Top Law Schools

So I thought this would be a good way to get to know one another better after having gone through LSAT hell together! Allow me to go first.

171, 3.79
Atlanta is the goal.

In no particular order:

Emory
UGA
Vandy
UT (from Texas)
SMU
Duke
Wake Forest

I'm pretty debt averse now after having taken out substantial loans for UG (~50k), so that's why I'm not reaching too far up.

Howabout you guys?

165, 3.95

I will blanket the t-14 texas, and blanket safety schools in Cali and a couple in DC.

will be retaking, but will apply first with the numbers.

Good thread idea!

dont mean to hi-jack the thread...feel free to ignore:
any suggestions on where I can apply that has a semi-national reach and is good at clerkships outside of that?

.

Thought I'd spice things up with my low numbers! Totally taking recomendations on where to apply.... I have no idea

163/3.3

I'm thinkin...
Wake Forest (reach)
Alabama (super reach)
UF (i live in FL)
Miami (for $ hopefully)
LSU ($)
Kentucky...

DaveBear07 wrote:So I thought this would be a good way to get to know one another better after having gone through LSAT hell together! Allow me to go first.

171, 3.79
Atlanta is the goal.

In no particular order:

Emory
UGA
Vandy
UT (from Texas)
SMU
Duke
Wake Forest

I'm pretty debt averse now after having taken out substantial loans for UG (~50k), so that's why I'm not reaching too far up.

Howabout you guys?

Those are pretty good numbers. Maybe slap a couple more T14 on there for the hell of it? I understand that you want to avoid debt, but you'll never know who could've given you money if you don't apply. Plus, an admission at, say, Penn, could be used to pressure Vandy (and others, obviously) into giving you more.

.

Not, you know, fantastic. But if you really want to go there, apply ED, make sure you get great LORs and write a kickass PS. The last two won't help that much, but every drop in the bucket counts.

3.34 166

George Washington ED
Notre Dame
UNC
UC-Boulder
Boston College
William and Mary
UW-Washington
UW-Madison

These are the top schools I have in mind, but I need to do more research to see if these are realistic or not and where my best options are.

acadec wrote:Not, you know, fantastic. But if you really want to go there, apply ED, make sure you get great LORs and write a kickass PS. The last two won't help that much, but every drop in the bucket counts.

oh ha, I didn't mean work experience + I am fairly unique (2 separate things)...I meant my work experience was unique. Thanks for your input! I kinda already felt that way...I just don't love the idea of applying anywhere ED even tho NYU would be awesome, b/c want to see how everywhere else plays out...hmm we'll see!

My good luck today has changed my whole plan. I had been thinking more like MVP, willing to drop lower for full $$$ at WUSTL. Now:

3.89/180

Yale
Harvard
Stanford
Columbia [though I think I would take Chicago over Columbia/NYU]
Chicago
[Might go $$$ fishing in MVP]

I should be solid for HLS, but my softs are oh so average (basically campus organizations, a few academic honors, working at parents' business in the summer), so I have no idea with YLS/SLS.

jdstl wrote:My good luck today has changed my whole plan. I had been thinking more like MVP, willing to drop lower for full $$$ at WUSTL. Now:

3.89/180

Yale
Harvard
Stanford
Columbia [though I think I would take Chicago over Columbia/NYU]
Chicago
[Might go $$$ fishing in MVP]

I should be solid for HLS, but my softs are oh so average (basically campus organizations, a few academic honors, working at parents' business in the summer), so I have no idea with YLS/SLS.

no idea with YLS/SLS? Are you serious??? You're gonna get in everywhere!!! You rock...amazing job!!!

ilovemulch wrote:

jdstl wrote:My good luck today has changed my whole plan. I had been thinking more like MVP, willing to drop lower for full $$$ at WUSTL. Now:

3.89/180

Yale
Harvard
Stanford
Columbia [though I think I would take Chicago over Columbia/NYU]
Chicago
[Might go $$$ fishing in MVP]

I should be solid for HLS, but my softs are oh so average (basically campus organizations, a few academic honors, working at parents' business in the summer), so I have no idea with YLS/SLS.

no idea with YLS/SLS? Are you serious??? You're gonna get in everywhere!!! You rock...amazing job!!!

No, he is right yale may not happen but who knows? I think stanford should happen and of course harvard. Just try to make yourself shine in your PS and LOR's to yale. But of course you still have a very good shot.

acadec wrote:

DaveBear07 wrote:So I thought this would be a good way to get to know one another better after having gone through LSAT hell together! Allow me to go first.

171, 3.79
Atlanta is the goal.

In no particular order:

Emory
UGA
Vandy
UT (from Texas)
SMU
Duke
Wake Forest

I'm pretty debt averse now after having taken out substantial loans for UG (~50k), so that's why I'm not reaching too far up.

