What are my odds? Forum

[Dead Parrot]

GPA-3.2 (graduated May 2011)

LSAT-156,160(I was pting consistently around 165-166 with the highest being a 168)

Is a second retake worth it if I can get into the high 160's-low 170's? Or would the multiple retakes kill any chances at a top 14 school?

Right now I'm in at Penn State and Kentucky with good scholarships and waitlisted at Temple.

[Tiago Splitter]

LSAT-156,160(I was pting consistently around 165-166 with the highest being a 168)

Retake and don't look back.

[Yossarian79]

3.4 GPA (graduated ten years ago), and just rocked a 167 on the LSAT. I know this is less relevant, but it's worth mentioning that my softs are great -- tons of work experience at a really high level.

So, does anyone think I have even an outside shot at a T14? And if not, at least a T20? Should also I add I'm totally geared towards public interest law.

[moxy]

3.4 GPA (graduated ten years ago), and just rocked a 167 on the LSAT. I know this is less relevant, but it's worth mentioning that my softs are great -- tons of work experience at a really high level.

So, does anyone think I have even an outside shot at a T14? And if not, at least a T20? Should also I add I'm totally geared towards public interest law.

Maybe at Northwestern. Not sure about other T14's.

[gngt18]

I'm currently attending a top liberal arts college in the Greater Boston area. My school is notorious for its grade deflation policy, so graduate schools in the Boston/Cambridge area are generally aware of this policy.

I will be joining the Teach For America corps after I graduate this year, with an expected GPA of 3.58. If I want to apply to HYS, Columbia and NYU, what is the minimum LSAT score I need? 178+? (Though it may differ for Columbia and/or NYU.) And is TFA considered a strong soft?

Feedback would be appreciated, thanks!

[jeff_lebowski]

Hi everyone, I am at a crossroads and I am not sure whether I should take the LSAT for a third time. I've been out of school for almost 2 years now and haven't been able to get a job.

My stats:
UGPA: 2.44, LSAC GPA: 2.1
LSAT: Canceled June 2010, 155 Dec 2010
Weak softs: A little work exp as an undergrad and 6 months working unpaid at a failed start up post grad.

Would my efforts be better spent trying the GMAT or the GRE at this point. Thanks for the input.

might be time to consider another career path

[masticore99]

Have you guys used the LSAC law school search tool based on GPA and LSAT? I throw in 3.6 and 170, and it says the chances at UVA are like 15%? That doesn't seem right?

[LegallyClueless]

Hi all! I am at the very beginning of the process of starting the LSAT prep. I have some basic questions about my chances for various law schools, and I thought this is the thread I should ask my questions:

1. I have an AA, a BA (obtained upon completion of my AA and transferring to a 4-year undergrad school), and an MBA. For GPA purposes, are my targeted law schools interested in my GPA cumulatively including AA and MBA or just BA or just the last degree I obtained (i.e., MBA)? Or perhaps this varies from one school to another? Obtained my MBA with a 4.0 GPA but my BA (completed 7 years ago) was around 3.5 I think... not too sure, have to check that... my AA GPA was 3.95 or something along those lines...

2. What are "softs"?! Do they refer to work experiences, etc.? I have what I think a law school should value highly for work experience--great accomplishments & growth from very bottom to management-level in a legal-related industry... (corporate, mortgage, insurance, etc. fraud investigations) as well as a couple of other industries in the past 10 years...

3. So naturally (to me it's natural) the last question is this: What kind of score will increase my chances of getting into a T14? I think if they go with my BA GPA alone (and not AA and/or MBA or at least combined GPA), then my chances of getting into a T14 are slim no matter what I score on LSAT, no?

I used the LSAC law school search tool based on GPA & LSAT as mentioned by "masticore99". Very discouraging I must say when I put in a 3.5 GPA, no matter what the score is...

Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance for any tips and pointers.

[Tiago Splitter]

Hi all! I am at the very beginning of the process of starting the LSAT prep. I have some basic questions about my chances for various law schools, and I thought this is the thread I should ask my questions:

1. I have an AA, a BA (obtained upon completion of my AA and transferring to a 4-year undergrad school), and an MBA. For GPA purposes, are my targeted law schools interested in my GPA cumulatively including AA and MBA or just BA or just the last degree I obtained (i.e., MBA)? Or perhaps this varies from one school to another? Obtained my MBA with a 4.0 GPA but my BA (completed 7 years ago) was around 3.5 I think... not too sure, have to check that... my AA GPA was 3.95 or something along those lines...

They'll use all of your grades up until your first bachelors degree. If you got a 3.5 in your BA and a 3.95 in your AA, your LSAC GPA should be higher than 3.5, perhaps quite a bit higher.

2. What are "softs"?! Do they refer to work experiences, etc.? I have what I think a law school should value highly for work experience--great accomplishments & growth from very bottom to management-level in a legal-related industry... (corporate, mortgage, insurance, etc. fraud investigations) as well as a couple of other industries in the past 10 years...

Yes, those are softs, but they matter far less than your GPA and LSAT.

3. So naturally (to me it's natural) the last question is this: What kind of score will increase my chances of getting into a T14? I think if they go with my BA GPA alone (and not AA and/or MBA or at least combined GPA), then my chances of getting into a T14 are slim no matter what I score on LSAT, no?

