Top Law Schools

I will be graduating from a tier 3 university next summer with a 3.9+ gpa. I have three years legal experience as a labor paralegal in Pittsburgh. Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

I will be taking my lsat in June 2011. I have always scored extremely well on standardized tests and feel confident that I can score between a 168-173. Preparation will be my main priority from now until June.

Given that my university (Point Park University, downtown Pittsburgh) has no prestige, would it be possible for me to pull a T14 school with these numbers/background? I have no intentions of pursuing law if I do not gain acceptance to these schools. I have seen far too many people graduate from Pitt and Duquesne University who are absolutely struggling to maintain a healthy life, let alone a prosperous one.

Thank you for your opinions.

Come back when you have an actual LSAT, but: 168 will crack the lower T14, 172 and you're a lock at CCN, 175 and enjoy HYS / Hamilton at CLS and Rubenstein at Chicago

bhan87 wrote:Come back when you have an actual LSAT, but: 168 will crack the lower T14, 172 and you're a lock at CCN, 175 and enjoy HYS / Hamilton at CLS and Rubenstein at Chicago

BAM.

RandallPink wrote:I will be graduating from a tier 3 university next summer with a 3.9+ gpa. I have three years legal experience as a labor paralegal in Pittsburgh. Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

I will be taking my lsat in June 2011. I have always scored extremely well on standardized tests and feel confident that I can score between a 168-173. Preparation will be my main priority from now until June.

Given that my university (Point Park University, downtown Pittsburgh) has no prestige, would it be possible for me to pull a T14 school with these numbers/background? I have no intentions of pursuing law if I do not gain acceptance to these schools. I have seen far too many people graduate from Pitt and Duquesne University who are absolutely struggling to maintain a healthy life, let alone a prosperous one.

Thank you for your opinions.

Prestige is a minor factor in admissions choices. Unfortunately, no one will be able to give you any real advice on your chances without adding a caveat of, come back with a real score and then we'll talk. You're right to focus primarily on the top schools though there are lots of ways people outside the t14 do very well in their own right, it just depends on your goals.

With that GPA and your predicted LSAT range (especially if you break the 170's), you should blanket the t14 plus a few safeties. USNWR doesn't measure student undergrad in ranking law schoools, so why would they care? I went to an unknown undergrad with a similar GPA and toward the top of your LSAT range, and I'm going to CCN with a little $. Just do well on the LSAT, write a decent PS, maybe a few Why X's, and you'll be fine

bhan87 wrote:Come back when you have an actual LSAT, but: 168 will crack the lower T14, 172 and you're a lock at CCN, 175 and enjoy HYS / Hamilton at CLS and Rubenstein at Chicago

Again.

I understand. I am sure thousands in front of me have promised similar scores and have fallen well short of their goals

So, with that said this is a hypothetical post. I guess my biggest concern is that my undergrad, regardless of gpa, will limit my chances. Should I not be concerned?

RandallPink wrote:I will be graduating from a tier 3 university next summer with a 3.9+ gpa. I have three years legal experience as a labor paralegal in Pittsburgh. Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

I will be taking my lsat in June 2011. I have always scored extremely well on standardized tests and feel confident that I can score between a 168-173. Preparation will be my main priority from now until June.

Given that my university (Point Park University, downtown Pittsburgh) has no prestige, would it be possible for me to pull a T14 school with these numbers/background? I have no intentions of pursuing law if I do not gain acceptance to these schools. I have seen far too many people graduate from Pitt and Duquesne University who are absolutely struggling to maintain a healthy life, let alone a prosperous one.

Thank you for your opinions.

Wait, do you have a bachelors degree or a paralegal degree/cert? I didn't know Point Park granted bachelors degrees.

RandallPink wrote:I understand. I am sure thousands in front of me have promised similar scores and have fallen well short of their goals

So, with that said this is a hypothetical post. I guess my biggest concern is that my undergrad, regardless of gpa, will limit my chances. Should I not be concerned?

You should not be concerned.

I have not obtained my business bach. yet (Summer 2012). I do not have a paralegal cert. either, but have been in that role and billing hourly as a paralegal for three years.

Thank you for putting my mind at ease about the prestige issue. Now it is on me to perform on the lsat. I just wanted to make sure I had no setbacks.

If you really want top14, go get a 170+.

BrianGriffintheDog wrote:If you really want top14, go get a 170+.

false. i got into 3 with a 167 - it can be done. 170/3.9 will get you money at some lower t14s for sure

RandallPink wrote:I will be graduating from a tier 3 university next summer with a 3.9+ gpa. I have three years legal experience as a labor paralegal in Pittsburgh. Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

I will be taking my lsat in June 2011. I have always scored extremely well on standardized tests and feel confident that I can score between a 168-173. Preparation will be my main priority from now until June.

