Top Law Schools

So my cycle didn't go well at all and I'm confused as to why.

I'm an undergrad in a top 50 public school. Currently I have a 3.88 GPA (3.93 for my majors-Psychology/Sociology) and a LSDAS of 3.85. I took the LSAT once in Dec 2009 and scored a 168. I have two solid years of psychology research experience in 4 separate labs, including a summer working with NJDOC evaluating prison program effectiveness. I have 2 really good LORs from professors I worked with personally and one decent LOR. I'm from middle class suburbia and Asian. I sent out all my applications Jan 2nd. My cycle thus far:

UPenn: rejected
Ann Arbor: rejected
Berkeley: WL rejected
Cornell: rejected
Fordham: rejected


NYU: WL
Georgetown: SPWL
GW: WL
UCLA: WL
Cardozo: WL
USC: WL

I'm surprised at Fordham's outright rejection and Cardozo's and GW's WL. Even USC's WL surprises me because I was initially invited to apply to the Rothman Scholarship.

Any thoughts? Was I aiming to high? Or did I just apply to late? Is it because I'm still in undergrad?

Also, do you guys think I have a shot of getting off any WL? I've sent a LOCI to every school. Currently I'm studying abroad in Istanbul, Turkey and am in the process of establishing a pen pal program between 10-12 year olds in Turkey and the US as stipulated by my Gilman Scholarship.

If I apply really early next cycle will my chances be improved? I'll be out of undergrad with work experience hopefully. However, my LSDAS will probably drop to 3.80 since I'm doing shitty this semester.

uzgunum wrote:So my cycle didn't go well at all and I'm confused as to why.

I'm an undergrad in a top 50 public school. Currently I have a 3.88 GPA (3.93 for my majors-Psychology/Sociology) and a LSDAS of 3.85. I took the LSAT once in Dec 2009 and scored a 168. I have two solid years of psychology research experience in 4 separate labs, including a summer working with NJDOC evaluating prison program effectiveness. I have 2 really good LORs from professors I worked with personally and one decent LOR. I'm from middle class suburbia and Asian. I sent out all my applications Jan 2nd. My cycle thus far:

UPenn: rejected
Ann Arbor: rejected
Berkeley: WL rejected
Cornell: rejected
Fordham: rejected


NYU: WL
Georgetown: SPWL
GW: WL
UCLA: WL
Cardozo: WL
USC: WL

I'm surprised at Fordham's outright rejection and Cardozo's and GW's WL. Even USC's WL surprises me because I was initially invited to apply to the Rothman Scholarship.

Any thoughts? Was I aiming to high? Or did I just apply to late? Is it because I'm still in undergrad?

Also, do you guys think I have a shot of getting off any WL? I've sent a LOCI to every school. Currently I'm studying abroad in Istanbul, Turkey and am in the process of establishing a pen pal program between 10-12 year olds in Turkey and the US as stipulated by my Gilman Scholarship.

If I apply really early next cycle will my chances be improved? I'll be out of undergrad with work experience hopefully. However, my LSDAS will probably drop to 3.80 since I'm doing shitty this semester.

If you apply early and do optional essays you should do way better IMO.

edit for failure to read

Wow, your cycle did go unbelievably bad. You did apply late, but I wouldn't have thought that your late application would've been enough to keep Cardozo, Fordham, and GW also... It seems like the rest of your application is strong. I guess just try applying as early as possible next cycle. Also, even if you get off a WL at this point you probably won't get any scholarship money that you could get by applying early next cycle. So it's probably best to wait it out.

He applied Jan. 2

What a shitty cycle for your numbers. Was your PS about your desire to eradicate the jews? That could explain it.

uzgunum wrote:I'm an undergrad in a top 50 public school.

Why would this matter? UG is UG unless you went to the University of Phoenix or did two years at CC.

I'm thinking something had to be off in your PS. Were you arrogant or insulting? Post it up here or PM it to me...I'd like to read it. Were they all addressed to the wrong school?

did two years at CC.

Dont think that really matters either. As long as you explain why in PS

Matteliszt wrote:

did two years at CC.

Dont think that really matters either. As long as you explain why in PS

Lol, yeah probably not. I went to CC for one semester, hated it and transferred to state. Didn't affect my app except for the crappy grades for lack of challenge.

blhoward2 wrote:I'm thinking something had to be off in your PS. Were you arrogant or insulting? Post it up here or PM it to me...I'd like to read it. Were they all addressed to the wrong school?

This is the only thing I can think of too. Did you write a Why X that got sent to the wrong school?

I agree that it is most likely something off in one of your statements. While did apply late, it isn't late enough to explain your cycle. I would reapply next year if I were you, retake the LSAT if you can get a 170+ and make sure that your PS's are in order.

My PS was about how my experience talking with prison inmates, correctional officers, and criminologists inspired me pursue public interest law. I also discussed my research on racial inequality. Though it wasn't my best piece of writing by far, I still feel it doesn't warrant my cycle.

I didn't write any specific statements to schools, such as a Why X. Maybe I definitely should next cycle. I did include a diversity statement when accepted about my time living in India.

Since I want to pursue public interest law, I'm not concerned about BigLaw (should I be?).