Not slim at all, at least in the sense that lots of people with GPAs under 3.6 get into T-14 schools every year. We don't know your LSAC GPA but if we conservatively assume a 3.5 then you probably need a 170. Regardless of your GPA, 170 tends to be a magic number for most people to break into the T-14. If it turns out LSAC's calculation pushes your GPA up quite a bit then you might manage a T-14 with something less than a 170, but the best advice is to shoot for a 180 and see what happens.

I used the LSAC law school search tool based on GPA & LSAT as mentioned by "masticore99". Very discouraging I must say when I put in a 3.5 GPA, no matter what the score is...

To look at different possibilities based off of GPA and LSAT combinations use lawschoolnumbers.com and lawschoolpredictor.com.

[LegallyClueless]

Thank you so much for the thorough explanation and the tips, Tiago Splitter.

[drive4showLSAT4dough]

3.5 / 164 (retake from 156)

I want to be in Boston / NYC / DC out of law school. Where should realistically expect to be admitted? Good softs & WE but I know it doesn't really matter.

UNC chances from out of state? W&M? Maybe PT at Fordham / GWU / GULC?

[john1990]

3.5 / 164 (retake from 156)

I want to be in Boston / NYC / DC out of law school. Where should realistically expect to be admitted? Good softs & WE but I know it doesn't really matter.

UNC chances from out of state? W&M? Maybe PT at Fordham / GWU / GULC?

Chappil Hill should be no problem. Slim chance at W+M and Fordham, no chance at GWU GULC imo.

[jgloster]

AA Male
160 LSAT
2.7 GPA

1 year work experience

Want in at Georgia State

[diepset4]

Graduate student at St. John's University in NYC with a MA in Government & Politics. My undergrad overall GPA was a 3.1. I will finish my MA with a 3.7. With all of that, a 160 LSAT, strong LORs, URM, fluency in 2 other languages, internships with law firms and prominent congressmen, what schools in Texas, Cali, or other southern or southwestern states should I consider?

[mebeyer]

Do law schools look at the ranking of the undergraduate school? I go to a top 20 college and I'm wondering if law schools will compare my gpa equal to another student from a lesser ranked college. Thank you.

[TheGreatWhiteHorse]

Do law schools look at the ranking of the undergraduate school? I go to a top 20 college and I'm wondering if law schools will compare my gpa equal to another student from a lesser ranked college. Thank you.

No.

[JamMasterJ]

Graduate student at St. John's University in NYC with a MA in Government & Politics. My undergrad overall GPA was a 3.1. I will finish my MA with a 3.7. With all of that, a 160 LSAT, strong LORs, URM, fluency in 2 other languages, internships with law firms and prominent congressmen, what schools in Texas, Cali, or other southern or southwestern states should I consider?

not gonna have a shot at most Cali schools, because they're pretty gpa-focused. Maybe USD, and then SMU in Texas, but you may need a retake even for those.

[Asst. Principal Bone]

You're NOT going to Law School. You'll be in Bluffington the REST OF YOUR LIFE YOUNG MAN. Yodoelahheewhooooooo...

[AllDangle]

3.88/165, non-URM. Chances at UVA ED?

[JamMasterJ]

3.88/165, non-URM. Chances at UVA ED?

as we said in your thread, very very likely with ED.

[selmankaldiroglu]

LSAT: 168
GPA: 3.7 Overall 3.9 Major Gpa
Double major in mathematics and economics with an honor's in economics.
International student and looking for a scholarship.

Chances at NYU, Columbia specifically, but T14 in general?

[top30man]

LSAT: 168
GPA: 3.7 Overall 3.9 Major Gpa
Double major in mathematics and economics with an honor's in economics.
International student and looking for a scholarship.

Chances at NYU, Columbia specifically, but T14 in general?

Cornell. Probably at sticker. Slim chance at mich. no real chance at the rest.

[selmankaldiroglu]

LSAT: 168
GPA: 3.7 Overall 3.9 Major Gpa
Double major in mathematics and economics with an honor's in economics.
International student and looking for a scholarship.

Chances at NYU, Columbia specifically, but T14 in general?

Cornell. Probably at sticker. Slim chance at mich. no real chance at the rest.

Is it cuz of the low LSAT or me bein international and wanting money?
What if I am not asking for any money?

[Nimrodel]

OK, here goes.

First a little background: I was a slow starter (for personal reasons) in college. I spent 8 years at my local J.C. dicking around in the music department - no clue what my cumulative GPA is there (3.x - it has been a while). Also, I had to put myself through school (not even a co-sign on a loan from my parents), so I am getting my B.A. by working full-time at a private (top 50) liberal arts college and using my tuition benefit to complete my degree (NOT in music) at half-time enrollment.

My current GPA at this school is 3.67, but I'm working toward bringing it up to a 3.83 by the time I graduate (yes, this is possible). I'm starting to prepare for the LSAT this summer (I'll be taking it in February - I am not graduating til 2014) so I have plenty of time to get my score up. My first practice test got me a 169 (no studying).

I'm only interested in T14 schools.

Chances?

[Nova]

Impossible to tell your chances without an LSAT score.....