Given that my university (Point Park University, downtown Pittsburgh) has no prestige, would it be possible for me to pull a T14 school with these numbers/background? I have no intentions of pursuing law if I do not gain acceptance to these schools. I have seen far too many people graduate from Pitt and Duquesne University who are absolutely struggling to maintain a healthy life, let alone a prosperous one.

Thank you for your opinions.

The LSAT isn't like the SAT, ACT or PSAT. It's much more intense, and your attempts are limited. I always did well on standardized tests, too - I scored in the top 1% on both the SAT and ACT. Naturally, I assumed the same would be true on the LSAT. Unfortunately, I was very much mistaken. I had to work my butt off to finally get a 168 - top 4% (which comes as a shock to someone who'd always been in the top 1%).

What I'm trying to say is, don't take for granted that you're going to score in the high 160s or even 170s based on your previous standardized test experience. Everyone taking the LSAT has graduated from college or is going to in the near future - meaning you aren't competing against the general population, but rather a highly educated minority in this country. It's very easy to assume (based on all the very high scorers on this forum) that getting in the 170s is a mere formality after a little bit of studying. It isn't. The high scorers on this forum represent a very, very small percentage of the test-taking population.

With that said, only you know what you're capable of. Just don't take the LSAT for granted. Good luck!

SLS_AMG wrote:

RandallPink wrote:I will be graduating from a tier 3 university next summer with a 3.9+ gpa. I have three years legal experience as a labor paralegal in Pittsburgh. Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

I will be taking my lsat in June 2011. I have always scored extremely well on standardized tests and feel confident that I can score between a 168-173. Preparation will be my main priority from now until June.

Given that my university (Point Park University, downtown Pittsburgh) has no prestige, would it be possible for me to pull a T14 school with these numbers/background? I have no intentions of pursuing law if I do not gain acceptance to these schools. I have seen far too many people graduate from Pitt and Duquesne University who are absolutely struggling to maintain a healthy life, let alone a prosperous one.

Thank you for your opinions.

The LSAT isn't like the SAT, ACT or PSAT. It's much more intense, and your attempts are limited. I always did well on standardized tests, too - I scored in the top 1% on both the SAT and ACT. Naturally, I assumed the same would be true on the LSAT. Unfortunately, I was very much mistaken. I had to work my butt off to finally get a 168 - top 4% (which comes as a shock to someone who'd always been in the top 1%).

What I'm trying to say is, don't take for granted that you're going to score in the high 160s or even 170s based on your previous standardized test experience. Everyone taking the LSAT has graduated from college or is going to in the near future - meaning you aren't competing against the general population, but rather a highly educated minority in this country. It's very easy to assume (based on all the very high scorers on this forum) that getting in the 170s is a mere formality after a little bit of studying. It isn't. The high scorers on this forum represent a very, very small percentage of the test-taking population.

With that said, only you know what you're capable of. Just don't take the LSAT for granted. Good luck!

+1...I scored in the top 5% for the SATs...in FIFTH GRADE, and then in the top 1% twice in a row in high school in both sections, and then similarly in 8 AP and SAT II tests and a subject and general GRE

And I ended up with a 164/166 after hundreds of hours of studying

^^ I'm the reverse. I got a 1250 (old system) on the SAT, which is good but not great. I took the LSAT last year, once, for a 176, which is pretty phenomenal. I studied pretty hard for both, so it's not a crapshoot, but I guess it depends on the person. You can't use SAT performance to predict LSAT performance, and vice versa.

ballpop wrote:

SLS_AMG wrote:

RandallPink wrote:I will be graduating from a tier 3 university next summer with a 3.9+ gpa. I have three years legal experience as a labor paralegal in Pittsburgh. Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

I will be taking my lsat in June 2011. I have always scored extremely well on standardized tests and feel confident that I can score between a 168-173. Preparation will be my main priority from now until June.

Given that my university (Point Park University, downtown Pittsburgh) has no prestige, would it be possible for me to pull a T14 school with these numbers/background? I have no intentions of pursuing law if I do not gain acceptance to these schools. I have seen far too many people graduate from Pitt and Duquesne University who are absolutely struggling to maintain a healthy life, let alone a prosperous one.

Thank you for your opinions.

The LSAT isn't like the SAT, ACT or PSAT. It's much more intense, and your attempts are limited. I always did well on standardized tests, too - I scored in the top 1% on both the SAT and ACT. Naturally, I assumed the same would be true on the LSAT. Unfortunately, I was very much mistaken. I had to work my butt off to finally get a 168 - top 4% (which comes as a shock to someone who'd always been in the top 1%).

What I'm trying to say is, don't take for granted that you're going to score in the high 160s or even 170s based on your previous standardized test experience. Everyone taking the LSAT has graduated from college or is going to in the near future - meaning you aren't competing against the general population, but rather a highly educated minority in this country. It's very easy to assume (based on all the very high scorers on this forum) that getting in the 170s is a mere formality after a little bit of studying. It isn't. The high scorers on this forum represent a very, very small percentage of the test-taking population.

