chances? Forum

[lawbuddha22]

So I am looking to get into upper tier but not the highest of schools. I only have a 3.0 cumulative GPA (my majors are 3.4 and 3.5 with my last two years with all strong grades). I received a 168 on my LSAT. I was hoping to get an idea of what kind of chances I have at getting into GWU, Boston College, American University, Fordham University or UC Hastings. (I was considering applying early decision to Georgetown but i doubted my chances a lot). Just looking to hear people's thoughts. Thanks!

[LateNight]

What is your major? A 3.0 in Chemical Engineering is different than a 3.0 in let's say... political science or English.

[ENGINEERD]

What is your major? A 3.0 in Chemical Engineering is different than a 3.0 in let's say... political science or English.

For law school there is no difference

[ENGINEERD]

So I am looking to get into upper tier but not the highest of schools. I only have a 3.0 cumulative GPA (my majors are 3.4 and 3.5 with my last two years with all strong grades). I received a 168 on my LSAT. I was hoping to get an idea of what kind of chances I have at getting into GWU, Boston College, American University, Fordham University or UC Hastings. (I was considering applying early decision to Georgetown but i doubted my chances a lot). Just looking to hear people's thoughts. Thanks!

I have similar numbers and applied to some of those schools.
GWU- Out
BC- Out
American- In
Fordham- WL
Hastings- In

good luck!

PS please dont be stupid like me and waste your money on gtown or cornell

[lawbuddha22]

I have a 3.52 in my international studies major and a 3.4 in political science. My cumulative is a 3.0. But I have to agree I heard that your major really makes no difference in your application to law school. They want diversity. Thanks for the heads up on Gtown (i thought early admissions might give me a shot, not sure).

[ENGINEERD]

I have a 3.52 in my international studies major and a 3.4 in political science. My cumulative is a 3.0. But I have to agree I heard that your major really makes no difference in your application to law school. They want diversity. Thanks for the heads up on Gtown (i thought early admissions might give me a shot, not sure).

You might give it a shot so you don't have regrets. I tried PT ED at georgetown and they didn't bite. Also applied a bit late so maybe that had something to do with it. The whole admissions cycle is the most random thing so if you feel like its worth it then go for it! gl

[wocehtoom]

If money is an issue I wouldn't apply to any T30 school

If it isn't, apply everywhere you want. You'd hate to be stuck thinking "what if"

[umichgrad]

Above poster is bad advice. I have similar #s, 3.3X and 167 (though the .3 GPA might make a difference), and got WL @ GULC and in at GW, Fordham, W&M, W&L, etc. If you put together a great app you definitely have a shot at 14-30.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I think it's pretty cynical to say that undergraduate major doesn't matter for law school admissions- since that assumes adcoms care more about their median GPA/LSAT than anything else- but sadly such cynicism is pretty close to the truth.

Prediction from a 0L
GWU: Waitlist
Boston College: Reject
American: Accept
Fordham: Waitlist
UC-Hastings: Waitlist

You might want to throw in an app to UC-Davis too- your chances of getting in there are better than UC-Hastings. Davis' median LSAT is ridiculously low.

Georgetown is out of the picture- even ED won't save you.

[lawbuddha22]

What about University of Arizona? If I'm looking to Practice IP law should I consider Santa Clara (since they have good IP) but overall ranking is really low?

[09042014]

Retake that LSAT. You can get t14 if you bump your score to 170+.

[im_blue]

Above poster is bad advice. I have similar #s, 3.3X and 167 (though the .3 GPA might make a difference), and got WL @ GULC and in at GW, Fordham, W&M, W&L, etc. If you put together a great app you definitely have a shot at 14-30.

A 3.0/168 has no shot at T18, but 19-30 might bite (especially splitter-friendly schools like WUSTL and Illinois).

[LateNight]

A 3.0/168 has no shot at T18, but 19-30 might bite (especially splitter-friendly schools like WUSTL and Illinois).

What makes you think that WUSTL is splitter friendly? Their median GPA is 3.7

[09042014]

A 3.0/168 has no shot at T18, but 19-30 might bite (especially splitter-friendly schools like WUSTL and Illinois).

What makes you think that WUSTL is splitter friendly? Their median GPA is 3.7

Wiki median.

Then google "law school numbers".

[DoubleChecks]

What is your major? A 3.0 in Chemical Engineering is different than a 3.0 in let's say... political science or English.

For law school there is no difference

wtf? wrong. there is little difference, but still a difference between a political science major vs. a major like double E...esp. if they seem interested in the IP route

for most other majors though, i.e. history major vs. political science major vs. english major...yeah there's like no difference

[09042014]

What is your major? A 3.0 in Chemical Engineering is different than a 3.0 in let's say... political science or English.

