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Break in education due to military service, great grades now, upward grade trend, etc., etc.. Yes, I have applied/interviewed with Northwestern already, no need to mention that. Just looking for other ideas. What do you think are my chances?

Thanks.

Vacation all I ever wanted, vacation had to get away

Bringing it back, I can respect that. So other than that...?

Well, NU was a good decision. Now apply to splitter friendly schools. I would try WUSTL, UIUC, Emory, W&L, GW, UMinn...

Also, NU might be tough with a 170. What does your WE look like?

FuManChusco wrote:Well, NU was a good decision. Now apply to splitter friendly schools. I would try WUSTL, UIUC, Emory, W&L, GW, UMinn...

Also, NU might be tough with a 170. What does your WE look like?

Just over 5 years of military service as a Paratrooper and Infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division. I was promoted as high as Staff Sergeant (E6), led a 9 man squad in combat operations over the course of a 14 month deployment, 2 other deployments prior (for a total of 3), and prior to becoming a Non-Commissioned Officer I was put in charge of all of my company's weapons and other sensitive items (total value in excess of $5.5 million). A lot of medals and the sort, including a Purple Heart and an award for valor.

I know NU might be a stretch but I'm banking on my good looks and personality. The admissions officer I interviewed with seemed to really like my WE.

Thanks for the school suggestions...any other ideas from anyone out there?

Jeffro wrote:

FuManChusco wrote:What does your WE look like?

Just over 5 years of military service as a Paratrooper and Infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division. I was promoted as high as Staff Sergeant (E6), led a 9 man squad in combat operations over the course of a 14 month deployment, 2 other deployments prior (for a total of 3), and prior to becoming a Non-Commissioned Officer I was put in charge of all of my company's weapons and other sensitive items (total value in excess of $5.5 million). A lot of medals and the sort, including a Purple Heart and an award for valor.

Dude. Thank you for serving, and enjoy NU.

vanwinkle wrote:

Jeffro wrote:

FuManChusco wrote:What does your WE look like?

Just over 5 years of military service as a Paratrooper and Infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division. I was promoted as high as Staff Sergeant (E6), led a 9 man squad in combat operations over the course of a 14 month deployment, 2 other deployments prior (for a total of 3), and prior to becoming a Non-Commissioned Officer I was put in charge of all of my company's weapons and other sensitive items (total value in excess of $5.5 million). A lot of medals and the sort, including a Purple Heart and an award for valor.

Dude. Thank you for serving, and enjoy NU.

+1

I might be crazy, but if you put together a wonderful ps and ds I would apply to cornell, um, uva, berk. I would take someone with that kind of experience and your lsat is pretty high. Though, NU should take you and they have great employment stats.

vanwinkle wrote:

Jeffro wrote:

FuManChusco wrote:What does your WE look like?

Just over 5 years of military service as a Paratrooper and Infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division. I was promoted as high as Staff Sergeant (E6), led a 9 man squad in combat operations over the course of a 14 month deployment, 2 other deployments prior (for a total of 3), and prior to becoming a Non-Commissioned Officer I was put in charge of all of my company's weapons and other sensitive items (total value in excess of $5.5 million). A lot of medals and the sort, including a Purple Heart and an award for valor.

Dude. Thank you for serving, and enjoy NU.

Yeah, if you needed a soft to help out a GPA imo, it'd be green-to-gold + shitton of medals.

Also, are you looking to go into JAG? Given your military track record + NU, it'd be a sure deal from what I hear.

Jeffro wrote:

FuManChusco wrote:Well, NU was a good decision. Now apply to splitter friendly schools. I would try WUSTL, UIUC, Emory, W&L, GW, UMinn...

Also, NU might be tough with a 170. What does your WE look like?

Just over 5 years of military service as a Paratrooper and Infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division. I was promoted as high as Staff Sergeant (E6), led a 9 man squad in combat operations over the course of a 14 month deployment, 2 other deployments prior (for a total of 3), and prior to becoming a Non-Commissioned Officer I was put in charge of all of my company's weapons and other sensitive items (total value in excess of $5.5 million). A lot of medals and the sort, including a Purple Heart and an award for valor.

I know NU might be a stretch but I'm banking on my good looks and personality. The admissions officer I interviewed with seemed to really like my WE.

Thanks for the school suggestions...any other ideas from anyone out there?

I assume your military service will weigh heavily because it's so unique and impressive, but your chances at NU will improve with Early Decision. Did you apply ED? You have until December 1st to switch your application, if I am reading the form right.

http://www.law.northwestern.edu/admissi ... cation.pdf

I'm not sure how predictably you can count on your military experience. Results seem to be mixed. Early Decision would be a much surer bet.

