3.85 Gtown, 159 LSAT, 4 years work exp. Forum

[LSATNightmares]

--3.85 GPA from Georgetown Undergrad, top 10% of class
--159 LSAT... it's unusually low for me because I panicked on the June LSAT and didn't cancel; I'll be retaking in October
--4 years of impressive work experience, which included a year-long competitive fellowship, government and overseas work, and some private sector experience
--White Female
--Interested in doing environmnetal law

As for schools, I'm primarily focusing on Boston schools since my fiance is a grad student at Harvard:
Boston U
Boston College
Northeastern
Suffolk
Georgetown
GW
Fordham

Harvard (if I can boost my score big time... does marrying a Harvard student give me an advantage?)

What are my chances? Any schools I should add?

[vespertiliovir]

Out everywhere but Suffolk and Northeastern with that LSAT

[Lawof_theLand]

Out everywhere but Suffolk and Northeastern with that LSAT

Probably in at Suffolk, <~15% chance at Northeastern.

[MrKappus]

Out everywhere but Suffolk and Northeastern with that LSAT

Probably in at Suffolk, <~15% chance at Northeastern.

Are you people out of your minds? The medians at Suffolk are 157/3.3...there's no "probably" about it. And the IQR of Northeastern's LSAT is 155-163, GPA's 3.20-3.63, which means OP's chances are much better than 15% or less. I'm all about tempering expectations, but the quote above borders on the absurd.

[Lawof_theLand]

Suffolk, "very likely" would have been more accurate.

As for Northeastern, LSN paints a different picture this cycle. http://northweastern.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats

OP said she's white, and with very few exceptions, it looks like URMs only - with LSATs under 160 - got in. Hardly "bordering on the absurd".

[LSATNightmares]

Thanks for your guesses. I find it interesting that everyone looks at LSATs in calculating chances. I mean, GPA, a really good undergrad program, and work experience count for nothing? I was scoring in the 170's before I bombed the LSAT, so I'm hopeful I can really boost my score and get into a place like BU.

[Nom Sawyer]

Thanks for your guesses. I find it interesting that everyone looks at LSATs in calculating chances. I mean, GPA, a really good undergrad program, and work experience count for nothing? I was scoring in the 170's before I bombed the LSAT, so I'm hopeful I can really boost my score and get into a place like BU.

Everyone looks at your LSAT because its the most important piece..

Think:

50% LSAT, 40% GPA, 10% everything else... so make sure you really nail that LSAT retake and you'll have a lot more options

[IAFG]

Thanks for your guesses. I find it interesting that everyone looks at LSATs in calculating chances. I mean, GPA, a really good undergrad program, and work experience count for nothing? I was scoring in the 170's before I bombed the LSAT, so I'm hopeful I can really boost my score and get into a place like BU.

Everyone looks at your LSAT because its the most important piece..

Think:

50% LSAT, 40% GPA, 10% everything else... so make sure you really nail that LSAT retake and you'll have a lot more options

Hmm... It's more like median or above LSAT is necessary but not sufficient, you know what I mean?

[MrKappus]

Hmm... It's more like median or above LSAT is necessary but not sufficient, you know what I mean?

Since half the students in the class have an LSAT that's below median, clearly a median LSAT isn't necessary.

[IAFG]

Hmm... It's more like median or above LSAT is necessary but not sufficient, you know what I mean?

Since half the students in the class have an LSAT that's below median, clearly a median LSAT isn't necessary.

But how many are exactly at median and then how many are URMs.

[LSATNightmares]

Yes, true. That's understandable for most of the programs I listed.

I was thinking maybe Georgetown would let me in. If I was a top student in one of their undergrad programs, I think they would give me a break with the LSAT. I mean, isn't the purpose of the LSAT to compare students from different univisities? If they didn't have faith in my undergrad GPA, I guess they don't have much faith in their undergrad program.

Anywho, I did independent study earlier with the LSAT, but I start a Testmasters course next week. I think I'll be calmer this time around.

