3.73 gpa 3 time lsat take with highest at 154 Forum

[PrinceKasra]

So you are telling me that I should choose something in California even though the job market sucks. I got into Pepperdine so now I am really stuck on deciding lol. Both will be about the same cost unless one gives me a scholarship and I know Wisconsin has better job opportunities and higher salary. I am just stuck.

[TheRedMamba]

it is sad to me that many very smart people are not good test takers thus they do poorly on the LSAT. A word to the wise-Three of my friends are partners in law firms and they went to American University, U of Maryland, and Syracuse respectively, though one got an LLM in Taxation from GTown.

Or maybe having a high gpa doesn't mean you are smart? Maybe people with really high GPA's went to an easy school, had an easy major, kissed a lot of ass, worked really hard or a combination of the above and then got, for lack of a better word, exposed on the LSAT

[TheZoid]

it is sad to me that many very smart people are not good test takers thus they do poorly on the LSAT. A word to the wise-Three of my friends are partners in law firms and they went to American University, U of Maryland, and Syracuse respectively, though one got an LLM in Taxation from GTown.

Or maybe having a high gpa doesn't mean you are smart? Maybe people with really high GPA's went to an easy school, had an easy major, kissed a lot of ass, worked really hard or a combination of the above and then got, for lack of a better word, exposed on the LSAT

Lol, +1.

[monkey85]

it is sad to me that many very smart people are not good test takers thus they do poorly on the LSAT. A word to the wise-Three of my friends are partners in law firms and they went to American University, U of Maryland, and Syracuse respectively, though one got an LLM in Taxation from GTown.

Or maybe having a high gpa doesn't mean you are smart? Maybe people with really high GPA's went to an easy school, had an easy major, kissed a lot of ass, worked really hard or a combination of the above and then got, for lack of a better word, exposed on the LSAT

Lol, +1.

Word. Grade inflation.

[donzoli]

So you are telling me that I should choose something in California even though the job market sucks. I got into Pepperdine so now I am really stuck on deciding lol. Both will be about the same cost unless one gives me a scholarship and I know Wisconsin has better job opportunities and higher salary. I am just stuck.

Are you a URM?

[PrinceKasra]

No. I just got into these schools with my numbers and personal statement. There is no other schools I have left to choose between. Down to Pepperdine and Wisconsin. Staying home and commuting to Pepperdine still costs about equal to going out of state to Wisconsin. I just don't want to look back at my life and say I wish I would have chosen the other one. I would appreciate some insight into both schools to see which creates more opportunities overall.

[Samara]

I'm not sure why people ITT thought you couldn't get into a T1 school, but whatever.

Pepperdine is definitely the better choice for you over Wisconsin. You have zero ties to the Midwest and strong ties to California, so Pepperdine will give you a shot at local firms and such. I assume you'er paying sticker though? You're going to have a really hard time finding a job that will pay off your loans at either school.

[ToTransferOrNot]

Find something else to do with your life. Even top 20% people at Wisconsin--with ties to the state--have had employment issues in recent years. It's not worth sticker; it's a gamble even for people with in-state tuition. (And no, you can't get residency for 2L and 3L.) And Pepperdine just.. no. Not at sticker.

[wisc14]

Wisconsin has a high rank, but trust me, if you are not in the top 30%, you will have a HARD TIME finding a good paying job. See $65,000 above....A six figure job, ha........

I WOULD NOT PAY STICKER FOR WISCONSIN.....EVER.

[kapital98]

You can't get into a CA school worth going to in this economy. Retake or don't go.

Absolutely. Awful. Advice.

Don't listen to anything Grizz says.

[PrinceKasra]

What I am worried about is that even with ties to Pepperdine I would need to be near the top of my class to even have a chance for a job. So that makes Wisconsin and Pepperdine the same pretty much. I also saw that Pepperdine has a much higher attrition rate and they haven't posted their class of 2011 numbers whereas Wisconsin did. As of now it is sticker at both schools and I want to know which would be the best path for a law future. I would not mind living in Wisconsin for the short term, but would love to come back to southern california. I know Wisconsin has externships in Los Angeles and Pepperdine also has strong alumni connections here. I was wondering if law firms could tell me which student they would take if all else is equal.

