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I don't know too much about STCL, but law school is very much a numbers game. You can have all the great extracurriculars in the world, but in the end you won't get in if you don't have the numbers.

It looks like your numbers fall below both 25th percentile marks for STCL (152 and 3.06). I think your best bet at getting in would be to retake the LSAT and try and get somewhere in the mid to high 150s. I think at that point your soft factors will help offset your GPA.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and I wish you luck!

law4vus wrote:I don't know too much about STCL, but law school is very much a numbers game. You can have all the great extracurriculars in the world, but in the end you won't get in if you don't have the numbers.

It looks like your numbers fall below both 25th percentile marks for STCL (152 and 3.06). I think your best bet at getting in would be to retake the LSAT and try and get somewhere in the mid to high 150s. I think at that point your soft factors will help offset your GPA.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and I wish you luck!

+1.. I would re-invest in the LSAT.. Hire a tutor, take a course etc. I know it seems like too much money, but putting the money in up front will pay off in the end. Say, for example, you studied your ass off with a course and got a 160, you might even finagle some money out of STCL as your ROI, or even get into a better school.

Retake the LSAT. Sorry to say but it's true.

Honestly if you are reasonably bright and apply yourself then it's hard to imagine you not being able to bump it up to at least a 157

law4vus wrote:I don't know too much about STCL, but law school is very much a numbers game. You can have all the great extracurriculars in the world, but in the end you won't get in if you don't have the numbers.

It looks like your numbers fall below both 25th percentile marks for STCL (152 and 3.06). I think your best bet at getting in would be to retake the LSAT and try and get somewhere in the mid to high 150s. I think at that point your soft factors will help offset your GPA.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and I wish you luck!

TITCR

Plus if you are trying to get in for this fall and you are just now applying you're slim chances just got worse.

Can your study abroad professor vouch that you, in fact, set the record for tequila body shots while you were partying abroad? Because in studying abroad, unless you can really hold your liquor, you weren't top of your class - your LOR will blow in that case.

jmill wrote:

law4vus wrote:I don't know too much about STCL, but law school is very much a numbers game. You can have all the great extracurriculars in the world, but in the end you won't get in if you don't have the numbers.

It looks like your numbers fall below both 25th percentile marks for STCL (152 and 3.06). I think your best bet at getting in would be to retake the LSAT and try and get somewhere in the mid to high 150s. I think at that point your soft factors will help offset your GPA.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and I wish you luck!

TITCR

Plus if you are trying to get in for this fall and you are just now applying you're slim chances just got worse.

What does TITCR mean?

Retake. The LSAT is learnable, and every point you can increase your score is incredibly valuable. If you get 165+ you might be able to swing SMU, plus dollars out of STCL (though, you might want to rethink STCL, in this economy).

TITCR means "This is the credited response."

gigemgirl12 wrote:I took the LSAT 3 times.

I either really did not apply myself, or I'm just terrible at standardized tests. I would like to believe it's the first one but who knows. My numbers make me look like a joke but all of my friends/family/co-workers/boss think I'm super smart. It's ridiculous how much I did not apply myself in undergrad or towards that test. I'm really praying the resume, recs, and the personal statement help. I attached an addendum highlighting a darker period of my undergrad (father's death) and the fact that I don't believe the numbers truly reflect my potential. After working at this firm for a year I can tell I have matured immensely and have confirmed my interest in studying law.

Also... I submitted my app in January.

Here's to believing in second chances.

Seriously, good luck. I really hope you get in and I'm sorry to hear about your father's death. Keep us posted on what happens.

If you submitted your app in January, you should definitely reapply. That's quite late and could hurt your (slim) chances even more. You can take the LSAT for the 4th time if a school sponsors you and it seems pretty easy to get a 'sponsorship' I think if you take your new attitude and apply it towards the LSAT, you could drastically change your options.

What are your career goals? How do you plan to pay back your debt after school?

