So. Crushed. Forum

[carboy67]

I think that with a 3.1 its gonna be hard for you to get into almost any of the T14 schools as well as USC, UT,UCLA, and Vandy, no matter what your LSAT score is (especially if you are thinking about applying this cycle. If it is your absolute dream to go to one of those schools I would take a year off, take the LSAT again, and consider applying to some schools that offer an ED option. Even then though there is no guarantee that you will get in to one of them. You should really consider going to WUSTL and GWU. They are both still very great law schools and there is always the option to transfer if you do exceptionally well. Good luck

[tomwatts]

Even with a 175, LSAC gave your shot at, say, Duke as only about 25% and Northwestern somewhat under 50%. With a 169, LSAC gives your shot at Duke as pretty near 0% and Northwestern at maybe under 25%. Cornell and Georgetown are non-participating, so it's harder to tell. UCLA looks similar to Duke: you might've had some shot with a 175, but it wasn't that great to begin with, and now it's pretty near zero.

In the grand scheme of things, this means it's not your LSAT score that's tanking you here. The 169 is pretty decent. The 3.1 GPA is, frankly, crap for the schools that you'd like to go to, and even with a 180, you wouldn't have been a lock to get into any of them. Apply to a few of them and put together the best app you can, but make sure you toss in BU, Emory, and/or other schools near the lower end of the top 25. Even if you retake and land a 180, you need to get a few of those in there in order to make sure that you get in somewhere.

And there's nothing wrong with going to UIUC or the like. These are still great schools, and people at Fordham, Wake Forest, or ASU are staring up at you with envy. (Much less Kansas — those people are sharing in your GPA misery but drooling at your 169.)

So in other words, your chances are not much lower than they would've been with an LSAT score that was 5 or 6 points higher. Find some schools with good fit in the t25 (whether t14 or not), apply to those, make sure you've got some targets as well as some reaches (which you can judge from LSAC's UGPA/LSAT Search), and you should be fine. A retake would probably help if you could manage to jump more than a couple of points, but that's up to you, and it's not as sure a thing as you might think.

[HowdyYall]

definitely retake dude. a higher LSAT (173+) could mean a few thousand in scholly money.

[lolschool2011]

I was so confident and happy during the test. No one section felt particularly difficult. I came out certain - CERTAIN beyond belief - that I'd broken 170, maybe even gotten 175.

I got a 169. I know that's not a terrible score - but with my bad GPA, it's like a death sentence.

And now, with my low GPA (3.1) I have no idea what my chances are anymore. I don't know what kind of amazing PS would get me into the bottom T14. I know that people get into the good schools even if they have low numbers sometimes...for the benefit of me and other unhappy souls on TLS, could we get any advice about what sort of stuff needs to be a in killer PS for a candidate with low numbers to get into GW, GULC, Cornell or anything in the higher T20? Specifically:

- What kind of experiences do they want you to bring out in your PS?
- What kind of tone or attitude would resonate the most with ad comms
- What. Do. We. DO?!

If this sounds desperate, it's because it is desperate. I can't bear to think I might have to go to the University of Kansas or similar.

Also, I think I might be an atheist now.

Get into the best school you can that offers you the most scholarship, be in the top 10-15 students, and then transfer.

[androstan]

I was so confident and happy during the test. No one section felt particularly difficult. I came out certain - CERTAIN beyond belief - that I'd broken 170, maybe even gotten 175.

I got a 169. I know that's not a terrible score - but with my bad GPA, it's like a death sentence.

And now, with my low GPA (3.1) I have no idea what my chances are anymore. I don't know what kind of amazing PS would get me into the bottom T14. I know that people get into the good schools even if they have low numbers sometimes...for the benefit of me and other unhappy souls on TLS, could we get any advice about what sort of stuff needs to be a in killer PS for a candidate with low numbers to get into GW, GULC, Cornell or anything in the higher T20? Specifically:

- What kind of experiences do they want you to bring out in your PS?
- What kind of tone or attitude would resonate the most with ad comms
- What. Do. We. DO?!

If this sounds desperate, it's because it is desperate. I can't bear to think I might have to go to the University of Kansas or similar.

Also, I think I might be an atheist now.

You have two options. One, you can apply now to top20/30 schools and take one of them. Two, you can retake to hopefully get 17x and ED to some of the t14 next year

I know it "sucks" a bit. I'm in the same boat with a 2.9/169. I got into GWU and I'm fine with it. Wherever you go to LS you're going to have to work your butt off, whether at GWU, GULC, or Duke. You might need to place a little higher at a top 20/30 to get that initial attention from recruiters, but it's not the end of the world.

[Fast_Fingers]

I was so confident and happy during the test. No one section felt particularly difficult. I came out certain - CERTAIN beyond belief - that I'd broken 170, maybe even gotten 175.

I got a 169. I know that's not a terrible score - but with my bad GPA, it's like a death sentence.

And now, with my low GPA (3.1) I have no idea what my chances are anymore. I don't know what kind of amazing PS would get me into the bottom T14. I know that people get into the good schools even if they have low numbers sometimes...for the benefit of me and other unhappy souls on TLS, could we get any advice about what sort of stuff needs to be a in killer PS for a candidate with low numbers to get into GW, GULC, Cornell or anything in the higher T20? Specifically:

- What kind of experiences do they want you to bring out in your PS?
- What kind of tone or attitude would resonate the most with ad comms
- What. Do. We. DO?!

If this sounds desperate, it's because it is desperate. I can't bear to think I might have to go to the University of Kansas or similar.

Also, I think I might be an atheist now.

1. I have your numbers. Got into GW, but didn't bother with LOCI's once I got into University of Minnesota due to location & scholarship.
2. I'm an atheist.
3. Stop freaking out. Get your materials in by December 1st and you'll make the most of what you've got.

[Revolver066]

Yea, pretty close numbers here. Looking better tho as the days have passed. Just gonna re-take in Feb and do my best.

Can you re-take, maybe wait a cycle? I hear cracking 170+ makes a pretty substantial difference. Plus it would be one year more away from ur gpa.

[09042014]

Retake. Your only shot at T14 is ED michigan with a 169 and that's pretty fucking slim.

[HarlandBassett]

Just retake it and get a year of WE. The economy is in the shitter now and it does not make sense to go to law school (for most ppl) at this time.

As for Emory law....
http://abovethelaw.com/2010/07/emory-la ... need-jobs/

[Gotti]

apply to hastings?

[boozehound]

better numbers than me....but still a dumb kid.

[Upton Sinclair]

You should have worked harder in school if this was your dream

Also, 169=death sentence? University of Kansas? You will probably be able to get in at some GREAT schools

Let me give you a hint---there are a LOT of people at schools like Fordham, Illinois, Temple etc that are doing SIGNIFICANTLY better in their career than the average T14 grad

Toughen up---life is harder than this small thing

--ImageRemoved--

HTH.

[hjag]

I know someone who got into WashU Law with a 3.0/167. However, I should probably also mention his major was a hard sciences one.

[paulinaporizkova]

this is my dream / 3.1 gpa, lol

hahahaha. hahahahahaaaaaa

[paulinaporizkova]

also OP, you seem like you hate your life, and that's not a very good mindset to enter LS with