Well, here goes...what are my chances? AA Female, 3.1, 157 Forum

[Spack]

I know that my LSAT and GPA are not that great and I'm not even looking at any of the T14. I just want to know what my chances are of getting into the lower tiered schools that I am applying to though I feel that I have made some decent choices with my LSAT/GPA combo and my softs.

Not sure if you guys care about my softs but here they are: significant leadership roles (co-chair of Model UN, student representative for academic department, student judicial board), volunteer experience, research experience (in major (history) and in field of interest (public health - I'm interested in going into health law), first generation, economically and educationally disadvantaged but managed to attend tier 1 liberal arts college, significant improvement in GPA over time

I am intending to apply/have applied to:

American U
Case Western
Loyola Chicago
DePaul
U of Wisconsin
Seattle U
Lewis & Clark
UC Davis
Hofstra
Chicago Kent
Washington and Lee

and a few other schools that I am absolutely positive I can get into that aren't in the top 100 (Albany, Michigan State)

[HeavenWood]

Is a retake out of the question? Even though you're a URM from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background, getting into many of these schools will be an uphill challenge.

[EbonyEsq]

I think you should add Fordham to your list.

[iambeautiful]

My classmate who had numbers like yours was accepted to all those schools and with $$ too.

[2Serious4Numbers]

"significant GPA improvement" and you only made it to a 3.1... thats not going to help. You can cross off w&l too

[buckilaw]

You will likely get $ at Case.

[Spack]

Meh...I can't really afford to retake and I really don't think I would have the time to anyway. I am still in undergrad and have a pretty intense schedule and so I won't have much time to study. I feel like I have a pretty strong personal statement and strong recommendations to at least get into one of them. If I could take time off I would consider taking a year off but that is not really an option for me :\.

As for GPA, I go to a really difficult school where professors actually combat grade inflation (several of my professors actually refuse to give out A's). I was also Pre-Med for the first year and a half and BARELY survived calculus, chemistry, and bio (which I talk about at length in my personal statement). Frankly, I was ill advised by both my counselors in high school and my first advisor in college into thinking that I could be successful in the pre-med track although I had nowhere near the background in sciences expected in even the intro course at my school.

[iambeautiful]

"significant GPA improvement" and you only made it to a 3.1... thats not going to help. You can cross off w&l too

Why cross off w&l? my classmate had a 3.0/157 and got in. On lsn someone got in with a 3.2 151

[quetzal_bird]

If you are going to discuss any weaknesses in your GPA, you should not do that in your personal statement. Your personal statement should focus on the positives. Include an addendum if you feel you need to account for your lower numbers.

[Spack]

I didn't blatantly discuss my GPA in my personal statement. My personal statement focuses on my personal growth despite setbacks, one of them being my difficulties encountered while being pre-med. I have written an addendum about my GPA which focuses on my low GPA being the result of a terrible freshman year as the result of my pre-med classes and my clear improvement when I made the decision to switch majors and change my focus.

[mez06]

Is a retake out of the question? Even though you're a URM from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background, getting into many of these schools will be an uphill challenge.

I couldn't disagree more. I think you are a pretty good bet for ALL of these schools. I honestly would like to see you include a couple higher ranked schools in the top 30-50 list. Get those apps in ASAP though.

[Spack]

Is a retake out of the question? Even though you're a URM from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background, getting into many of these schools will be an uphill challenge.

I couldn't disagree more. I think you are a pretty good bet for ALL of these schools. I honestly would like to see you include a couple higher ranked schools in the top 30-50 list. Get those apps in ASAP though.

Thanks for the encouragement. Day by day my feelings change. Today I feel like I'm going to end up at a TTTT. I have gotten quite a few of the applications in and will be sending the rest in by Tuesday.

I actually picked most of the schools based on my personal interest in them and LSN data. With my numbers a good chunk of people got in and some got in with LOWER so I wasn't too worried. I know that UC Davis, American, W&L, and Wisconsin are long shots but I'm going for it, particularly because W&L has a good M.H.A. program that I'd like to do if I get lucky and get accepted.

[mez06]

I really don't think you are a LONG shot for American. I think your chances are quite well there. W&L will be a bit tougher but def worth applying since there is a fee waiver. With that DC area in mind, have you considered Howard?

I'm an AA male btw