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Hi everyone! So I'm a rising senior at the University of Georgia (PoliSci major) with a really good GPA. I'm taking the October LSAT after a Princeton Review course but my practice tests have so far averaged ~165, so I'm expecting to do better than that. My letters of rec and personal statement should be quite solid. As far as URM, I'm also part-Hispanic though I don't look it, and intend to note that on my applications.

My question is more specific than most of the "what are my chances?" posts. I'm certain I can get in most places I'm looking, since I'm skipping Harvard, Yale, and Stanford and sticking to lower-ranked T14s and others in the Top 30. I don't particularly want to work at a huge, prestigious private firm so T14 isn't especially important to me. Rather, my "dream school," more or less, is George Washington University - I actually got in there for undergrad and didn't attend for financial reasons - and I'm wondering what chance you folks think I would have at getting Early Decision (ED) acceptance there. ED at GWU guarantees a full-tuition scholarship, but I'm sure they don't exactly hand these out like candy; in fact, I read on one of these forums that they give only a couple dozen out per class. What kind of LSAT do I need - given that my application should be pretty good otherwise - to have a good shot at getting ED at GWU? Without the scholarship, it doesn't make much financial sense to go given the cost of living in DC, and I might as well consider other schools.

I realize that if I get a 170 or more I'd have a good chance at some schools more prestigious at GWU, but sincerely doubt that any of them would offer a full ride unless I got ~175. Also, as I said, GWU is my dream school given its proximity to the federal government and obvious opportunities for work in public policy. What say you all?

You're a URM with a near 4.0GPA and you're looking to ED to Jeedub? I would say aim higher -- significantly higher. Don't waste your URM status and pretty GPA with a bad LSAT score.

I strongly considered applying early decision to GW because of the great scholarship. I think it could be the right choice for you since you want to work in DC since you will have hit the jackpot if you make biglaw and will have kept costs low if not. I decided not to apply ED to GW because I wasn't quite as sold on the school or DC as you but think that it is certainly a viable option. Continue working on the LSAT though.

Edit: I didn't see the URM thing. They give significant scholarships to people with similar numbers that don't go ED. In light of that, maybe you should play the field a bit more.

AreJay711 wrote:I strongly considered applying early decision to GW because of the great scholarship. I think it could be the right choice for you since you want to work in DC since you will have hit the jackpot if you make biglaw and will have kept costs low if not. I decided not to apply ED to GW because I wasn't quite as sold on the school or DC as you but think that it is certainly a viable option. Continue working on the LSAT though.

Edit: I didn't see the URM thing. They give significant scholarships to people with similar numbers that don't go ED. In light of that, maybe you should play the field a bit more.

With a good LSAT score, OP could easily get a huge scholly from a t14.

dpk711 wrote:

AreJay711 wrote:I strongly considered applying early decision to GW because of the great scholarship. I think it could be the right choice for you since you want to work in DC since you will have hit the jackpot if you make biglaw and will have kept costs low if not. I decided not to apply ED to GW because I wasn't quite as sold on the school or DC as you but think that it is certainly a viable option. Continue working on the LSAT though.

Edit: I didn't see the URM thing. They give significant scholarships to people with similar numbers that don't go ED. In light of that, maybe you should play the field a bit more.

With a good LSAT score, OP could easily get a huge scholly from a t14.

This.

At least to Georgetown, which is much better for DC.

Also OP: What race are you? Hispanic and AA are very different, in terms of the boost for some reason.

dpk711 wrote:

AreJay711 wrote:I strongly considered applying early decision to GW because of the great scholarship. I think it could be the right choice for you since you want to work in DC since you will have hit the jackpot if you make biglaw and will have kept costs low if not. I decided not to apply ED to GW because I wasn't quite as sold on the school or DC as you but think that it is certainly a viable option. Continue working on the LSAT though.

Edit: I didn't see the URM thing. They give significant scholarships to people with similar numbers that don't go ED. In light of that, maybe you should play the field a bit more.

With a good LSAT score, OP could easily get a huge scholly from a t14.

