2.55 ug gpa - Chances *anywhere*? 168 LSAT Forum

[spliTTTerdood]

And by anywhere I mean anywhere high enough to attract recruiters or non-T3 regional schools that might give me some money.

Rising senior so the GPA could go up but I imagine I need to apply ASAP. So, the GPA will look like this when the transcripts arrive in the adcom offices.

I'm hesitant to wait much longer, too, because of rising LSAT medians at schools that seem to be within my target group. Oh and while LSAT re-taking isn't out of the question I did about as well as I was practicing so the only thing that might get me above 170 is fortune.

Thanks for any help.

[3ThrowAway99]

When you ask about T1 and T2 schools with money, given your 2.55/168 I'm thinking it doesn't look particularly hopeful. You may well get some T2 acceptances (and maybe a couple T1) on the basis of your relatively strong LSAT, but even a lot of the T2 will prob outright reject you IMO given the 2.5. BUT, apply to splitter-friendly schools like Indiana (Bloomington, and maybe also Indianapolis) and you might have some luck. I would research which schools are most splitter-friendly and carefully target those. I wouldn't even bother applying to schools that aren't specifically known to be splitter friendly (if you care for my advice). Verify what I said re: specific schools though because I could be off. My basic point is to figure out best splitter schools and target those. But I think money may be a lot to ask... Good luck.

[thecynic69]

Just wanted to say you should consider taking gap year(s). You want all your grades from senior year to cushion your GPA, and W.E. will help a little with your GPA.

[btown]

IU-Bloomington likes splitters a lot. I just checked Law school numbers and IU-B gave a full scholarship to someone with a 2.52 and a 167. Its definitely possible to get some $ you just have to apply to the right schools.

[Corwin]

You should take a year. Do whatever you can get get your GPA up in your final year. I know you've ruled out a retake, but realize a 172 and some WE puts a place like NU within your reach. If I was in your position, that's what I'd do. Pad my GPA like hell and shoot for a 172. If you miss the 172, NU is out but you can still get into some splitter friendly places.

[spliTTTerdood]

You should take a year. Do whatever you can get get your GPA up in your final year. I know you've ruled out a retake, but realize a 172 and some WE puts a place like NU within your reach. If I was in your position, that's what I'd do. Pad my GPA like hell and shoot for a 172. If you miss the 172, NU is out but you can still get into some splitter friendly places.

The school I've been thinking most about is WUSTL. From what I can see (LSN, info. on here) their median LSAT has rised each year. I'm curious though, as applications go down (and admissions become less competitive), if maybe medians too will start to decrease?

[spliTTTerdood]

IU-Bloomington likes splitters a lot. I just checked Law school numbers and IU-B gave a full scholarship to someone with a 2.52 and a 167. Its definitely possible to get some $ you just have to apply to the right schools.

But I'd prefer not to go to law school just to go to law school.

Where do IU-B graduates work? I don't expect to be in the top 10%.

[Verity]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

[spliTTTerdood]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

UIUC seems to be cutting back splitter acceptances. Of the remaining three, WUSTL has the most national appeal (but boy are the Twin Cities nice...no idea about the legal market there though), right?

[spliTTTerdood]

Any more opinions or advice?

[Corwin]

You should take a year. Do whatever you can get get your GPA up in your final year. I know you've ruled out a retake, but realize a 172 and some WE puts a place like NU within your reach. If I was in your position, that's what I'd do. Pad my GPA like hell and shoot for a 172. If you miss the 172, NU is out but you can still get into some splitter friendly places.

The school I've been thinking most about is WUSTL. From what I can see (LSN, info. on here) their median LSAT has rised each year. I'm curious though, as applications go down (and admissions become less competitive), if maybe medians too will start to decrease?

You can expect WUSTL median LSAT to rise. They are very aggressive with scholarship money in going after those with high LSAT scores.

[Verity]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

UIUC seems to be cutting back splitter acceptances. Of the remaining three, WUSTL has the most national appeal (but boy are the Twin Cities nice...no idea about the legal market there though), right?

Data? I know a ~2.3/169 that got serious money from UIUC this round.

And as for national appeal, WUSTL doesn't beat them out by much. You probably would do better, for example, in NYC with UIUC than WUSTL. All four are highly regional, so if you choose one be comfortable with working in the Midwest.

[stratocophic]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

UIUC seems to be cutting back splitter acceptances. Of the remaining three, WUSTL has the most national appeal (but boy are the Twin Cities nice...no idea about the legal market there though), right?

Data? I know a ~2.3/169 that got serious money from UIUC this round.

