3.91/168 Forum

[marsilni]

I'd like to go to Berkeley, love to go to Stanford...I think Harvard is probably a reach. When I apply I will have two years of full-time experience in financial services (well-known, F500 insurance/investment management firm), and two prestigious internships under my belt. I know my LSAT is a little low for other schools like Columbia and Chicago, but my GPA is much higher than those schools' medians. Any shot at them? I graduated summa cum laude as an econ major and political science minor (#1 economics grad in the school).

Thanks

[marsilni]

bump

[tallboone]

I had the exact same GPA and went to a top-25 undergrad. Did a little better on the LSAT and had the same amount of time off. Out at HYSCCNB, in everywhere below. You should probably re-take the LSAT.

[plenipotentiary]

Retake if you want Stanford.

[patrickd139]

Retake if you want Stanford.

This. Also check out lawschoolnumbers, HourUMD, and Chiashu to get a better idea of how your LSAT/GPA combo stacks up at the other schools.

[marsilni]

Thanks for the advice. I don't know if I would be able to do better on the LSAT. I was averaging 167 during practice, so I don't think I should push my luck - my first diagnostic was a 147! You really think I wouldn't have a good chance at Berkeley? I am not an URM; white male from a top Catholic school on the East Coast.

Is Stanford as much of a black box as people say? I know they put more emphasis on GPA's than LSAT's, but sometimes it's surprising how many people with great numbers get rejected. The reason I feel strongly about at least giving it a shot there is because I do have a meaningful personal statement and extracurriculars that I believe will go over well.

Thanks!

[marsilni]

Up

[patrickd139]

Is Stanford as much of a black box as people say? I know they put more emphasis on GPA's than LSAT's, but sometimes it's surprising how many people with great numbers get rejected. The reason I feel strongly about at least giving it a shot there is because I do have a meaningful personal statement and extracurriculars that I believe will go over well.

Thanks!

Stanford is a black box in the "I have a 176/3.95 and they rejected me" kind of way; not the "I have a 161/4.0/TFA experience and I got accepted" kind of way.

[marsilni]

Yeah, it's almost like they don't want people with excellent hard numbers, unlike Harvard and Yale. Why would someone with those stellar numbers get bounced? Not enough experience? Poor personal statement?

[patrickd139]

Yeah, it's almost like they don't want people with excellent hard numbers, unlike Harvard and Yale. Why would someone with those stellar numbers get bounced? Not enough experience? Poor personal statement?

It's a matter of which people with stellar numbers to take, not whether to take people with stellar numbers.

[marsilni]

F it. I just signed up for next month's test. I was so nervous the night before the Oct test that I didn't sleep at all. I got 5 wrong on a very manageable RC. This time the test is being offered at my school so between that and having already gone thru it, I think I'll do better.

If your average score ends with .5, does it get rounded up? Does a 171.5 become a 172?

Thanks