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Hey guys I'm new here. 1L at a school ranked in the 50's (you can probably get in from my name), and we just got grades back from fall. My school has a 3.0 1L median and I got a 3.8325. First of all, in a class of 120ish, am I wrong to assume that I am top 5% (so like top 6), or maybe even #1? I feel like I will never be able to repeat these grades, so I am wondering if I should just hope I do near as well next semester and transfer to somewhere better while I am ahead. How high do you think I can aim with these grades at a school in the 50s? Keep in mind I only had a 3.4/162 initially, although I did attend a fairly well-respected liberal arts school in New England. I'm from Massachusetts also, so anywhere in the northeast especially interests me. Thanks for all of your help in advance!

Can someone, anyone, give me some helpful thoughts?

I'd need to know more about the school's curve, but with a 3.0 curve I'd imagine that a 3.8x is very, very good. The thing is, in order to get a GPA that high you must have been doing something right consistently in all your classes, so I don't see how you can feel like they're some kind of fluke or something you can't repeat.

If you're that concerned, though, I'd say apply to transfer ED to Chicago. That way they'll only take your first-semester grades into consideration and only give you problems if your drop in the second semester is pretty substantial. Otherwise, transferring requires a total GPA from your first and second semester grades.

I think if you can maintain that for another semester you have a shot at just about any T14 you want. Yale will be tough, but that's because Yale is tough for everyone, they only take a few transfers a year. A GPA that high from a T1 school probably means you're golden at most of the T14. Like I said, if you're nervous you can ED to Chicago and lock that in early... But then you might be screwing your chances at Harvard.

Thanks for the reply. It's not that I think it is such a fluke, it just seems that there are so many students who appear smarter so that I was shocked to be ahead of most or all of them. Also, since many students were more qualified at admission time, I question if I can repeat it or if I will regress towards the mean. By the way, the curve is normal, where it's like 15-25% gets Bs, 10-15 B+, 10-15, B- and so on but at equal percentiles. I am definitely staying here through this semester, so while I appreciate the ED at Chicago part of the advice, I realize that staying another semester is in my best interest so long as I don't mess it up so bad. Wouldn't a school like Harvard care that I only had a 162 LSAT though?

CINCY12 wrote:Thanks for the reply. It's not that I think it is such a fluke, it just seems that there are so many students who appear smarter so that I was shocked to be ahead of most or all of them. Also, since many students were more qualified at admission time, I question if I can repeat it or if I will regress towards the mean. By the way, the curve is normal, where it's like 15-25% gets Bs, 10-15 B+, 10-15, B- and so on but at equal percentiles. I am definitely staying here through this semester, so while I appreciate the ED at Chicago part of the advice, I realize that staying another semester is in my best interest so long as I don't mess it up so bad. Wouldn't a school like Harvard care that I only had a 162 LSAT though?

ED at Chicago means you still finish your spring semester at your current school, it's just that they'll render a decision before you take your spring exams. That way you get a decision for transferring next year based solely on your fall grades (though if you do substantially worse in the spring I think they reserve the right to yank your acceptance). No matter what you do you have to stay and finish the spring.

The thing is, a big part of what sets people apart is knowing how to take the law school exams. It sounds like you nailed that and while some of your classmates will improve on that between this semester and the next, if you continue to improve and study also, you should be able to maintain a pretty good GPA next semester as well.

Also, as far as I can tell, schools don't care what your UG GPA or LSAT were. The closest to caring I've seen is Harvard claiming that people who manage to transfer there often had stats sufficient to get into Harvard in the first place, but that's not the same as saying they look at your UG or LSAT.

I appreciate vanwinkle's advice and comments and they are well-taken, but does anyone else out there have a thought about all of this?

CINCY12 wrote:I appreciate vanwinkle's advice and comments and they are well-taken, but does anyone else out there have a thought about all of this?

not really. vanwinkle summed it up pretty well

EDIT: especially the bit about Chicago

I wouldn't ED at UChi ... It's like a lose-lose situation. If you get in and you do worse 2nd semester they reserve to right to not let you in. At the same time you forgo a GULC EA lock. But if you do the same or better you can't apply elsewhere (unlike with GULC). Personally, If I were you, I would EA at GULC, put down the seat deposit, and then if I repeated my success I would throw out apps across the the t14 including all of HYS. And if you do shitty 2nd semester you have that acceptance at GULC to think about. But I'd be hiding something if I didn't say that I personally don't like the culture of UChi (i.e. the cut-throat competitive environment, the terrible location, a lot of the people are really weird, etc), so if you are dead set on wanting to attend UChi it might be worth it to do a ED there because your odds are slightly better with ED of getting in.

saltoftheearth wrote:

CINCY12 wrote:I appreciate vanwinkle's advice and comments and they are well-taken, but does anyone else out there have a thought about all of this?

not really. vanwinkle summed it up pretty well

EDIT: especially the bit about Chicago

Yeah, he tends to. OP, in your situation, I would probably ED to Chicago. HLS does say they consider your original entering numbers. I knew of a top UCLA student who had originally had 166/4.0 who got in as a transfer student. I have also heard of students from lower ranked schools pulling it off, but Chicago is certainly more of a safe bet, if you want to go there.

Do you have any other preferences in the balance of the T14? In another lifetime, I would have gone for NYU. In this one, I'll stay happily put at Fordham, and hope the rest of my pending grades resemble yours. BTW, Congrats on an awesome performance.

here is a similar question: 4.0 first semester grades on a 3.0 curve at a mid-70s school, 165 LSAT, 3.2 ug gpa; any chance at U Chi ED? I'd like my chances at GULC but I think it takes a top ten school to be worth the sticker price, even if it's only two years tuition.

Im on a similar curve. 3.0 curve. My gpa is 3.4x does anyone have a guess of what my approximate class rank is this semester?
10% A
15% a-
17% B+
23% B
15% b-
10% c+
5% C
5 % (C- + Ds)