Top Law Schools

Hey all.

GPA: 4.0+
Undergrad: Canadian undergrad.
LSAT: 174, only taken once.

Work Experience: Usual part time jobs.
Softs: Honors society, some academic clubs, volunteering for a specific organization.

I'm interested to know what kind of scholarship money I may be looking at and what is my best shot at a full ride or something close to it (greedy, I know!). I am looking to stay West Coast region (from British Columbia to California).

Schools I'm looking at applying to:
UCLA
Berkeley
Stanford
Lewis and Clark
University of Washington

Any thoughts on my chances at a) admission and b) scholarship at any of these schools? Suggestions for other schools I should consider?

I appreciate the time spent. Thanks guys .

This post is going to get your hopes up until you see who it is, at which point you'll grumble at me in your mind.

I really doubt you'll get significantly less than full ride at UCLA should you keep your GPA up. However, I don't know how the money works compared to other things.

If you don't apply to Stanford/Boalt though I will throw a slab of bacon at you

Any particular reason you have to stay on the West Coast? You have a very good shot at Harvard (probably > 80%) and a sure chance at CCN.

http://harvard.lawschoolnumbers.com/app ... ,8&type=jd

incompetentia wrote:This post is going to get your hopes up until you see who it is, at which point you'll grumble at me in your mind.

I really doubt you'll get significantly less than full ride at UCLA should you keep your GPA up. However, I don't know how the money works compared to other things.

If you don't apply to Stanford/Boalt though I will throw a slab of bacon at you

*GRUMBLES*.

I am definitely applying to Stanford/Boalt. And not only because I am a vegetarian who thinks pigs are really cute and fears getting bacon thrown at her head.

Bacon is too amazing though. My girlfriend and I made bacon chocolate chip cookies yesterday and they are strangely delicious.

*leaves*

im_blue wrote:Any particular reason you have to stay on the West Coast? You have a very good shot at Harvard (probably > 80%) and a sure chance at CCN.

http://harvard.lawschoolnumbers.com/app ... ,8&type=jd

Mostly financial reasons, because it's so much closer to my home base, and I just really, really love the West Coast. Never lived out East so can't really compare, though, I guess. Also, a lot of my choices will be based around money so, I could get into Columbia, maybe, but it would be super expensive to fly out there and back and also the cost of living and the cost of attending = EEEK.

That said, I almost want to add Columbia to my list of applications. How does one get fee waivers? Would someone with my numbers maybe get fee waivers next year?

You have a good shot at Yale and Stanford. Auto-admit everywhere else.

But your chances at Stanford are only about 1/3, depending on your softs (http://stanford.lawschoolnumbers.com/ap ... ,8&type=jd). If you end up choosing Berkeley over Harvard, I'll throw a slab of bacon at your head!

You can e-mail schools with your numbers and ask for fee waivers. You should easily get several.

im_blue wrote:But your chances at Stanford are only about 1/3, depending on your softs (http://stanford.lawschoolnumbers.com/ap ... ,8&type=jd). If you end up choosing Berkeley over Harvard, I'll throw a slab of bacon at your head!

Using '09-10 data is harsh. That was the worst cycle of the decade. Maybe it's an ongoing trend, but I expect admission chances to be more normal going forward.

d34dluk3 wrote:

im_blue wrote:But your chances at Stanford are only about 1/3, depending on your softs (http://stanford.lawschoolnumbers.com/ap ... ,8&type=jd). If you end up choosing Berkeley over Harvard, I'll throw a slab of bacon at your head!

Using '09-10 data is harsh. That was the worst cycle of the decade. Maybe it's an ongoing trend, but I expect admission chances to be more normal going forward.

08-09 was about the same, and 07-08 was maybe 50%.

Also, if you're worried about finances, Harvard gives amazing need-based financial aid.

Being Canadian, what's the deal with loans? You would have to take private loans out? So that means you wouldn't be eligible for LRAP or IBR, and this makes money FAR more important. I think if you maintain a 4+ GPA, you have a VERY solid shot at getting a big chunk of money from much of the T14, and if you improve your softs, you have a chance at some named scholarships.