DieAntwoord wrote:I might be crazy, but if you put together a wonderful ps and ds I would apply to cornell, um, uva, berk. I would take someone with that kind of experience and your lsat is pretty high. Though, NU should take you and they have great employment stats.

Maybe. In a righteous and just world, schools would be lining up for this guy, but I think it's still going to be mostly numbers and you just listed a few reverse-splitter schools. Georgetown should be on his list. UVA might be a good choice, although last cycle they had fairly firm "no sub-3.0" floor for non-URMs. It's important to not raise people's expectations. For example, everyone always says "you're so getting into NU" if you have a 170+ and a sub-3.0 GPA, but they always forget to take into account that Early Decision is probably the only reason why those applicants got in.

His GPA, which is mine, by the way, is horrible and every school in the top 14 knows it. If he gets in, it'll be because he's such an impressive applicant, but his numbers alone are virtually a shutout for the top 14. If he has the money, he should apply broadly, maybe to even some of the schools you mentioned, but it's not a slam dunk.

DieAntwoord wrote: I might be crazy, but if you put together a wonderful ps and ds I would apply to cornell, um, uva, berk. I would take someone with that kind of experience and your lsat is pretty high. Though, NU should take you and they have great employment stats.

I have applied to UVA and Berkeley, the others I don't want to go to for personal reasons. I have a fiancee who will need to work/be in a good location for her future graduate school plans, so it limits things in some ways. I worked a lot of my experiences into my PS, so I didn't really need a DS. All in all I think it shows what I've done, where I've been, and also why my GPA is due to my immaturity as a teenager.

ResolutePear wrote:Also, are you looking to go into JAG? Given your military track record + NU, it'd be a sure deal from what I hear.

I am definitely hoping my records counts as a strong soft as you mentioned earlier, but JAG is really not for me. I've had my fill of military service, plus I know the reality of what a JAG attorney does and can say for sure I will not be trying to pursue that at all.

NayBoer wrote: I assume your military service will weigh heavily because it's so unique and impressive, but your chances at NU will improve with Early Decision. Did you apply ED? You have until December 1st to switch your application, if I am reading the form right.

http://www.law.northwestern.edu/admissi ... cation.pdf

I'm not sure how predictably you can count on your military experience. Results seem to be mixed. Early Decision would be a much surer bet.

Unfortunately I can't ED anywhere. As mentioned above, I can't commit to anything without making sure it will be just as beneficial to my fiancee. Also debt is a huge concern for me and I can't afford to take any more on anyway.

NayBoer wrote: Maybe. In a righteous and just world, schools would be lining up for this guy, but I think it's still going to be mostly numbers and you just listed a few reverse-splitter schools. Georgetown should be on his list. UVA might be a good choice, although last cycle they had fairly firm "no sub-3.0" floor for non-URMs. It's important to not raise people's expectations. For example, everyone always says "you're so getting into NU" if you have a 170+ and a sub-3.0 GPA, but they always forget to take into account that Early Decision is probably the only reason why those applicants got in.

His GPA, which is mine, by the way, is horrible and every school in the top 14 knows it. If he gets in, it'll be because he's such an impressive applicant, but his numbers alone are virtually a shutout for the top 14. If he has the money, he should apply broadly, maybe to even some of the schools you mentioned, but it's not a slam dunk.

You speak the truth and I am definitely keeping that in mind. Diversity is great and all, but taking me with a sub-3.0 is a real stretch. I also can't ED. I applied to a wide spread of schools, trying to compensate for this fact. Georgetown is on that list for sure.

I guess with all of this in mind, I'm just really curious to see where I end up. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and keep the ideas coming, I really appreciate them.

I think you'll get into NU. As far as debt, hopefully you will have the new GI bill to cover that. I doubt you'd get much money out of NU, but it's always possible they'd throw a little bit at you.

Yes I will have the new GI Bill, but it far from covers everything for T14 (save HYS, which offers a full ride if eligible).

I've applied to Duke and would love to go there. Chances on that? Obviously this is extremely hard to nail down but, just for humor, 1 in 1000, 1 in 1000000? Caveat, I submitted a LOR from a Duke Law alumni professor I had, who also happens to be a managing partner with a mid-size firm.

Jeffro wrote:Yes I will have the new GI Bill, but it far from covers everything for T14 (save HYS, which offers a full ride if eligible).