Thanks for the input guys.

procrastinator wrote:

uzgunum wrote:I'm an undergrad in a top 50 public school.

Why would this matter? UG is UG unless you went to the University of Phoenix or did two years at CC.

Two years at a cc wouldn't have hurt at all b/c the first two years of a 4-year degree are all the same, whether you start at a 4-year or a cc. Apply super early and you should have a shot at the T14. I don't think you need a re-take, but if you think you can raise your score by 4-6 points, you'll be looking at a new batch of schools, realistically (top-6).

procrastinator wrote:

uzgunum wrote:I'm an undergrad in a top 50 public school.

Why would this matter? UG is UG unless you went to the University of Phoenix or did two years at CC.

I have two years at a CC and 2 years at a UG with a 4.0...

This will really hurt me?

Edit: Looks like some people agree with me that CC experience doesn't matter. I actually find this proposition offensive to us students who could not afford 4 years at a UG.

Besides, why the heck would I pay 8,000, in tuition alone and take the same courses that I would at Community College??? Not only the same courses, but courses of lower quality with 100's of students taught by a TA.

I spent 2 years at a CC to get my basic course work done. My CC GPA is actually MUCH lower than my UG GPA. (3.57 vs 4.0) I attend my UG on a nearly fully academic scholarship and will graduate with no debt. I don't see why making a decision like this would keep me out of a TLS...

I would like an explanation for why any AdComm would think that CC courses, for the first two years, disbar you from attending law school.

LateNight wrote:

procrastinator wrote:

uzgunum wrote:I'm an undergrad in a top 50 public school.

Why would this matter? UG is UG unless you went to the University of Phoenix or did two years at CC.

I have two years at a CC and 2 years at a UG with a 4.0...

This will really hurt me?

If your 4.0 GPA is combined from CC and UG then no. If your 4.0 is from your UG only, then whatever your CC grades are will hurt you by the amount that they reduce your LSAC GPA.

My LSAC GPA is a 3.76 (with one more semester left, hoping to be at 3.8 by next week). I have my target schools set with this in mind. I am aware that my 4.0 is not my LSDAS GPA. I wish it were...

UPenn: rejected - reach
Ann Arbor: rejected - likely
Berkeley: WL rejected - reach
Cornell: rejected - should have been in
Fordham: rejected - WTF? I would have thought $$


NYU: WL - reach
Georgetown: SPWL - good shot
GW: WL - admit
UCLA: WL - good shot
Cardozo: WL - admit
USC: WL - admit



Yah, you got screwed.

LateNight wrote:

procrastinator wrote:

uzgunum wrote:I'm an undergrad in a top 50 public school.

Why would this matter? UG is UG unless you went to the University of Phoenix or did two years at CC.

I have two years at a CC and 2 years at a UG with a 4.0...

This will really hurt me?

Edit: Looks like some people agree with me that CC experience doesn't matter. I actually find this proposition offensive to us students who could not afford 4 years at a UG.

Besides, why the heck would I pay 8,000, in tuition alone and take the same courses that I would at Community College??? Not only the same courses, but courses of lower quality with 100's of students taught by a TA.

I spent 2 years at a CC to get my basic course work done. My CC GPA is actually MUCH lower than my UG GPA. (3.57 vs 4.0) I attend my UG on a nearly fully academic scholarship and will graduate with no debt. I don't see why making a decision like this would keep me out of a TLS...

I would like an explanation for why any AdComm would think that CC courses, for the first two years, disbar you from attending law school.

Procrastinator is wrong, don't worry. All an adcomm will see is your 3.76 (and possibly an upward trend). They will not care about the cc.

No need to get defensive about going to a CC.

My guess is, if your PS doesn't contain a major faux pas, that one of your letter writers doesn't like you as much as you thought he/she does. They said something about your character that raises a red flag. Why else would every school not go as according to plan? Again, this is barring a bad PS.

bk187 wrote:Procrastinator is wrong, don't worry. All an adcomm will see is your 3.76 (and possibly an upward trend). They will not care about the cc.

No need to get defensive about going to a CC.

hey now, I never said it would. I was merely stating that "top 50" UG wouldn't factor anymore than any other accredited school, with the exception of diploma mills and just maybe, if anything, CCs (just thinking out loud). I went to a cc for one semester, so don't think I was being pretentious. The purpose of my post was really to say that "top 50 UG" means nothing. Ranking UGs is stupid outside of differentiating between ivy league, state schools and small private, and online diploma mills.

It's not so much that you applied late.

I think its more of a fact that your LSAT score was not in the 170+ range.

uzgunum wrote:My PS was about how my experience talking with prison inmates, correctional officers, and criminologists inspired me pursue public interest law. I also discussed my research on racial inequality. Though it wasn't my best piece of writing by far, I still feel it doesn't warrant my cycle.

I didn't write any specific statements to schools, such as a Why X. Maybe I definitely should next cycle. I did include a diversity statement when accepted about my time living in India.

Since I want to pursue public interest law, I'm not concerned about BigLaw (should I be?).

Thanks for the input guys.

You didn't have any unorthodox findings did you?

Did one of your LOR rip you a new one?

Everyone wondering about community college or applying late; shut up. It isn't that.

This thread has a lot of potential