3.96 (all A's after the first semester)/176 regional college Forum

[anstone1988]

I attend a regional college that ranks in the 80s in Best Regional (North) Universities category, so it really sucks (its admissions rate is in the 90s, and the SAT medians are way below medians for all test takers). I'm attending this college because I could attend for free since both of my parents work there. I have never thought about applying to law school until I took the LSAT. I guess, what would be my chances at the lower T14s, and I understand that Yale and Stanford are definitely out, how high up the rankings should I aim?

[bhan87]

Lower T14s? Are you kidding? Tempted to call flame

Enjoy H at the minimum and a full ride at one of CCN. Yale and Stanford are both within reach.

[swc65]

Why are YLS and Stanford out?

[Magnolia]

Unless your UG was unaccredited, it shouldn't be a problem. With a 3.96/176 you should blanket the entire t14 including Yale and Stanford. Admissions for Y and S are more black box than the rest of the t14, but you definitely have a shot. You'll be looking at full rides at MVPNDCG and maybe even CCN.

[bmore]

You can't be serious.

[bfaiken]

As others are saying, you'll be fine. Just make sure you take your time to put together a strong application. You can explain the circumstances that led you to choose your undergrad institution in an addendum (or your ps, if you can work it in). Worst case is you'll get some solid $$ offers from the bottom end of T14. In all likelihood, you'll do even better than that.

[bhan87]

As others are saying, you'll be fine. Just make sure you take your time to put together a strong application. You can explain the circumstances that led you to choose your undergrad institution in an addendum (or your ps, if you can work it in). Worst case is you'll get some solid $$ offers from the bottom end of T14. In all likelihood, you'll do even better than that.

NO, DON'T DO THE UNDERLINE!! Your 176 will more than justify your GPA and a state school needs no explanation if you picked it for financial reasons. Plenty of applicants from schools worse than yours make it into the T14 every year

The rest of the post is solid advice. Don't make any mistakes on your app and submit early. Your cycle will probably be very good.

[prezidentv8]

I have never thought about applying to law school until I took the LSAT.

Herp? Derp perhaps?

[Bumi]

Just so we're all clear about what we're talking about, he went to one of these.

[Bumi]

I have never thought about applying to law school until I took the LSAT.

Herp? Derp perhaps?

I never thought seriously about applying to law school until I took a practice LSAT and did well. Then again, that was about 8 years ago.

[camelcrema]

Just so we're all clear about what we're talking about, he went to one of these.

So the College LSAT median will hurt him. Pretty sure the 176 will mitigate some of that damage.

[vanwinkle]

Enjoy Harvard.

[legaleagle9]

congratulations. you have the numbers that I, as well as probably most people on this site, are striving so hard for. I cannot see why ANY law school in the nation would reject you unless you are Osama Bin Laden.

[dukey]

As others are saying, you'll be fine. Just make sure you take your time to put together a strong application. You can explain the circumstances that led you to choose your undergrad institution in an addendum (or your ps, if you can work it in). Worst case is you'll get some solid $$ offers from the bottom end of T14. In all likelihood, you'll do even better than that.

NO, DON'T DO THE UNDERLINE!!

This.

[3ThrowAway99]

wait what? you are in your second semester of college and have already achieved an actual LSAT score of 176??? When did you take the LSAT? I can't remember if the score is good for 3 or for 5 years; I would definitely want to know that if I were you, and probably check with LSAC every once in a while just to make sure the time expiration period doesn't change. But with 176, if you can maintain a high GPA then you have a great shot at any law school you want.

Something just doesn't quite make sense to me here though... Do you have an actual score?

[FiveSermon]

Enjoy Harvard (worst case scenario).

[3ThrowAway99]

Oh, and on the regional school thing (the one you are at now)- it really shouldn't matter too much as long as you have a high GPA. Particularly if you have a killer LSAT to objectively demonstrate your level of intellectual competency.

[Bumi]

you are in your second semester of college

I don't think he's in the second semester of college.

[anstone1988]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm almost done with my third year in college, and I'm applying this fall during my senior fall. I guess it's really hard to wrap my head around the idea that UG doesn't matter much. I have friends here at my college who still have 4.0s (they are probably going to become valedictorians), but even they are constantly complaining about how hard and unlikely getting into top 30 physics, biology, and business programs is for them. That's why I thought CCN were extremely unlikely for me, let alone H. And, I just can't picture YS accepting me since they have such small classes filled with students from prestigious UGs. I should add that my softs are probably average, probably below average for applicants at HYS CCN. It's hard for students at my college to get good summer internships. So, my only job experience has been working as a cashier at the local supermarket.

[Stonewall]

my crystal ball predicts: Stanford.

[rose711]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm almost done with my third year in college, and I'm applying this fall during my senior fall. I guess it's really hard to wrap my head around the idea that UG doesn't matter much. I have friends here at my college who still have 4.0s (they are probably going to become valedictorians), but even they are constantly complaining about how hard and unlikely getting into top 30 physics, biology, and business programs is for them. That's why I thought CCN were extremely unlikely for me, let alone H. And, I just can't picture YS accepting me since they have such small classes filled with students from prestigious UGs. I should add that my softs are probably average, probably below average for applicants at HYS CCN. It's hard for students at my college to get good summer internships. So, my only job experience has been working as a cashier at the local supermarket.

This is where the LSAT and the large number of law students work in your favor. The LSAT score allows admission committees to compare students from different undergraduate backgrounds. I think that the GRE and GRE advanced tests perform a similar factor in biology and physics- but they aren't viewed as strongly as the LSAT score for law school. (No US New and World Report rankings for those school,s graduate science programs based on GRE scores? Not as many applicants needing direction?) But there aren't nearly as many places for students to attend graduate programs in biology and physics.

I suggest, in the kindest possible way, that you get rid of the idea that your school is not as highly ranked as others means that you are not as competitive as an applicant. That attitude will hurt you when you attend a T14 school (and in life), if you think the other students are "better" than you are because of where they went to school. Be proud of who you are and where you are from, you are very lucky to be coming out of undergrad with no debt and a solid education.

Work hard on your applications and use this site to get advice and support with making your applications as strong as possible.

[Bumi]

And, I just can't picture YS accepting me since they have such small classes filled with students from prestigious UGs. I should add that my softs are probably average, probably below average for applicants at HYS CCN. It's hard for students at my college to get good summer internships. So, my only job experience has been working as a cashier at the local supermarket.

I'm going to hire Robin Williams to grow a beard and then hug you and repeat "You have a 176" over and over.

[Bobeo]

And, I just can't picture YS accepting me since they have such small classes filled with students from prestigious UGs. I should add that my softs are probably average, probably below average for applicants at HYS CCN. It's hard for students at my college to get good summer internships. So, my only job experience has been working as a cashier at the local supermarket.

I'm going to hire Robin Williams to grow a beard and then hug you and repeat "You have a 176" over and over.

+1

[bhan87]

http://www.law.harvard.edu/prospective/ ... grads.html

Take a look at a number of no name universities that made their way into Harvard last year alone. You have a 176

[dukey]

And, I just can't picture YS accepting me since they have such small classes filled with students from prestigious UGs. I should add that my softs are probably average, probably below average for applicants at HYS CCN. It's hard for students at my college to get good summer internships. So, my only job experience has been working as a cashier at the local supermarket.

I'm going to hire Robin Williams to grow a beard and then hug you and repeat "You have a 176" over and over.

this is my cue - press 8 during vid-play. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF6-JUoh ... re=related