165/4.0 Forum

[JWilliamsIV]

I am a combat veteran of the Marine Corps Infantry (enlisted).
I have started and am on the BOD of 2 non-profits for veterans issues (one charity and a professional fraternity)
I intend to spend my life advocating for veterans

My highest practice test was a 166 under very lax conditions -- not sure I can do better.

Can my background/activities give me a diversity edge at Harvard, Yale, Stanford? Georgetown? What schools do yo suggest?

[notanumber]

I am a combat veteran of the Marine Corps Infantry (enlisted).
I have started and am on the BOD of 2 non-profits for veterans issues (one charity and a professional fraternity)
I intend to spend my life advocating for veterans

My highest practice test was a 166 under very lax conditions -- not sure I can do better.

Can my background/activities give me a diversity edge at Harvard, Yale, Stanford? Georgetown? What schools do yo suggest?

YHS would be almost unheard of with your LSAT score. If you've go the money then it's worth sending out an application, but unless you're also a URM it'll be a Hail Mary play. Georgetown is possible. Sending out an ED contract to a T14 school might also work.

If you have honestly spent several months rigorously studying for the LSAT than you may have topped-out, but it's still early enough in the cycle that you could productively study for several more months before retaking the test. What sections did you do poorly on? Scoring another 5 points would make you a lock for most of the T14 and another 7 points would put YHS within your grasp.

[flexityflex86]

For all those schools but Georgetown, it's only possible if John Williams I, II and III were alumni and made lofty payments.

[JWilliamsIV]

The illogical hope side of me says I could do better on the LSAT, but the rational side says otherwise. I do well consistently on LR, and RC, but I consistently blow it on AR. I took a 3 month prep course and worked through every AR problem from LSAT 1 to LSAT 62. Only minor improvement (missing an average of 15-16 to missing an average of 9-11) I think I'll just put up a Doug Flutie, and apply to other schools with 25 - 75 that more closely correlate with my LSAT performance.

I'm new here, what's an ED contract?

[lawyerwannabe]

ED = early decision; it is a binding contract that, if accepted, you would have to attend that institution

And, I may be completely wrong, but isn't there a GI Bill that was recently passed (or edited) that covers a lot (all?) of law school expenses for public universities?

If I am anywhere near right with what I said above, I would ED to UVA. They seem to take people with pretty good LSAT scores and great GPAs if the applicant EDs. Not only would you secure placement in a T10 law school within the first two weeks of the cycle (their turnaround for ED applicants is remarkable), you would have money from the government to pay for your law school experience because UVA is public.

[notanumber]

The illogical hope side of me says I could do better on the LSAT, but the rational side says otherwise. I do well consistently on LR, and RC, but I consistently blow it on AR. I took a 3 month prep course and worked through every AR problem from LSAT 1 to LSAT 62. Only minor improvement (missing an average of 15-16 to missing an average of 9-11) I think I'll just put up a Doug Flutie, and apply to other schools with 25 - 75 that more closely correlate with my LSAT performance.

I'm new here, what's an ED contract?

It's actually encouraging that AR was the section you had problems with. It's usually the most learnable section and if you're screwing up on LR and RC then it's a much more difficult fight. Have you taken a gander at the powerscore bible? I found it to be quite useful, and AR was far and away my most challenging section.

Do you know if you have trouble diagramming the problems, or was it more about following up with the implications of those diagrams?

But yeah, if you don't want to invest in the LSAT stuff, spend a lot of time crafting a powerful statement and ED to UVA. If you don't get in, quickly send out another ED contract to Michigan or Northwestern along with your other applications.

Good luck, it sounds like you want to put your degree to good use!

[Puttanesca]

+1 for ED to UVA. UVA is also tied in with JAG if you have any interest in that.

[JWilliamsIV]

thanks all

[bigkahuna2020]

I think your softs plus GPA are enough to get looks from almost everyone.

[unc0mm0n1]

ED = early decision; it is a binding contract that, if accepted, you would have to attend that institution

And, I may be completely wrong, but isn't there a GI Bill that was recently passed (or edited) that covers a lot (all?) of law school expenses for public universities?

If I am anywhere near right with what I said above, I would ED to UVA. They seem to take people with pretty good LSAT scores and great GPAs if the applicant EDs. Not only would you secure placement in a T10 law school within the first two weeks of the cycle (their turnaround for ED applicants is remarkable), you would have money from the government to pay for your law school experience because UVA is public.

It covers the instate cost of attendance (yes including living expenses). The great thing is if you get scholarship money (at certain schools) you can sometimes pocket it. Sadly not at the first three schools you are looking at (YHS).