3.69/172 Forum

[bmneely]

So I'm going to be applying next fall, at the beginning of the cycle. 172 LSAT (first time, last June) 3.69 GPA, graduated in 3 three years (and than did a non-credit language study in China for a year). Regular softs, nothing exciting, but they're there.
I'm thinking of applying to:

Stanford/Yale
Berkeley
University of Virginia
Northwestern
Georgetown
Cornell

I know that Stanford/Yale is probably not going to happen, but I figure I will always regret not giving it a shot. What do you think about my odds at the others though? (and if you want to weigh in and tell me that I'm dreaming even applying to Stanford/Yale, feel welcome ).

[KMaine]

So I'm going to be applying next fall, at the beginning of the cycle. 172 LSAT (first time, last June) 3.69 GPA, graduated in 3 three years (and than did a non-credit language study in China for a year). Regular softs, nothing exciting, but they're there.
I'm thinking of applying to:

Stanford/Yale
Berkeley
University of Virginia
Northwestern
Georgetown
Cornell

I know that Stanford/Yale is probably not going to happen, but I figure I will always regret not giving it a shot. What do you think about my odds at the others though? (and if you want to weigh in and tell me that I'm dreaming even applying to Stanford/Yale, feel welcome ).

Am no expert, but I will give it a swing.
Stanford/Yale = no/no. If you have the $ though it is worth a shot. I would also throw an app to Harvard for fun (probably easier to get than the other two.
B - Maybe/Probably - They love the ultra-high GPAs which could hurt you a little.
The rest, probably in.

Duke? Michighan? Penn? etc. I would apply to all of the T-14 where you would think of going at all. Some of the lower T-14 may throw some $ your way. My #s were a little lower than yours and I am attending a T-14 for half price.

[CanadianWolf]

Your odds of admission to Stanford & Yale are probably below average. Odds of admission to Berkeley & Northwestern should be above average. Virginia, Georgetown & Cornell are likely admits.

[lakerfanimal]

So I'm going to be applying next fall, at the beginning of the cycle. 172 LSAT (first time, last June) 3.69 GPA, graduated in 3 three years (and than did a non-credit language study in China for a year). Regular softs, nothing exciting, but they're there.
I'm thinking of applying to:

Stanford/Yale- OUT
Berkeley- WL/IN
University of Virginia- WL/IN
Northwestern- IN
Georgetown- IN
Cornell- IN

I know that Stanford/Yale is probably not going to happen, but I figure I will always regret not giving it a shot. What do you think about my odds at the others though? (and if you want to weigh in and tell me that I'm dreaming even applying to Stanford/Yale, feel welcome ).

The WL for Berkeley is because of the GPA. I'm worried about my chances there with the same LSAT and a higher GPA because their acceptance rate is just THAT low.

The WL for UVA is based off this year's LSN graphs in which it looks like it might be harder if you have higher than a 170. If you really wanted UVA do the why UVA essay.

You should apply to CCN I think because you should be able to get at least one of the three going off numbers alone. Good luck!

[Chicklets]

You already know you can get into Georgetown (previous post), did they not go along with a deferral? Where else did you apply this cycle, results?? Definitely apply to HYS if you have the extra fee money available. You never know. And best wishes on the upcoming addition to the family! I think you're making a very good decision not to try new fatherhood and L1 simultaneously.

[Ragged]

So I'm going to be applying next fall, at the beginning of the cycle. 172 LSAT (first time, last June) 3.69 GPA, graduated in 3 three years (and than did a non-credit language study in China for a year). Regular softs, nothing exciting, but they're there.
I'm thinking of applying to:

Stanford/Yale - out/out (but definatly should still apply)
Berkeley - its a weird school and hard to predict, but they love high GPA so I would not count on it
University of Virginia - WL/In
Northwestern In
Georgetown In
Cornell In

I know that Stanford/Yale is probably not going to happen, but I figure I will always regret not giving it a shot. What do you think about my odds at the others though? (and if you want to weigh in and tell me that I'm dreaming even applying to Stanford/Yale, feel welcome ).

[badfish]

You should be shooting for CCN, with your numbers you'll probably get into one of the three.

