Top Law Schools

Sophomore at UCB here, trying to figure whether to apply straight out of senior year. I'm assuming my GPA holds at a 3.85, and I used the SAT-LSAT converter (unpredictable, I realize, but I didn't study for the SAT, so I should have a decent shot at 170+ with a few months of hard work). For argument's sake, let's say it's 174. I don't mean to be pretentious.

My problem is my softs. I'm a business-history major, and if the trend continues, I'll hit senior year with a couple finance internships at brand-name banks (Morgan-Stanley, Merill Lynch, etc), some leadership positions in my Christian fellowship, one or two trips to Central America doing public health work, and a senior thesis. Not sure how great that is, but my gut is telling me it's average at best.

TL;DR:

GPA: 3.85
LSAT: 174
Softs: Multiple summer finance internships, leadership position in Christian Fellowship, saved babies in Honduras for two summers, senior thesis

Given the above, chance me. Is CCN a possibility? Anything lower?

Everyone is going to come on here and tell you: get an actual score. Take an actual practice LSAT at least.

Also: assuming GPA holds steady is a tough assumption. Come back in several years. Also WE is good.

Thanks, didn't mean to spam. WE?

WE=work experience (usually meaning full time post college) but im not sure why that was suggested since your numbers put u as an auto admit to BMVP and give u a real shot and CCN and a possible shot at HLS.


I think your softs are far from average and in all honestly I perceive you as wanting attention no offence and dont bother justifying that your not a troll etc i dont care one way or the other.

My questions are why do u want law school at all and not biz?

Hypothetical softs and a purely hypothetical LSAT considering you haven't even done any preptests...

Do the softs, take the LSAT, come back.

If you DO end up with 174+ you'll be in at CCN, maybe HYS. But again, you have no way of knowing what you'll get on the LSAT as the SAT->LSAT predictor is a poor estimate at best.

I haven't decided what I want to do after graduation yet, which is why I posed the hypothetical. I know I want to go to grad school (in this job market, a bachelor's doesn't really cut it), but I don't know whether I want to go straight out of undergrad or get WE. Law degrees are useful in a variety of fields, and especially in finance, which is where I've had internships.

rman1201 wrote:Hypothetical softs and a purely hypothetical LSAT considering you haven't even done any preptests...

Do the softs, take the LSAT, come back.

If you DO end up with 174+ you'll be in at CCN, maybe HYS. But again, you have no way of knowing what you'll get on the LSAT as the SAT->LSAT predictor is a poor estimate at best.

Thanks, I realize it's hypothetical. Just needed to hear that my softs won't boot me out of T14. I think I will take the LSAT before graduation then.

If you're only a sophomore then get your gpa up [*]

tigertim wrote:I used the SAT-LSAT converter

Can you link, please? I want to see what I will get.

With those numbers and no work experience, I'd say NYU, Chicago, then maybe Columbia and maybe, possibly Harvard if you catch JR on a good day. At least that seems to be how that profile is shaking out this cycle.

ahduth wrote:

tigertim wrote:I used the SAT-LSAT converter

Can you link, please? I want to see what I will get.

With those numbers and no work experience, I'd say NYU, Chicago, then maybe Columbia and maybe, possibly Harvard if you catch JR on a good day. At least that seems to be how that profile is shaking out this cycle.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =2&t=17097
Got it from this thread. Read through a couple pages, consensus seemed to be that it was a decent, though imperfect approximation.

ahduth wrote:

tigertim wrote:I used the SAT-LSAT converter

Can you link, please? I want to see what I will get.

145 for me.

Mine was close to the score I got the 3rd time around.

Wow that converter isnt that shitty, got it exactly.

I found it kinda inspiring, if nothing else. If I work my ass off studying, I can do well.

tigertim wrote:I found it kinda inspiring, if nothing else. I took the SAT with no prep, so if I work my ass off studying for the LSAT, I guess I've got some pretty good options.

Don't put the cart in front of the horse. My PT average was 172-174. Actual: 168. Get a 174 IRL then worry about it. Until then just imagine going to some TTT and ending up unemployed with 150K in loans.

lol, it was only off by 5 points, which is suppose is the margin of error. Unfortunately those 5 points are... very important.

Check back when you have a real score.

Just download the free prep test from LSAC and see how you do.

AreJay711 wrote:

tigertim wrote:I found it kinda inspiring, if nothing else. I took the SAT with no prep, so if I work my ass off studying for the LSAT, I guess I've got some pretty good options.

Don't put the cart in front of the horse. My PT average was 172-174. Actual: 168. Get a 174 IRL then worry about it. Until then just imagine going to some TTT and ending up unemployed with 150K in loans.

+1 My PT avg was 170; actual 167.

r6_philly wrote:Just download the free prep test from LSAC and see how you do.

Link?

I think I'll take it this weekend. Don't want my dreams crushed for another three days.

tigertim wrote:

r6_philly wrote:Just download the free prep test from LSAC and see how you do.

Link?

I think I'll take it this weekend. Don't want my dreams crushed for another three days.

http://www.lsac.org/JD/pdfs/SamplePTJune.pdf

Search around the LSAT forum for cold diagnostic info. So don't get discouraged if you don't do well.

Some do it timed and get a really low score because you run out of time. I did mine untimed just to see how well I could understand the material.

I got mid-160's on my first try (untimed), worked to cut down the time it takes, and end up with a 170. I feel like I might have been discouraged if I scored a 145 (as expected from the formula lol) at first try.

1.) Your softs are just fine. You're honestly worried that those are so bad that they'll keep you out of the entire T14 despite your superior numbers? If those count as bad softs I think I'm going to Cooley.

2.) I'd say that if those numbers turn out to be accurate you'll have a chance at HYS and a very, very good chance everywhere else. Here are some links to a couple of prediction sites:

http://www.lawschoolpredictor.com/wp-co ... ograms.htm

http://www.hourumd.com/

Punch in your numbers and see what happens.

3.) Don't let a bad first preptest crush your dreams. It's entirely possible to improve substantially from your initial score.