What are my odds? Forum

[EmmyD]

does that count?

No.

Credited.

[jarofsoup]

I am currently double majoring and have a GPA of 3.31 from a UC and the GPA is on the rise. I have heard that if I apply to law school this fall they will only count my GPA until the end of my junior year. Would I be better off taking a year off and letting my GPA reach a 3.5 ish to get into schools such as Lewis and Clark, U of O Eugene, UC Boulder, or UC Hastings.

Also I have attended two Universities and my GPA went up when I transfered to a more prestigious school will Law Schools note this?

I have not taken the LSAT but my diagnostic was 130, which is a fail, and but I am in a 3 month course to raise it so I expect to get around 160, hopefully above I am treating it like a full time job. I am not good at diagnostic tests because it doesn't make me try hard if I know it does not count.

[RVP11]

I have not taken the LSAT but my diagnostic was 130, which is a fail, and but I am in a 3 month course to raise it so I expect to get around 160, hopefully above I am treating it like a full time job. I am not good at diagnostic tests because it doesn't make me try hard if I know it does not count.

... ...

Good luck with that.

[garlic2knots]

GPA: 3.52 (Econ, finance)
LSAT: 172 Oct '05 (tested 175 or so, always wanted to retake)
Graduated '06.

Soft:
Phase shift grade trend (last 3 terms 3.9, one of my last 4 semesters was abroad and didn't factor)
Peace Corp (returning stateside July '09 or so), work in a field office of an intl NGO, raising money, fighting off raging boredom, etc.
1 year of WE between UG and PC (father's business to help work off his paying for college)
2 study abroads
Various volunteer work stateside raising money, helping start NGO, blah
some minor awards
I'll get 1 good recommendation. Since I don't know who to ask for the second, I imagine it will be mediocre (and therefore bad?).

What are your thoughts on asking a country national PC worker for a 3rd recommendation? Do law schools care?

NYU
Columbia
Chicago
UPenn
UVA
Cornell
Berkely
NW

Probably won't apply below that, if Law School doesn't work out I'll figure something else out or retake the LSAT.

Appreciated,

edit: added a school or two

[vasiok]

I have not taken the LSAT but my diagnostic was 130, which is a fail, and but I am in a 3 month course to raise it so I expect to get around 160, hopefully above I am treating it like a full time job. I am not good at diagnostic tests because it doesn't make me try hard if I know it does not count.

... ...

Good luck with that.

Wouldn't just guessing all D's bring a score higher then 130?

[jarofsoup]

Logic games didnt do wonders for me. But my lsat score wasn't the question.

[drstumpster]

jar, if your GPA significantly increases during your senior year, I would wait a year if you want to have a better chance in getting into better law schools. and while law schools may take into account that you went to a better undergraduate institution after you transferred, i doubt they will notice that your GPA was higher while you attended the better institution; and if they did, they might wonder why you did poorly when you went to an inferior one.

[drstumpster]

garlic, with your GPA/LSAT, you should be able to get into a couple of the schools on your list. I don't think any of them are a super-stretch, though Berkeley's emphasis on GPA might hurt you (then again, PC soft probably helps a lot more there too). the other softs probably don't matter at all (the shift in grades, the work experience, the study abroads) since many other candidates will probably have similar experiences. i'm in a similar situtation (3.67, 172, good softs) and applying to the T14 and will retake the LSAT if necessary if I don't get into the schools I want. There's always the risk of doing worse (I looked at LSAT stats of retakes; 4 people with a 172 retook the exam and 2 people did better and 2 people did worse, with the average retake LSAT around a 171.6) but if you're consistently hitting 176+ on practice exams, I'd say go for it.

[chemE42]

I'm a chemical engineering major and I'm entering my junior yr. at Howard University in D.C. Realistically I'm going to finish with a 3.6 gpa. I would like to remain in D.C. for law school if possible. I plan on doing some preliminary LSAT practice soon, just to familiarize myself with the test. What LSAT should I aim for to get into (and receive $$ from):

Georgetown
George Washington

I am African American and have already interned with 2 major companies. Involved on campus, member of numerous clubs and honor societies.

[mcds]

With a 3.6 try your best to get above a 165.

If so, you can basically choose between Harvard, Yale and Stanford and Columbia. Particularly if you're a male.

[drstumpster]

I don't think those numbers are realistic, even if you're a URM. And I don't know why that would be true particularly if you're a male.

If you're aiming for an LSAT goal, I'd shoot for 170+. Obviously the higher the better (more $ right?) - so just practice until you consistently hit 175+. The LSAT is learnable, so just practice and figure out strategies that will help you be quicker and more accurate until you achieve your target goal.

[mcds]

I don't think those numbers are realistic, even if you're a URM. And I don't know why that would be true particularly if you're a male.

If you're aiming for an LSAT goal, I'd shoot for 170+. Obviously the higher the better (more $ right?) - so just practice until you consistently hit 175+. The LSAT is learnable, so just practice and figure out strategies that will help you be quicker and more accurate until you achieve your target goal.

He should be aiming for a 180 (as should everyone)

But a 3.6/165 black male? CCN easy, and probably H out of HYS.
A black female got in to Yale with a 3.7/166 and black males have it much easier than females do. A black female from my school got Harvard with 3.3/169, etc.

Very, very, very few black men score 165+ (~40). And a 3.6 is a solid GPA for even CCN with the right LSAT score.

Frankly, I would be wouldn't rule out CCN with a 160 even.