Howabout you guys?

Those are pretty good numbers. Maybe slap a couple more T14 on there for the hell of it? I understand that you want to avoid debt, but you'll never know who could've given you money if you don't apply. Plus, an admission at, say, Penn, could be used to pressure Vandy (and others, obviously) into giving you more.

Yeaaah that is a good point. Something I'll definitely have to consider....

I'd actually like some advice on this. I have a 173/3.8, and really solid softs (nothing exceptionally unique or game-changing, but I have had three jobs throughout college and do a lot on campus, with some really interesting volunteer work.)

I am definitely applying to:
- Chicago
- Columbia
- NYU
- Northwestern
- Georgetown
- Vandy

My questions: Which schools of the mid-T14 should I apply to? I really can't afford to blanket. Also, I want to be in a big city, and I want to get out of the south (for law school and my career.) No interest in California. Also, is it a waste of an application fee to apply to Harvard?

Thanks guys!

eskimo wrote:I'd actually like some advice on this. I have a 173/3.8, and really solid softs (nothing exceptionally unique or game-changing, but I have had three jobs throughout college and do a lot on campus, with some really interesting volunteer work.)

I am definitely applying to:
- Chicago
- Columbia
- NYU
- Northwestern
- Georgetown
- Vandy

My questions: Which schools of the mid-T14 should I apply to? I really can't afford to blanket. Also, I want to be in a big city, and I want to get out of the south (for law school and my career.) No interest in California. Also, is it a waste of an application fee to apply to Harvard?

Thanks guys!

Penn seems to be the one mid T-14 that most fits your criteria.

jdstl wrote:Penn seems to be the one mid T-14 that most fits your criteria.

Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. I guess I'm just wondering if it's silly to not apply to at least a few, especially since CCN can be tough to crack. If I could get fee waivers to a few, that would help a lot.

eskimo wrote:I'd actually like some advice on this. I have a 173/3.8, and really solid softs (nothing exceptionally unique or game-changing, but I have had three jobs throughout college and do a lot on campus, with some really interesting volunteer work.)

I am definitely applying to:
- Chicago
- Columbia
- NYU
- Northwestern
- Georgetown
- Vandy

My questions: Which schools of the mid-T14 should I apply to? I really can't afford to blanket. Also, I want to be in a big city, and I want to get out of the south (for law school and my career.) No interest in California. Also, is it a waste of an application fee to apply to Harvard?

Thanks guys!

That's kind of goofy. I also have a 173/3.8 and the same general opinions as you on where to go (though I'm not from the South).

LSN gives us virtually no shot at Harvard other than a nice long waitlist stay, but I think there's still a tiny chance of it working out, so I may apply there. Given your situation, I'd hit all the ones on your list (maybe even cut Vanderbilt) and add Michigan and UPenn.

darby girl wrote:Thought I'd spice things up with my low numbers! Totally taking recomendations on where to apply.... I have no idea

163/3.3

I'm thinkin...
Wake Forest (reach)
Alabama (super reach)
UF (i live in FL)
Miami (for $ hopefully)
LSU ($)
Kentucky...

Where in FL are you from darby? I go to undergrad at FSU and I'm from Jacksonville.

My numbers are 3.93 and 167..I've only taken the LSAT once so far but I've had 2 absences due to my dad signing me up without my permission, wtf.

I'm thinking of applying to:
Cornell
Duke
FSU
UF
Emory

I'm not sure where else..I want to get into the top 14 or top 10 but not sure if my LSAT is strong enough. Any recommendations? Maybe I should take the LSAT again..I was only ranging in 162-166 on my PTs so I did do better than expected.

Also I don't have much soft experience I guess. I volunteered/interned at the public defender's office for two summers. Now this summer I'm volunteering/interning at the state attorney's office. I've presented a paper at a philosophy conference and working on submitting some more so maybe I'll have cool academic credentials? Maybe not though. Some advice is welcome lol.

3.8/155
I have 6 years paralegal experience, first generational college student, NA with/out tribal affiliation, and am non-trad. I also interned with a county judge, organized my school's first ever court of appeals live oral argument, and am working on a documentary about juveniles in the Indiana Juvenile Justice System. I also hosted political debates at my campus. I have strong LOR's and PS is drafted so I will be applying in early Oct.

I will be applying both FT and PT (when applicable) to:

(Reach Schools)
Notre Dame
Lewis and Clark

(I'm within these schools ranges)
IU-B
IU-Indy
MSU
Chicago Kent PT
Depaul PT
Loyola PT
I would only apply PT to chicago schools since I will be commuting from Indiana.

(I'm above the 75% for both gpa and lsat but would go if I got a scholly)
Valpo
John Marshall

WhatSarahSaid wrote:
That's kind of goofy. I also have a 173/3.8 and the same general opinions as you on where to go (though I'm not from the South).

