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Hey everyone,

Have one grade remaining but I'm more or less around 3.76 right now at a T30 school. The last grade is only a 2 credit course so it won't affect my GPA much. This should put me right at the edge of the 5% mark.

From what I've gathered being in the top 5% of a T30 school grants you the privilege of not having your app immediately thrown away at the admissions office at H. What I'd like to know is what I can do to tip the balance further in my favor.

From an identity perspective, I'm not LGBT, not an URM, and not a scrappy first-generation-American. The only adversity I've had to overcome is having a drug-addict parent. I was born and raised in an exotic state (the adjective tells you which state it is).

In terms of extracurriculars, I have the usual club memberships but nothing compelling.

As for my undergraduate record, the LSAC report had me pegged at a ~2.9 in Computer Science. I had a 174 LSAT. I am patent bar eligible and have always had the intention of pursuing patent law (although I'm probably going to get dinged in that field because of my UGPA).

I didn't take off any time between ugrad and law school; I did intern for two years at a physiological research company over the past two summers and did lots of good work there. I was offered a job there twice; once at the end of each summer. I'm on good terms with the chief scientific officers there and two of them are references on my resume.

Is there anything I can do beyond get good grades to improve my chances? I'm wracking my brain and the only idea I've come up with is look for writing competitions to enter and try to win an award. I know that sounds dumb, but I have this sinking feeling that being <5% alone isn't going to cut it.

Also, if you were/know a transfer into H, I'd greatly, greatly appreciate it if you could share what soft factors you/he/she had. If they are too specific to mention in the thread, please PM me. I will definitely keep any information you convey through PM confidential.

Thanks in advance.

LSAT and UGPA do not matter. They just don't. For transfers, they're not reported to USNWR, and they're less predictive of law school success and bar passage than your actual 1L grades are, so they're just going to look at 1L grades and school ranking. Top 5% at T30, like you said, is good enough to get at least looked at.

In terms of how you present yourself, I think it's a good idea to consider how you pitched yourself in your original PS and whether those themes are still valid. There's a 98% chance that they are, and they can form the basis of another PS now. Just sell yourself as best you can. And you've obviously overcome at least two somethings; besides the drug-addicted parent, you overcame a 2.9 UGPA and outperformed during 1L (or at least the first semester, which you'd better keep up).

The only other advice I'd have is to get involved in anything that gives you substantive legal practice during the spring semester, if you can. Volunteer, rack up some pro bono hours, do something that exposes you to the law and what you can do with it. That'll be good for your resume, and might give you something else to talk about.

Good luck.

vanwinkle wrote:LSAT and UGPA do not matter. They just don't. For transfers, they're not reported to USNWR, and they're less predictive of law school success and bar passage than your actual 1L grades are, so they're just going to look at 1L grades and school ranking. Top 5% at T30, like you said, is good enough to get at least looked at.

In terms of how you present yourself, I think it's a good idea to consider how you pitched yourself in your original PS and whether those themes are still valid. There's a 98% chance that they are, and they can form the basis of another PS now. Just sell yourself as best you can. And you've obviously overcome at least two somethings; besides the drug-addicted parent, you overcame a 2.9 UGPA and outperformed during 1L (or at least the first semester, which you'd better keep up).

The only other advice I'd have is to get involved in anything that gives you substantive legal practice during the spring semester, if you can. Volunteer, rack up some pro bono hours, do something that exposes you to the law and what you can do with it. That'll be good for your resume, and might give you something else to talk about.

Good luck.

this.

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ummm just fyi i transferred T50-->HYS. was told point blank that 176+ LSAT made a diff. so maybe yr 174 will help. but no one is impressed wit a 3.76. shit ain't GAUDY enough, ya heard?

DO blow a few profs tho cuz letterz of recc make ALL the diff. no rly.

nnnnnn-threadin' wrote:ummm just fyi i transferred T50-->HYS. was told point blank that 176+ LSAT made a diff. so maybe yr 174 will help. but no one is impressed wit a 3.76. shit ain't GAUDY enough, ya heard?

DO blow a few profs tho cuz letterz of recc make ALL the diff. no rly.

I really hope this guy is for real.

patrickd139 wrote:

nnnnnn-threadin' wrote:ummm just fyi i transferred T50-->HYS. was told point blank that 176+ LSAT made a diff. so maybe yr 174 will help. but no one is impressed wit a 3.76. shit ain't GAUDY enough, ya heard?

DO blow a few profs tho cuz letterz of recc make ALL the diff. no rly.

I really hope this guy is for real.

lol me too. I feel like he's pretty right though haha
Edit: just read his other posts.

nnnnnn-threadin' wrote:but no one is impressed wit a 3.76.

3.76 was around top 2% at my old school. Curves vary considerably.