What are my odds? Forum

Not sure where your numbers will get you? Dying to know where you stand? Come have your palms read by your fellow posters!
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kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Thu Dec 12, 2013 1:31 pm

Can anyone give me an honest answer? Has anyone ever heard of someone with really bad numbers but an amazing background actually get in to a school? I have horrible numbers Ill admit, like the worst but then I got two masters with over 3.6 gpa's. I have a top job in the court system. My LOR's are kick ass but it all falls on my horrendous college gpa and my bad standardized testing abilities. So truthfully has anyone ever heard of someone actually getting in like this or am I really just hopeless :(

lawstudent_87

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by lawstudent_87 » Thu Dec 12, 2013 1:46 pm

retake

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midwest17

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by midwest17 » Thu Dec 12, 2013 5:13 pm

kris4842 wrote:Can anyone give me an honest answer? Has anyone ever heard of someone with really bad numbers but an amazing background actually get in to a school? I have horrible numbers Ill admit, like the worst but then I got two masters with over 3.6 gpa's. I have a top job in the court system. My LOR's are kick ass but it all falls on my horrendous college gpa and my bad standardized testing abilities. So truthfully has anyone ever heard of someone actually getting in like this or am I really just hopeless :(
How long did you study for the LSAT? What methods did you use?

kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:22 pm

I studied for 3 months. Granted I could do a little better but not great, retaking would not be the best solution.

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Tiago Splitter

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by Tiago Splitter » Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:27 pm

kris4842 wrote:Can anyone give me an honest answer? Has anyone ever heard of someone with really bad numbers but an amazing background actually get in to a school? I have horrible numbers Ill admit, like the worst but then I got two masters with over 3.6 gpa's. I have a top job in the court system. My LOR's are kick ass but it all falls on my horrendous college gpa and my bad standardized testing abilities. So truthfully has anyone ever heard of someone actually getting in like this or am I really just hopeless :(
Getting in these days requires little more than a pulse and access to federal loans.

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ScottRiqui

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by ScottRiqui » Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:34 pm

kris4842 wrote:I studied for 3 months. Granted I could do a little better but not great, retaking would not be the best solution.
I'm an example of someone with a *horrible* GPA and great soft factors getting into a decent T20, BUT, I also re-took the LSAT in order to go from being right at my top-choice school's median to a little bit above their 75th percentile. It didn't take much - only three more points, but I think it might have made the difference between an acceptance and a rejection. If there's any way you can swing it, I'd really suggest changing what you still have the power to change and re-taking the LSAT, even if it's just for a marginal increase.

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john1990

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by john1990 » Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:42 pm

166 3.32 poor character and fitness

BU

GWU
BC
Fordham

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TheSpanishMain

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by TheSpanishMain » Fri Dec 13, 2013 4:16 pm

kris4842 wrote:Can anyone give me an honest answer? Has anyone ever heard of someone with really bad numbers but an amazing background actually get in to a school? I have horrible numbers Ill admit, like the worst but then I got two masters with over 3.6 gpa's. I have a top job in the court system. My LOR's are kick ass but it all falls on my horrendous college gpa and my bad standardized testing abilities. So truthfully has anyone ever heard of someone actually getting in like this or am I really just hopeless :(
How bad are we talking? How amazing is this background? Just having graduate degrees doesn't really do much for you. What kind of school would you consider acceptable? There are super shitty schools that basically take anyone, but that's not a reason to actually attend.

If you really are just bad at test taking, then you probably shouldn't go to law school. Law school is, as you might expect, full of tests.

kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:22 pm

Thanks for all your help. Im a good test taker when it is material you can study for, standardized testing not so good. basically if anything my job is the strongest plus that I have. It really doesn't matter what school I go to so Im not looking for the top. I just want it to advance at my job. I have basically gone as far as one can go without a law degree. I just wanted to know if it was ever heard of someone actually getting into any school with really bad numbers. I really appreciate everyone's advice. One more question, if a school waitlists me, would they ever suggest taking the lsat over? If that happened I would study and retake it. Just not sure to do it now if my chances are still zero.

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kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:24 pm

Thanks for all your help. Im a good test taker when it is material you can study for, standardized testing not so good. basically if anything my job is the strongest plus that I have. It really doesn't matter what school I go to so Im not looking for the top. I just want it to advance at my job. I have basically gone as far as one can go without a law degree. I just wanted to know if it was ever heard of someone actually getting into any school with really bad numbers. I really appreciate everyone's advice. One more question, if a school waitlists me, would they ever suggest taking the lsat over? If that happened I would study and retake it. Just not sure to do it now if my chances are still zero.

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midwest17

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by midwest17 » Fri Dec 13, 2013 6:48 pm

The LSAT is absolutely a test you can study for. What did you do to study the first time around?

Many people take six months or more of solid studying to maximize their potential on the LSAT.

As has been said, there are schools that will take people with bad numbers. They will happily take your money and three years of your life in exchange for a useless degree that will not get you a job.

There are no schools worth going to that will accept people with terrible numbers, though. Study properly, retake.

kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Fri Dec 13, 2013 8:27 pm

So if I take everyone's good advice to study harder and retake what Do i do, like all my applications are in?

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TheSpanishMain

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by TheSpanishMain » Sat Dec 14, 2013 12:35 pm

If your numbers are as low as you say (how low are we talking here?) I would just withdraw them and sit out a cycle. Also, you said you only want a jd to advance at your current job. Are you planning to work during school? Are you geographically limited to schools near you? Where do you live?