LSN gives us virtually no shot at Harvard other than a nice long waitlist stay, but I think there's still a tiny chance of it working out, so I may apply there. Given your situation, I'd hit all the ones on your list (maybe even cut Vanderbilt) and add Michigan and UPenn.

Yay, my first numbers-twin! Yeah, I think I'll def. apply to Penn, and maybe Michigan. Good luck with your applications; I think it'll be interesting to see how we do!

Light wrote:

darby girl wrote:Thought I'd spice things up with my low numbers! Totally taking recomendations on where to apply.... I have no idea

163/3.3

I'm thinkin...
Wake Forest (reach)
Alabama (super reach)
UF (i live in FL)
Miami (for $ hopefully)
LSU ($)
Kentucky...

Where in FL are you from darby? I go to undergrad at FSU and I'm from Jacksonville.

My numbers are 3.93 and 167..I've only taken the LSAT once so far but I've had 2 absences due to my dad signing me up without my permission, wtf.

I'm thinking of applying to:
Cornell
Duke
FSU
UF
Emory

I'm not sure where else..I want to get into the top 14 or top 10 but not sure if my LSAT is strong enough. Any recommendations? Maybe I should take the LSAT again..I was only ranging in 162-166 on my PTs so I did do better than expected.

Also I don't have much soft experience I guess. I volunteered/interned at the public defender's office for two summers. Now this summer I'm volunteering/interning at the state attorney's office. I've presented a paper at a philosophy conference and working on submitting some more so maybe I'll have cool academic credentials? Maybe not though. Some advice is welcome lol.

My boyfriend is from Jacksonville! He went to Bishop Kenny. Anyways, You are solid for FSU and UF, and are definitly looking at good money from both. They are GREAT schools if you want to stay around here. I don't really like Florida, so I'm looking elsewhere. I think my numbers could let me try at Wake Forest and Bama, I'd prob get in UF and FSU but at sticker (which in-state is cheap anyways) and Miami for $$$. If you want to go out of Florida, Emory is amazing. But apparently the Atlanta market is suffering. I have family at Emory, and my dad went to Georgia Tech for engineering. Duke is pretty cool. All your schools are good choices. FSU vs. UF is hard. I hate tally (no effence) but it has a much better legal market than UF. UF is a better school (and a better area, I think). I was PTing 163-164 so I did as well as I expected, but I did get a 154 the first time I took (cold) so this was still a very nice jump!!

Light wrote:My numbers are 3.93 and 167..I've only taken the LSAT once so far but I've had 2 absences due to my dad signing me up without my permission, wtf.

I'm thinking of applying to:
Cornell
Duke
FSU
UF
Emory

I'm not sure where else..I want to get into the top 14 or top 10 but not sure if my LSAT is strong enough. Any recommendations? Maybe I should take the LSAT again..I was only ranging in 162-166 on my PTs so I did do better than expected.

Also I don't have much soft experience I guess. I volunteered/interned at the public defender's office for two summers. Now this summer I'm volunteering/interning at the state attorney's office. I've presented a paper at a philosophy conference and working on submitting some more so maybe I'll have cool academic credentials? Maybe not though. Some advice is welcome lol.

3.93 GPA (excellent) 167 LSAT

U Michigan - ED (best shot) RD (maybe)
UVA - ED (likely with a 3.93) RD (no)
Penn - ED (waitlisted, unlikely but maybe with a 3.93)
Duke - ED (best shot) RD (maybe)

remember...you can only ED (a binding contract) at one school at a time. If their decision to your ED is to waitlist you, then you're free to ED at another school if you haven't blown the ED deadline... UVA extended their ED deadline this cycle...

Does ED slightly or significantly improve your chances of being accepted?

For example, if I ED to Penn or NYU would my chances of being accepted increase?

(168 3.92)

a

ibdancin wrote:Wow, hopefully someone can tell me if I'm crazy for the schools I'm looking at. I'm starting to doubt myself since some of you have such great numbers and aren't applying to some of these schools:

171, 3.75
Stanford (super reach, but I wanna try)
Michigan
Virginia (I think this is my goal right now)
Georgetown
Duke
Vanderbilt
UCLA

Are these realistic/where I should be applying or not really? Of course I'll have my in-state safety schools (Arizona State, and U of Arizona), but I'm hoping for something in these 7 above....

You aren't too crazy.

Stanford almost certainly isn't happening unless you have some ridiculous softs -- as long as you acknowledge that it's a huge reach, that's fine. The rest are good to aim for. Vanderbilt/UCLA are lower than what you could get by a decent margin, but if you're looking for super-safeties or scholarship money, go for it.

[edit: used "crazy" three times in two sentences, ugh]