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Long time lurker in need of advice...

Undergraduate GPA: 3.51/4.00
Double major in Poli Sci and Economics, minor in French - top liberal arts college
Graduated with Honors in Poli Sci, major GPA 3.77/4.00
Got the award for best senior thesis in Political Science, lots of leadership experience/ leadership awards

October 2010 LSAT - 162
(had been PTing in the 167-169 range but just crashed and burned on test day)

Variables:
Worked as a paralegal for 2 years in a top corp law firm in NYC and London

Went on to do a MA in Law & Development at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Graduated with a Distinction in my Masters (essentially an LLM program)- also got the award for most outstanding academic performance, came first in my entire cohort, had a perfect GPA. Great (law focused) extra currics, won a scholarship for dissertation fieldwork, etc.

I planned to retake the LSAT in October but am considering pushing it to December.

Ethnic minority female but not URM

Because of family and health circumstances, I can only go to schools in the Bay Area or UC-Davis. What are my chances at Boalt and UC-Davis if I apply with my current LSAT score and aim to retake in december? I know Boalt is a long long long shot ...

You basically have no chance at Berkeley, sorry, but if it is your dream school and you don't care about the fees, then apply anyway. UC Davis, you have to get your score up. You have a better chance at Hastings, if you can get it up even one point you will have a good chance of getting in, or get wait listed then get in (this year it seems they heavily used their wait list). I'd also apply to Santa Clara if I were you.

hanman wrote:Long time lurker in need of advice...

Undergraduate GPA: 3.51/4.00
Double major in Poli Sci and Economics, minor in French - top liberal arts college
Graduated with Honors in Poli Sci, major GPA 3.77/4.00
Got the award for best senior thesis in Political Science, lots of leadership experience/ leadership awards

October 2010 LSAT - 162
(had been PTing in the 167-169 range but just crashed and burned on test day)

Variables:
Worked as a paralegal for 2 years in a top corp law firm in NYC and London

Went on to do a MA in Law & Development at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Graduated with a Distinction in my Masters (essentially an LLM program)- also got the award for most outstanding academic performance, came first in my entire cohort, had a perfect GPA. Great (law focused) extra currics, won a scholarship for dissertation fieldwork, etc.

I planned to retake the LSAT in October but am considering pushing it to December.

Ethnic minority female but not URM

Because of family and health circumstances, I can only go to schools in the Bay Area or UC-Davis. What are my chances at Boalt and UC-Davis if I apply with my current LSAT score and aim to retake in december? I know Boalt is a long long long shot ...

Retake it. Also, you mention graduating with a double major. Did you attain one major before the other? If you did, then any courses after your first major do not count towards your GPA.


EDIT: Boalt loves candidates with your type of experience / history, but you really need to bring one of your hards up...and since your GPA is set, buckle down and hit the LSAT hard.

I'd bet that with a great PS, LORs, and a 169-172 you could get in.

Thanks for your feedback! My double major was completed simultaneously, i.e. graduated with both majors (and minor) at the same time. I think I am just going to study hard and shoot for the 170 range in December (I think it is too close to October test to take it again and risk crashing and burning once more) and hope I get close enough to it to have a shot at Davis and(a more distant one) at Boalt.