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3.02 (extreme upward grade trend after one abysmal year)/171

Two years AmeriCorps Vista doing legal aid work.

Average softs (student government, club leadership, volunteer work, PT/FT WE during school)

Chances at:
UVA - ED (OOS)
NU - ED
Georgetown
Michigan
Vanderbilt
Penn
Cornell
GWU
???
???

Where else should I look? Not willing to go outside t20 (and only then not outside t30) without $$$$. No preference on market but desire BIGLAW.

Since you desire biglaw you will likely get either UVa or NU ED, whichever you prefer.

bk187 wrote:Since you desire biglaw you will likely get either UVa or NU ED, whichever you prefer.

So you're saying I shouldn't leave that off my app.?

Bump

I believe that Northwestern ED is probably your best bet.

2014 wrote:I believe that Northwestern ED is probably your best bet.

Chances there and at U.Va.? Where else should I apply? For what it's worth, I can get fee waivers from lots of schools.

Anacreon wrote:

2014 wrote:I believe that Northwestern ED is probably your best bet.

Chances there and at U.Va.? Where else should I apply? For what it's worth, I can get fee waivers from lots of schools.

Worth applying to MVP and down.

Probably best shot for T14 at NU ED, UVa ED, GULC, maybe Cornell. If you want the best school you can manage I'd say ED to either NU or UVa, whichever you prefer, assuming you are fine with sticker price.

Outside of T14, the T15-20ish are probably out (UCLA/USC/UT/etc all hate low GPA's). Apply to any strong regionals you'd take a decent scholarship at if you really want to, but the NU/UVa ED thing is a pretty good chance.

bk187 wrote:

Anacreon wrote:

2014 wrote:I believe that Northwestern ED is probably your best bet.

Chances there and at U.Va.? Where else should I apply? For what it's worth, I can get fee waivers from lots of schools.

Worth applying to MVP and down.

Probably best shot for T14 at NU ED, UVa ED, GULC, maybe Cornell. If you want the best school you can manage I'd say ED to either NU or UVa, whichever you prefer, assuming you are fine with sticker price.

Outside of T14, the T15-20ish are probably out (UCLA/USC/UT/etc all hate low GPA's). Apply to any strong regionals you'd take a decent scholarship at if you really want to, but the NU/UVa ED thing is a pretty good chance.

How about GWU?

Anacreon wrote:

bk187 wrote:

Anacreon wrote:

2014 wrote:I believe that Northwestern ED is probably your best bet.

Chances there and at U.Va.? Where else should I apply? For what it's worth, I can get fee waivers from lots of schools.

Worth applying to MVP and down.

Probably best shot for T14 at NU ED, UVa ED, GULC, maybe Cornell. If you want the best school you can manage I'd say ED to either NU or UVa, whichever you prefer, assuming you are fine with sticker price.

Outside of T14, the T15-20ish are probably out (UCLA/USC/UT/etc all hate low GPA's). Apply to any strong regionals you'd take a decent scholarship at if you really want to, but the NU/UVa ED thing is a pretty good chance.

How about GWU?

They admitted 41/81 with your numbers last year, so 50:50 is a good bet. I think if you put a good application together you are in there though. WUSTL would be a sure bet too with your LSAT.

2014 wrote: They admitted 41/81 with your numbers last year, so 50:50 is a good bet. I think if you put a good application together you are in there though. WUSTL would be a sure bet too with your LSAT.

Could you explain what I'd need to do to make my application good, specifically for GW? I thought the numbers did the talking.

Obviously you want to make sure that stupid mistakes are out, no typos, no cosmetic issues on your resume, everything capitalized that should be capitalized and punctuated properly etc, but that should be done for every app. More specifically, schools in the GW range are particularly talented at gaming the rankings and as such if they get any hint that you are not serious about attending, it is in their best interest to WL or decline you and take the rankings boost. Obviously I am not an adcomm, but if I am at GW and see your numbers I am thinking first of all that there is a very viable chance that you have ED'd to U.Va. or NW and that you will have gotten into WUSTL with probably a small scholarship that now GW has to compete with. If they want to be, they have reason to be skeptical from numbers alone. As such you could consider writing a Why GW essay if they accept them, potentially tailoring your PS or DS or whatever to GW in a way that mentions a specific desire to go to school in DC for example. Make sure that your whole application flows together and sells you as an applicant instead of coming off as a series of disjointed snapshots.

Most of that applies to all school applications honestly but that reflects how I would go about it if I were in your position and wanted to have that T20 acceptance as a nice safety option. GW is certainly a viable safetyish school, you just have to make them believe that you are seriously considering them.

2014 wrote:

Anacreon wrote:How about GWU?

They admitted 41/81 with your numbers last year, so 50:50 is a good bet. I think if you put a good application together you are in there though. WUSTL would be a sure bet too with your LSAT.

Wanted to add that you have a better chance RD than ED at GW. Admission to their ED program comes with a full tuition scholarship and is thus highly competitive. ED admits have higher GPA and LSAT medians than RD admits.

atresia wrote:

2014 wrote:

Anacreon wrote:How about GWU?

They admitted 41/81 with your numbers last year, so 50:50 is a good bet. I think if you put a good application together you are in there though. WUSTL would be a sure bet too with your LSAT.

Wanted to add that you have a better chance RD than ED at GW. Admission to their ED program comes with a full tuition scholarship and is thus highly competitive. ED admits have higher GPA and LSAT medians than RD admits.

True, but at least from an admissions standpoint many candidates were deferred to RD and accepted at the same time. As for actually being accepted for the full ride, though, IIRC the GPAs are usually higher. I would suggest an ED to Northwestern for your best use of an ED.