Top Law Schools

I'm a junior at a top 10 university. I got poor grades my freshman year but have been doing better since. I'd only apply to law school if get a 170 or higher on the June LSAT. I have some alternative plans if I don't do as well on the LSAT as I like. However, becoming a lawyer is most appealing to me right now.

Freshman GPA (2.44)
Sophomore GPA (2.92)
Junior GPA (3.0: 1st semester)

I'm a math major which is tough at my university.
I'm a B student in the major overall- it's tough to get A's. However, I like math a lot.
My GPA is currently a 2.72. It will go up this semester most likely (unless I really screw up).. so my LSAC GPA will be a little higher. I still have three semesters to go.
I've also had problems with alcohol (but I don’t think it’s a good idea to add this in my application) and don't really have solid study skills yet. I don’t have good time management skills but have made a lot of improvement since freshman year- which I think shows in my grades, especially since I’m taking on more difficult classes now than I was freshman year.

I am an excellent test taker (probably the main reason why I'm at this uni in the first place).
I also am involved on campus: fraternity, student government, quiz bowl, moot court.
In terms of where to work, I’m leaning towards New York (since that’s where I’m from) but I really like Chicago a lot and might want to work in DC if my political junkie side really comes into play during law school.
Law schools I’m interested in
(Ranking System)
Yale
Harvard
Columbia
NYU, Chicago
Stanford, Northwestern
Penn, UVA
UC-Berkeley, Michigan, Duke, Georgetown
UCLA, Vanderbilt
Cornell, UT-Austin, Wash U, George Washington
USC, Minnesota, Illinois
Boston University, Emory, Notre Dame, William & Mary, Fordham, Washington, Washington & Lee, Brigham Young

I know that the LSAT is different from the SAT but I have taken a practice exam and got a 174. I'm shooting for a 180 and have other plans if I do worse than a 170. I’m not expecting anything. However, it would be useful for me to know which law schools I could apply to if I get a 170+ on the LSAT.

So yea my question is where should I apply depending on how I do on my LSAT. I'd probably attend any of these schools but the ones which are lower on my ranking system- I'd probably not attend at sticker price.

So thoughs and advice?

Come back in 1 year and repost your GPA. If you don't have above a 3. a 180 probably won't even save you.

Do as best as you can to get that 180.

And even if you get it, HYSCC are out. No LSAT score will compensate for a sub 3.0 GPA in those schools. I think your best bet is probably Northwestern. They seem to be splitter-friendly, but you will also need significant WE to sway the odds in your favor.

But of course, like lostjake stated, its always better to come back with an actual LSAT score and GPA before asking what your chances are.

Study hard for the LSAT and try to bring your GPA above a 3.0.

Good luck <3

lostjake wrote:Come back in 1 year and repost your GPA. If you don't have above a 3. a 180 probably won't even save you.

Not quite true. If you can score 175+, then even if you have a GPA under 3.0, as long as you go out and work a year or two you'll have a very good chance at Northwestern University.

Dang...especially since Northwestern is one of my top choices.
I think I have a really good shot of bringing my GPA up to 3.0 by the time I graduate.. or if I really buckle down and get a 4.0 next semester. (not getting one this semester.. Abstract Algebra isn't an A class for me..)
It seems that people have only been discussing the very top law schools. Is that a sign that if I don't get into one of these schools- law school might not be worth it.. especially given my alternative plans? (Get a Masters in Accounting, take the CPA exam, become a CPA..).
I'm really eager to go to law school but I'm also really eager to try out the business world and I've read that's something Northwestern excels at: combining law and business. It seems my chances are close to zero if I apply next year.
To be honest, I applied for internships at various i-banking and consulting firms but was rejected everywhere presumably because of my grades and the fact that most places are accepting fewer people than before (I know of people with 3.7's who are econ majors who didn't get in anywhere)..

I may want to only apply next year if I get 175 or higher...the only thing is that I'm going to have to wait three years to apply to law school again for my CPA to mean anything. (1 year for the masters program- especially since I'm not an accounting major, 2 years to work for a public accounting firm to be officially licensed as a CPA assuming I pass the exam at some point during this period too...)

On law school being worth it or not. If you can score 175+, I think it is absolutely not worth it to pay sticker for LS outside of T14. I don't know if anyone should be carrying the kind of debt load required to get through 3 years of school without T14 kind of outlook and placement. The closer I get to making decisions about law school, the more I realized that I don't want to pay sticker for anywhere outside of HYP because I don't have the ethusiasm for big law, so having minimal debt will be a worthy consideration.

In your case, even if you get lucky and get in a T14 with a 175+, but you receive no $$, I don't know if you should take that instead of going for a T30 and get more money. Some T30 schools will certainly throw money at your to try to get your high LSAT. It may be worth going there unless you are set on doing big law. That would be up to your plans.

Do the best that you can on the LSAT and try to bring up your GPA and go from there. You can take a shot and see if it is indeed practical to go to law school. If you really want to be a lawyer, but don't have your heart set on big law, I bet you can get a full ride at a decent school that will turn you into a great lawyer in 3 years without much debt.

ADD: if your GPA stays below 3, I don't think 3 or 10 years of WE would do much for you.