Someone on the STCL thread recently got dinged w a 159 and I believe a 2.7. Don't know about his extras & LORS or his major. I would take a prep course and take the LSAT once more just to see. Best of luck to you either way.

akili wrote:If you submitted your app in January, you should definitely reapply. That's quite late and could hurt your (slim) chances even more. You can take the LSAT for the 4th time if a school sponsors you and it seems pretty easy to get a 'sponsorship' I think if you take your new attitude and apply it towards the LSAT, you could drastically change your options.

What are your career goals? How do you plan to pay back your debt after school?

I didn't think about that, thank you. I'm not quite sure. After this job I am certain I do not want to become a personal injury plaintiff attorney, so that's one step closer to figuring it out. I love the study of law and, ironically after not applying myself to undergraduate studies, enjoy studying the law. I would love to be a law professor one day, but that would come way later. I have taken an interest in environmental law but I'm sure that will change somewhat during law school with experiences and acquired knowledge.

gigemgirl12 wrote:

akili wrote:If you submitted your app in January, you should definitely reapply. That's quite late and could hurt your (slim) chances even more. You can take the LSAT for the 4th time if a school sponsors you and it seems pretty easy to get a 'sponsorship' I think if you take your new attitude and apply it towards the LSAT, you could drastically change your options.

What are your career goals? How do you plan to pay back your debt after school?

I didn't think about that, thank you. I'm not quite sure. After this job I am certain I do not want to become a personal injury plaintiff attorney, so that's one step closer to figuring it out. I love the study of law and, ironically after not applying myself to undergraduate studies, enjoy studying the law. I would love to be a law professor one day, but that would come way later. I have taken an interest in environmental law but I'm sure that will change somewhat during law school with experiences and acquired knowledge.

Don't count on being a law professor. Also, as everyone else has said, don't count on your softs helping you very much. Numbers and early applications were the main factors in my admissions process. I applied late (January), so I am getting a lot of waitlists from schools that have admitted people with numbers equal to and less than my own.

gigemgirl12 wrote:It's ridiculous how much I did not apply myself in undergrad or towards that test = your potential

Your entire law school experience will be judged by how you apply yourself to studying for tests. Your entire legal career will also be measured by how you apply yourself and the results that you get. I think that before you even consider throwing money away at a law school, you need to prove to yourself that you can apply yourself to the sort of things that law school requires. Your GPA doesn't do this, so you need to prove this on the LSAT.

gigemgirl12 wrote:

akili wrote:If you submitted your app in January, you should definitely reapply. That's quite late and could hurt your (slim) chances even more. You can take the LSAT for the 4th time if a school sponsors you and it seems pretty easy to get a 'sponsorship' I think if you take your new attitude and apply it towards the LSAT, you could drastically change your options.

What are your career goals? How do you plan to pay back your debt after school?

I didn't think about that, thank you. I'm not quite sure. After this job I am certain I do not want to become a personal injury plaintiff attorney, so that's one step closer to figuring it out. I love the study of law and, ironically after not applying myself to undergraduate studies, enjoy studying the law. I would love to be a law professor one day, but that would come way later. I have taken an interest in environmental law but I'm sure that will change somewhat during law school with experiences and acquired knowledge.

More bearer of bad news stuff: law professors come from top schools almost without fail, and they're usually people who are at the top of their class and do a ton of research with rockstar profs at their T10 schools. I would kill puppies to be a law professor, but even going to Berkeley and loving research like crazy, I don't kid myself into believing it's an overwhelmingly likely possibility. Jobs at crappy personal injury firms are going to be a LOT more common for people to get from a school like STCL than getting a job at a cool boutique firm, biglaw, or academia.