Re: your chances out west, I'd be surprised if Berkeley didn't throw some money at you, but I don't know how much. UCLA encourages a bit of haggling, and I'd be surprised if you couldn't get very close to full tuition there.

Keep up your grades and try to continue with some of your extracurriculars to get a leadership position or two. Best of luck!

im_blue wrote:But your chances at Stanford are only about 1/3, depending on your softs (http://stanford.lawschoolnumbers.com/ap ... ,8&type=jd). If you end up choosing Berkeley over Harvard, I'll throw a slab of bacon at your head!

You can e-mail schools with your numbers and ask for fee waivers. You should easily get several.

I'm hoping to send applications in early, so I will definitely email and ask earlier. I want to apply to quite a few schools but the cost is making me want to cut down the list.

Are there any softs I can add during this year/summer that would make me more competitive? I honestly am not sure what schools value - I need to stay at home working this summer so I'm kind of down to volunteer around my area.

Are you guys thinking that Harvard is pretty much an admit, barring a psychotic PS or something? - Interesting about the need-based aid, maybe I will apply there after all.

cigrainger wrote:Being Canadian, what's the deal with loans? You would have to take private loans out? So that means you wouldn't be eligible for LRAP or IBR, and this makes money FAR more important. I think if you maintain a 4+ GPA, you have a VERY solid shot at getting a big chunk of money from much of the T14, and if you improve your softs, you have a chance at some named scholarships.

Re: your chances out west, I'd be surprised if Berkeley didn't throw some money at you, but I don't know how much. UCLA encourages a bit of haggling, and I'd be surprised if you couldn't get very close to full tuition there.

Keep up your grades and try to continue with some of your extracurriculars to get a leadership position or two. Best of luck!

I can get about 10k from the government. There's a possibility of getting a loan from my grandparents as well for some Ks, but yes, the rest would be private loans. Hence debt being a very scary prospect.

The problem with leadership positions/softs is that I really barely have time for any of my current softs while still maintaining my GPA. I may be able to do a lot more at the SPCA and turn that into a bit of a better soft (i.e. volunteer at any opportunity for a variety of things, taking on a more active role than just a regular volunteer) but there's not much else I can get involved with.

eit wrote:

im_blue wrote:But your chances at Stanford are only about 1/3, depending on your softs (http://stanford.lawschoolnumbers.com/ap ... ,8&type=jd). If you end up choosing Berkeley over Harvard, I'll throw a slab of bacon at your head!

You can e-mail schools with your numbers and ask for fee waivers. You should easily get several.

I'm hoping to send applications in early, so I will definitely email and ask earlier. I want to apply to quite a few schools but the cost is making me want to cut down the list.

Are there any softs I can add during this year/summer that would make me more competitive? I honestly am not sure what schools value - I need to stay at home working this summer so I'm kind of down to volunteer around my area.

Are you guys thinking that Harvard is pretty much an admit, barring a psychotic PS or something? - Interesting about the need-based aid, maybe I will apply there after all.

Re: softs, if you have done some ESL work, I read about somebody a while back who set up a charity at their school going to the local jail and doing ESL courses for inmates. Only works if you're in a place where there is a high immigrant population and all, but the point is to think outside the box. Don't be afraid to start your own charity if something you want to do isn't already organized -- saying you started something like that is huge on a CV.

eit wrote:

cigrainger wrote:Being Canadian, what's the deal with loans? You would have to take private loans out? So that means you wouldn't be eligible for LRAP or IBR, and this makes money FAR more important. I think if you maintain a 4+ GPA, you have a VERY solid shot at getting a big chunk of money from much of the T14, and if you improve your softs, you have a chance at some named scholarships.

Re: your chances out west, I'd be surprised if Berkeley didn't throw some money at you, but I don't know how much. UCLA encourages a bit of haggling, and I'd be surprised if you couldn't get very close to full tuition there.

Keep up your grades and try to continue with some of your extracurriculars to get a leadership position or two. Best of luck!

