dispresults.php?sk=yon1b

Ti Malice wrote:OP, your odds at Northwestern are probably good now, but I think you would have a very strong shot if you applied after working for a year or two.

crazyintel wrote:I am a veteran (joined in '08, did a tour in Iraq)

OP: The main concern is that you'll be perceived as being lazy due to your poor GPA.

SaintsTheMetal wrote:

Tom Joad wrote:Can you go to state schools for free? If so, Berkeley and UVA are your friends.

ZERO chance at Berkeley. UVa is an outside shot.. Michigan also worth the app fee. NU or Georgetown probably the best realistic shots at t14

Your chances at Berkeley are not zero. They do prefer GPA but if you have a compelling story, you could catch lightning in a bottle. I had a sub 25%-ile GPA and nowhere near your LSAT. As the other poster hinted above, if you are Post 9/11 GI Bill eligible, definitely worth giving MV&B a shot, regardless of your odds.

Edit to add: Same goes for any private that has enough Yellow Ribbon Program to cover all expenses, if you are YRP eligible.

Berkeley is worth the app fee IMO. With your weird stats and softs you could get most of the T14 or you could get shut out. I think it is worth the ~$100 to find out if you can get in a really great school.

dingbat wrote:

Ti Malice wrote:OP, your odds at Northwestern are probably good now, but I think you would have a very strong shot if you applied after working for a year or two.

crazyintel wrote:I am a veteran (joined in '08, did a tour in Iraq)

I'm aware of everything he wrote. Did you read the first sentence of my post? Additionally, I'm inclined to think that post-college work experience would improve his chances by giving him some distance from the low GPA.

Rotor wrote:

SaintsTheMetal wrote:

Tom Joad wrote:Can you go to state schools for free? If so, Berkeley and UVA are your friends.

ZERO chance at Berkeley. UVa is an outside shot.. Michigan also worth the app fee. NU or Georgetown probably the best realistic shots at t14

Your chances at Berkeley are not zero. They do prefer GPA but if you have a compelling story, you could catch lightning in a bottle. I had a sub 25%-ile GPA and nowhere near your LSAT. As the other poster hinted above, if you are Post 9/11 GI Bill eligible, definitely worth giving MV&B a shot, regardless of your odds.

Edit to add: Same goes for any private that has enough Yellow Ribbon Program to cover all expenses, if you are YRP eligible.

This.

There are some really great schools you can do for free if you still have the post 911 GI Bill and YRP. HLS comes to mind but Michigan and Cornell are probably the most military friendly, and state schools like Boalt and UVA are great with in state. (Boalt in state is ~ Boalt out of state so that is great for them.)

Anyway, good luck.

Thanks for the advice. This has given me quite a bit of insight into my situation. I am eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill. I'll have used up about 6 months of it by the time I graduate. I think this will leave me with just enough to cover law school, but I haven't actually sat down to do the math yet.

I think I will blanket the Top 14. I realize that it's probably a complete waste, but most of the apps will be free anyway.

Thanks for that link Ti Malice.

Any other advice/ acceptable addendum excuses?

I was in foster care most of my childhood and adopted at age 13. This personal statement was probably a big factor in my Yale admission. Does stuff like this still apply to Law School personal statements? What about using this as an addendum for my poor GPA. Something about never really living in a structured environment prior to college, taking time off to join the military to learn the discipline required of me achieve at the level expected of me at Yale (supported by post military grades)?

Am I way off the mark here?

crazyintel wrote:Thanks for the advice. This has given me quite a bit of insight into my situation. I am eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill. I'll have used up about 6 months of it by the time I graduate. I think this will leave me with just enough to cover law school, but I haven't actually sat down to do the math yet.

I think I will blanket the Top 14. I realize that it's probably a complete waste, but most of the apps will be free anyway.

Thanks for that link Ti Malice.

Any other advice/ acceptable addendum excuses?

I was in foster care most of my childhood and adopted at age 13. This personal statement was probably a big factor in my Yale admission. Does stuff like this still apply to Law School personal statements? What about using this as an addendum for my poor GPA. Something about never really living in a structured environment prior to college, taking time off to join the military to learn the discipline required of me achieve at the level expected of me at Yale (supported by post military grades)?