[Ragged]

You should be shooting for CCN, with your numbers you'll probably get into one of the three.

+1

[bmneely]

Thanks for the advice. I did hear from Georgetown and they told me that I could send them a deposit and hold my place to matriculate in 2011, but than I would be committed to doing so. I also applied and got in at Fordham, Gonzaga, and University of Washington. I really didn't know what to expect this with my GPA and LSAT (I did lots of post-applying research). Basically I feel like I was under shooting my potential schools, Georgetown was actually my "what the heck, let's see what happens school." Which is why this fall I'm aiming a little higher.

I have UVA, Berkeley, Northwestern, and Georgetown on there because of them have aligned their LRAPs with IBR and are consequently more generous than the older LRAPs. I'm pretty set on public interest law, so how nice the LRAP is a pretty big factor to me. Which is why I wasn't considering CCN. Cornell is on there because my wife loves upstate New York (not for it's LRAP). Anyways, that's the reasoning, thanks for the insight and advice. I probably won't change the list that much (I have a fee waiver so I'll throw in Harvard for the heck of it). Anyway it goes I'll end up at a T14 school, so I really can't complain.

[badfish]

Thanks for the advice. I did hear from Georgetown and they told me that I could send them a deposit and hold my place to matriculate in 2011, but than I would be committed to doing so. I also applied and got in at Fordham, Gonzaga, and University of Washington. I really didn't know what to expect this with my GPA and LSAT (I did lots of post-applying research). Basically I feel like I was under shooting my potential schools, Georgetown was actually my "what the heck, let's see what happens school." Which is why this fall I'm aiming a little higher.

I have UVA, Berkeley, Northwestern, and Georgetown on there because of them have aligned their LRAPs with IBR and are consequently more generous than the older LRAPs. I'm pretty set on public interest law, so how nice the LRAP is a pretty big factor to me. Which is why I wasn't considering CCN. Cornell is on there because my wife loves upstate New York (not for it's LRAP). Anyways, that's the reasoning, thanks for the insight and advice. I probably won't change the list that much (I have a fee waiver so I'll throw in Harvard for the heck of it). Anyway it goes I'll end up at a T14 school, so I really can't complain.

Wait, you're keeping CLS and NYU out of the picture b/c you think their LRAP's are LESS comprehensive?

[Tangerine Gleam]

Ditto to the above. IBR-aligned or not, NYU has one of the best LRAP programs -- definitely superior to those at UVA, Georgetown, and NW. Maybe better than Berkeley's, too. I don't know much about Columbia's but I hear that it's one of the best.

If you have a fee waiver, blanket the T14 (aside
from any schools you truly aren't interested in). With those numbers and subsequent scholarship possibilities, the LRAP programs will likely not be your only route to manageable T14 debt.

PM'd, by the way.

[bmneely]

I dunno, unless I'm missing something it would appear to me that the law schools that have moved to align their LRAPs with IBR have been able to become far more generous as a result (since they end up saving money, even while upping the income cap).

Georgetown's covers everything if you make under 75k,
Berkeley's, everything if you make under 65k, and an expected contribution of 35% if you make between 65k and 100k
Northwestern's is less generous but still almost as good as NYU or Columbia's appears

From what I can gather
NYU: 50k and below, nothing
Columbia: 50k and below, nothing, 50k plus 34.5%

I grant that UVA's LRAP is pretty week right now, but they are in the process of revising it to work with IBR.
The other advantage I can see in these programs is that they all include UG debt (so long as it is federal).

The big disadvantage I see with NYU is the 20k asset limit. Considering that I am married, will probably be wanting to purchase a house sometime in the 10 years following law school, and as far as I can tell, that would a qualifying asset, this is a pretty big factor.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, my mind has gone buzzy several times trying to wade through various schools' LRAP information. I do appreciate the advice for blanketing the T14 and seeing what turns up. That might make all my LRAP research irrelevant after all. Thanks for the thoughts.

[badfish]

http://www.law.nyu.edu/financialaid/lrap/index.htm

Check out the link on the page labeled LRAP 101, it is a detailed slide show about NYU's current LRAP. I can't help you with CLS but I hear it is every bit as good.