With the URM part, yes. I still think it is worth the application since he will likely get a very similar scholarship without the ED. If he is Argentinian or something then I think it still stands.

flexityflex86 wrote:

dpk711 wrote:

AreJay711 wrote:I strongly considered applying early decision to GW because of the great scholarship. I think it could be the right choice for you since you want to work in DC since you will have hit the jackpot if you make biglaw and will have kept costs low if not. I decided not to apply ED to GW because I wasn't quite as sold on the school or DC as you but think that it is certainly a viable option. Continue working on the LSAT though.

Edit: I didn't see the URM thing. They give significant scholarships to people with similar numbers that don't go ED. In light of that, maybe you should play the field a bit more.

With a good LSAT score, OP could easily get a huge scholly from a t14.

This.

At least to Georgetown, which is much better for DC.

Damn, I should've said "T13".

flexityflex86 wrote:Also OP: What race are you? Hispanic and AA are very different, in terms of the boost for some reason.

Hispanic on my mom's side. I don't look it, though, and I have a white guy name. So they might think I'm lying if I put that on the application (I intend to anyway). If they don't think I'm a URM, what do you all think about my chances at GWU or elsewhere? And what kind of LSAT score should I be aiming for?

Even if OP wasn't URM I would tell him/her to aim higher. With that GPA, all one needs to do is get a good LSAT score and OP is set for the T14 with $$$ regardless of URM-status.

Edit: dam typo

natcas90 wrote:And what kind of LSAT score should I be aiming for?

165 is a little low for the GW full scholarship if I remember correctly. The correct answer is as high as possible.

dpk711 wrote:Even if OP wasn't URM I would tell him/her to aim higher. With that GPA, all one needs to do is get a good LSAT score and OP is set for the T14 with $$$ regardless of URM-status.

Edit: dam typo

the full ride is a good option. op wouldn't be thinking of it if not for this.

dpk711 wrote:Even if OP wasn't URM I would tell him/her to aim higher. With that GPA, all one needs to do is get a good LSAT score and OP is set for the T14 with $$$ regardless of URM-status.

Edit: dam typo

True.

OP, I got a 168 on the LSAT with a similar gpa and got 45k (15K a year) from UMich. If you can crack 173 then there is a lot of money out there for you including some possible full scholarships. If you are Mexican, Puerto Rican, or Cuban then you would be competitive even lower. I still think that GW might be worth the ed app under a 170 depending on URM status if it is really your dream school though. Maybe go on a few visits beforehand to make sure.

natcas90 wrote:

flexityflex86 wrote:Also OP: What race are you? Hispanic and AA are very different, in terms of the boost for some reason.

Hispanic on my mom's side. I don't look it, though, and I have a white guy name. So they might think I'm lying if I put that on the application (I intend to anyway). If they don't think I'm a URM, what do you all think about my chances at GWU or elsewhere? And what kind of LSAT score should I be aiming for?

I also am hispanic on my mother's side and don't have a hispanic surname. They won't think you are lying. I put white, hispanic on all my apps, which is what I am.

masterthearts wrote:

natcas90 wrote:

flexityflex86 wrote:Also OP: What race are you? Hispanic and AA are very different, in terms of the boost for some reason.

Hispanic on my mom's side. I don't look it, though, and I have a white guy name. So they might think I'm lying if I put that on the application (I intend to anyway). If they don't think I'm a URM, what do you all think about my chances at GWU or elsewhere? And what kind of LSAT score should I be aiming for?

I also am hispanic on my mother's side and don't have a hispanic surname. They won't think you are lying. I put white, hispanic on all my apps, which is what I am.

Nobody will assume you're lying just cause it's such a dumb thing to do (you get a better school, but risk losing your legal license at any point during the course of your career). They do still get a URM boot so it's all good. I would say a 165 with 3.98 and URM, you are in ED to GWU. A 160 is probably possible - it becomes a reach, but makes more sense than a top 14 ED given the $$$$.

I think you have a solid shot. GW is one of the few schools (the only school?) that doesn't divide hispanics into mexican/puerto rican on the application, and give a boost to all hispanics. My buddy got into GW with the 105k scholly with 168/3.3 GPA, average softs, with half hispanic (not Mexican/Puerto Rican) half white heritage. Born in this country.