How rare are black American males in T20 law schools? Forum

[T_Easy]

As a 22 year old, 2009 undergrad graduate black male (3.3 GPA, good softs) studying hard for my first LSAT in September and looking hard at schools like Georgetown, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and Columbia, I want to know the presence of black males at these schools. I know the statistics, but I want to hear first hand experience from people that attend these and other T20 schools. Do they seclude themselves? Are they social? How do they perform in classes? Just wondering...

Thanks in advance.

[GATORTIM]

Go to each schools profile and review demographics

[Cleareyes]

Go to each schools profile and review demographics

Many/most of these schools will also have a black student's association. Once school is in session (before you apply) you could also contact them and ask about their read on the experience of black male students at the school in question.

[kurama20]

checkout http://www.nalplawschoolsonline.org/ndl ... _quick.asp

Search through the top schools and check for the number of black males....honestly I was floored when I saw the numbers at a lot of the schools (especially UVA, Chicago, and NYU). When I saw these numbers I started to realize part of the reasons for the huge boost for black males in admissions. If you check all of the schools you quickly notice how many of us Harvard sucks up out of the top 14 schools.

[LawDog3]

As a 22 year old, 2009 undergrad graduate black male (3.3 GPA, good softs) studying hard for my first LSAT in September and looking hard at schools like Georgetown, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and Columbia, I want to know the presence of black males at these schools. I know the statistics, but I want to hear first hand experience from people that attend these and other T20 schools. Do they seclude themselves? Are they social? How do they perform in classes? Just wondering...

Thanks in advance.

They are so rare that you can get into virtually any "top" school (including HYS) with an LSAT of 160+

Some day that will change, as we are slowly getting better that the test and more of us are looking at law as a viable profession. But today? To go to an top/elite school, you must get a 160 or better my friend. Even if you can manage a 157 you will get some looks from top-20 (likely waitlists if your writing is fair, maybe admitted if you write really well).

155 or better keeps you in the top 50...maybe top-30.

[T_Easy]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've always wondered about this, and it seems like black males are really basically unheard of in top 20 law schools.

[frank_the_tank]

As a 22 year old, 2009 undergrad graduate black male (3.3 GPA, good softs) studying hard for my first LSAT in September and looking hard at schools like Georgetown, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and Columbia, I want to know the presence of black males at these schools. I know the statistics, but I want to hear first hand experience from people that attend these and other T20 schools. Do they seclude themselves? Are they social? How do they perform in classes? Just wondering...

Thanks in advance.

They are so rare that you can get into virtually any top school (including HYS) with an LSAT of 160+

Some day that will change, as we are slowly getting better that the test and more of us are looking at law as a viable profession. But today? You must get a 160 or better my friend. Even if you can manage a 157 you will get some looks from top-20 (likely waitlists if your writing is fair, maybe admitted if you write really well).

155 or better keeps you in the top 50...maybe top-30.

omg wow. LawDog admits that HYS are top schools. What a miracle!

He then goes on to discuss rankings without putting down the people that take them into consideration when choosing a school...

[TopLaw_Diva]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've always wondered about this, and it seems like black males are really basically unheard of in top 20 law schools.

I'm coming into Cornell c/o 2012 and so far my girlfriends and I have not spotted any incoming black males...at our Admitted Student Day it was all female...kind of disappointing...we're still hoping some of the brothas slipped through our radar though...

[observationalist]

.

[T_Easy]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've always wondered about this, and it seems like black males are really basically unheard of in top 20 law schools.

I'm coming into Cornell c/o 2012 and so far my girlfriends and I have not spotted any incoming black males...at our Admitted Student Day it was all female...kind of disappointing...we're still hoping some of the brothas slipped through our radar though...

Just hold on...hopefully I'll be there next Fall!!!

[T_Easy]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've always wondered about this, and it seems like black males are really basically unheard of in top 20 law schools.

Granted Vandy is a small sample size with less than 200 students per class, but it looks like they managed to hit the national demographic percentages for the rising 2L class and I'm guessing they're working their hardest to pull that off again this year. The school does a lot of individual recruiting and I think that helps them keep applicants from moving further up the USNews ladder and being stolen by other schools. As far as culture goes, come visit... I think we're a friendly group. BLSA puts off one of the best parties of the year in the spring (the talent show), and it's usually during one of the two admitted student weekends. You should come to it next year... they usually get some great acts from outside the school as well to perform, which isn't that hard in Nashville. Unless our DC symposium conflicts with it again next year, we plan on performing/wowing everyone with our ability to do justice to every theme song from TGIF. At least, that was our goal this year before our plans fell apart. I personally think our rendition of the Dinosaurs theme will bring the house down, even though it's instrumental (so long as we find a tuba player).