Quitting a stable job to move across the country and attend a shithole like Florida Coastal, or Cooley, or whatever they're calling the Phoenix School of Law these days would be an unambiguously stupid move. Like, life ruining stupid. You really need to change your goals from "get into ANY school" since a LOT of schools are not worth attending, and MOST aren't worth attending at full price. The best option for you may be to not go at all.

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kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Sat Dec 14, 2013 7:11 pm

Im In nyc and I have a state job so leaving is not an option and I only applied to part time programs

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TheSpanishMain

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by TheSpanishMain » Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:43 pm

It's really hard to give meaningful advice without knowing your numbers

kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Wed Dec 18, 2013 11:47 am

seriously I am embarrassed by my numbers and sharing them would do nothing because they are the lowest of the low.

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TheSpanishMain

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by TheSpanishMain » Wed Dec 18, 2013 1:22 pm

If they're that low and you feel you can't improve your LSAT, do not go to law school, unless you can go for free part time and your current job will guarantee you a job when you graduate.

Seriously, if your numbers are truly awful then there is no point in going outside of that scenario. You'd be taking on a bunch of debt to go to a crappy school that will not get you a job. Pretty simple.

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kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Wed Dec 18, 2013 2:50 pm

though I do appreciate everyone's advice, I think it is funny the other advice I get. All I asked about was if anyone heard of anyone getting in to anywhere with very low numbers and strong softs. That's it. I have a six figure job that I am stuck on the ladder unless I get a law degree and yes any school, no matter how crappy it is. That is how the courts are. So I thank everyone for their advice on not going to a crappy school and not getting more debt but that is not the issue for me. Most people go to law school just to get the job I already have so for me Harvard vs. Touro makes no difference for me or my career, I just need to get in.

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TheSpanishMain

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by TheSpanishMain » Wed Dec 18, 2013 3:18 pm

Top Law Schools may not be the best place to ask about admissions to a place like Touro. If you did as poorly as you imply during undergrad/on the LSAT, you probably won't do well at law school, but since you have a guaranteed job, go for it I guess. I can't imagine that places like Touro or NYLS or Pace are going to give two shits about your softs or anything else, they just want those sweet, sweet federal loan dollars.

kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:51 pm

No offense but circumstances that happened in college or how I did on one test are not indicative of how successful I will do in Law school, but my 4.0 in my two masters that I have may, but I thank you for your advice.

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TheSpanishMain

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by TheSpanishMain » Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:37 am

kris4842 wrote:No offense but circumstances that happened in college or how I did on one test are not indicative of how successful I will do in Law school, but my 4.0 in my two masters that I have may, but I thank you for your advice.
1) How you did on one test IS indicative of how you likely you are to succeed in law school. It's not a perfect predictor, but it's the best one out there.
2) Almost everyone gets high grades in grad school. That's why law schools don't care about grad school GPA.
3) Your English is extremely poor. I'm not trying to be an asshole, but are you a native speaker?
4) Your soft factors are almost certainly not as amazing as you seem to think they are. Having graduate degrees and a job at the court is nice, and may give you some boost, but it's not going to rocket you way past where your numbers would indicate.

As far as whether your numbers will get you into Touro or Pace or NYLS or whatever, that's pretty tough to say since you won't actually share your numbers. Since these schools are so bottom of the barrel anyway, I would imagine they take virtually anyone willing to pay, but I don't know. If you decide to go down the TTTT route, then ask your current job to give you something in writing stating that you'll be employed as an attorney after you graduate.

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kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:36 am

Actually,
1)You are being an asshole when I was simply just asking a question. If you feel you are better than me because you have a higher lsat or feel the need to insult someone's English than you really need to look in the mirror.

2)I guess I no longer need my questioned answered

3)I guess I was correct when I thought I had pretty amazing softs because

4)I got into Nyu..so thank you all for your advice and harsh criticism and really, good luck. High scores and intelligence may get you far but being a douche and an asshole will not. Merry Christmas.

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carmensandiego

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by carmensandiego » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:39 am

kris4842 wrote:Actually,
1)You are being an asshole when I was simply just asking a question. If you feel you are better than me because you have a higher lsat or feel the need to insult someone's English than you really need to look in the mirror.

2)I guess I no longer need my questioned answered

3)I guess I was correct when I thought I had pretty amazing softs because

4)I got into Nyu..so thank you all for your advice and harsh criticism and really, good luck. High scores and intelligence may get you far but being a douche and an asshole will not. Merry Christmas.
Congrats!!

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TheSpanishMain

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by TheSpanishMain » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:41 am

Then your numbers either aren't as bad as you seem to think, or you have softs that are truly amazing that you didn't mention. Either way, congrats. I wasn't trying to be a dick, just going on the sparse information you provided.

Also, are you still going part time? I was under the impression that NYU did not have a part time program.


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Do you have a part-time or evening J.D. program?

No.
Last edited by TheSpanishMain on Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

kris4842

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Re: What are my odds?

Post by kris4842 » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:53 am

no problem, I appreciate that but this is a board where people are trying to get advice and vent and some of us are extremely stressed out and nervous. So making fun of someone's English when you don't even know them (this is a forum not an essay) doesn't help. And I get this is a top-law-schools forum but not everyone can get in to the top schools and may have to settle for Pace or NYLS or even Touro but you know what I would never make someone feel like shit because that is all they can get into, good for them. They still have the right to come here and ask for advice. But thank you for responding and I'm sorry if I took your post to be a bit harsh. Truly good luck in law school and all the best.

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