2.78/170 Forum

[smhaaty]

GPA: 2.78
LSAT: 170
URM: No
Other: MA Education with 3.4 GPA and work experience as high school teacher

Schools I'm considering applying to. I'm also from CA (I'm not sure if that gives me any advantage to the instate schools)

Northwestern
UCLA
USC
UC Davis
Washington & Lee
UC Hastings
LMU
Pepperdine
Southwestern (safety)
Chapman (safety)

[crumpetsandtea]

Northwestern - Possibly WL/In or In, depending.
UCLA - Out
USC - Out
UC Davis - WL
Washington & Lee - No idea
UC Hastings - WL
LMU - No idea
Pepperdine - In, but you probs shouldn't go
Southwestern (safety) - In, but you probs shouldn't go
Chapman (safety) - In, but you probs shouldn't go

Hey there!

I have similar stats to you (sub-3 with a 17X) and WE. Here's my reasoning for the list above:

Northwestern might not pick you up because you're WAY below GPA 25th but exactly at their LSAT median (as opposed to over the 75th, which would make you a lock). It really depends on how hard-pressed they are to maintain medians and how impressive your app package is, but in all likelihood it's either a late In or a WL/In or WL/Out.

For the CA schools - I'd recommend not going to any schools ranked below Hastings. Why? Because the California market is incredibly saturated as it is, and even students from UCLA/USC and Boalt/UCD/UCH are having a LOT of trouble finding jobs. If you go to SW, for example, you'll be competing against UCB, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Pepperdine, Loyola, California Western, etc etc etc grads, not to mention grads from T14 schools who are trying to return to California after law school. Also, your chances are DRASTICALLY reduced at a California school because of your GPA: California schools are pretty much all GPA whores, unfortunately.

Other schools to look at - CU Boulder, WUSTL (you are definitely in, most likely with $$), IUB, UMN. You can try for Hail Mary EDs to UVa or GULC PT (the latter being more likely), but with a GPA well under 3.0 and a barely-17X LSAT, there's a slim chance you'll get in, IMO. Fordham PT might be good too. Where do you want to work after graduation? Are you hoping to stay in California?

[smhaaty]

Northwestern - Possibly WL/In or In, depending.
Other schools to look at - CU Boulder, WUSTL (you are definitely in, most likely with $$), IUB, UMN. You can try for Hail Mary EDs to UVa or GULC PT (the latter being more likely), but with a GPA well under 3.0 and a barely-17X LSAT, there's a slim chance you'll get in, IMO. Fordham PT might be good too. Where do you want to work after graduation? Are you hoping to stay in California?

I would like to work in California and I can save money on room and board staying local. I'm not opposed to going out of state if I can get $$ or it a T-20.

[Dr. Filth]

Someone got in RD at UVA with a 2.99 and a 170, so I'd say an ED app would be at least worth the 50 bucks.