With that said, only you know what you're capable of. Just don't take the LSAT for granted. Good luck!

+1...I scored in the top 5% for the SATs...in FIFTH GRADE, and then in the top 1% twice in a row in high school in both sections, and then similarly in 8 AP and SAT II tests and a subject and general GRE

And I ended up with a 164/166 after hundreds of hours of studying

When did they start allowing 5th graders to take the SATs? I know about the Duke TIP program (which I did) but that only allowed 7th graders to take it.

I hate these threads.

What LSAT shoud a person have not to waste 3.9~4.0 GPA?

lovejopd wrote:What LSAT shoud a person have not to waste 3.9~4.0 GPA?

181

The general rule of thumb is that the lower your GPA, the higher the LSAT you gotta have and vice versa. Since you have a pretty good gpa, you'll still get in with high 160s. With that being said, I say you aim for mid 170s to high 170s and try to get into top end of the t14 if not settle for $$$ in the lower end of t14.

DoubleChecks wrote:

lovejopd wrote:What LSAT shoud a person have not to waste 3.9~4.0 GPA?

181

This is not funny. Seriously

BrianGriffintheDog wrote:The general rule of thumb is that the lower your GPA, the higher the LSAT you gotta have and vice versa. Since you have a pretty good gpa, you'll still get in with high 160s. With that being said, I say you aim for mid 170s to high 170s and try to get into top end of the t14 if not settle for $$$ in the lower end of t14.

Okay, so If I have 4.0, 166 is enough for lower t14 even though I should pay a sticker price?

lovejopd wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:

lovejopd wrote:What LSAT shoud a person have not to waste 3.9~4.0 GPA?

181

This is not funny. Seriously

Really? I guess it can't outshine your laughable question.

DoubleChecks wrote:

lovejopd wrote:

DoubleChecks wrote:

lovejopd wrote:What LSAT shoud a person have not to waste 3.9~4.0 GPA?

181

This is not funny. Seriously

Really? I guess it can't outshine your laughable question.

RandallPink wrote:Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

Kinda random, what would a college student/paralegal be doing that requires, "Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations"?

ballpop wrote:

SLS_AMG wrote:

RandallPink wrote:I will be graduating from a tier 3 university next summer with a 3.9+ gpa. I have three years legal experience as a labor paralegal in Pittsburgh. Also, in my past I have gained Unescorted Nuclear Access to six nuclear generating stations.

I will be taking my lsat in June 2011. I have always scored extremely well on standardized tests and feel confident that I can score between a 168-173. Preparation will be my main priority from now until June.

Given that my university (Point Park University, downtown Pittsburgh) has no prestige, would it be possible for me to pull a T14 school with these numbers/background? I have no intentions of pursuing law if I do not gain acceptance to these schools. I have seen far too many people graduate from Pitt and Duquesne University who are absolutely struggling to maintain a healthy life, let alone a prosperous one.

Thank you for your opinions.

The LSAT isn't like the SAT, ACT or PSAT. It's much more intense, and your attempts are limited. I always did well on standardized tests, too - I scored in the top 1% on both the SAT and ACT. Naturally, I assumed the same would be true on the LSAT. Unfortunately, I was very much mistaken. I had to work my butt off to finally get a 168 - top 4% (which comes as a shock to someone who'd always been in the top 1%).

What I'm trying to say is, don't take for granted that you're going to score in the high 160s or even 170s based on your previous standardized test experience. Everyone taking the LSAT has graduated from college or is going to in the near future - meaning you aren't competing against the general population, but rather a highly educated minority in this country. It's very easy to assume (based on all the very high scorers on this forum) that getting in the 170s is a mere formality after a little bit of studying. It isn't. The high scorers on this forum represent a very, very small percentage of the test-taking population.

With that said, only you know what you're capable of. Just don't take the LSAT for granted. Good luck!

+1...I scored in the top 5% for the SATs...in FIFTH GRADE, and then in the top 1% twice in a row in high school in both sections, and then similarly in 8 AP and SAT II tests and a subject and general GRE

And I ended up with a 164/166 after hundreds of hours of studying

You guys do realize that the group of people who take the LSAT is a smaller, more intelligent, and more educated (on average) subset of the people who take the SAT, right?

It makes perfect sense for something who got in the 99th percentile on the SAT to get in the 95/96th and 93rd percentiles on the LSAT. Its not that its "different" (the reading comp sections essentially test the exact same skills) as much as it is higher competition.

I mean a 1490 is 99th percentile on the SAT. While objectively good, its not the same as a 1590, and it makes sense that that the former would correlate to mid 160s LSATs.