Chances for HLS? Forum

[ConstellationMiracle]

Here are my stats: 175 LSAT, 3.9 GPA from a top 20 USNWR ranked school
4 years out of undergrad
Sorts: Paralegal at a V20 law firm, full-time role at a national nonprofit advocates for suicide prevention, interned for the United Nations, good recs, tons of volunteer and extracurricular leadership positions from undergrad, senior honors thesis, co-published with professor two articles in an academic news outlet.

HLS has been my dream school for a long time. However, after the brutal competition of the last two years where folks who I know should have gotten in based on stats didn’t get in, I am feeling discouraged.

[talons2250]

Here are my stats: 175 LSAT, 3.9 GPA from a top 20 USNWR ranked school
4 years out of undergrad
Sorts: Paralegal at a V20 law firm, full-time role at a national nonprofit advocates for suicide prevention, interned for the United Nations, good recs, tons of volunteer and extracurricular leadership positions from undergrad, senior honors thesis, co-published with professor two articles in an academic news outlet.

HLS has been my dream school for a long time. However, after the brutal competition of the last two years where folks who I know should have gotten in based on stats didn’t get in, I am feeling discouraged.

You will probably get in. HLS is quite predictable based on numbers, and your numbers are in the 25th-75h percentile for both LSAT and UGPA. On the off chance you don't get in, you'll just end up at another elite school that has virtually the same outcomes for its graduates that HLS does. So this isn't really worth worrying about too much, in my opinion. Good luck!

[crazywafflez]

Here are my stats: 175 LSAT, 3.9 GPA from a top 20 USNWR ranked school
4 years out of undergrad
Sorts: Paralegal at a V20 law firm, full-time role at a national nonprofit advocates for suicide prevention, interned for the United Nations, good recs, tons of volunteer and extracurricular leadership positions from undergrad, senior honors thesis, co-published with professor two articles in an academic news outlet.

HLS has been my dream school for a long time. However, after the brutal competition of the last two years where folks who I know should have gotten in based on stats didn’t get in, I am feeling discouraged.

I think you've got a good chance, but honestly, no real difference of outcomes at say, Penn or something. You'll easily get into a T14, and probs a good scholarship on the lower end. Personally, I'd much rather go to Cornell on a fullride, given the option, vs paying sticker at Harvard.

[lawstudent0070]

Here are my stats: 175 LSAT, 3.9 GPA from a top 20 USNWR ranked school
4 years out of undergrad
Sorts: Paralegal at a V20 law firm, full-time role at a national nonprofit advocates for suicide prevention, interned for the United Nations, good recs, tons of volunteer and extracurricular leadership positions from undergrad, senior honors thesis, co-published with professor two articles in an academic news outlet.

HLS has been my dream school for a long time. However, after the brutal competition of the last two years where folks who I know should have gotten in based on stats didn’t get in, I am feeling discouraged.

I think you've got a good chance, but honestly, no real difference of outcomes at say, Penn or something. You'll easily get into a T14, and probs a good scholarship on the lower end. Personally, I'd much rather go to Cornell on a fullride, given the option, vs paying sticker at Harvard.

All else being equal, full ride at Cornell > HLS at sticker, but I'd encourage OP to think harder about his goals. Why is HLS your dream school? Do you want to clerk on the Supreme Court? Do you want to go into legal academia? Do you want to do high level public interest litigation? These outcomes will be (marginally) more achievable at H than at Cornell or another lower T14. What you have to decide is whether that marginally better chance at top-tier outcomes is worth the difference in price. (Having been on these forums for what feels like forever, this is basically what every one of these threads boils down to). Don't pick a school like Harvard "because it's Harvard" - law school is far too expensive to make a decision based primarily on lay prestige. Consider 1) the all-in COA and 2) the odds that you achieve your desired outcome from that school.