I'm actually surprised to see so few hispanics listen on NALP... I could've sworn there were more people with hispanic backgrounds in the class below mine. I guess they don't count the LLMs.

That's great...Vandy is definitely on my list. I'm hesitant with a few top schools, like UVA and Duke, because of their nationally documented race problems. I want a top law school that has people of all races interacting with each other academically and socially with no qualms and tensions

[SoxyPirate]

Medium rare?
--ImageRemoved--

[A'nold]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've always wondered about this, and it seems like black males are really basically unheard of in top 20 law schools.

Granted Vandy is a small sample size with less than 200 students per class, but it looks like they managed to hit the national demographic percentages for the rising 2L class and I'm guessing they're working their hardest to pull that off again this year. The school does a lot of individual recruiting and I think that helps them keep applicants from moving further up the USNews ladder and being stolen by other schools. As far as culture goes, come visit... I think we're a friendly group. BLSA puts off one of the best parties of the year in the spring (the talent show), and it's usually during one of the two admitted student weekends. You should come to it next year... they usually get some great acts from outside the school as well to perform, which isn't that hard in Nashville. Unless our DC symposium conflicts with it again next year, we plan on performing/wowing everyone with our ability to do justice to every theme song from TGIF. At least, that was our goal this year before our plans fell apart. I personally think our rendition of the Dinosaurs theme will bring the house down, even though it's instrumental (so long as we find a tuba player).

I'm actually surprised to see so few hispanics listen on NALP... I could've sworn there were more people with hispanic backgrounds in the class below mine. I guess they don't count the LLMs.

That's great...Vandy is definitely on my list. I'm hesitant with a few top schools, like UVA and Duke, because of their nationally documented race problems. I want a top law school that has people of all races interacting with each other academically and socially with no qualms and tensions

I am going to get hell for this, but......where does this happen? The majority of any racial tension situations where I live are mostly just made up as a last line of defense, although, I guess it might be because I am from Seattle. Blacks and whites live pretty freaking harmoniously up here.....

[strawberryfanta]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've always wondered about this, and it seems like black males are really basically unheard of in top 20 law schools.

Granted Vandy is a small sample size with less than 200 students per class, but it looks like they managed to hit the national demographic percentages for the rising 2L class and I'm guessing they're working their hardest to pull that off again this year. The school does a lot of individual recruiting and I think that helps them keep applicants from moving further up the USNews ladder and being stolen by other schools. As far as culture goes, come visit... I think we're a friendly group. BLSA puts off one of the best parties of the year in the spring (the talent show), and it's usually during one of the two admitted student weekends. You should come to it next year... they usually get some great acts from outside the school as well to perform, which isn't that hard in Nashville. Unless our DC symposium conflicts with it again next year, we plan on performing/wowing everyone with our ability to do justice to every theme song from TGIF. At least, that was our goal this year before our plans fell apart. I personally think our rendition of the Dinosaurs theme will bring the house down, even though it's instrumental (so long as we find a tuba player).

I'm actually surprised to see so few hispanics listen on NALP... I could've sworn there were more people with hispanic backgrounds in the class below mine. I guess they don't count the LLMs.

That's great...Vandy is definitely on my list. I'm hesitant with a few top schools, like UVA and Duke, because of their nationally documented race problems. I want a top law school that has people of all races interacting with each other academically and socially with no qualms and tensions

I am going to get hell for this, but......where does this happen? The majority of any racial tension situations where I live are mostly just made up as a last line of defense, although, I guess it might be because I am from Seattle. Blacks and whites live pretty freaking harmoniously up here.....

Here in Louisiana there is a ton of racial tension, in both rural and urban areas. New Orleans is particularly known for its horrible racism from both sides, and Baton Rouge, while much better than New Orleans, isn't a harmonious place neither, from my experience. You may say "South, lol" but well that's the region he mentioned he was hesitant to go to for law school: UVA, Duke.

[Jay-Electronica]

In regards to black males, I have been told that generally there will around 20 +/- a few all together at most schools around the country. You do have exceptions such as Howard on one end and on the other end probably BYU.

[kurama20]

In regards to black males, I have been told that generally there will around 20 +/- a few all together at most schools around the country. You do have exceptions such as Howard on one end and on the other end probably BYU.

Yeah I bet BYU has a hell of a time attracting us!

[Gaius]

Yeah I bet BYU has a hell of a time attracting us!

In regards to black males, I have been told that generally there will around 20 +/- a few all together at most schools around the country. You do have exceptions such as Howard on one end and on the other end probably BYU.

Yeah I bet BYU has a hell of a time attracting us!

You should have thought about that before you hardened your hearts against our celestial father.

