4.07/165 and some kinda unique softs- chances? Forum

[gravityrides0]

Hey all! I honestly am thinking chances are looking bleak for me since I got a just-ok LSAT score, but the lawschoolpredictor calculator is giving me some (false?) hope.

Got a 165, and my GPA is a 4.07... My transcript, resume, Phi Beta Kappa, and concurrent majors (B.S.'s) also make it clear that I have taken some of the hardest courses I could have taken at my school (ASU), including honors classes, grad classes, and classes at Sandra Day O'Connor. My softs are pretty good... I have a great research job at a science policy think tank and am doing an interesting sustainability thesis project, and was a researcher for awhile in an ecology lab (hoping the science/ research background could make me stand out a little bit). I also am in a social sorority and have been Career and Personal Development Director for awhile. I've got a solid four LoRs which should turn out pretty well. The only pretty bad part of my softs is a couple of underage drinking tickets, but that's life.

I know Columbia and Stanford are a HUGE stretch for me, but those are my top choices. Here is a complete list of what I am hoping to apply to. For some reason, I think Boalt could be a very real possibility, but please let me know if you think it is much less likely than I'm hoping...

Stanford
Columbia
NYU
UPenn
Boalt
UVa
Duke
Georgetown
UCLA
UT
USC
GW
---
Thoughts?

If I am unlikely to get into any of these, I guess I'll either look into the T30 range, or retake, or join the Peace Corps, or kill myself.

[gravityrides0]

Also, my majors are Political Science (yawn), and Sustainability ( <3 )

And I'm a white chick.

[5ky]

Berkeley is your best chance at a T14, other than EDing at UVA, and even then, it's still a reach. I can't speak to the schools towards the bottom of your list, but I imagine you would have a better chance there. I think you need to revise your expectations down a bit. If you were PTing significantly higher than 165, you should absolutely retake.

Also, those softs are not unique, and will make no difference. Finally, Political Science and Sustainability are not exactly what people think of when you say "B.S." and "some of the hardest courses I could have taken at my school," so maybe relax a bit on the optimism with respect to your academic background.

[prezidentv8]

Political Science and Sustainability are not exactly what people think of when you say "B.S."

You sure?

[5ky]

Political Science and Sustainability are not exactly what people think of when you say "B.S."

You sure?

180

[gravityrides0]

Well, I didn't mean some of the hardest classes in regards to my majors. I mean that I took and got A's in some hard honors classes and 8 classes at the law school and in grad programs (so alongside law/grad students, held to the same standards, and writing 30-page long research papers)

[paratactical]

Well, I didn't mean some of the hardest classes in regards to my majors. I mean that I took and got A's in some hard honors classes and 8 classes at the law school and in grad programs (so alongside law/grad students, held to the same standards, and writing 30-page long research papers)

That's not really "unique".

[gravityrides0]

Political Science and Sustainability are not exactly what people think of when you say "B.S."

You sure?

Also, at ASU there are B.A. and B.S. programs for both of these majors. I am the B.S. program for both, which is more heavy on science and statistics.

[prezidentv8]

Well, I didn't mean some of the hardest classes in regards to my majors. I mean that I took and got A's in some hard honors classes and 8 classes at the law school and in grad programs (so alongside law/grad students, held to the same standards, and writing 30-page long research papers)

As a polisci type myself, I'm just making fun. Anyway, that type of thing surely won't hurt you, and it may put you over the top if you're a borderline candidate somewhere, but - without saying whether these sorts of considerations should or shouldn't matter more than they do in admissions - don't expect them to make a huge difference.

[gravityrides0]

For Boalt, do you think I should play up my sustainability background, ecology, etc.?

[kams]

I'd say out at Boalt. Maybe 30% chance at UCLA/Texas, and 50% at USC/GW. Great GPA but LSAT is gonna hold you back.

[law4vus]

I'd say out at Boalt. Maybe 30% chance at UCLA/Texas, and 50% at USC/GW. Great GPA but LSAT is gonna hold you back.

OP is in at GW with some money, IMO.

[Bodhi_mind]

BS but not Bachelor of Science ya digg

[Flips88]

Stanford-didn't apply
Columbia-didn't apply
NYU-ding
UPenn-waitlist
Boalt-wait list
UVa-wait list
Duke-priority reserve wait list
Georgetown-special preferred wait list
UCLA-didn't apply
UT-wait list
USC-didn't apply
GW-in with no $
---

My cycle with similar numbers.