[jcarlow314]

2.94 GPA (3.3 major GPA) / 166 LSAT

What are my chances at:

UGA
FSU
UF
UMiami
Brooklyn Law

[nam1011]

CUM GPA from LSAC 3.12
CUM GPA from Transcript 3.24 I didnt like my teacher for one of my English classes so I never went and got a D+ then retook and got a B. This is the reason for the discrepancy.

I am going to try to write a great personal statement on either diversity- I am white, from the Bronx, grew up in a Spanish neighborhood, went to college and joined a majority black frat, I was VP and Head of Public Relations, started a program called Real Men Read and on the step and stroll team....or I was thinking about writing on my fight with depression for like the last 7 years. I have never been diagnosed cuz I refuse to go to a psychologist, but I feel like I have finally overcome it. I would talk about my feelings during college and how my dad's death last year sort of made me reinvent myself and force myself to fight my depression "A Beautiful Mind" style.

After all that, what would I have to get on my LSAT to have a chance at top 25...preferably Michigan, UCLA, USC, or UVA?

[mallard]

A 180 is what you would need.

[nam1011]

Yeah figured it was something like that. Unless, I can get my LG scores up then I have no chance.

[mallard]

Here is a representative sample:
http://usc.lawschoolnumbers.com/applica ... ,8&type=jd

[nam1011]

Yeah. Thanks alot. That was actually really helpful.

[The_Wall]

There are schools in the top fourteen that would give you a much better chance with a 170+ than USC. Just check out hourumd.com and the LSAC GPA/LSAT calculator.

[wojo2112]

3.17 gpa in political science
mass comm minor
161 lsat
grad from UF in 07, currently in a govt. internship
white, middle-class

applying at:

UFlorida
FSU
Tulane
Georgia State
Wake Forest
AmericanU
URichmond

do i have a good chance at any of these schools based on anyone's experience? my numbers suggest that i wouldn't get into a school like fsu but on lsac's gpa/lsat search is gives me more than a 50/50 chance. thoughts?

[wwarren]

- 161 & 3.45 GPA/LSDAS GPA
- Many positives beyond those two numbers
- Georgia resident, would prefer to practice in the South Atlantic region
- Attended a liberal arts school with a strong reputation in the region, verified by speaking with admissions representatives from places such as UGA, Emory, William & Mary, and Richmond.
- My shortlist:

Emory
University of Illinois*
William & Mary
University of Georgia
University of Alabama
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Baylor University*
University of Tennessee
University of Kentucky
Wake Forest University
University of Richmond*
Georgia State University

* = application fee waived

Just wondering if anyone might have insight as to my odds at any of these places. I feel like the middle 8 or so (between Illinois and Richmond) I would be considered a bubble student. My hope is to perhaps be accepted to 1 of my top 2, 2 of the middle 8, and both of the safety schools. Is this realistic? Also, does anyone else have information on law schools that have easily obtained application fee waivers?

Thanks in advance for your input.

[whenpigsfly]

- 161 & 3.45 GPA/LSDAS GPA
- Many positives beyond those two numbers
- Georgia resident, would prefer to practice in the South Atlantic region
- Attended a liberal arts school with a strong reputation in the region, verified by speaking with admissions representatives from places such as UGA, Emory, William & Mary, and Richmond.
- My shortlist:

Emory
University of Illinois*
William & Mary
University of Georgia
University of Alabama
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
Baylor University*
University of Tennessee
University of Kentucky
Wake Forest University
University of Richmond*
Georgia State University

* = application fee waived

Just wondering if anyone might have insight as to my odds at any of these places. I feel like the middle 8 or so (between Illinois and Richmond) I would be considered a bubble student. My hope is to perhaps be accepted to 1 of my top 2, 2 of the middle 8, and both of the safety schools. Is this realistic? Also, does anyone else have information on law schools that have easily obtained application fee waivers?

Thanks in advance for your input.

I feel that you have very realistic expectations. Emory, Illinois and William and Mary might be tough, but I'd say they are worth the application. Lack of NC residency will probably keep you out at UNC, but the rest of your middle 8 look very possible. One of the drawback of being on the bubble is the drawn out wait time between submitting applications and hearing back (I had my stuff in Mid-October last year, and didn't hear back from most til April and May!), but I'd recommend you get your stuff in as early as possible, sit back, and enjoy yourself.

[wwarren]

Thanks for the response, it is pretty much what I expected to hear. Regarding William and Mary, I have since discovered that one of the admissions officers went to the same undergrad as me, so hopefully that may help out a bit. My essays are in the editing stages now and soon I'll find the time to sit down and make out my resume, so mid-October is looking like a realistic goal.

[lsatcracker]

LSAT - 158 (plus 155 four yrs ago)
Undergrad (comp sci) from overseas - not US Citizen
Grad GPA from US (comp sci) - 3.73
almost 2.5 years work experience at IP boutique law firms doing patent work
patent agent - Registered to practice in patent cases in the USPTO
have a paper published in a research journal

want to stick to NY area. want to go part-time.
what are my chances at fordham PT? their part-time bottom 1/4th LSAT is 160 and median is 162.
and what is the second best option after fordham for PT?
really, really want to go to fordham PT?
got 158 in lsat in oct, which is 3 pts below my practice avg. over 15 tests
should I retake in dec. for the third time?

i appreciate your time and insights

[interestedbyestander]

168 LSAT
3.48 GPA (3.68 major, magna cum laude)

Single working mother, 31 years old, husband abandoned my son and I while I was working full-time and finished my degree at night scool. Wrote strong personal statement about it.

Chances at GULC?