Top Law Schools

Ok, here goes..

I have a 3.2 GPA from a tiny, liberal arts school (<1,000 students)
Transferred to a big state school and managed to work a 3.76 GPA (found some work ethic)

I'm going to omit the particulars, but in short in one year I was found responsible for breaking my school's Honor Code and charged with Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in two different charges. For the former, I was suspended, and for the latter, I was expelled. No charges were ever filed, and I didn't even speak with the police. (I know these are both going to be disclosed in my application and more thoroughly explained - I can assure you they read a lot better with the full story included)

If I got in the mid-160s on my upcoming LSAT, with my new school GPA and evidence of applying myself and trying to make the most out of my situation - could I get all the way up to Emory? Strictly numerically speaking, I know the sites say yes, but with my having transferred and the baggage, would I even get a shot at their school? If no, how low should I shoot?

Transferring from one undergraduate school to another should not affect your chances of admission to any law school.
I cannot even offer an opinion regarding your other difficulties due to insufficient details.

what's your lsac gpa?

Strictly numerically? If you have a 166+, no matter your GPA (unless it's something crazy like a 2.5), then yes. Less than a 166, no matter your GPA, unlikely.

Behold, the 166 wall of doom:

http://emory.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0910/

Adding in your record? No earthly idea, normally I'd say it's just a numbers game, but I imagine getting expelled will hurt a good bit. Could be wrong though. Study that LSAT.

Normally I would say that numbers rule, but I think it depends partly on what you did. If it was bad enough to get you expelled...

i can point to similar experience here. i didn't sexually harass anybody, but was found guilty of harassment for making fun of a girl. being suspended did have my time to grow as a person, and really not be a child anymore. i don't know what the effect will be. i think it depends on the adcom reading it and the school. my guess/hope is if you have the same numbers as someone else, they're gonna take them, but if your numbers are a bit better, you're good.

plenipotentiary wrote:Normally I would say that numbers rule, but I think it depends partly on what you did. If it was bad enough to get you expelled...

To be fair, the expulsion standards are quite a bit lower at some religious schools like BYU, especially for sexual offenses.

im_blue wrote:

plenipotentiary wrote:Normally I would say that numbers rule, but I think it depends partly on what you did. If it was bad enough to get you expelled...

To be fair, the expulsion standards are quite a bit lower at some religious schools like BYU, especially for sexual offenses.

i think it depends on the nature of what we're talking about sexually.

did you call a girl a derogatory term or did you pinch her butt without permission?

i think at a religious school, calling a girl a derogatory term for making out in the hallway, while wrong, is far less egregious than the latter.

Rikkugrrl wrote:Behold, the 166 wall of doom:

http://emory.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0910/

Holy shit, that's incredible/ridiculous. Median concerns FTL

Get a 166 and hope for the best.

rad law wrote:Get a 166 and hope for the best.

yeah forget about it. what's done is done. that said, i'd fee waiver the heck out of it and apply across the board. what makes one adcom say get this creep out of here might be forgiven by another.

Basically I was at an off-campus party during my Christmas break, got drunk, and fooled around with another student. It was brought to the Dean of Students a couple months later, and no charges were ever filed. Being a small school, I got railroaded (to the point my lawyer wasn't allowed in the hearing), and suspended. Feeling mistreated and betrayed, I came back with a chip on my shoulder and hooked up with some dude's girlfriend. He claimed harassment, Dean didn't want an explanation and BAM. Expulsion.

Sucks to have to describe to a stranger, but I figure people have done worse and gone on to make it into a good school, right?

VTOrange19 wrote:Basically I was at an off-campus party during my Christmas break, got drunk, and fooled around with another student. It was brought to the Dean of Students a couple months later, and no charges were ever filed. Being a small school, I got railroaded (to the point my lawyer wasn't allowed in the hearing), and suspended. Feeling mistreated and betrayed, I came back with a chip on my shoulder and hooked up with some dude's girlfriend. He claimed harassment, Dean didn't want an explanation and BAM. Expulsion.

Sucks to have to describe to a stranger, but I figure people have done worse and gone on to make it into a good school, right?

You got expelled for having sex? That doesn't make sense.

Are there religious colleges that forbid sex? Very confusing.

plenipotentiary wrote:

VTOrange19 wrote:Basically I was at an off-campus party during my Christmas break, got drunk, and fooled around with another student. It was brought to the Dean of Students a couple months later, and no charges were ever filed. Being a small school, I got railroaded (to the point my lawyer wasn't allowed in the hearing), and suspended. Feeling mistreated and betrayed, I came back with a chip on my shoulder and hooked up with some dude's girlfriend. He claimed harassment, Dean didn't want an explanation and BAM. Expulsion.

Sucks to have to describe to a stranger, but I figure people have done worse and gone on to make it into a good school, right?

You got expelled for having sex? That doesn't make sense.

Are there religious colleges that forbid sex? Very confusing.

BYU honor code violations:
premarital sex
smoking
consuming alcohol, tea, or coffee
gambling
porn
homosexual behavior
mixed gender camping trips

BYU honor code violations:
premarital sex
smoking
consuming alcohol, tea, or coffee
gambling
porn
homosexual behavior
mixed gender camping trips

Nice.

Rikkugrrl wrote:Strictly numerically? If you have a 166+, no matter your GPA (unless it's something crazy like a 2.5), then yes. Less than a 166, no matter your GPA, unlikely.

Behold, the 166 wall of doom:

http://emory.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0910/

Adding in your record? No earthly idea, normally I'd say it's just a numbers game, but I imagine getting expelled will hurt a good bit. Could be wrong though. Study that LSAT.

LOL. holy crap.

OP, I think it all depends on who is reading your app and your addendum. It is also possible they'll ask for a dean's cert for this special case so reestablishing a relationship with the dean who expelled you might be in your interest.

The fact they were two different women might be a big red flag.

Obviously, having a male adcom who is not deeply religious figures in your interest, but you can't control this. I'd expect an unpredictable cycle with some schools not caring much, and some schools rejecting you solely based off of it.