Chances at Texas Tech? Forum

[thedude1982]

Hello all,

What my chances are of being admitted to Texas Tech School of Law? My G.P.A is 3.8 from a south Texas university which has a history of educating lower income minorities. I am a Mexican-American Iraq war veteran (14 months in support of OIF), and former federal employee (I resigned from my job even though it paid a decent salary, because I realized that I wanted to become an attorney). I will be graduating this December with a Bachelors Degree in History, and I have received high marks from my professors for being an excellent student (in my opinion, I was given very strong letters of recommendation by my professors). However, the one black stain on my record (and it is HUGE) is that I received a 147 on my LSAT! According to law school predictor, I have a 61% chance of being admitted and the textual prediction reads "consider" I do have a record of doing poorly on standardized tests, I took the ACT when I got out of the Army and my score was horrible. My ACT score sheet recommended that I take remedial courses, and basically stated that I wasn't ready for college level courses. Yet, as I stated before, I did very well in college despite these predictions (and without taking any remedial courses either). My personal statement focused on: my mother losing her battle to cancer when I was a child, growing up poor in south Texas, being expected to help raise siblings since I was the eldest in a single parent home,my time deployed to Iraq, and the time I spent as a Federal employee (where I realized I wanted to be an attorney). I received a waiver from Texas Tech, and although I have applied to a few other law schools, Texas Tech is where I really want to go. So what do you all think? Any chance? Thanks.

[kalvano]

DO NOT go to Texas Tech. Retake the LSAT. With that GPA, URM (sort-of) and all your other softs, you need to get up to about a 160 and you'd be competitive at the best Texas schools, which TT is not.

The LSAT is not like the ACT. It's a very learnable test.

[holdencaulfield]

Did you study for the LSAT? How much?

[kalvano]

Yes. Not as well as I should have, but for a bit. Get the Powerscore Bibles and you can get that score up. 2-3 months of solid studying should produce wonders.

[holdencaulfield]

Yes. Not as well as I should have, but for a bit. Get the Powerscore Bibles and you can get that score up. 2-3 months of solid studying should produce wonders.

Lol, sorry; I was asking OP. But yes, 2-3 months will help tremendously. Anyone who dies not study is generally skipping out on better career prospects and a fortune in scholarship money. 15 points for OP could mean 75k at Tech.

[thedude1982]

Thank you for the responses,

I did study for the LSAT, but not as much as I wanted to with school, work, and family. I was taking practice exams (timed w/only the allowed 10-15 min break between part 3 and 4) and the highest I scored was a 154 on one of them. I just had a very bad exam day, no excuses. I know I am not the most gifted guy trying to get into law school, but I am hoping that the Admissions Committee will be impressed enough with my other factors to take a chance on me.

[ineptimusprime]

To actually answer your question, yes, I'd say you stand a good chance of being admitted given your GPA, URM status, and military experience. Is that GPA an LSAC GPA?

I think Tech is actually a fine school as long as you're realistic about job prospects. It's probably not your best bet if your aim is Big Law.

[thedude1982]

To actually answer your question, yes, I'd say you stand a good chance of being admitted given your GPA, URM status, and military experience. Is that GPA an LSAC GPA?

I think Tech is actually a fine school as long as you're realistic about job prospects. It's probably not your best bet if your aim is Big Law.

Thank you for the encouraging words,

Yes, it is an LSAC GPA.

[kalvano]

I think Tech is actually a fine school as long as you're realistic about job prospects. It's probably not your best bet if your aim is Big Law.

It's not the best be if your aim is to gain employment in the legal profession.

OP, if your best score was 154 with minimal work, a 160 or so with good prep is easily attainable.

I don't jump on the "retake" train very often, I find it kind of annoying. But, in your case, you'd be a damn fool not to. Your GPA is stellar and your softs are great. The only thing holding you back is the one thing you have the most control over.

[biglaw$]

It's not the best be if your aim is to gain employment in the legal profession.

[texas man]

Well, I'm not surprised to see kalvano appearing on a Texas Tech thread to bash Tech, but . . .

From the perspective of a 2L at Texas Tech, so far I've had a great experience.

In terms of employment, Texas Tech's employment rate nine months after graduation is regularly above 90% (Class of 2010 was 93%). Usually, 50-60% of graduates go into private practice. A little over 40% of the Class of 2009 took jobs at small firms. I agree with ineptimusprime's comment about big firms (although I had a few interviews at big firms, and several of my friends have jobs this upcoming summer at big firms). Still, getting a job at a big firm is difficult no matter where you go.

