Top Law Schools

UGPA: 3.46 from Top 3 LAC. Double major Economics and English.

Low GPA for a number of reasons: GPA-killing science and math courses freshman year, major in economics despite the fact that I kept on getting B's with the intention of going into economic development (I have since realized I need to be way better at math to pursue economic development in the way I originally envisioned, but there are other ways of doing so, including law).

One semester spent studying away at a not-that-great educational institution, so that I could be at home, to address both my mother's and my own health problems. Depression throughout college (briefly took medication, saw a counselor regularly), but it got better, along with my health (which I now feel in control of), and my transcript shows an upward trend.

LSAT: planning to take in Oct. First practice test without studying was 164, recent PT after studying PowerScore Logic Games was 170. Haven't yet studied Analytical Reasoning, but I am shooting for at least 174, and am pretty confident that with study and practice (and possibly some private tutoring sessions) that I can get there.

Asian female

Decent leadership and internship experience from college, but no brand names there. Similarly, will be completing in August a year-long fellowship program, but also not a big name. Currently seeking employment for the next year while I apply to law school, focusing on non-profit or consulting (ideally a combination of the two). I'm feeling very apprehensive about the job market. I also have a side project going, a website/blog that I initially started for a class in college, and which I'm continuing now just for fun, but also hoping to make some $$ off it.

Not much exposure to the legal field. But reading about law school and law practice... it just seems RIGHT for me. Intelligent people, high-profile, challenging. I've talked to some alums who are lawyers, and am planning to talk to some more and ask about shadowing/interning. I'm wondering if I have skills that I can market to apply for paralegal positions?


Chances at Top 30? I would like to be in the New York City area. Columbia/NYU/Fordham/Cardozo? Also looking at Northwestern, Georgetown, GWU, GMU, American, UPenn, UVa, William&Mary, Duke, BU, BC.

Nobody will chance you until you get a real LSAT score...also, most people's real score is lower than their practice ones

That's fair, but I won't have a real score until October, and I plan to apply early, so I'd still appreciate feedback. Assuming a score of 170, then (I'm not the type to panic on test day).

It's not really panic its just what happens...anyways, with a 170 I would say Columbia and NYU definitely out...Northwestern, UPenn, Duke and Georgetown most likely out, BU and BC possibly out because they tend to really like GPAs, Fordham would be in/wait list, the rest I would say in.

The best way to judge your chances would be to use lawschoolpredictor.com to play around with the numbers as well as lawschoolnumbers.com to get a feel for how people with similar numbers do. Also, just some of the other "what are my chances" threads with ppl who have similar numbers and see what their chances are.

I get what you are trying to do here but your aren't a splitter till you get a 170+. Right now you are just someone with a less than stellar GPA.

Ok... I wasn't aware of the terminology. I will check out lawschoolpredictor.com, thanks for the link.

Thoughts on whether I should include an addendum? I've heard people say that if you feel that external circumstances kept you from performing your best, you should. I really, really don't like to make excuses for myself, but I'd say there were some things out of my control that kept me from performing my best in undergrad.

Maybe...saying "classes were hard" will not do it though. Usually a GPA addendum needs to be medical, death in the family, etc...

I mostly want to explain why I studied away at a not-that-great educational institution... my mother was dealing with a breast cancer scare and I wanted to be at home. I also had my own medical problem, but it was chronic and not life-threatening, partially my own fault, and currently under control, so I don't think I want to talk about that so much.

Well if you do not want to talk about it then you should not put it in an addendum...the unfortunate part is that most things that would help explain a bad GPA would be stuff that people do not feel comfortable about. You either need to just put it out there and realize that you will never meet the person who read your application (most likely) or just not write one.

Yea, I think what people have said about a real score is true. I don't want to discourage you, but I was hitting 173-175 and ended up with a 168. Not a bad score, but nothing is a sure thing until you've done it on test day. Many people have done it, though. I would also say don't put added pressure on yourself worrying about the number, just study hard and do your best.

I'm sorry, but how have you studied the PowerScore Logic Games Bible and also not started studying Analytical Reasoning yet?