Top Law Schools

Hey guys. How would top law schools view an applicant with a high GPA, high LSAT, average extracurriculars if the applicant was a community college transfer and graduated in five years?

Define "high." Also, to what quality undergraduate institution did you transfer? I think you'll need to offer the law school an explanation for why you started at community college but with the correct stats and a good degree-conferring university I think you'll have a chance at a good law school.

I assume you are taking a gap year if you are posting this question in March? Which begs the question what you are doing during the gap year?

All that matters is your final GPA. It won't matter that part of your time was at a community college, or that you took 5 years.

ExperssioUnius wrote:Define "high." Also, to what quality undergraduate institution did you transfer? I think you'll need to offer the law school an explanation for why you started at community college but with the correct stats and a good degree-conferring university I think you'll have a chance at a good law school.

I assume you are taking a gap year if you are posting this question in March? Which begs the question what you are doing during the gap year?

LOL.

Law schools don't care if someone started at a CC/JC (Maybe Y does? I don't know about them.). You will be fine, and you are probably much better off financially because you started off at a CC. I attend a lower T-14 and I have quite a few classmates who did CC/J Co.

ExperssioUnius wrote:Define "high." Also, to what quality undergraduate institution did you transfer? I think you'll need to offer the law school an explanation for why you started at community college but with the correct stats and a good degree-conferring university I think you'll have a chance at a good law school.

I assume you are taking a gap year if you are posting this question in March? Which begs the question what you are doing during the gap year?

I'm not sure schools particularly care about what someone does in a gap year. It could be rest and relaxation before law school and a legal career and that wouldn't seem unreasonable.

I think the only time the CC->UG issue would come up is if the school were trying to pick between you and another candidate with the same or very close numbers. In other words, it's just like any other soft factor.

I'm going to strongly stand by my initial comment. If one goes from a community college to a low-ranked traditional four-year school and then takes five years to graduate, the high GPA will not stand for very much relative to the ability to perform well at a T-14 law school. It is key to know the quality of the university to which the OP transferred following community college. Without knowing that, there is no way to say how a T-14 school would view the application.

ExperssioUnius wrote:I'm going to strongly stand by my initial comment. If one goes from a community college to a low-ranked traditional four-year school and then takes five years to graduate, the high GPA will not stand for very much relative to the ability to perform well at a T-14 law school. It is key to know the quality of the university to which the OP transferred following community college. Without knowing that, there is no way to say how a T-14 school would view the application.

What is your basis for the bolded statement?

Sounds like a bit of douchebag "my-dick-is-too-small" snobbery to me. I went to a community college, took some time off to live life, went back... transferred to the shittiest state university I can think of in CA, and all told this probably took 6 years. Graduated summa cum laude with a History degree, and a hellova interesting non-traditional background that indicated a commitment to public i nterest. Did fairly well on the LSAT... got into Virginia. Did about average in law school, and came out of that mind fuck of three years doing what I set out to do. I'm apparently a mouth breather... but doing fine God damn it

While small-cocked-mother-fuckers like Experssio can be found all over this forum, that is only because it freaks them out that quality of character and substance of experience do mean something to law school admissions. And besides, whether you can tout your undergrad institution like an insecure douchebag or not, the LSAT is the great equalizer. It does have bearing on how well you will likely do once you get into lawschool (and surprisingly enough, the kids that did go to kick-ass undergrad colleges, and were smart enough to get into UVa, are some of the coolest undouchie people I've ever met... guess your ego isn't wrapped up in what undergrad you went to when you know you have what it takes to compete at a T10).

tudents take classes at each of the colleges of DCCCD for a variety of reasons. You may be looking to save money, knock out some credits and transfer to a four-year university.

That’s great, we can help!

Hmmm well I spent a year at community college before transferring to a top 20 institution. I'd say I just barely outperformed my KJD numbers.

Here's a series of emails I sent to T14 admission officers few years ago and I would like to share their opinions with you all.
For those of you who began their study from CC, don't give up on your dream to T14. Yes you CAN.

Dear ___________ Law School Admissions office,

Is there any disadvantage if I began my college studies in a community college program before transferring to a four-year institution?

------------------------------------------------------------------

(Harvard Law School)

Thank you for your interest in Harvard Law School.

There is no disadvantage if an applicant attends a community college prior to transferring to a four year college. Please let our office know if you have any questions.

Best,

J.D. Admissions


(Stanford Law School)

Thank you for your email.

It is not a disadvantage having transferred to your undergraduate school from a community college. We do not have a preference of universitites attended.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Stanford Law School

Office of Admissions

559 Nathan Abbott Way

Stanford, CA 94305

P: 650-723-4985/F: 650-723-0838

http://www.law.stanford.edu/


(Columbia Law School)

Thank you for your interest in Columbia Law School.