Am I way off the mark here?

It may look good, but only as much as any minor soft does.

jmho, don't put all of your eggs in the t14, because in recent years you can count on one hand the amount of people admitted to a T10 with a sub 3.0, and URMs tend to make up many of these. I'd make sure to hit some schools like WUSL and Minnesota, which are likely admittances.

http://myLSN.info/dispresults.php?sk=srky7

SaintsTheMetal wrote:

crazyintel wrote:Thanks for the advice. This has given me quite a bit of insight into my situation. I am eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill. I'll have used up about 6 months of it by the time I graduate. I think this will leave me with just enough to cover law school, but I haven't actually sat down to do the math yet.

I think I will blanket the Top 14. I realize that it's probably a complete waste, but most of the apps will be free anyway.

Thanks for that link Ti Malice.

Any other advice/ acceptable addendum excuses?

I was in foster care most of my childhood and adopted at age 13. This personal statement was probably a big factor in my Yale admission. Does stuff like this still apply to Law School personal statements? What about using this as an addendum for my poor GPA. Something about never really living in a structured environment prior to college, taking time off to join the military to learn the discipline required of me achieve at the level expected of me at Yale (supported by post military grades)?

Am I way off the mark here?

It may look good, but only as much as any minor soft does.

jmho, don't put all of your eggs in the t14, because in recent years you can count on one hand the amount of people admitted to a T10 with a sub 3.0, and URMs tend to make up many of these. I'd make sure to hit some schools like WUSL and Minnesota, which are likely admittances.

http://myLSN.info/dispresults.php?sk=srky7

Oh...definately. I am not too hopeful for anything. I like the lightning in the bottle phrase used by rotor.

I'll be hitting up many sub T14 in the Chicago/NYC/DC/Boston areas.

crazyintel wrote:

SaintsTheMetal wrote:

crazyintel wrote:Thanks for the advice. This has given me quite a bit of insight into my situation. I am eligible for Post 9/11 GI Bill. I'll have used up about 6 months of it by the time I graduate. I think this will leave me with just enough to cover law school, but I haven't actually sat down to do the math yet.

I think I will blanket the Top 14. I realize that it's probably a complete waste, but most of the apps will be free anyway.

Thanks for that link Ti Malice.

Any other advice/ acceptable addendum excuses?

I was in foster care most of my childhood and adopted at age 13. This personal statement was probably a big factor in my Yale admission. Does stuff like this still apply to Law School personal statements? What about using this as an addendum for my poor GPA. Something about never really living in a structured environment prior to college, taking time off to join the military to learn the discipline required of me achieve at the level expected of me at Yale (supported by post military grades)?

Am I way off the mark here?

It may look good, but only as much as any minor soft does.

jmho, don't put all of your eggs in the t14, because in recent years you can count on one hand the amount of people admitted to a T10 with a sub 3.0, and URMs tend to make up many of these. I'd make sure to hit some schools like WUSL and Minnesota, which are likely admittances.

http://myLSN.info/dispresults.php?sk=srky7

Oh...definately. I am not too hopeful for anything. I like the lightning in the bottle phrase used by rotor.

I'll be hitting up many sub T14 in the Chicago/NYC/DC/Boston areas.

Don't go too sub-T14 unless the costs are 100% covered (and even then some schools are to be avoided)

Ti Malice wrote:Does anyone know if Northwestern would be inclined to view military service prior to college as a sufficient substitute for standard post-college work experience?

^^Every adcom official at various T14s told me that WE prior to college counts as a plus (as long as it's not waiting tables/cashier/babysitting/etc). So if OP has any military WE prior to YLS, that's as good as having it post-UG.

Ti Malice wrote:Does anyone know if Northwestern would be inclined to view military service prior to college as a sufficient substitute for standard post-college work experience?

I don't have a huge sample size to draw on, but I am pretty sure you're good on the WE front and are getting into NU. You have a couple of the better soft (military + HYP) with a killer LSAT. Grab as many app waivers as you can, apply broadly and let us know how it goes.

727813 wrote:

Ti Malice wrote:Does anyone know if Northwestern would be inclined to view military service prior to college as a sufficient substitute for standard post-college work experience?

So if OP has any military WE prior to YLS, that's as good as having it post-UG.

?