Top Law Schools

I want to stay local (Los Angeles), and applied to these five schools:

1. UCLA
2. USC
3. Pepperdine
4. Loyola Marymount
5. Chapman

Probability calculators predict that I have about a 50% chance for getting into UCLA and 70% for USC, but I did apply a little late in the cycle (first two weeks of January). How do you guys feel that affects my chances? How would that affect my chances at scholarships for the other schools?

Also, I do have an upward trend in my GPA year to year, from 3.2, to 3.4, to 3.9, to 3.65, Business Management major, and about your average undergraduate program.


Thanks for any constructive insight!

From what I've read your in at the bottom three with a great chance at USC and pretty good at UCLA. I think the late applying won't really hurt for acceptances but probably will for money.

in everywhere, toss up at UCLA

Thanks for the responses.

Because I'm not too interested by big firm work, it'd be nice to be able to get some scholarship money. I've been reading that Chapman is rising quickly in the ranks -- I wonder how I would react to a nice scholarship package from them.

Looks good. You might want to try UC Irvine, too; if you don't get in to UCLA or USC, it might be a better choice than the other three--assuming you're okay with the risk of accreditation. (It's a very new school, just opened last year, but supposedly will be the UC system's third law school, ahead of Hastings and Davis.)

UCLA waitlists people with "low" GPAs. They love really high GPAs more than high LSATs, unlike most top schools. You'll probably get WL'd there, even though you could get into schools that are better than UCLA with those numbers.

Go to a T14. You have T14-caliber grades, you'll be outside of LA for 3 years, but have a degree that will actually help you get a money-making job when you graduate.

Hell, you have an outside shot at Berkeley. Why haven't you applied there? Write a really great four-page PS and send it to them. Do it now. Hurry! Tell them you absolutely positively 100% will go there if you are accepted, and mean it. Yes, you'll be out of LA for 3 years, but you'll still be in CA, and you'll have the most valuable degree you could possibly get for finding a job in LA when you graduate.

vanwinkle wrote:UCLA waitlists people with "low" GPAs. They love really high GPAs more than high LSATs, unlike most top schools. You'll probably get WL'd there, even though you could get into schools that are better than UCLA with those numbers.

Go to a T14. You have T14-caliber grades, you'll be outside of LA for 3 years, but have a degree that will actually help you get a money-making job when you graduate.

Hell, you have an outside shot at Berkeley. Why haven't you applied there? Write a really great four-page PS and send it to them. Do it now. Hurry! Tell them you absolutely positively 100% will go there if you are accepted, and mean it. Yes, you'll be out of LA for 3 years, but you'll still be in CA, and you'll have the most valuable degree you could possibly get for finding a job in LA when you graduate.

+1. You're most likely out at UCLA this late in the cycle, so your best option on the list is USC (and even that's not a sure thing). If you want more options, apply to some T14's like Georgetown, Cornell, Duke, Berkeley, Michigan, Virginia, and Penn. I'm betting you'll get into a couple.

BenJ, unfortunately I didn't realize that I need three recommendations for UCI. I suppose I could get a third recommendation from someone, but I've spent most of the past year doing odd jobs and traveling so I haven't built up any good work relationships =|.

Vanwinkle, I am a bit fixated on staying in LA -- I'm very attached to the community that I'm living in. But what the hell, I think I will apply to Berkeley (both my parents went there, I have family up there). Thanks for the encouragement =].

Hmm, and im_blue is expressing some similar points as Vanwinkle. I'll definitely look into some other programs over the next couple of days.

pauldoeslaw wrote:Thanks for the responses.

Because I'm not too interested by big firm work, it'd be nice to be able to get some scholarship money. I've been reading that Chapman is rising quickly in the ranks -- I wonder how I would react to a nice scholarship package from them.

I got a full-ride to chapman will numbers less than yours. You should push for major $$ at pepperdine if you aren't shooting for t-20

I got a full-ride to chapman will numbers less than yours. You should push for major $$ at pepperdine if you aren't shooting for t-20

Just found out I got into Chapman! How much time was there between the acceptance notice and the scholarship information, wocehtoom?