Top Law Schools

First post here on TLS, be gentle

I'm going into my junior year at a top-20 undergrad, and plan on taking a LSAT course next summer, then taking the LSAT next October. I know it may be a bit premature, but I'm trying to get a feel for where I can expect to be admitted -- straight from undergrad. From what I've read here it seems like post-undergrad "real-world experience" is looked on favorably by law schools, and I'm wondering whether going straight from undergrad to law school could hurt my chances at T14s. Here's my info:

URM Mexican Male
Double-major in Phil and Psychology
GPA: 3.88 (expect to get it up to at least 3.9 by the time of application)
(Projected ) LSAT score: 170
500+ hours of psychological lab research

1) Will my chances at T14 be hurt by applying straight from undergrad?

2) What are my chances at getting into T14?

Thanks!!!

Hey lakers24 fan.

1) No it won't hurt you. Except for Northwestern, which has a strong preference for work experience.

2) You have a really good shot at all 14. Here's how people with similar stats (and who are underrepresented minorities) did last year. http://search.lawschoolnumbers.com/user ... Cycle=1011

Good luck man!

Get the LSAT score first -- you can't predict and you never know what will happen on test day. Not to scare you, but you can't really know your chances yet.

lakers24fan wrote:First post here on TLS, be gentle

I'm going into my junior year at a top-20 undergrad, and plan on taking a LSAT course next summer, then taking the LSAT next October. I know it may be a bit premature, but I'm trying to get a feel for where I can expect to be admitted -- straight from undergrad. From what I've read here it seems like post-undergrad "real-world experience" is looked on favorably by law schools, and I'm wondering whether going straight from undergrad to law school could hurt my chances at T14s. Here's my info:

URM Mexican Male
Double-major in Phil and Psychology
GPA: 3.88 (expect to get it up to at least 3.9 by the time of application)
(Projected ) LSAT score: 170
500+ hours of psychological lab research

1) Will my chances at T14 be hurt by applying straight from undergrad?

2) What are my chances at getting into T14?

Thanks!!!

Take a PT at the least. Being an URM and having a great GPA, you definitely have a good start.

Bro. You just predicted a 98th%tile LSAT score without having even taken one.

LULZ

Bangalmafia wrote:Hey lakers24 fan.

1) No it won't hurt you. Except for Northwestern, which has a strong preference for work experience.

2) You have a really good shot at all 14. Here's how people with similar stats (and who are underrepresented minorities) did last year. http://search.lawschoolnumbers.com/user ... Cycle=1011

Good luck man!

Thanks for that info!!!

Grizz wrote:Bro. You just predicted a 98th%tile LSAT score without having even taken one.

LULZ

I took a practice LSAT with a buddy of mine about a month ago with simulated conditions and got a 173. Considering the facts that 1) it may have just been an outlier and/or 2) most people don't do as well on test day as they do on practice tests, I put "170" as an educated guess. LULZ

Does anyone else have anything to say about how "real-world experience" affects admissions chances, or did Bangalmafia pretty much lay the nail on the head?

lakers24fan wrote:I took a practice LSAT with a buddy of mine about a month ago with simulated conditions and got a 173. Considering the facts that 1) it may have just been an outlier and/or 2) most people don't do as well on test day as they do on practice tests, I put "170" as an educated guess. LULZ

Okay, I'm jelly.

lakers24fan wrote:Does anyone else have anything to say about how "real-world experience" affects admissions chances, or did Bangalmafia pretty much lay the nail on the head?

Harvard is trending more towards work experience, but at other schools WE is just a soft you don't have.

I think for Yale as well - you need some exceptional softs to be admitted. I would say that for Yale, having the numbers is not enough. It may be enough for Harvard, but at Yale I imagine post-grad work experience, and prestigious experience at that, is helpful and almost necessary. Northwestern also requires work experience. At most of the other t-14 though, if you have the stats, it shouldn't keep you out.

Samara wrote:

lakers24fan wrote:Does anyone else have anything to say about how "real-world experience" affects admissions chances, or did Bangalmafia pretty much lay the nail on the head?

Harvard is trending more towards work experience, but at other schools WE is just a soft you don't have.