Actually, the whole economy and legal profession is changing. I would think take another go around on LSAT in December (who cares if it is number 4), at least it shows how serious you are. Apply early in OCT/NOV at some other schools who will take your numbers, keep working and gaining experience, that is key right now to getting any job out of law school! Do the research, even those coming out of the top 50 schools are having difficulty finding a job!They want attorney's with job skills and experience! The profession is changing and after you do part time program while working during the day obtaining job skills and experience in legal arena, you are just as marketable! I too had difficulty with LSAT and took classes while spending 5 months studying. I only improved my 145 to a 151. However, my GPA is 3.6 (Poli Sci) and I am still having a hard time getting in.My friend who is an attorney and graduated from SMU had a 3.8 and only made a 148! LSAT is not for everyone, so don't let it get you down! I also got a Master's degree in Criminology ( maybe a Master's is something for you to consider, especially if you want to teach). You may not be able to teach at law school but a university/college might hire you!. I am sorry to hear about your father. I lost my older brother while in school and have similar story. I think you can do it and have a successful career! Just keep trying and stick with the job-that's a great bonus and you should use that! Good Luck!

pinklawgirl30 wrote:Actually, the whole economy and legal profession is changing. I would think take another go around on LSAT in December (who cares if it is number 4), at least it shows how serious you are. Apply early in OCT/NOV at some other schools who will take your numbers, keep working and gaining experience, that is key right now to getting any job out of law school! Do the research, even those coming out of the top 50 schools are having difficulty finding a job!They want attorney's with job skills and experience! The profession is changing and after you do part time program while working during the day obtaining job skills and experience in legal arena, you are just as marketable! I too had difficulty with LSAT and took classes while spending 5 months studying. I only improved my 145 to a 151. However, my GPA is 3.6 (Poli Sci) and I am still having a hard time getting in.My friend who is an attorney and graduated from SMU had a 3.8 and only made a 148! LSAT is not for everyone, so don't let it get you down! I also got a Master's degree in Criminology ( maybe a Master's is something for you to consider, especially if you want to teach). You may not be able to teach at law school but a university/college might hire you!. I am sorry to hear about your father. I lost my older brother while in school and have similar story. I think you can do it and have a successful career! Just keep trying and stick with the job-that's a great bonus and you should use that! Good Luck!

Oh, and !!!!!!!

I also had another friend who graduated from Tex Wes with similar numbers and she was on Law Review and in the top 10% of her class. Her LSAT was a 149 and GPA was 3.8. She had a part time job too and it helped her during school and she definitely gained experience and was able to network!

This one is simple- don't go to law school. It's not for everyone, and that isn't to say you're not intelligent or competent. The job market is shit, and you have no chance of getting into a school that will be worth the money spent on tuition.

I apologize but I do not believe that you should attend any law school. Your GPA is so low that any that actually accepts you will not be worth attending.

schwar46 wrote:This one is simple- don't go to law school. It's not for everyone, and that isn't to say you're not intelligent or competent. The job market is shit, and you have no chance of getting into a school that will be worth the money spent on tuition.

I'm sure your post in July was really helpful to the OP, who posted in March.

rad law wrote:

schwar46 wrote:This one is simple- don't go to law school. It's not for everyone, and that isn't to say you're not intelligent or competent. The job market is shit, and you have no chance of getting into a school that will be worth the money spent on tuition.

I'm sure your post in July was really helpful to the OP, who posted in March.

I probably should have checked the date eh?

law4vus wrote:

gigemgirl12 wrote:I took the LSAT 3 times.

I either really did not apply myself, or I'm just terrible at standardized tests. I would like to believe it's the first one but who knows. My numbers make me look like a joke but all of my friends/family/co-workers/boss think I'm super smart. It's ridiculous how much I did not apply myself in undergrad or towards that test. I'm really praying the resume, recs, and the personal statement help. I attached an addendum highlighting a darker period of my undergrad (father's death) and the fact that I don't believe the numbers truly reflect my potential. After working at this firm for a year I can tell I have matured immensely and have confirmed my interest in studying law.

Also... I submitted my app in January.

Here's to believing in second chances.

Seriously, good luck. I really hope you get in and I'm sorry to hear about your father's death. Keep us posted on what happens.

I would love to give you some support, but my cycle is clearly indicating it is a numbers game. I have a resume a mile long, some LORs from some of the best Health Law Attorneys in the country and I am still waiting. This year does not look promising for me, and I definately will retake the LSAT if I do not get in this year.

Don't go to law school.