3.83/177 Forum

[510Chicken]

I have and hope to maintain a 3.83 (LSDAS) GPA through an application next Fall. I got a 177 on the February LSAT. I know that my numbers are relatively good, but my "soft" factors, or rather lack thereof, concern me, and I was hoping for some input.

My writing skills are at least passable, although my relatively humdrum life (so far?) has given me no tragedies, feats of heroism, or paradigm changing revelations to elaborate on. There is a chance that I will manage to get some decent to good letters of recommendation, but I attend a large public university and it's more likely than not that they will be generic in content. Finally, I have next to no volunteer/work experience outside of ~2 quarters in a lab and a bit (even this word my be an overstatement) of review work for an on-campus journal.

I will clearly be applying to multiple T14 schools, but for whatever reasons I am particularly set on going to school in New York. I want to know if, despite these short comings, I still have a good shot at NYU or Columbia and, if so, what further criteria I would need to meet to get money. Thanks!

[Knock]

I have and hope to maintain a 3.83 (LSDAS) GPA through an application next Fall. I got a 177 on the February LSAT. I know that my numbers are relatively good, but my "soft" factors, or rather lack thereof, concern me, and I was hoping for some input.

My writing skills are at least passable, although my relatively humdrum life (so far?) has given me no tragedies, feats of heroism, or paradigm changing revelations to elaborate on. There is a chance that I will manage to get some decent to good letters of recommendation, but I attend a large public university and it's more likely than not that they will be generic in content. Finally, I have next to no volunteer/work experience outside of ~2 quarters in a lab and a bit (even this word my be an overstatement) of review work for an on-campus journal.

I will clearly be applying to multiple T14 schools, but for whatever reasons I am particularly set on going to school in New York. I want to know if, despite these short comings, I still have a good shot at NYU or Columbia and, if so, what further criteria I would need to meet to get money. Thanks!

You have a very strong shot at Columbia and NYU, likely with $.

[Nulli Secundus]

I think if you make your apps targeted towards those schools, as in, make your preference re: New York understood, they would jump on your numbers. Hamilton and/or Ann Bryce -> Good chance imo.

[510Chicken]

People talk about strong finishes with their GPA, etc etc. I'm sitting at a 3.85 (weighted) and figure that the safest way to keep that until I start applying is to take fewer classes and as many as possible "pass/no pass". Also, I don't really care about those classes, since they're general ed requirements. Will it look particularly bad if I only add ~8-16 graded units over the next two quarters?

[sonervous88]

I have and hope to maintain a 3.83 (LSDAS) GPA through an application next Fall. I got a 177 on the February LSAT. I know that my numbers are relatively good, but my "soft" factors, or rather lack thereof, concern me, and I was hoping for some input.

My writing skills are at least passable, although my relatively humdrum life (so far?) has given me no tragedies, feats of heroism, or paradigm changing revelations to elaborate on. There is a chance that I will manage to get some decent to good letters of recommendation, but I attend a large public university and it's more likely than not that they will be generic in content. Finally, I have next to no volunteer/work experience outside of ~2 quarters in a lab and a bit (even this word my be an overstatement) of review work for an on-campus journal.

I will clearly be applying to multiple T14 schools, but for whatever reasons I am particularly set on going to school in New York. I want to know if, despite these short comings, I still have a good shot at NYU or Columbia and, if so, what further criteria I would need to meet to get money. Thanks!

fyi 1st off...people who make these threads make me sad about my life. 2nd off. you're fine. you'll get into both. and you will likely get a full ride. you'll probably also get into harvard and then come back in a year asking what you should do. relax. smile and enjoy how good your life is!

[PriOSky]

.

[bdubs]

I think if you make your apps targeted towards those schools, as in, make your preference re: New York understood, they would jump on your numbers. Hamilton and/or Ann Bryce -> Good chance imo.

FYI - AnBryce are only if you are the first in your family to go to graduate school, and I think usually require some sort of hardship to get.

If you have an interest in one of the other scholarship areas that NYU offers you may have a good shot based on your numbers, although they require a separate essay and interview as well.

http://www.law.nyu.edu/admissions/jdadm ... /index.htm

[mettasutta]

In at Columbia/NYU with $$$ unless you seriously eff up your apps.

I know you didn't mention Harvard, but you have a very strong chance there. GPA is slightly below median but LSAT beats their 75th %ile--because of large class sizes they're more numbers-based. Stanford, Berkeley, and Yale are black-boxes and tend to shy away from taking non-URMs without interesting "softs" though. You're in at all other T14 with serious merit aid.

[TheFactor]

Enjoy Harvard

[dpk711]

If you insist on staying in NY then enjoy Columbia.
If not, enjoy Harvard.