I can get about 10k from the government. There's a possibility of getting a loan from my grandparents as well for some Ks, but yes, the rest would be private loans. Hence debt being a very scary prospect.

The problem with leadership positions/softs is that I really barely have time for any of my current softs while still maintaining my GPA. I may be able to do a lot more at the SPCA and turn that into a bit of a better soft (i.e. volunteer at any opportunity for a variety of things, taking on a more active role than just a regular volunteer) but there's not much else I can get involved with.

It's not always about doing more -- I think schools value one or two things that you get very involved in rather than a handful of things you're somewhat involved in. Narrow down what you do to the things you're really passionate about, and then get yourself involved to a point where you have demonstrable leadership experience, something you can talk about in a PS or scholarship statement, and perhaps a contact who can throw out an extra recommendation for something like the Epstein program at UCLA if that interests you.

Do public schools like Berkeley and UCLA give out lots of scholarship money to entice students to attend? I was under the impression that they generally give out grants (based on actual financial need), rely heavily on the draw of already cheaper (public) tuition, and only rarely give out scholarship money like private institutions. But I haven't really researched it, as I'm still focused on getting admitted.

Hmm. I can definitely see what you mean. SPCA volunteering is definitely what I've done the longest and like the most. I'm honestly not sure if I can take on a more leadership role within the organization, however. I can definitely expand my role beyond just working with the dogs and participate more (so a focused interest/passion, but not necessarily leadership).

I don't have the time or drive for anything else to create something or lead something or anything, though, if I'm honest with myself.

You'd be crazy to not at least apply to top 10 schools + UCLA and USC. Keep in mind that applying to schools that you don't necessarily plan on attending can provide leverage for scholarship money at other schools. Email schools and request merit based fee app waivers.

Thanks for the advice, guys. Seriously considering adding Yale, Harvard, and Columbia onto application list despite regional reservations.

-

d34dluk3 wrote:You have a good shot at Yale and Stanford. Auto-admit everywhere else.

That's pretty much what you are looking at. Columbia is prolly gonna give you a fullride or close to it. Congrats on great numbers!

Also, you should go HYS over anything except maybe Hamilton in Columbia.

Ragged wrote:

d34dluk3 wrote:You have a good shot at Yale and Stanford. Auto-admit everywhere else.

That's pretty much what you are looking at. Columbia is prolly gonna give you a fullride or close to it. Congrats on great numbers!

Also, you should go HYS over anything except maybe Hamilton in Columbia.

+1.

jaymdub wrote:eit- are you me two years ago? I'm pretty much in the same boat as you, same LSAT score, but I've already graduated with a 4.14 from UBC (co-op so 5 yrs ugrad). I'm pretty set on going to the states, but finances have me really freaked out. I really want to go to Stanford/Columbia, but I'm going to apply to Harvard simply because for international students, we can get Harvard loans in place of U.S. Federal Direct Stafford & Perkins Loan which is not the case at most schools.

It's stressful being Canadian! For me, the place where I live in Canada - I love it, it's lovely, my family is here. But the job prospects aren't that great for young people and its an incredibly expensive area. I could get my law degree here no problem, probably, but I'd have to go find somewhere else to practice in all likelihood, and I honestly don't like the prospect of living anywhere else in Canada. If we were American, it would be no nonsense applying to top law schools and various places in the states - but since we're Canadian people are like WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING I find.

Harvard is starting to appeal to me based on the financial issue, definitely. I went on their website and read about it and it really seems like one of the best financial aid schools, not to mention an amazing law school.

Ragged wrote: Columbia is prolly gonna give you a fullride or close to it. Congrats on great numbers!

Also, you should go HYS over anything except maybe Hamilton in Columbia.

I know obviously to take everything here with a grain of salt as we're not adcomms lol, but my heart totally skipped a beat when I read you think I could get into Columbia on a full ride or close to it, haha. That would be... yeah. Pretty awesome.

Hi eit! I agree that you should definitely consider applying to other top schools even if they're not west coast.