And as for national appeal, WUSTL doesn't beat them out by much. You probably would do better, for example, in NYC with UIUC than WUSTL. All four are highly regional, so if you choose one be comfortable with working in the Midwest.

Re: the bolded, lolwutno.

Check LSN for data. UIUC's been less splitter-friendly than years past. In no way does one anecdote of a 2.3 refute that assertion. Eeeeeh maybe/maybe not. They've made some favorable decisions since I last looked. First point still stands.

[spliTTTerdood]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

UIUC seems to be cutting back splitter acceptances. Of the remaining three, WUSTL has the most national appeal (but boy are the Twin Cities nice...no idea about the legal market there though), right?

Data? I know a ~2.3/169 that got serious money from UIUC this round.

And as for national appeal, WUSTL doesn't beat them out by much. You probably would do better, for example, in NYC with UIUC than WUSTL. All four are highly regional, so if you choose one be comfortable with working in the Midwest.

URM? Amazing softs? WE? LSN username "hollerback"?

http://illinois.lawschoolnumbers.com/st ... Cycle=1011

[Verity]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

UIUC seems to be cutting back splitter acceptances. Of the remaining three, WUSTL has the most national appeal (but boy are the Twin Cities nice...no idea about the legal market there though), right?

Data? I know a ~2.3/169 that got serious money from UIUC this round.

And as for national appeal, WUSTL doesn't beat them out by much. You probably would do better, for example, in NYC with UIUC than WUSTL. All four are highly regional, so if you choose one be comfortable with working in the Midwest.

URM? Amazing softs? WE? LSN username "hollerback"?

http://illinois.lawschoolnumbers.com/st ... Cycle=1011

Yeah, I was referencing that LSN profile. Plus "MrDavies" got money. It's definitely worth a shot.

[Verity]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

UIUC seems to be cutting back splitter acceptances. Of the remaining three, WUSTL has the most national appeal (but boy are the Twin Cities nice...no idea about the legal market there though), right?

Data? I know a ~2.3/169 that got serious money from UIUC this round.

And as for national appeal, WUSTL doesn't beat them out by much. You probably would do better, for example, in NYC with UIUC than WUSTL. All four are highly regional, so if you choose one be comfortable with working in the Midwest.

Re: the bolded, lolwutno.

Check LSN for data. UIUC's been less splitter-friendly than years past. In no way does one anecdote of a 2.3 refute that assertion. Eeeeeh maybe/maybe not. They've made some favorable decisions since I last looked. First point still stands.

You'd be surprised at the regard for UIUC in NYC. The fact is that most people who go to UIUC don't really want NYC; but if they do, they probably have the same shot as WUSTL, whose appeal outside its market is often exaggerated.

[stratocophic]

UIUC seems to be cutting back splitter acceptances. Of the remaining three, WUSTL has the most national appeal (but boy are the Twin Cities nice...no idea about the legal market there though), right?

Data? I know a ~2.3/169 that got serious money from UIUC this round.

And as for national appeal, WUSTL doesn't beat them out by much. You probably would do better, for example, in NYC with UIUC than WUSTL. All four are highly regional, so if you choose one be comfortable with working in the Midwest.

Re: the bolded, lolwutno.

Check LSN for data. UIUC's been less splitter-friendly than years past. In no way does one anecdote of a 2.3 refute that assertion. Eeeeeh maybe/maybe not. They've made some favorable decisions since I last looked. First point still stands.

You'd be surprised at the regard for UIUC in NYC. The fact is that most people who go to UIUC don't really want NYC; but if they do, they probably have the same shot as WUSTL, whose appeal outside its market is often exaggerated.

a) Probably the same shot =/= better. If you're saying someone from UIUC might be better served for NYC because fewer people are gunning for NYC, that could be true. Maybe, maybe not.
b) Most WUSTLers aren't gunning for NYC, same as UIUC.
c) WUSTL's reliance on St. Louis is exaggerated. IIRC there were about 50 total Biglaw SA positions in St. Louis last year to be divided between SLU/WUSTL/Missouri/T14/other midwestern T30s. Anyone breaking into St. Louis from WUSTL is probably going to have major ties - they seem to be more important than grades, IMO.

[Verity]

a) Probably the same shot =/= better. If you're saying someone from UIUC might be better served for NYC because fewer people are gunning for NYC, that could be true. Maybe, maybe not.
b) Most WUSTLers aren't gunning for NYC, same as UIUC.
c) WUSTL's reliance on St. Louis is exaggerated. IIRC there were about 50 total Biglaw SA positions in St. Louis last year to be divided between SLU/WUSTL/Missouri/T14/other midwestern T30s. Anyone breaking into St. Louis from WUSTL is probably going to have major ties - they seem to be more important than grades, IMO.

