Top Law Schools

Hi Everyone,

Law school has always been a goal of mine. I graduated college 1.5 years ago with a degree in engineering. At the time of graduation, I unfortunately had a low GPA. My school calculated it at a 2.89 and LSAC at 2.45. This is something I am not proud of, but I have an explanation for this as well. My four years at university were very tumultuous. I suffered from deaths in the family, anxiety, and the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. My family suffered extremely by it. I was left trying to fund my own education while working to help my family rebuild our life. I was pre-med, but because of everything that happened, I didn't pursue that route. Because of all this, I wasn't able to put my 100% into my school work. I know it's not an excuse so I worked hard to do the best that I could in the circumstances I was facing. After graduation, due to my internships and co-ops, I was able to land a job in the #6 Fortune 500 company, where my work has been recognized by senior execs and VPs. I also created a medical device that is now patent pending. I did take the LSATs and ended up scoring a 178. My GPA was horrible, but I don't want it to define me. I want to be a patent lawyer and I have never been more sure of this. So, my question is will my work experience, LSAT score, and resume help me get into law school despite my low GPA?

Thank you in advance.

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Congrats on the enviable LSAT. Your cycle will be unpredictable, so you should probably cast a really wide net. Don't bother applying to Harvard, Yale, and Stanford. Definitely submit a GPA addendum with your applications. Your unusual GPA/LSAT combo will be eye-catching, so hopefully adcomms will take notice and read the addendum.

To answer your question, yes, you will get into A law school. But that's not an accomplishment itself, because pretty much anyone can get into A law school. What matters is getting into a good law school. Unlike the poster above, I don't think you are competitive at a T14 (although Northwestern and Georgetown seem within reach), but perhaps you secure a spot at a strong regional school in the area you want to practice.

I don't know how to past the lsn graph here, so input your numbers range into this link: http://mylsn.info/ev9hoz/

Like ticklemesilly said, I would be cautiously optimistic; A T14 is not guaranteed, even with your outstanding LSAT and good softs. Definitely throw in an app to WUSTL. Even if you have no intention of going, they are bound to offer you tons of merit aid for negotiations.

If money is not an issue now and you are bent on a T14, I would consider throwing in a ED to UVa.

Good luck! I'll definitely be pulling for you.

Alive97 wrote:Yes you'll definitely get in. Research where your numbers (GPA/LSAT) make you a likely admit. I'd be surprised if you couldn't land in the T14.

Thank you for the boost of confidence. I appreciate it! I have been researching schools that are splitter friendly so I'm hoping they can see past my GPA as the highest describer of my work ethic. Thank you again!

SS.JDHopeful12 wrote:Hi Everyone,

Law school has always been a goal of mine. I graduated college 1.5 years ago with a degree in engineering. At the time of graduation, I unfortunately had a low GPA. My school calculated it at a 2.89 and LSAC at 2.45. This is something I am not proud of, but I have an explanation for this as well. My four years at university were very tumultuous. I suffered from deaths in the family, anxiety, and the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. My family suffered extremely by it. I was left trying to fund my own education while working to help my family rebuild our life. I was pre-med, but because of everything that happened, I didn't pursue that route. Because of all this, I wasn't able to put my 100% into my school work. I know it's not an excuse so I worked hard to do the best that I could in the circumstances I was facing. After graduation, due to my internships and co-ops, I was able to land a job in the #6 Fortune 500 company, where my work has been recognized by senior execs and VPs. I also created a medical device that is now patent pending. I did take the LSATs and ended up scoring a 178. My GPA was horrible, but I don't want it to define me. I want to be a patent lawyer and I have never been more sure of this. So, my question is will my work experience, LSAT score, and resume help me get into law school despite my low GPA?

Thank you in advance.

The short answer is yes, you'll definitely get into law school. And you'll probably get into a T14. You say you're certain you want to be a patent lawyer. If that's the case, you shouldn't follow conventional advice and attend one of those high ranking schools. Top schools come with high tuition costs. You should instead go to a strong regional program (in the city or area you want to work) with a scholarship. That will give you flexibility to go to a strong IP firm in the city of your choice.