For law school there is no difference

wtf? wrong. there is little difference, but still a difference between a political science major vs. a major like double E...esp. if they seem interested in the IP route

If there is it is slight.

But realistically this is one of those questions that varies by adcom. Some adcoms might be impressed by EE, others might not care.

[DoubleChecks]

What is your major? A 3.0 in Chemical Engineering is different than a 3.0 in let's say... political science or English.

For law school there is no difference

wtf? wrong. there is little difference, but still a difference between a political science major vs. a major like double E...esp. if they seem interested in the IP route

If there is it is slight.

But realistically this is one of those questions that varies by adcom. Some adcoms might be impressed by EE, others might not care.

i could see it depending on certain adcomms, and there are a lot of schools i havent looked into, but i still believe that a handful of majors work like a positive soft (albeit the effect is, as we both agree, quite small)

[ENGINEERD]

What is your major? A 3.0 in Chemical Engineering is different than a 3.0 in let's say... political science or English.

For law school there is no difference

wtf? wrong. there is little difference, but still a difference between a political science major vs. a major like double E...esp. if they seem interested in the IP route

for most other majors though, i.e. history major vs. political science major vs. english major...yeah there's like no difference

There is no difference. I also have a masters and there is still no difference. Take a look at my LSN profile my acceptances/rejections are exactly the same as others with identical numbers and "insert any major here" major.

All schools care about is LSAT and GPA. I would argue that your undergraduate institution helps more than your major. And I think they care very little about what school you went to.

[ENGINEERD]

Honestly if I were you I would retake and get a 170. ED to georgetown and apply early. You will probably get into Cornell or GTown

[DoubleChecks]

What is your major? A 3.0 in Chemical Engineering is different than a 3.0 in let's say... political science or English.

For law school there is no difference

wtf? wrong. there is little difference, but still a difference between a political science major vs. a major like double E...esp. if they seem interested in the IP route

for most other majors though, i.e. history major vs. political science major vs. english major...yeah there's like no difference

There is no difference. I also have a masters and there is still no difference. Take a look at my LSN profile my acceptances/rejections are exactly the same as others with identical numbers and "insert any major here" major.

All schools care about is LSAT and GPA. I would argue that your undergraduate institution helps more than your major. And I think they care very little about what school you went to.

oh i hadnt realized we were using anecdotes. in that case, i have 2 friends (same ugrad as me) w/ identical numbers. only diff is their majors (PS's were of similar quality...in fact, id say the non-engineering major had a PS that was a bit worse)...LORs i have no idea. there were a couple of schools the engineering major got in the other got waitlisted at. granted these were schools both would have been somewhat borderline in.

i mean, all anyone can really go on is anecdotes, tho i do know a few yrs ago (no idea if boalt still practices this), berkeley law actually said something about giving more weight to certain majors (dont quote me on this, i dont remember this correctly). i know for a fact HLS does (i.e. adcomm told me straight up they really liked kids w/ my major...which seemed to work pretty well based on history of acceptances and this cycle w/ other like-major ppl i know).

of course a major will never be a big deal...id prob always take the higher GPA guy (all else equal) over the lower GPA one. but when its a tie or near tie, id go w/ the one who may get a boost to his major (ex: engineering)

[ENGINEERD]

Sorry for using my own experience as an example I don't know what I was thinking. I am not trying to rain on your parade, whoever is telling you that major counts is just wrong and there are dozen of engineering LSN profiles to prove it.

[09042014]

Sorry for using my own experience as an example I don't know what I was thinking. I am not trying to rain on your parade, whoever is telling you that major counts is just wrong and there are dozen of engineering LSN profiles to prove it.

My BSEE didn't help me at UVA or Cornell, but my GPA was TTT.

[merichard87]

Whats your major DoubleChecks?

[DoubleChecks]

Sorry for using my own experience as an example I don't know what I was thinking. I am not trying to rain on your parade, whoever is telling you that major counts is just wrong and there are dozen of engineering LSN profiles to prove it.

you're not really raining on my parade. not only is my cycle complete, but im not even an engineering major lol.

im not sure how these LSN profiles are supposed to 'prove' anything though...and i know how ppl on here LOVE painting adcomms as liars, but these adcomms were pretty up front w/ me saying how usually you should just major in something that interests you, etc. before stating that small aside...and i have dozens of examples to 'prove' my point as well lol.

im sry if your cycle didnt end up showing any beneficial effects of having an engineering major; im not implying your other app factors overcame some small bump your major may have given you. it is just that, if i had to apply to law schools in general, all else being equal, id take the engineering major over the political science major any day.

[DoubleChecks]

Whats your major DoubleChecks?

oh my major was more of a unique case specific to my school lol, so unless you went there, i dont think it'd help/apply haha