Top Law Schools

I have pretty good softs, but I still feel like my GPA/ LSAT combo make me a typical candidate. Right now I'm looking for schools in DC, NY, Boston, Philly area and New Jersey. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

In each of those places, the best schools you can get into are probably American, Cardozo, Northeastern, Temple/Villanova, and either Rutgers school, respectively.

Those are all pretty large markets though, so going to a second or third banana school might make things tough on you. Have you considered retaking or considering a smaller market?

law4vus wrote:In each of those places, the best schools you can get into are probably American, Cardozo, Northeastern, Temple/Villanova, and either Rutgers school, respectively.

Those are all pretty large markets though, so going to a second or third banana school might make things tough on you. Have you considered retaking or considering a smaller market?

I was PTing around a 167 and freaked out on test day, but a 161 is a huge bump from my last score (148) and I don't know if I have it in me to start studying again. I have all of those schools in my current "target school" list, but my top choices would be GW/ BU/George Mason. I feel like I'm just short for those schools though.

hob12 wrote:

law4vus wrote:In each of those places, the best schools you can get into are probably American, Cardozo, Northeastern, Temple/Villanova, and either Rutgers school, respectively.

Those are all pretty large markets though, so going to a second or third banana school might make things tough on you. Have you considered retaking or considering a smaller market?

I was PTing around a 167 and freaked out on test day, but a 161 is a huge bump from my last score (148) and I don't know if I have it in me to start studying again. I have all of those schools in my current "target school" list, but my top choices would be GW/ BU/George Mason. I feel like I'm just short for those schools though.

Yeah, I think you are definitely a little too low for GW/BU. Possible at George Mason. Maybe consider Northeastern if you are dead-set on the northeast/Boston.

hob12 wrote:

law4vus wrote:In each of those places, the best schools you can get into are probably American, Cardozo, Northeastern, Temple/Villanova, and either Rutgers school, respectively.

Those are all pretty large markets though, so going to a second or third banana school might make things tough on you. Have you considered retaking or considering a smaller market?

I was PTing around a 167 and freaked out on test day, but a 161 is a huge bump from my last score (148) and I don't know if I have it in me to start studying again. I have all of those schools in my current "target school" list, but my top choices would be GW/ BU/George Mason. I feel like I'm just short for those schools though.

Honestly, I completely get where you're coming from. I was practicing in the mid 170s and didn't score lower than 171 for the last 20 practice tests I took. I had a panic attack (legit, diagnosed and all) and got a 167 after failing to even complete the first section. Yeah, it's still a good score but it was lower than what I wanted. I considered retaking in December but I also felt like I didn't have it in me to study and take it again.

It was one of the the biggest mistakes of my life.

Know this - the uphill battle you'll face to get to where you feel like you SHOULD have been is going to be harder than retaking the LSAT. Trying to get to the top 5% at wherever you end up to get the same opportunities that top 20% would get you at a school you would have gotten into had you not freaked out is going to be very, very difficult. (I hope that sentence wasn't too confusing lol)

On the scale of difficulty, the LSAT isn't even in the same ballpark as law school itself. If you really want law school and really want to do well and succeed, the easiest way to do it will be to take the LSAT again. No pressure to listen to me obviously, I'm just coming from my similar perspective.

Good luck with whatever you decide and feel free to PM if you have any other questions!

law4vus wrote:In each of those places, the best schools you can get into are probably American, Cardozo, Northeastern, Temple/Villanova, and either Rutgers school, respectively.

Those are all pretty large markets though, so going to a second or third banana school might make things tough on you. Have you considered retaking or considering a smaller market?

Definitely piggybacking off of this - same exact stats, same exact region (New Jersey) - though I'm considering California and the Pacific Northwest for some prospects. Where should I look there?

KibblesnBitts wrote:

law4vus wrote:In each of those places, the best schools you can get into are probably American, Cardozo, Northeastern, Temple/Villanova, and either Rutgers school, respectively.

Those are all pretty large markets though, so going to a second or third banana school might make things tough on you. Have you considered retaking or considering a smaller market?

Definitely piggybacking off of this - same exact stats, same exact region (New Jersey) - though I'm considering California and the Pacific Northwest for some prospects. Where should I look there?

You should retake.

Don't go to law school unless you retake and get at least a 165.

biglaw$ wrote:Don't go to law school unless you retake and get at least a 165.

Thank you for your encouraging comment.

law4vus wrote:

hob12 wrote:

law4vus wrote:
It was one of the the biggest mistakes of my life.

Know this - the uphill battle you'll face to get to where you feel like you SHOULD have been is going to be harder than retaking the LSAT. Trying to get to the top 5% at wherever you end up to get the same opportunities that top 20% would get you at a school you would have gotten into had you not freaked out is going to be very, very difficult. (I hope that sentence wasn't too confusing lol)

On the scale of difficulty, the LSAT isn't even in the same ballpark as law school itself. If you really want law school and really want to do well and succeed, the easiest way to do it will be to take the LSAT again. No pressure to listen to me obviously, I'm just coming from my similar perspective.

Good luck with whatever you decide

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