I've applied to Duke and would love to go there. Chances on that? Obviously this is extremely hard to nail down but, just for humor, 1 in 1000, 1 in 1000000? Caveat, I submitted a LOR from a Duke Law alumni professor I had, who also happens to be a managing partner with a mid-size firm.

Duke tends to like a nice GPA along with a nice LSAT, they tend not to favor any flavor of splitter. I wish it wasn't the case, but your chances at Duke are very low. 1/10,000.

Who were you with? I've been with 1-325 AIR and 3-321 FAR, still over in A-stan.....30 more days. Great to see another Division baby here.

PM me, I would really like to know more about how you leveraged your WE to your benefit for law school admissions.

RLTW!
ATW!
wdrinkwa

People on TLS massively overestimate the boost military service gives.

But you seem like you have a fighting shot at Northwestern. I'd definitively apply at UVA. They seem to value military service.

Minnesota, Wustl, and Illinois will probably give decent scholarships, maybe enough to make it free with GI Bill.

Desert Fox,

Just curious why you feel that way? I would err on the side of agreeing with you, which is why I ask the best way to present it. Better to think the adcom's won't care than to think as a veteran or service member you are the center of the universe. With years of military experience, what other aspects would you think important to focus on if not service-related?

Although, most 22-28 year olds have nowhere near the same qualification or enormous responsibilities that those serving do. The level of maturity just seems higher. I may be biased though, so please enlighten me.

Finally, have you served? For my own edification, not to retort with some "well you wouldn't know b/c you've never served" BS.

Thanks
wdrinkwa

wdrinkwa wrote:Desert Fox,

Just curious why you feel that way? I would err on the side of agreeing with you, which is why I ask the best way to present it. Better to think the adcom's won't care than to think as a veteran or service member you are the center of the universe. With years of military experience, what other aspects would you think important to focus on if not service-related?

Although, most 22-28 year olds have nowhere near the same qualification or enormous responsibilities that those serving do. The level of maturity just seems higher. I may be biased though, so please enlighten me.

Finally, have you served? For my own edification, not to retort with some "well you wouldn't know b/c you've never served" BS.

Thanks
wdrinkwa

I didn't say whether or not they should be given a boost or not, just that they don't get some huge boost in actual practice.

My classmate at Northwestern was a combat veteran with the same LSAT and a GPA 1.0 higher than OP. He didn't get into CCN.

It's a good soft factor, but it's not some game changer.

Although, most 22-28 year olds have nowhere near the same qualification or enormous responsibilities that those serving do. The level of maturity just seems higher. I may be biased though, so please enlighten me.

Qualification for kicking ass on the battlefield maybe. It seems like a lot have trouble turning that experience into a career.

wdrinkwa, PM'ed you.

wdrinkwa wrote:Finally, have you served?

I've wondered about this too, seeing as the real Desert Fox was a WWII German Field Marshal. Maybe just a history buff?

Desert Fox wrote:I didn't say whether or not they should be given a boost or not, just that they don't get some huge boost in actual practice.

I think Desert Fox is right. I would like to say that I will be able to really break into the T14 or something like that, but I personally think it will just be a crap shoot in regards to any remotely positive responses, which includes waitlists. That's really why I started this thread, so that I could see what others thought in case I was being overly pessimistic.

Desert Fox wrote:Qualification for kicking ass on the battlefield maybe. It seems like a lot have trouble turning that experience into a career.

Again, agreed. Just because I can jump out of a plane or kick in a door doesn't mean I will possibly be a good law student as far as adcomms are concerned, especially with a poor GPA.

Good luck.

Make sure you apply to Illinois, Minnesota. W&L, Iowa, Indiana, Wustl, UCDavis and Hastings, and GWU.

Definitely didn't serve. I don't believe in an after live, I wouldn't risk my life unless circumstances were dire. I do love WWII history.

In the t14 it's NU or bust.

i think OP might be surprised this cycle. i feel that TLSers can be overly pessimistic. This guy won a PURPLE HEART. Come on now.

Blindc1rca wrote:i think OP might be surprised this cycle. i feel that TLSers can be overly pessimistic. This guy won a PURPLE HEART. Come on now.

not to be a total dick. I think OP is a badass and I hope he gets into a great school. Purple Hearts aren't all that rare though. at the end of they day it's still a 2.7/170. everyone is just being realistic.

Desert Fox wrote:Definitely didn't serve. I don't believe in an after live, I wouldn't risk my life unless circumstances were dire.

"There are no atheists in foxholes" isn't an argument against atheism, it's an argument against foxholes.