3.3/175 Forum

[2014]

I haven't made a thread here for a while and I'm bored. Since deciding to hold off on applying until next fall, I have become thoroughly ignorant of this years cycle and trends as well. I'm fully familiar with LSN and LSP, I am a splitter and those don't do a wonderful job so I want to hear 0Ls guesses too

GPA: 3.37 for now, no trend, potential to go down to 3.3ish or up to 3.4ish by the time I apply.
LSAT: 168/175, no valid reason other than I studied more efficiently the 2nd time.
Softs: Nothing great. Out of the ordinary study abroad location, held several above average part time jobs throughout school, some volunteer stuff.
LORs: Potentially a little wishy washy, but non-negative.
Applying extremely early next cycle.

Schools:
UChi
UChi ED
NYU
NYU ED
Penn
Michigan
UVA
Cornell
GULC
Vandy
WUSTL
BU/BC

I realize some of those are probably safeties, so opinions on any $$ offers would be nice.

Additionally, I realize that UVA ED would be a sure thing in all likelihood, but I was a UVA UG and I'm hoping that it is enough for them to admit me RD instead of requiring the ED since I would prefer to save that to possibly game the t6 if it is viable.

[ndirish2010]

I would ED to the one you want more between NYU and Chicago. I'm not really sure how either school handles splitters, but it's worth a shot. If you don't get those, then maybe ED UVA (although it's possible you could get money there by RDing, then maybe just blanket 7-14 (sans Berkeley).

[LargeHuman]

Your profile is pretty similar to mine - 3.4/174. I ultimately decided to get a master's and work for a couple of years before applying, and while doing the master's I improved my softs and LORs a great deal. With strong softs and a solid grad GPA (~3.9) I've been accepted at GULC, NYU and CLS this cycle and offered $$ at UMich, though waitlisted at UChi, Penn and UVA (erratic splitter results, I figure, plus UVA OOS.) I thought a lot about doing ED but ultimately decided that I wasn't sure enough to commit to a single school. So I guess my advice would be to apply early and put a ton of effort into your PS, since I feel that doing both of those things helped my applications a lot.

[2014]

Your profile is pretty similar to mine - 3.4/174. I ultimately decided to get a master's and work for a couple of years before applying, and while doing the master's I improved my softs and LORs a great deal. With strong softs and a solid grad GPA (~3.9) I've been accepted at GULC, NYU and CLS this cycle and offered $$ at UMich, though waitlisted at UChi, Penn and UVA (erratic splitter results, I figure, plus UVA OOS.) I thought a lot about doing ED but ultimately decided that I wasn't sure enough to commit to a single school. So I guess my advice would be to apply early and put a ton of effort into your PS, since I feel that doing both of those things helped my applications a lot.

Your CLS acceptance gives me slight hope as I had written them off because of the perceived 3.5 floor.

I'm getting a masters next year, so I will have that under my belt and on my application and ideally will have much stronger LORs going from 150 person classes at a large school to seminar classes at a smaller one. And fortunately I already have a solid PS put together from preparing for this cycle and plenty of time to revise it.

[LargeHuman]

Your profile is pretty similar to mine - 3.4/174. I ultimately decided to get a master's and work for a couple of years before applying, and while doing the master's I improved my softs and LORs a great deal. With strong softs and a solid grad GPA (~3.9) I've been accepted at GULC, NYU and CLS this cycle and offered $$ at UMich, though waitlisted at UChi, Penn and UVA (erratic splitter results, I figure, plus UVA OOS.) I thought a lot about doing ED but ultimately decided that I wasn't sure enough to commit to a single school. So I guess my advice would be to apply early and put a ton of effort into your PS, since I feel that doing both of those things helped my applications a lot.

Your CLS acceptance gives me slight hope as I had written them off because of the perceived 3.5 floor.

I'm getting a masters next year, so I will have that under my belt and on my application and ideally will have much stronger LORs going from 150 person classes at a large school to seminar classes at a smaller one. And fortunately I already have a solid PS put together from preparing for this cycle and plenty of time to revise it.

Sounds like you're on the right track, then. Don't write yourself off completely as a splitter. I made everything else on my application as solid as it could be, and as a result I've gotten into my two dream schools, NYU and CLS, and I've even been held at HLS.

[2014]

Would still like some more opinions if possible. LargeHuman provides a good dose of anecdotal evidence but has work experience I don't, so I don't feel like it's an end all opinion.

[czelede]

The GPA floor at CN is actually usually around 3.4, FYI.

My numbers are somewhat similar to yours as well - 3.3/177, but I also have work experience (~2 years at matriculation).

So far I've been waitlisted at Chicago and UVa (out of state, no Why UVa), held at CLS (aka waitlist), waiting on NYU (probably waitlist), and accepted at Penn, Berkeley, Georgetown, and Cornell.

I would predict, as far as your cycle goes:
- ED to Chicago or NYU gives you a pretty good chance.
- Penn is kind of a crapshoot, at worst it will be a waitlist
- Michigan is likely
- UVa likely if in state, unlikely if OOS (they have a lot of splitters coming in ED)
- Cornell is ~70%?
- GULC on down definitely in, WUSTL with $$$