[gravityrides0]

Stanford-didn't apply
Columbia-didn't apply
NYU-ding
UPenn-waitlist
Boalt-wait list
UVa-wait list
Duke-priority reserve wait list
Georgetown-special preferred wait list
UCLA-didn't apply
UT-wait list
USC-didn't apply
GW-in with no $
---

My cycle with similar numbers.

is that "ding" a good ding as in you got in?

[IAFG]

Wait are you currently employed full time at a think tank or was that an internship or something?

[gravityrides0]

It was a summer internship that turned into part time employment during the school year.. I am doing my honors thesis at the think tank, and am funded by both them and the NASA Space Grant program.

[thederangedwang]

ding means rejected

oh and also, your softs are not unique at all...they are pretty average sorry to say

[gravityrides0]

So did you go to GW or get in from any of the waitlists?

[thederangedwang]

So did you go to GW or get in from any of the waitlists?

just click on his profile...you will have all your questions answered there

[03121202698008]

ding means rejected

oh and also, your softs are not unique at all...they are pretty average sorry to say

This, consider the caliber of people you're competing with. They will have little to no impact on your cycle. Law schools really only care about the numbers that go into rankings. http://www.lawschoolpredictor.com

I'd consider a retake with some more prep.

Also, make sure you're using your LSDAS GPA...it doesn't matter what your school calculates.

[IAFG]

I disagree a little with the general advice you're getting. You're a reverse splitter. Your big disadvantage is that there are more people with good GPAs and weak LSATs than the opposite. Still, I do think your background could catch the eye of an adcomm. I would seriously consider 1) re-taking 2) getting a full time job for 1 year after graduation, ideally at your think tank (or part time if you can afford it, no one asks about that) and 3) EDing to a splitter friendly school.

Good luck.

[gravityrides0]

Yeah, the 4.07 is my LSDAS GPA... I would retake, but my practice scores (with a prep course) were ranging from 163ish to 169ish, and I was studying a ton a few weeks prior to the test. I don't really see it going up more than a point of two. I'm simply not a sharp test taker. And the lawschool predictor has a lot of "considers" which leads me to believe that if I applied to 8 of my "considers" in the T14, I could potentially get into a couple? But I realize that more likely I'll just get on a few waitlists and be taking anxiety meds all summer.

I wasn't saying my softs are necessary special, more that I have an interesting science policy/ sustainability/ ecology background and did something other than interning at a law firm or debate or something more typical of the "pre-law" student. So maybe I can play that up just to look slightly different from everyone else.

[03121202698008]

I disagree a little with the general advice you're getting. You're a reverse splitter. Your big disadvantage is that there are more people with good GPAs and weak LSATs than the opposite. Still, I do think your background could catch the eye of an adcomm. I would seriously consider 1) re-taking 2) getting a full time job for 1 year after graduation, ideally at your think tank (or part time if you can afford it, no one asks about that) and 3) EDing to a splitter friendly school.

Good luck.

Seriously? Like 80% of the people at my school have some kind of substantially similar soft. They all did amazing things on this level. There's always a chance but I wouldn't bet my cycle on it.

[03121202698008]

Yeah, the 4.07 is my LSDAS GPA... I would retake, but my practice scores (with a prep course) were ranging from 163ish to 169ish, and I was studying a ton a few weeks prior to the test. I don't really see it going up more than a point of two. I'm simply not a sharp test taker. And the lawschool predictor has a lot of "considers" which leads me to believe that if I applied to 8 of my "considers" in the T14, I could potentially get into a couple? But I realize that more likely I'll just get on a few waitlists and be taking anxiety meds all summer.

I wasn't saying my softs are necessary special, more that I have an interesting science policy/ sustainability/ ecology background and did something other than interning at a law firm or debate or something more typical of the "pre-law" student. So maybe I can play that up just to look slightly different from everyone else.

You can always try but I wouldn't waste that GPA on your LSAT. 2-3 points and you could be looking at serious $$. A few weeks? Most people here studied for 6-7 days a week for months. The test is very learnable.

Reverse splitters are extremely hard to predict. Those considers could all be dings. Even if you do get in, it will be with no $$.