Which is more important long-term: LSAT score or 1L grades? Forum

[LexLeon]

Debate and discuss, my friends.

[09042014]

LSAT. Firms ask about the LSAT during your SA, and if it's not up to snuff, you get no offered. And getting no offered means you'lll never work in law again.

[LexLeon]

LSAT. Firms ask about the LSAT during your SA, and if it's not up to snuff, you get no offered. And getting no offered means you'lll never work in law again.

I would suppose that the value of the LSAT score is what school it will get you into in the first place, not what potential employers think of it.

[sinfiery]

Ability to score high on the LSAT > Grades >>>>>>>> whatever you got on the LSAT

[LexLeon]

Ability to score high on the LSAT > Grades >>>>>>>> whatever you got on the LSAT

That's an interesting proposition. I might understand it.

Please explain.

[sinfiery]

Ability to score high on the LSAT > Grades >>>>>>>> whatever you got on the LSAT

That's an interesting proposition. I might understand it.

Please explain.

As is evident by DFs snark as an experienced 3L, what you actually got on the LSAT is completely irrelevant past admissions.

Having a basic ability to synthesize the flaws in arguments is a skill that transfers towards anything you do, to a certain extent. 1L grades will just help aid you in getting your foot in the door for a job.

They aren't directly comparable strengths but my personal preference and experiences dictate me to favor the former than the latter.

[guano]

Top LSAT -> median at T6 -> biglaw

Median LSAT -> top at a TTT -> shitlaw

[tfer2222]

Top LSAT -> median at T6 -> biglaw

Median LSAT -> top at a TTT -> shitlaw

true, but one could also do meh LSAT --> top at T1 --> biglaw.

it's really just a balancing test.

[twenty]

I'd much rather be the very bottom person in my class at Columbia than the very top person in my class at Charlotte.

[Barack O'Drama]

LSAT. Firms ask about the LSAT during your SA, and if it's not up to snuff, you get no offered. And getting no offered means you'lll never work in law again.

180

[RodneyRuxin]

If you can get biglaw either way, grades stop mattering long term and then it's just the name on the resume and the diploma on your wall. We're in a prestige oriented profession and the name matters to clients and firms.

LSAT.

[Borg]

LSAT. Good grades at a lower ranked school can get you biglaw, but it's still an uphill battle even with law review and every other mark of distinction you can get. You also have to take more pains to explain how well you did at your lower ranked school throughout your life, whereas a Yale, Stanford, Harvard, Columbia, Berkeley etc. grad can just say they went to school at one of those places and it's sort of the end of the story. They also get the benefit of alumni networks full of similarly qualified people, while the best at a non-T-14 is in the position of being the "best house on the block" so to speak and doesn't have a wide network of alumni who are involved in the same type of career.

[tfer2222]

If you can get biglaw either way, grades stop mattering long term and then it's just the name on the resume and the diploma on your wall. We're in a prestige oriented profession and the name matters to clients and firms.

LSAT.

I agree with this to a certain extent, except I think the more important long-term factor is the experience you get, not only a school name. And when it comes to "prestigious" work experience that will get you further in your career, a lot of that depends on 1L grades. Like I said, I think its somewhat of a balance.

Although in the end, yeah, LSAT is the most initially important because if your school sucks that much then you won't have much of a chance of getting any good work experience anyway.

Also, LSAT isn't just about school rank -- its about $$$$ from schools. so yeah that also tips the scales more towards LSAT.

i could be biased, but whaaaatever

[magp90]

None of the above. Guys it's obviously the SAT.

[jselson]

None of the above. Guys it's obviously your parents' income.

[paranoia4ya]

depends, duh.

[rickgrimes69]

LSAT. Firms ask about the LSAT during your SA, and if it's not up to snuff, you get no offered. And getting no offered means you'lll never work in law again.

I would suppose that the value of the LSAT score is what school it will get you into in the first place, not what potential employers think of it.

whoosh

[westphillybandr]

Threads like these man. Threads like these.

[stillwater]

LexLeon has proven thru his posts he may not have a single foot on the ground.

[2014]

I would be ELATED if firms decided to ask about the LSAT at OCI.

[Sheffield]

I would be ELATED if firms decided to ask about the LSAT at OCI.

They figure it out without asking... the school you are attending = your LSAT. As far as long term, it could be argued either way. Your LSAT landed you that golden opportunity LS, or it left you with hopes of becoming a traffic ticket attorney. On the other hand your 1L grades will determine if your paycheck is $3K a week, or $300.00 a week. LSAT/1L Grades… hand and glove kinda deal.

[Nova]

I would be ELATED if firms decided to ask about the LSAT at OCI.

They figure it out without asking... the school you are attending = your LSAT.

Unless youre this poor soul
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=210827

[Sheffield]

I would be ELATED if firms decided to ask about the LSAT at OCI.

They figure it out without asking... the school you are attending = your LSAT.

Unless youre this poor soul
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=210827

If I read it right, hard for me to label that outcome. Looks to be someone from Rutgers, Temple or Nova. I have an acquaintance at Temple, with very good grades but (the last I heard) struck out at their almost non-existent OCI (as I hear it). In the case you noted, my wishy-washy opinion is, LSAT did him/her no favors, ditto grades. The fact that the prof got the person an internship was probably the best that could be hoped for given that LSAT/Grades pave the road.

[jbagelboy]

I would be ELATED if firms decided to ask about the LSAT at OCI.

They figure it out without asking... the school you are attending = your LSAT. As far as long term, it could be argued either way. Your LSAT landed you that golden opportunity LS, or it left you with hopes of becoming a traffic ticket attorney. On the other hand your 1L grades will determine if your paycheck is $3K a week, or $300.00 a week. LSAT/1L Grades… hand and glove kinda deal.

Eh. If you are part of the 25%-30% minority population, your LSAT is more likely a couple points below, since if it was on par with the schools median the urm boost would push you to a higher tier and they most likely wouldnt be attending that school -- a 170 aa will be at Harvard, not Duke. So asking about LSAT is a distinct procedure for those candidates. Same with super splitters. I doubt NoodleyOne's future employers will know he hit 179.

[Summerz]

I am of the opinion that the LS you attend may not indicate your LSAT score. I attend a LS that gave me a considerable discount, whereas I could have attended a T14 but it would have been close to sticker. Noting that fact with whomever is evaluating you might be appropriate, especially if you have good grades. Whether it would help or not, no idea.