[IAFG]

If testing anxiety was a problem, don't skip audible 5 minute warnings on practice tests.

[MrKappus]

Yes, true. That's understandable for most of the programs I listed.

I was thinking maybe Georgetown would let me in. If I was a top student in one of their undergrad programs, I think they would give me a break with the LSAT. I mean, isn't the purpose of the LSAT to compare students from different univisities? If they didn't have faith in my undergrad GPA, I guess they don't have much faith in their undergrad program.

Anywho, I did independent study earlier with the LSAT, but I start a Testmasters course next week. I think I'll be calmer this time around.

I'm all about your Suffolk/Northeastern chances, but I would think you absolutely have no chance at Georgetown without at least a 167+. Also, as UG programs go, Georgetown's kind of far down the list of "really good" ones. There's just too many kids from all the Ivies, elite LAC's, MIT/Caltech's, et al. for G-town to be considered a top-flite UG.

Good luck w/ the LSAT. It'll make or break your LS chances, obviously.

[Nom Sawyer]

Thanks for your guesses. I find it interesting that everyone looks at LSATs in calculating chances. I mean, GPA, a really good undergrad program, and work experience count for nothing? I was scoring in the 170's before I bombed the LSAT, so I'm hopeful I can really boost my score and get into a place like BU.

Everyone looks at your LSAT because its the most important piece..

Think:

50% LSAT, 40% GPA, 10% everything else... so make sure you really nail that LSAT retake and you'll have a lot more options

Hmm... It's more like median or above LSAT is necessary but not sufficient, you know what I mean?

Yeah thats a good way to think about it, although you can compensate with a GPA or LSAT that is above the 75th percentile if your other number is below median.

I believe a lot of people think the LSAT is a little more important because there are more good GPA's out there then good LSATs, so you're better off if you have a high LSAT + low GPA then if you have a high GPA + low LSAT

[LSATNightmares]

Thanks for your honest opinion. Hehe, call me proud, but I think Georgetown undergrad is elite depending on which program you're in. I was in the School of Foreign Service, which is notoriously hard. I wouldn't say quite as hard as MIT or Princeton, but definitely comparable to all the Ivies. A good number of Georgetown undergrads with 3.85's get into the law school through the Early Assurance program... if I could have gotten in then, I find it hard they wouldn't seriously consider me once I graduated.

Anyways, you can see I'm a lawyer in the making with my debating, hehe. But you're right... I have to nail the LSAT in October.

[MrKappus]

Thanks for your honest opinion. Hehe, call me proud, but I think Georgetown undergrad is elite depending on which program you're in. I was in the School of Foreign Service, which is notoriously hard. I wouldn't say quite as hard as MIT or Princeton, but definitely comparable to all the Ivies. A good number of Georgetown undergrads with 3.85's get into the law school through the Early Assurance program... if I could have gotten in then, I find it hard they wouldn't seriously consider me once I graduated.

Anyways, you can see I'm a lawyer in the making with my debating, hehe. But you're right... I have to nail the LSAT in October.

Haha god dammit...I was actually going to write "unless you were in the FS school," but didn't. Nothing wrong w/ alma mater pride. I've got it too. Good luck.

[LSATNightmares]

Hahaha... you're just trying to make me feel better by qualifying your statement!

[LSATNightmares]

I guess one could say touche! But then again, I could say your reply is a way of getting around the issue and avoiding retracting your statement that Gtown isn't elite, hehe.

But in all due seriousness, thanks for your feedback. I better get started working on everything.

[vespertiliovir]

Out everywhere but Suffolk and Northeastern with that LSAT

Probably in at Suffolk, <~15% chance at Northeastern.

Are you people out of your minds? The medians at Suffolk are 157/3.3...there's no "probably" about it. And the IQR of Northeastern's LSAT is 155-163, GPA's 3.20-3.63, which means OP's chances are much better than 15% or less. I'm all about tempering expectations, but the quote above borders on the absurd.

To clarify, I was saying OP is in at Suffolk at Northeastern.