Top Law Schools

Not sure if anyone has some thoughts on this, but my stats are LSAT 174, UG GPA of 3.76 (from US News top 25 school, for what that's worth), and will have my doctorate from Johns Hopkins (in the humanities) before all's said and done. What would be long shots (other than Yale, of course)? Any sure bets?

Curiously, why are you going to law school after getting a PhD?

I think you'll get Columbia down, most likely Harvard too. Berkeley is maybe a long-shot (big focus on GPA), as is Stanford, but that you have a PhD will be helpful and may overcome the GPA. Yale is a long-shot as you say, but certainly worth an app. Good luck!

philgrad wrote:Any sure bets?

You will get wailisted at Michigan

I'd always wished to pursue the law, but I decided against the joint degree so that I could come to Hopkins (whose faculty I found most congenial to my interests and which, of course, hasn't a law school).

philgrad wrote:I'd always wished to pursue the law, but I decided against the joint degree so that I could come to Hopkins (whose faculty I found most congenial to my interests and which, of course, hasn't a law school).

How long did it take to get the PhD?

My suggestions would be to apply broadly throughout the T14. I am now in a situation somewhat similar to the one you will be in (I have a slightly lower numbers, and a PhD). There is pretty much no rhyme or reason to admissions in our situation--I've been waitlisted at some schools I should've been accepted at (V and M), and accepted at schools that ordinarily reject people with my numbers. Also, if you do not do research in an area closely related to law, start a side research project now, even if it is unrelated to your dissertation, which ties into being an attorney. E.g. if you do philosophy, do something in philosophy of law or medical ethics or. . . . . you get the picture. This you will write about in your application. Good luck. You should do well.

With those credentials- apply anywhere the hell you want. Might as well throw it all at the wall and see what sticks.

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

Quick question, Romani: do you think our age relative to other applicants matters terribly much? I'll be 27 when applying, and, assuming I defend successfully, 28 when matriculating. (And that partly answers the question asked earlier: it'll be 5 years, once the dust settles.)

philgrad wrote:Thanks for the replies, everyone.

Quick question, Romani: do you think our age relative to other applicants matters terribly much? I'll be 27 when applying, and, assuming I defend successfully, 28 when matriculating. (And that partly answers the question asked earlier: it'll be 5 years, once the dust settles.)

Your age won't hurt you in law school admissions. Being older is often a kind of soft factor that counts in your favor in this context. Basically, you have to have done something significant in your time since undergrad, and a PhD surely counts.

Now, employment and age is a different fish altogether. I'm still looking into it. Wish I know the answer there.

28 when starting, say 32 when finishing. That doesn't seem old to me, but I just don't know what employers think.

Edited

Apply to HYSCCN plus a few other T14s in cities where you would be happy living and studying. I would be absolutely floored if you didn't get into at least two of CCN, probably with a small scholarship, but it's always a good idea to have backup options. Harvard is your best bet among the top three, but you're at least a contender at all of them (Yale included).

Apply to all the T10 and pick and choose from there if you particularly like a certain school and are looking for money.

Honestly, I think you have a shot at everywhere you apply to.
Yale will probably be the toughest for you.
Harvard and Stanford are about 50/50.
Columbia, NYU & Berkeley are reaches but your chances look good.
I think you're definitely in everywhere else.