Top Law Schools

Hey Folks,

Looking to get into UCLA or USC (also possibly Georgetown and Boalt...reach, i know).

Graduated one year ago with a 3.59/169 from Loyola Marymount University. I've been working for the past year (and will continue to work for one more year) for Apple (corporate, not in a store) in a management position on their marketing team. Other work experience includes internships + work at top Hollywood agencies + studios (relevant as I want to go into entertainment law).

I plan to ED at UCLA. I'm a white male.

Let me know what my chances are, and any other school's you'd recommend based on my numbers/interest.

http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com

Retaking is worth the effort considering even a single point will drastically change things for you.

Unfortunately I won't have time to re-take...my job consumes far too much time now (avg 11-12 hour day, no exaggeration) and I plan on staying until June 2012 (I originally took the LSAT right before graduating a year ago).

smoneill88 wrote:Hey Folks,

Looking to get into UCLA or USC (also possibly Georgetown and Boalt...reach, i know).

Graduated one year ago with a 3.59/169 from Loyola Marymount University. I've been working for the past year (and will continue to work for one more year) for Apple (corporate, not in a store) in a management position on their marketing team. Other work experience includes internships + work at top Hollywood agencies + studios (relevant as I want to go into entertainment law).

I plan to ED at UCLA. I'm a white male.

Let me know what my chances are, and any other school's you'd recommend based on my numbers/interest.

Pretty much same #s, but with no work experience like yours. I got WL at UCLA and USC. They love those GPAs. ED would probably get you in.

smoneill88 wrote:Unfortunately I won't have time to re-take...my job consumes far too much time now (avg 11-12 hour day, no exaggeration) and I plan on staying until June 2012 (I originally took the LSAT right before graduating a year ago).

Bear in mind that a couple of extra points could easily be worth a scholarship that could run close to $100,000 depending on the school. Repaying that will cost you another $50,000.

Clearly you like your job and want to remain committed to it. Still, it's worth being aware of the cost that might come at, especially given the fact you want to be a lawyer implies you don't intend sticking around for the longer term.

You've forced me to think about that, and I'm going to have to keep thinking about it (quitting is a big decision, and there is more than just a pay check in play with this job...)

Thanks everyone for chiming in, any way I can get more feedback on likelihood of acceptance? Law school predictor puts me at 'accept' @ USC and 'strong consider' at UCLA when I ED? Is this accurate? Maybe with a waitlist at UCLA but still an accept to USC?

Why would you want to bail on marketing at Apple for law school, is this an inane joke? (Besides the fact that Apple at this point is a marketing firm with a tech company stappled to it, so you are golden). Your numbers make going to law school a huge mistake. Unless you bumped that LSAT up to like 175+, so you could snag Columbia or Chicago, law school is not worth your time.

Law school is for humanities majors whose degrees are worthless, and people in other fields who fucked up and couldn't get real jobs.

dissonance1848 wrote:Why would you want to bail on marketing at Apple for law school, is this an inane joke? (Besides the fact that Apple at this point is a marketing firm with a tech company stappled to it, so you are golden). Your numbers make going to law school a huge mistake. Unless you bumped that LSAT up to like 175+, so you could snag Columbia or Chicago, law school is not worth your time.

Law school is for humanities majors whose degrees are worthless, and people in other fields who fucked up and couldn't get real jobs.

Or for people who want to be lawyers.

dissonance1848 wrote: Law school is for humanities majors whose degrees are worthless, and people in other fields who fucked up and couldn't get real jobs.

What nonsense. There are doctors and lots of folk who have been very successful on these boards who are in or going to law school.

Law school is for folk who want to be lawyers.

Why would I want to be 1 of tens of thousands working for a large conglomerate? I love my company but it's still just that, a giant company. Tech is cool, fun, and gets you well connected, but it isn't my passion and won't make me happy in the long run. My dream is to be a lawyer, that's why I want to go to law school.

And it's ridiculous to say that my numbers make going to law school a waste. Some of our most successful family friends who are attorneys went to UCLA and USC, as did their partners at their firms.

Trying to bring this thread back around...can I get a little more feedback on numbers and some suggestions on other schools I should apply to? Thanks guys and gals.

smoneill88 wrote:Why would I want to be 1 of tens of thousands working for a large conglomerate? I love my company but it's still just that, a giant company. Tech is cool, fun, and gets you well connected, but it isn't my passion and won't make me happy in the long run. My dream is to be a lawyer, that's why I want to go to law school.

And it's ridiculous to say that my numbers make going to law school a waste. Some of our most successful family friends who are attorneys went to UCLA and USC, as did their partners at their firms.

Trying to bring this thread back around...can I get a little more feedback on numbers and some suggestions on other schools I should apply to? Thanks guys and gals.

I am also 1 year out of UG and had a very fun/connection building/pretty well paying job lined up as well working with a political group. I had the option to stay on and get promoted/make a much higher salary next year if I would forgo law school. I chose to go ahead and leave because in the long run, I see myself enjoying legal work/building a career in law. I will be attending a T25-T30 (Varies from year to year) on a 70% merit scholarship and the money I have made this year has allowed me to now graduate near debt free. Not only that, I already have a 1L summer SA lined up that is very well paying. I got this via my work experience and connections I made at my job.

I would recommend either EDing to UCLA/USC or taking big $$$ a LMU or retaking and getting some money from either of the 2. As it is, I think you are definitely in at USC and in at UCLA.

If op got even a 170 on a retake, he'd have a fighting chance at mvp, right?

grimfan wrote:If op got even a 170 on a retake, he'd have a fighting chance at mvp, right?

Moot point since OP wants to practice entertainment law. USC and UCLA are the way to go. I think OP has a fighting chance with his/her current numbers and work experience.

I think you should be given the standard warning that if all you want to do with your law degree is practice entertainment law, you might be making a risky move. Those jobs is hard to get.

daesonesb wrote:I think you should be given the standard warning that if all you want to do with your law degree is practice entertainment law, you might be making a risky move. Those jobs is hard to get.

I'm very fortunate to be aided in this respect by a bit of nepotism and some wonderful family friends who practice in the field.

I also have a background of work in entertainment (including work at a top agency + a studio) which will help separate me from the people who don't know the industry and couldn't tell you the difference between an agent and a manager or a dp and a director.

But regardless, Entertainment is simply my current vision, I am going to be open to discovering a possible new passion during my schooling, to do otherwise would be stubborn and foolish.

Thank you everyone for the feedback, it is much appreciated and confidence inspiring. I will move forth and conquer the application process. Let the fun begin.