Top Law Schools

I'm looking at the following schools:

Vanderbilt
USC
Pepperdine
Berkeley

Chances?

Pepperdine is really your only shot out of those schools.
Cal is out no matter what
Vandy and USC only even possible if URM

My personal experience as a former Marine is your military experience will not have a profound effect on your chances.

Schools either A) Dont give a fuck or B) Have military applicants with better numbers

Semper Fi

eaglemuncher wrote:Pepperdine is really your only shot out of those schools.
Cal is out no matter what
Vandy and USC only even possible if URM

My personal experience as a former Marine is your military experience will not have a profound effect on your chances.

Schools either A) Dont give a fuck or B) Have military applicants with better numbers

Semper Fi

Even though I am sure you have a wonderful personal statement, eaglemuncher is right. Pep might be the best option.

Thank you for your service. Lord knows I don't have the balls to do it.

You seem like a lock for Tulane.

Unless staying in Cali is a non-negotiable, cast that net out to be more inclusive of other schools.

eaglemuncher wrote:Pepperdine is really your only shot out of those schools.
Cal is out no matter what
Vandy and USC only even possible if URM

My personal experience as a former Marine is your military experience will not have a profound effect on your chances.

Schools either A) Dont give a fuck or B) Have military applicants with better numbers

Semper Fi

In my limited experience it seems like A) is the default position of many law schools. It's funny because I've experienced the exact opposite on the B School side. I scored worse (relatively) on the GMAT, but have gotten into several top 30 programs. It's too bad, really that our experience in the Marines doesn't carry more weight. I suppose I could wait a year, actually study the LSAT before I take it, and apply for a better program next year but, I'm getting old... not sure I can wait one more year.

Where are you applying?

DevilDawg wrote:

eaglemuncher wrote:Pepperdine is really your only shot out of those schools.
Cal is out no matter what
Vandy and USC only even possible if URM

My personal experience as a former Marine is your military experience will not have a profound effect on your chances.

Schools either A) Dont give a fuck or B) Have military applicants with better numbers

Semper Fi

In my limited experience it seems like A) is the default position of many law schools. It's funny because I've experienced the exact opposite on the B School side. I scored worse (relatively) on the GMAT, but have gotten into several top 30 programs. It's too bad, really that our experience in the Marines doesn't carry more weight. I suppose I could wait a year, actually study the LSAT before I take it, and apply for a better program next year but, I'm getting old... not sure I can wait one more year.

Where are you applying?

I'll PM you

MrPapagiorgio wrote:Unless staying in Cali is a non-negotiable, cast that net out to be more inclusive of other schools.

Cali is... sort of a non-negotiable. The only other place I've thought to live is Nashville (because of a Business School admission I received there) and potentially TX, but I highly doubt I'd be competitive at UT and most of the other schools there are very similar in ranking to Pepperdine (at least thats what I understand from what little research I've done).

If you're not dead set on Cali and would work in DC. William and Mary loves vets, you would probably get a slight boost and get in there.

Aberzombie1892 wrote:You seem like a lock for Tulane.

I get it, you go to Tulane. But maybe OP doesn't want to go to Tulane. You suggest Tulane to the OP on everyone of these threads you respond to. I mean Tulane is a fine school in its region, but relax.

SupraVln180 wrote:

Aberzombie1892 wrote:You seem like a lock for Tulane.

I get it, you go to Tulane. But maybe OP doesn't want to go to Tulane. You suggest Tulane to the OP on everyone of these threads you respond to. I mean Tulane is a fine school in its region, but relax.

If you look a little more closely, you will see I only suggest it to people who have an LSAT of 161-163 and a GPA of 3.3-3.65. It is unfortunate, but there is a barrier around these numbers above which are Fordham/Notre Dame/BU/BC/GW and at or below which are the rest of the schools. Thus, if someone is in this range, they need to realize that their "targets" should be like U of Wisconsin, Tulane, U of Florida, etc. and not Fordham (and the like).