[llachans]

Dude. Get scholarship money, or don't go. At least try and negotiate for some money by using other acceptances you got.

I was able to talk up 6 different schools, often doubling my original scholarship. It doesn't take very much time to send a sincere letter and you'll appreciate it in the long run.

Edit: Check this out: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =7&t=27221

[wisc14]

You need to be top of your class at Wisconsin to also have a chance at a "job." Especially, big law. If you want public interest, eh, I'm sure you can find someone to pay you $30,000.

There is no "best path." Where you go from here, will be depend on your grades and how well you apply to jobs...Wisconsin doesn't have externships in California....Did you drink the admissions kool-aid? If you want to live in Cali, you should stay there....

[wisc14]

Dude. Get scholarship money, or don't go. At least try and negotiate for some money by using other acceptances you got.

I was able to talk up 6 different schools, often doubling my original scholarship. It doesn't take very much time to send a sincere letter and you'll appreciate it in the long run.

Edit: Check this out: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =7&t=27221

+10,000.....you better start asking for some cash....

[donzoli]

I find that going out of state has helped me with networking back home in CA. When I contact people in firms who went to my law school they are generally excited to hear from me as a fellow alum. They probably get these types of emails quite rarely and they are interested in how things are going back home and there is a bit of nostalgia there. Whereas contacting someone in LA and telling them that you went to Pepperdine like themselves is nothing special. I would assume that once an attorney has received enough of these emails they ignore them and do not worry about trying to help out.

[catholicgirl]

ITT there seems to be the baseless idea of the "exception." "American worked out for some rando I don't know, so it can work out for me."

No. No. No. No. You may be a wonderful, intelligent person but you cannot stake your future on being a super special snowflake.

http://abovethelaw.com/2012/04/law-revu ... nalists/2/

[basilseal]

Off topic but lord did I love my time at Pembroke.

[PrinceKasra]

What if they haven't offered me any in a few weeks? Should I still ask for it? I thought that they had to at least offer me something so I could negotiate.

[llachans]

What if they haven't offered me any in a few weeks? Should I still ask for it? I thought that they had to at least offer me something so I could negotiate.

Nope. Just say you're looking at School A due to blah blah blah but you also like School B because of blah blah blah. You're realistic and realize $$ is a factor. Although you're happy with the acceptance, is there any way for them to offer you some money.

Now that it's April, a lot of people are turning down money and they have more to float around. If you don't ask this late in the game, you'll miss out on it.

I know some schools (Lewis & Clark comes to mind) even have a Scholarship Waiting List that they'll throw you on and extend your decision deadline by a month or two.

[RedBirds2011]

What I am worried about is that even with ties to Pepperdine I would need to be near the top of my class to even have a chance for a job. So that makes Wisconsin and Pepperdine the same pretty much. I also saw that Pepperdine has a much higher attrition rate and they haven't posted their class of 2011 numbers whereas Wisconsin did. As of now it is sticker at both schools and I want to know which would be the best path for a law future. I would not mind living in Wisconsin for the short term, but would love to come back to southern california. I know Wisconsin has externships in Los Angeles and Pepperdine also has strong alumni connections here. I was wondering if law firms could tell me which student they would take if all else is equal.

You could still have a good chance of getting some sort of legal job if you hustle. The difference is it probably won't be very high paying and worth the high debt. So try to get those scholarship monies!!!!

[donzoli]

https://www.facebook.com/labadgers

[PrinceKasra]

Thanks for the facebook page. Makes me feel better about having connections from Wisconsin to Los Angeles. I guess I'll wait and see which one gives me money or which one provides me with the most money.

[PrinceKasra]

Alright so now I am waiting for responses from the admission office. If costs stand equal in both schools and I would like a future in southern California I should choose Pepperdine but if Wisconsin does provide me with money to cut down costs I should go with them.

[donzoli]

What's the difference in tuition and COL if neither of them give you any money?

[PrinceKasra]

The difference would be 10,000 dollars. Wisconsin would be about 10,000 dollars more.