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Here is the story.

I took the LSAT right after finishing undergrad (June 2008). Needless to say, I didn't do very well. I took a chance when I really should not have. My family was going through a tough time, and I probably should have reconsidered taking the LSAT since the problems did not allow me to properly prepare. Since then, I decided to pursue a Masters Degree in History from UT EL Paso. During the process of writing my thesis (on the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in El Paso, the Tigua tribe), I became interested in law again. Many of my seminar papers and my thesis focused on historical aspects of law and how it affected different minority groups. My graduate degree allows me to write about such matters, but a law degree can help me provide crucial legal services in communities like my own.

So, here I am in a different place than 3 years ago. I'm much more mature and prepared to handle law school now than I was in 2008 after I finished my undergrad. My undergrad GPA was a 3.59, and I have an MA. What type of impact does having a graduate degree have? Can it help me in the long run? As a first generation U.S. Citizen (immigrant parents, growing up in a very impoverished minority neighborhood) and a Mexican American, what type of impact does that have? I can't speak on the LSAT just yet since I am taking it in December, but, if practice LSATs are any indicator, I will be somewhere in the 160-166 range.

I'm looking at specific schools in the Southwest. UT Austin, Colorado, Denver, U of Arizona, and ASU. Will I have to explain a huge jump in the LSAT? My personal statements have tried to explain how much I have matured since my undergraduate years, and I'm wondering if that can explain the possible jump in the LSAT score.

Thanks, and it's good to be on this board.

As a holder of a Ph.D., I can attest that holding one or more graduate degrees had little impact on my cycle last year. I got into the schools that I expected to get into based on my numbers. Your potential URM status will be a bigger factor.

bigtexmex wrote:Here is the story.

I took the LSAT right after finishing undergrad (June 2008). Needless to say, I didn't do very well. I took a chance when I really should not have. My family was going through a tough time, and I probably should have reconsidered taking the LSAT since the problems did not allow me to properly prepare. Since then, I decided to pursue a Masters Degree in History from UT EL Paso. During the process of writing my thesis (on the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in El Paso, the Tigua tribe), I became interested in law again. Many of my seminar papers and my thesis focused on historical aspects of law and how it affected different minority groups. My graduate degree allows me to write about such matters, but a law degree can help me provide crucial legal services in communities like my own.

So, here I am in a different place than 3 years ago. I'm much more mature and prepared to handle law school now than I was in 2008 after I finished my undergrad. My undergrad GPA was a 3.59, and I have an MA. What type of impact does having a graduate degree have? Can it help me in the long run? As a first generation U.S. Citizen (immigrant parents, growing up in a very impoverished minority neighborhood) and a Mexican American, what type of impact does that have? I can't speak on the LSAT just yet since I am taking it in December, but, if practice LSATs are any indicator, I will be somewhere in the 160-166 range.

I'm looking at specific schools in the Southwest. UT Austin, Colorado, Denver, U of Arizona, and ASU. Will I have to explain a huge jump in the LSAT? My personal statements have tried to explain how much I have matured since my undergraduate years, and I'm wondering if that can explain the possible jump in the LSAT score.

Thanks, and it's good to be on this board.

Graduate degree won't help at all, but your URM status will help big time. if you score in the upper part of your LSAT range, your looking at t-14. You could have an LSAT addendum but it isnt necessary

bigtexmex wrote: Will I have to explain a huge jump in the LSAT?

How huge of a jump are we lookin' at here? Like the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump?

BiglawOrBust wrote:

bigtexmex wrote: Will I have to explain a huge jump in the LSAT?

How huge of a jump are we lookin' at here? Like the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump?

If PTs are any indicator, a 12-15 point jump, possibly more if my PT scores keep going up by December. I'm scoring in the 160-165 range consistently, and in under 35 minutes per section. Like I said, my personal statements try to address the issue a bit. My family was going through a very tough time, and I did not prepare accordingly. I went through the June 2008 LSAT because I did not want to feel like a failure to my family, and tried to be strong when I probably should have been much more humble and cancelled the score. But, I didn't, and that won't change. Going through the many difficulties my family has gone through and finishing graduate school have made me much more mature, and I'm taking my current LSAT studying much more seriously.

Hey! This thread is pretty applicable to your situation strangely enough. Enjoy.

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 9&t=167565

bigtexmex wrote:

BiglawOrBust wrote:

bigtexmex wrote: Will I have to explain a huge jump in the LSAT?

How huge of a jump are we lookin' at here? Like the Evel Knievel Snake River Canyon jump?

If PTs are any indicator, a 12-15 point jump, possibly more if my PT scores keep going up by December. I'm scoring in the 160-165 range consistently, and in under 35 minutes per section. Like I said, my personal statements try to address the issue a bit. My family was going through a very tough time, and I did not prepare accordingly. I went through the June 2008 LSAT because I did not want to feel like a failure to my family, and tried to be strong when I probably should have been much more humble and cancelled the score. But, I didn't, and that won't change. Going through the many difficulties my family has gone through and finishing graduate school have made me much more mature, and I'm taking my current LSAT studying much more seriously.

I feel you, dude. Some schools require addenda for score increases that are even lower than that, but, if your PS adequately covers that part of your life and the reasons for your poor past performance, submitting one might be redundant unless it is required by the school.

But if you do write it for one school, you might as well send it to all of them. It seems like you have compelling reasons for the large increase.

Grizz wrote:Hey! This thread is pretty applicable to your situation strangely enough. Enjoy.

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 9&t=167565

You're really cool.

OP is a future 99%'er