Hmm... Harvard is probably my #1 choice... is not having work experience such a disadvantage that it could hurt one's chances of not getting admitted?

freestallion wrote:I think for Yale as well - you need some exceptional softs to be admitted. I would say that for Yale, having the numbers is not enough. It may be enough for Harvard, but at Yale I imagine post-grad work experience, and prestigious experience at that, is helpful and almost necessary. Northwestern also requires work experience. At most of the other t-14 though, if you have the stats, it shouldn't keep you out.

haha yeah, I figured Yale would be crazy, but to be honest I don't think I have any shot of getting into there.

lakers24fan wrote:

Samara wrote:

lakers24fan wrote:Does anyone else have anything to say about how "real-world experience" affects admissions chances, or did Bangalmafia pretty much lay the nail on the head?

Harvard is trending more towards work experience, but at other schools WE is just a soft you don't have.

Hmm... Harvard is probably my #1 choice... is not having work experience such a disadvantage that it could hurt one's chances of not getting admitted?

I don't think it's at the point where it's a disadvantage. You have some decent softs, plus you're a URM. If you top 170, considering your URM status, you're practically a lock at Harvard.

Samara wrote:

lakers24fan wrote:

Samara wrote:

lakers24fan wrote:Does anyone else have anything to say about how "real-world experience" affects admissions chances, or did Bangalmafia pretty much lay the nail on the head?

Harvard is trending more towards work experience, but at other schools WE is just a soft you don't have.

Hmm... Harvard is probably my #1 choice... is not having work experience such a disadvantage that it could hurt one's chances of not getting admitted?

I don't think it's at the point where it's a disadvantage. You have some decent softs, plus you're a URM. If you top 170, considering your URM status, you're practically a lock at Harvard.

thanks!

lakers24fan wrote:

Grizz wrote:Bro. You just predicted a 98th%tile LSAT score without having even taken one.

LULZ

I took a practice LSAT with a buddy of mine about a month ago with simulated conditions and got a 173. Considering the facts that 1) it may have just been an outlier and/or 2) most people don't do as well on test day as they do on practice tests, I put "170" as an educated guess. LULZ

Go look up a poster named Dr. Strangelove for a very lulzy high 170s to 165 drop from his PTs.

Work experience may not help you get in, but it may help you get a real job, so keep that in mind. Employers like experienced/more mature/demonstrably employable people.

Grizz wrote:

lakers24fan wrote:

Grizz wrote:Bro. You just predicted a 98th%tile LSAT score without having even taken one.

LULZ

I took a practice LSAT with a buddy of mine about a month ago with simulated conditions and got a 173. Considering the facts that 1) it may have just been an outlier and/or 2) most people don't do as well on test day as they do on practice tests, I put "170" as an educated guess. LULZ

Go look up a poster named Dr. Strangelove for a very lulzy high 170s to 165 drop from his PTs.

Work experience may not help you get in, but it may help you get a real job, so keep that in mind. Employers like experienced/more mature/demonstrably employable people.

1) So what actual LSAT score should I be aiming for to have a decent (whatever "decent" means) shot at a school like Harvard or Stanford?

2) This is an honest-to-God question, and I don't mean to sound like an elitist prick, but do you think WE would really keep a firm from hiring someone if they had a law degree that said "Harvard" or "Stanford" on it?

lakers24fan wrote:

Grizz wrote:

lakers24fan wrote:

Grizz wrote:Bro. You just predicted a 98th%tile LSAT score without having even taken one.

LULZ

I took a practice LSAT with a buddy of mine about a month ago with simulated conditions and got a 173. Considering the facts that 1) it may have just been an outlier and/or 2) most people don't do as well on test day as they do on practice tests, I put "170" as an educated guess. LULZ

Go look up a poster named Dr. Strangelove for a very lulzy high 170s to 165 drop from his PTs.

Work experience may not help you get in, but it may help you get a real job, so keep that in mind. Employers like experienced/more mature/demonstrably employable people.

1) So what actual LSAT score should I be aiming for to have a decent (whatever "decent" means) shot at a school like Harvard or Stanford?

2) This is an honest-to-God question, and I don't mean to sound like an elitist prick, but do you think WE would really keep a firm from hiring someone if they had a law degree that said "Harvard" or "Stanford" on it?

Not to mention the work experience that the OP will presumably acquire over the 3 yrs of law school. I wouldn't worry too much.

OP, I envy the position you're in! Don't slack on the LSAT prep and I'm sure you'll be golden.