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Do adcomms look more favorably at applicants with PhDs? I am a severe splitter (2.3 UGPA, 175 LSAT), so I am hoping that with the PhD (and Grad GPA of around 3.5) I will have a better chance. Eventually want to get into patent law. Thank you for your thoughts!

qualski wrote:Do adcomms look more favorably at applicants with PhDs? I am a severe splitter (2.3 UGPA, 175 LSAT), so I am hoping that with the PhD (and Grad GPA of around 3.5) I will have a better chance. Eventually want to get into patent law. Thank you for your thoughts!

Depend on the school:
Yes: Northwestern, UVA (ED), Georgetown (maybe)
No: Yale (Unless you invented Quantum Computing), Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU

No idea about rest of T14

BigFatPanda wrote:

qualski wrote:Do adcomms look more favorably at applicants with PhDs? I am a severe splitter (2.3 UGPA, 175 LSAT), so I am hoping that with the PhD (and Grad GPA of around 3.5) I will have a better chance. Eventually want to get into patent law. Thank you for your thoughts!

Depend on the school:
Yes: Northwestern, UVA (ED), Georgetown (maybe)
No: Yale (Unless you invented Quantum Computing), Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU

No idea about rest of T14

I don't know that any of those are possible. I've not seen any T14 take a sub-2.7 non-URM. A guy with similar stats applied this year and the only T30 he got into was UIUC, and he asserts that the only reason that happened was because he met with the dean or admissions staff. He evidently had some hard stuff going on in undergrad, which might explain the leniency.

I would not expect a T14. What do you think about schools known for patent law like franklin pierce or santa clara? would i have a shot?

stratocophic wrote:

BigFatPanda wrote:

qualski wrote:Do adcomms look more favorably at applicants with PhDs? I am a severe splitter (2.3 UGPA, 175 LSAT), so I am hoping that with the PhD (and Grad GPA of around 3.5) I will have a better chance. Eventually want to get into patent law. Thank you for your thoughts!

Depend on the school:
Yes: Northwestern, UVA (ED), Georgetown (maybe)
No: Yale (Unless you invented Quantum Computing), Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU

No idea about rest of T14

I don't know that any of those are possible. I've not seen any T14 take a sub-2.7 non-URM. A guy with similar stats applied this year and the only T30 he got into was UIUC, and he asserts that the only reason that happened was because he met with the dean or admissions staff. He evidently had some hard stuff going on in undergrad, which might explain the leniency.

2.1 171 got NU via ED this year.

Desert Fox wrote:

stratocophic wrote:

BigFatPanda wrote:

qualski wrote:Do adcomms look more favorably at applicants with PhDs? I am a severe splitter (2.3 UGPA, 175 LSAT), so I am hoping that with the PhD (and Grad GPA of around 3.5) I will have a better chance. Eventually want to get into patent law. Thank you for your thoughts!

Depend on the school:
Yes: Northwestern, UVA (ED), Georgetown (maybe)
No: Yale (Unless you invented Quantum Computing), Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU

No idea about rest of T14

I don't know that any of those are possible. I've not seen any T14 take a sub-2.7 non-URM. A guy with similar stats applied this year and the only T30 he got into was UIUC, and he asserts that the only reason that happened was because he met with the dean or admissions staff. He evidently had some hard stuff going on in undergrad, which might explain the leniency.

2.1 171 got NU via ED this year.

I stand corrected. ED to Northwestern if you have work experience, otherwise get work experience and then ED. GTown's the only other T14 that might give you a look, and that's still doubtful. Midwestern T25s like WUSTL, Minnesota, and UIUC may give you a shot too.

PhD applicant here. Law school predictor pretty much nailed my cycle. Schools are slaves to numbers. That being said, I have gotten into all schools that my numbers would conceivably allow, so if your LSAT/GPA gets a proverbial foot in the door, the PhD will then knock the door open. It's a great soft that will set you apart from other applicants with identical numbers.

Being an extreme splitter, your cycle will be hard to predict. Northwestern is certainly your best bet for a T14. Good luck!

qualski wrote:Do adcomms look more favorably at applicants with PhDs? I am a severe splitter (2.3 UGPA, 175 LSAT), so I am hoping that with the PhD (and Grad GPA of around 3.5) I will have a better chance. Eventually want to get into patent law. Thank you for your thoughts!

BTW how'd you get into a PhD program with a 2.3 anyway?

Desert Fox wrote:

qualski wrote:Do adcomms look more favorably at applicants with PhDs? I am a severe splitter (2.3 UGPA, 175 LSAT), so I am hoping that with the PhD (and Grad GPA of around 3.5) I will have a better chance. Eventually want to get into patent law. Thank you for your thoughts!

BTW how'd you get into a PhD program with a 2.3 anyway?

<3

the 2.3 is engineering gpa from cornell. i dont know if that factored in, but i also have a publication and significant research experience. I was initially rejected but had some people fighting for me on the inside.

qualski wrote:the 2.3 is engineering gpa from cornell. i dont know if that factored in, but i also have a publication and significant research experience. I was initially rejected but had some people fighting for me on the inside.

To be honest an extreme splitter with a PhD is rare. Is the PhD from a good engineering school?

You've got an okay shot at Northwestern. But if you want to do patent prosecution, I'd see if you can get a huge scholarship somewhere. Because a PhD in engineering will get you into a lot patent firms even if you went to a less prestigious law school.

PhD to Law School = addicted to school?

bceagles182 wrote:PhD to Law School = addicted to school?

A typical postdoc will run for 3 years, and many people do two of them. That is helping me deal with the prospect of another 3 years without a real job.