Also, here is an informative link to data from the State Bar of Texas where you can look at graduates by county:
http://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm ... mic_Trends

I agree that you should retake the LSAT; no matter where you end up going, improving your score will help (with acceptances & possibly scholarship money).

Good Luck!

[mattviphky]

Getting a 160 on the LSAT is not nearly has hard as getting a 3.8 in college. You have great softs and an awesome GPA, I recommend you do not waste it. With a 160+ you could go to UT-Austin, SMU, Baylor, Houston, etc.

http://lawschoolnumbers.com/mexbox44/jd

[LawSchoolChampion]

Still, getting a job at a big firm is difficult no matter where you go.

Yale.

EDIT:

And if he gets his stuff together, a mexican american with a 3.8 and military exp. has a shot.

[20130312]

In terms of employment, Texas Tech's employment rate nine months after graduation is regularly above 90%

I know it's true because that's what the internet told me

[texas man]

Still, getting a job at a big firm is difficult no matter where you go.

Yale.

EDIT:

And if he gets his stuff together, a mexican american with a 3.8 and military exp. has a shot.

Perhaps I should have said "not easy" instead of "difficult." Still, approximately 35% of Yale grads were hired by NLJ 250 firms in 2009 (UT was around the same). The top schools (Northwestern, Columbia, Stanford, etc.) with grads hired by NLJ 250 firms have rates a little above 50%. This isn't to say that more Yale grads could go to these firms -- this might also challenge the assumption that a school can be judged by a statistic like this.

[texas man]

In terms of employment, Texas Tech's employment rate nine months after graduation is regularly above 90%

I know it's true because that's what the internet told me

Since this happens to be the school I go to, I don't need "the internet" to find employment statistics. I have spoken with Career Services on several occasions, asked many questions, and have gotten detailed answers (not found on the internet).

[20130312]

In terms of employment, Texas Tech's employment rate nine months after graduation is regularly above 90%

I know it's true because that's what the internet told me

Since this happens to be the school I go to, I don't need "the internet" to find employment statistics. I have spoken with Career Services on several occasions, asked many questions, and have gotten detailed answers (not found on the internet).

75% can be found at the local Starbucks.

[horrorbusiness]

In terms of employment, Texas Tech's employment rate nine months after graduation is regularly above 90%

I know it's true because that's what the internet told me

Since this happens to be the school I go to, I don't need "the internet" to find employment statistics. I have spoken with Career Services on several occasions, asked many questions, and have gotten detailed answers (not found on the internet).

75% can be found at the local Starbucks.

ITT: future drexel grad disparages any lower-ranked law school he can find

[20130312]

mad?

[horrorbusiness]

mad?

u know its just fun at this point

[mattviphky]

Still, getting a job at a big firm is difficult no matter where you go.

Yale.

EDIT:

And if he gets his stuff together, a mexican american with a 3.8 and military exp. has a shot.

Perhaps I should have said "not easy" instead of "difficult." Still, approximately 35% of Yale grads were hired by NLJ 250 firms in 2009 (UT was around the same). The top schools (Northwestern, Columbia, Stanford, etc.) with grads hired by NLJ 250 firms have rates a little above 50%. This isn't to say that more Yale grads could go to these firms -- this might also challenge the assumption that a school can be judged by a statistic like this.

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say, can you clarify?

[texas man]

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say, can you clarify?

While the degree of difficulty in getting a job at a big firm is affected by the law school you attend, generally, getting one of these jobs is not easy no matter where you go.

[kalvano]

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say, can you clarify?

While the degree of difficulty in getting a job at a big firm is affected by the law school you attend, generally, getting one of these jobs is not easy no matter where you go.

Your argument sucks. Self-selection is the reason those numbers are lower than what you might think. I guarantee if more than 35% of Yale grads wanted to go into Biglaw, they would.

Where you go to school doesn't just "affect" where you can get a job, it dominates it. It beats it into the ground and then curb-stomps it.

[swilson215]

OP, listen to everything kalvano said. Don't go to Tech. I've got nothing against the red raiders, but with some studying you can do better. Seriously, those softs and the URM boost will get you into SMU or UH (possibly with $) with a 161/162ish, and with a few points more than that you have a shot at UT. And kalvano is always right.

[FUBAR]

No rational person would advise you to go to Texas Tech in your situation.