We encourage you to make the decision that is right for you. What is important is that you challenge yourself in whatever situation you are in.

Best wishes,

Columbia Law School

Office of Admissions

Mail Code 4004

435 West 116th Street

New York, NY 10027

Telephone: (212) 854-2670

Fax: (212) 854-1109

Website: http://www.law.columbia.edu/admissions


(University of Chicago Law School)

No.

University of Chicago Law School

Admissions Office

1111 East 60th Street

Library Tower 306

Chicago, IL 60637

773-702-9484 - Phone

773-834-0942 - Fax

[email protected]

http://www.law.uchicago.edu

(NYU School of Law)

Dear prospective applicant,

Thank you for your email. The Committee on Admissions makes decisions after considering all the information in an application. It reviews the undergraduate transcript closely, with attention to such factors as trends in the applicant’s grades, class rank, the ratio of pass/fail to graded courses, the diversity and depth of course work, and the length of time since graduation. Factors other than undergraduate grades and LSAT scores may be particularly significant for applicants who have experienced educational or socio-economic disadvantage. The Committee evaluates work experience and extracurricular and community activity for evidence of advancement, leadership, and capacity for assuming responsibility. A recommendation letter is particularly valuable when the writer provides substantive information about the applicant’s abilities, activities, and personal qualities. Since the Committee does not interview candidates, the personal statement provides an opportunity for the applicant to supplement the information provided in the application.

Thank you for your interest in NYU School of Law.

Sincerely,

Office of Admissions

NYU School of Law



(UC Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall)

No disadvantage.

Berkeley Law Admissions Office

2850 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 500

Berkeley, CA 94705-7220

(510) 642-2274

(510) 643-6222 fax

http://www.law.berkeley.edu


(university of pennsylvania law school)

Thank you for your message and interest in Penn Law. It is not uncommon for applicants to have been enrolled in a community college, and we make no blanket assumptions as to a candidate's academic record or strength in that regard.

Best regards,

Penn Law Admissions

https://www.law.upenn.edu/

http://www.facebook.com/pennlaw


(The University of Michigan Law School)

Thank you for your interest in Michigan Law. We are pleased to hear you’re considering applying. We regularly see applicants who start their coursework at a community college, and there is no disadvantage to doing so. We do require that you have a bachelor’s degree prior to beginning law school. Please note that even though you transferred, we do require transcripts from all institutions that you have attended, including community colleges.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Best,

Lindsey

--

Lindsey Stetson

Assistant Director of Admissions

The University of Michigan Law School

726 Oakland Avenue

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Tel 734.764.0537

Fax 734.647.3218

http://www.law.umich.edu



(Duke University School of Law)


Dear Prospective Applicant:

We appreciate your interest in Duke Law School. It would not

disadvantage your application if you transfer to a four-year institution

after attending a community college program. Diversity enriches the

educational experience of all our students. We seek to admit students

from different academic, cultural, social, ethnic, and economic

backgrounds.

Visit our website at http://www.law.duke.edu/admis/faq to find the

answers to the most common questions.

Sincerely,

Robin Holman

Assistant Director of Admissions

for Operations

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Office of Admissions

Duke University School of Law

Science Drive & Towerview Road

Box 90393 / Durham NC 27708-0393

phone: 919-613-7020

email: [email protected]

web: http://www.law.duke.edu/admis



(Northwestern University Law School)

There is no disadvantage to starting at a community college. Thank you.



(University of Virginia Law School)

None whatsoever. Many of our students have spent some time in community college. It’s very common.

Cordel Faulk

Director of Admissions

University of Virginia

School of Law

580 Massie Road

Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-1738

phone: 434.924.4869 fax: 434.982.2128

web: http://www.law.virginia.edu/admissions



(Cornell Law School)


Hello, and thank you for your email.

We will be primarily interested in your academic performance, regardless of the institution attended.

Best wishes,

Connie M. Pendergast

Administrative Assistant

Cornell Law School

Admissions Office

226 Myron Taylor Hall

Ithaca, NY 14853

607.255-5141



(Georgetown University's Law Center)

Thank you for your email. The Admissions Committee does take into account the undergraduate institution you graduated from as well as the classes you completed. If you did well at the community college and took difficult courses, this should not have a significant affect on the decision of your application. I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have further questions.

Sincerely,

Lindsey Monson

Admissions Assistant, GEORGETOWN LAW

From: Admissions Office

Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 9:20 AM

To: Lindsey G. Monson

Subject: FW: Dear Georgetown University Law Center Office

Office of Admissions

Georgetown University Law Center

600 New Jersey Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20001 202-662-9010