Top Law Schools

Hi,

I am new to these forums and from a pretty nontraditional background so wanted to get everyone's take on my chances at a top law firm. So here is my background Stats:

1. Undergrad GPA from a state school: 3.4
2. Masters GPA from a state school: 3.9
2. Spent one year at J.P. Morgan at a presitigous debt/credit group
3. Spent one year and a half years at a top Investment Banking Firm (UBS) advising Banks and Lenders
4. Spent one year at a private equity firm focused on investing in banks and lenders
5. GMAT Score: 710, LSAT Score: 171

So overall about 3 years of work experience + masters. I would like to use law school to further understand the restructuring code and law in general. My goal upon graduation is to become a distressed debt lender and investor at a hedge fund.

So what do you guys think my chances are of getting into HYS?

0%.

Go join the army or go win the noble prize.

The 3.4 sinks you. If you want to go back into the business end of finance, law school is not worth it. B School / CFA would be better options. Or just read a hornbook on bankruptcy and be done with it.

jcccc wrote:0%.

Go join the army or go win the noble prize.

Or continue to make money in a lucrative industry that does not require you to get a law degree.

what makes you non- traditional?

tachikara wrote:The 3.4 sinks you. If you want to go back into the business end of finance, law school is not worth it. B School / CFA would be better options. Or just read a hornbook on bankruptcy and be done with it.

Thanks for your replies. If I really do want to attain a law degree, is it possible to get into HYS? I am willing to ED to Harvard Law

DistressedDebt wrote:Hi,

I am new to these forums and from a pretty nontraditional background so wanted to get everyone's take on my chances at a top law firm. So here is my background Stats:
1. Undergrad GPA from a state school: 3.42. Masters GPA from a state school: 3.9
2. Spent one year at J.P. Morgan at a presitigous debt/credit group
3. Spent one year and a half years at a top Investment Banking Firm (UBS) advising Banks and Lenders
4. Spent one year at a private equity firm focused on investing in banks and lenders
5. GMAT Score: 710,LSAT Score: 171
So overall about 3 years of work experience + masters. I would like to use law school to further understand the restructuring code and law in general. My goal upon graduation is to become a distressed debt lender and investor at a hedge fund.
So what do you guys think my chances are of getting into HYS?

FTFY.

gatesome wrote:what makes you non- traditional?

From my understanding, most people applying to law school do not have such finance experience or finance career goals. I thought the diversity would give me some edge.

whitespider wrote:

DistressedDebt wrote:Hi,

I am new to these forums and from a pretty nontraditional background so wanted to get everyone's take on my chances at a top law firm. So here is my background Stats:
1. Undergrad GPA from a state school: 3.42. Masters GPA from a state school: 3.9
2. Spent one year at J.P. Morgan at a presitigous debt/credit group
3. Spent one year and a half years at a top Investment Banking Firm (UBS) advising Banks and Lenders
4. Spent one year at a private equity firm focused on investing in banks and lenders
5. GMAT Score: 710,LSAT Score: 171
So overall about 3 years of work experience + masters. I would like to use law school to further understand the restructuring code and law in general. My goal upon graduation is to become a distressed debt lender and investor at a hedge fund.
So what do you guys think my chances are of getting into HYS?

FTFY.

Sighs.. so no shot because of my undergrad gpa? I guess all the other extras don't matter? What if I retake my LSAT exam and try to score higher?

.

inb4 retake for 179

Right now you'd be dragging down both their medians. Hit a 176 plus and I suppose your odds bump up a bit from 0%, but not substantially.

http://harvard.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/1314

dont go to law school

a 176+ would increase his chances from 0% to ...... 0.5%

jcccc wrote:0%.

Go join the army or go win the noble prize.

The noble Nobel

hdunlop wrote:

jcccc wrote:0%.

Go join the army or go win the noble prize.

The noble Nobel

Noble piece prize

Why Harvard specifically, anyway?

No shot at any of HYS, you might snag one of CCN, out at B, and prob in at like 3-5 of the rest of the schools. Your 3.4 is pretty bad for the top schools. A 173 would boost your admissions at all schools except for HYS and B.

Also, why law? You have experience in Finance, and it seems that you're both good and enjoy what you do. AND for you goals B SCHOOL is the much better scenario. At most B schools you can cross list classes in that schools Law school, so if you REALLY want to do that, you could just register for some law classes there.

DistressedDebt wrote:ED to Harvard Law

Too soon.

DistressedDebt wrote:I would like to use law school to further understand the restructuring code and law in general. My goal upon graduation is to become a distressed debt lender and investor at a hedge fund.

This is only a marginally better reason to go to law school than "God told me". Marginally.

no shot
i had 3.42/179
didn't even apply hys

Brut wrote:no shot
i had 3.42/179
didn't even apply hys

Why not??

My friend got harvard last year with similar stats.

Cradle6 wrote:

Brut wrote:no shot
i had 3.42/179
didn't even apply hys

Why not??

My friend got harvard last year with similar stats.

urm/top ug/strong softs/connections/higher numbers than mine?
if not one of the above, your friend got lucky

Brut wrote:

Cradle6 wrote:

Brut wrote:no shot
i had 3.42/179
didn't even apply hys

Why not??

My friend got harvard last year with similar stats.

urm/top ug/strong softs/connections/higher numbers than mine?
if not one of the above, your friend got lucky

Non-URM/no/no/no/slightly lower LSAT and slightly higher GPA.

Only thing was really good work experience, though he was still a k-JD

A 180 wouldn't even get you H. However you should really consider and MBA or cfa