[02082010]

As a 22 year old, 2009 undergrad graduate black male (3.3 GPA, good softs) studying hard for my first LSAT in September and looking hard at schools like Georgetown, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and Columbia, I want to know the presence of black males at these schools. I know the statistics, but I want to hear first hand experience from people that attend these and other T20 schools. Do they seclude themselves? Are they social? How do they perform in classes? Just wondering...

Thanks in advance.

They are so rare that you can get into virtually any top school (including HYS) with an LSAT of 160+

Um, as long as you don't have a TTT gpa.

[A'nold]

Granted Vandy is a small sample size with less than 200 students per class, but it looks like they managed to hit the national demographic percentages for the rising 2L class and I'm guessing they're working their hardest to pull that off again this year. The school does a lot of individual recruiting and I think that helps them keep applicants from moving further up the USNews ladder and being stolen by other schools. As far as culture goes, come visit... I think we're a friendly group. BLSA puts off one of the best parties of the year in the spring (the talent show), and it's usually during one of the two admitted student weekends. You should come to it next year... they usually get some great acts from outside the school as well to perform, which isn't that hard in Nashville. Unless our DC symposium conflicts with it again next year, we plan on performing/wowing everyone with our ability to do justice to every theme song from TGIF. At least, that was our goal this year before our plans fell apart. I personally think our rendition of the Dinosaurs theme will bring the house down, even though it's instrumental (so long as we find a tuba player).

I'm actually surprised to see so few hispanics listen on NALP... I could've sworn there were more people with hispanic backgrounds in the class below mine. I guess they don't count the LLMs.

That's great...Vandy is definitely on my list. I'm hesitant with a few top schools, like UVA and Duke, because of their nationally documented race problems. I want a top law school that has people of all races interacting with each other academically and socially with no qualms and tensions

I am going to get hell for this, but......where does this happen? The majority of any racial tension situations where I live are mostly just made up as a last line of defense, although, I guess it might be because I am from Seattle. Blacks and whites live pretty freaking harmoniously up here.....

Here in Louisiana there is a ton of racial tension, in both rural and urban areas. New Orleans is particularly known for its horrible racism from both sides, and Baton Rouge, while much better than New Orleans, isn't a harmonious place neither, from my experience. You may say "South, lol" but well that's the region he mentioned he was hesitant to go to for law school: UVA, Duke.

Hmmm....yeah, I guess op did list southern schools. I just find it weird that there is all this "racial tension" out there still. I grew up in an area where there really wasn't much outward racism (on the whole) but it was CONSTANTLY brought up in school and with progressive/liberal kinds of groups in college. They acted like they were on the front lines of the civil rights movement or something and were entirely over PC about everything. I guess it might have caused me to become a little bit jaded on the subject like people are just causing problems where none exist. It's like people in the South and other parts of the country have to deal with REAL racism and the people where I'm from kind of diminish the severity of those that really struggle with this by being like, "how dare you say the word "black", it's African American you racist!" to some white kid that has like 10 black friends that all told him they prefer to be called "black" lol. That's the kind of "racism" I grew up with.

[02082010]

13 AAs in Chicago's 1L class. Ridiculous.

[keylimelove]

13 AAs in Chicago's 1L class. Ridiculous.

I'm pretty sure its only ten for the incoming class. It's making me feel a little strange, I have to admit.

[02082010]

13 AAs in Chicago's 1L class. Ridiculous.

I'm pretty sure its only ten for the incoming class. It's making me feel a little strange, I have to admit.

Chicago states that they don't take URM status into account when making admissions decisions. Since EVERYONE says this I kind of gave it a and moved on. But these stats make it seem like they do stick to their word.

[Jay-Electronica]

13 AAs in Chicago's 1L class. Ridiculous.

Really? Isnt UC hardcore conservative as well?

[02082010]

13 AAs in Chicago's 1L class. Ridiculous.

Really? Isnt UC hardcore conservative as well?

No, not really. I've heard it has the most conservative law school culture, but that's because all law school's faculty are teeming with liberals. I think Chicago is just more balanced than other places.

[biggamejames]

Hmmm....yeah, I guess op did list southern schools. I just find it weird that there is all this "racial tension" out there still. I grew up in an area where there really wasn't much outward racism (on the whole) but it was CONSTANTLY brought up in school and with progressive/liberal kinds of groups in college. They acted like they were on the front lines of the civil rights movement or something and were entirely over PC about everything. I guess it might have caused me to become a little bit jaded on the subject like people are just causing problems where none exist. It's like people in the South and other parts of the country have to deal with REAL racism and the people where I'm from kind of diminish the severity of those that really struggle with this by being like, "how dare you say the word "black", it's African American you racist!" to some white kid that has like 10 black friends that all told him they prefer to be called "black" lol. That's the kind of "racism" I grew up with.

Racism is definitely not just a Southern thing. Try to get a white, upper-class East Coaster to go with you into even the safe parts of Harlem or West Philly and see what happens.