What the hell are we arguing here? If you're ultimate position is that WUSTL is better than UIUC for employment, the difference is minimal. T20 means nothing, they're practically peer schools.

[paulinaporizkova]

holy shit, how do you even do that bad?

[09042014]

You should take a year. Do whatever you can get get your GPA up in your final year. I know you've ruled out a retake, but realize a 172 and some WE puts a place like NU within your reach. If I was in your position, that's what I'd do. Pad my GPA like hell and shoot for a 172. If you miss the 172, NU is out but you can still get into some splitter friendly places.

The school I've been thinking most about is WUSTL. From what I can see (LSN, info. on here) their median LSAT has rised each year. I'm curious though, as applications go down (and admissions become less competitive), if maybe medians too will start to decrease?

The numbers of applicants jumped two years in a row. This year they are down. I doubt many schools will be able to keep making gains on their medians. And even if they are trying to that will actually help you. A splitter is most valuable to a school trying to jump a level up.

[Magnolia]

You should take a year. Do whatever you can get get your GPA up in your final year. I know you've ruled out a retake, but realize a 172 and some WE puts a place like NU within your reach. If I was in your position, that's what I'd do. Pad my GPA like hell and shoot for a 172. If you miss the 172, NU is out but you can still get into some splitter friendly places.

The school I've been thinking most about is WUSTL. From what I can see (LSN, info. on here) their median LSAT has rised each year. I'm curious though, as applications go down (and admissions become less competitive), if maybe medians too will start to decrease?

You can expect WUSTL median LSAT to rise. They are very aggressive with scholarship money in going after those with high LSAT scores.

I think OP's chances at WUSTL depend a great deal on whether they were successful in bumping the median for c/o 2014 up to 168. If they were, then 169 will likely be the magic number next year, just like 168 was the magic number this year and 167 was last year. If that's the case, then OP's 168 doesn't put him in the strongest position. He'll still have a chance of getting in, but I don't think he'll get nearly as much money, and they may not be as forgiving of his GPA. If they weren't successful in gunning for a 168, then OP will have a much better shot at admission and money.

[bhosage]

I love how people flame people for having low gpa and 2.5 really isn't that horrible op. Let the liberal arts majors tell you how great their 3.8 is when, if their a communication major, take a 400 level class on family communication. Compare a class that teaches you how to do things you've done your whole life to microbiology and you get the picture. And to the people who do flame individuals for their low gpa, some people don't take college seriously until it's to late or came to college in a major that was to difficult for them. That's why it's great that the LSAT is here to give people another shot at law school.

Keep your head up and apply to schools. Write a killer addendum and personal statement.

Good Luck!

[09042014]

I love how people flame people for having low gpa and 2.5 really isn't that horrible op. Let the liberal arts majors tell you how great their 3.8 is when, if their a communication major, take a 400 level class on family communication. Compare a class that teaches you how to do things you've done your whole life to microbiology and you get the picture. And to the people who do flame individuals for their low gpa, some people don't take college seriously until it's to late or came to college in a major that was to difficult for them. That's why it's great that the LSAT is here to give people another shot at law school.

Keep your head up and apply to schools. Write a killer addendum and personal statement.

Good Luck!

2.5 is fucking horrible, no matter what major you were.

Signed, a dude with a 2.8

[spliTTTerdood]

I love how people flame people for having low gpa and 2.5 really isn't that horrible op. Let the liberal arts majors tell you how great their 3.8 is when, if their a communication major, take a 400 level class on family communication. Compare a class that teaches you how to do things you've done your whole life to microbiology and you get the picture. And to the people who do flame individuals for their low gpa, some people don't take college seriously until it's to late or came to college in a major that was to difficult for them. That's why it's great that the LSAT is here to give people another shot at law school.

Keep your head up and apply to schools. Write a killer addendum and personal statement.

Good Luck!

holy shit, how do you even do that bad?

Getting A's in high school with ease; not knowing how to study. Free flowing alcohol. Drugs. Engineering major (eventually switching to challenging liberal arts program combined with natural science). Nothing addendum worthy.

[superflush]

WUSTL, IU-B, UMN, UIUC. Those are you best choices, and you'll get at least 3 out of 4.

This is a good start.

Regarding taking a year off (if you are a senior in college this fall): this is probably a really good idea.
However, you may want to apply for this upcoming cycle as well, and see what you get.
If you happen to get big money from one of these schools, maybe you won't want to wait a year.
What specific LSAT/GPA combination a given school gives big money to can change drastically from year to year.