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I have an embarrassing low undergraduate GPA from UNLV and a LSAT score 2.71/145! The only school I have applied to is the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. While my GPA and LSAT score are both horrible I do have some pretty unbelievable life experiences that I described in my personal statement and I have worked in the legal field as a paralegal for several years. Anyone have an idea of what my chances of getting admitted or waitlisted are?

I will probably take the June LSAT...The first time I took it in February I did not study at all prior and I had been up all night with a sick baby. I have to put the study time in to see results.

please take atleast a few months to study for the lsat and retake. and also please go through this forum and read what people say about attending any school that you would be admitted to with those numbers

VREBEL wrote:I have an embarrassing low undergraduate GPA from UNLV and a LSAT score 2.71/145! The only school I have applied to is the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. While my GPA and LSAT score are both horrible I do have some pretty unbelievable life experiences that I described in my personal statement and I have worked in the legal field as a paralegal for several years. Anyone have an idea of what my chances of getting admitted or waitlisted are?

I will probably take the June LSAT...The first time I took it in February I did not study at all prior and I had been up all night with a sick baby. I have to put the study time in to see results.

you need to start studying weeks ago for the June test. If you work your ass you can see improvements. You are probably going to need to take the test again in October.

Why do you even want to go to law school?

Retake.

Also, unless you are URM... with your GPA you want to look into strong regionals out west, IMO.

InGoodFaith wrote:Why do you even want to go to law school?

Because he want's to? Get a life and stop trying to be everyone's dad via an internet forum.

rglifberg wrote:

InGoodFaith wrote:Why do you even want to go to law school?

Because he want's to? Get a life and stop trying to be everyone's dad via an internet forum.

relax. it's a valid question when you consider the possibility of landing a job from a school like that.

EDIT: or when you consider the other schools that OP would be accepted

gaud wrote:

rglifberg wrote:

InGoodFaith wrote:Why do you even want to go to law school?

Because he want's to? Get a life and stop trying to be everyone's dad via an internet forum.

relax. it's a valid question when you consider the possibility of landing a job from a school like that.

plus he's going to need at least 10 points higher on his LSAT. oh yea, denver is over 30k a year and it ain't that cheap to live in that city either.

R86

Yes, I am sure that I want to pursue law school and a career in public interest law. I am not dumb or incompetent; I have just encountered hardships in 26 years that most people never have to experience in a lifetime, hence the low GPA and LSAT score.

During my undergraduate career I worked a full time job, attended school full time, raised a child, cared for an ailing grandmother and I was an Army wife and had to cope with long deployments. My average GPA for the majority of my undergraduate career was 3.4 but a devastating event happened and my GPA suffered for two semesters, lowering my overall undergraduate GPA.

I will admit that I decided to take the February 2012 LSAT just weeks prior and I was not prepared. I have the ability to score higher if I invest the time to study. I have all of the proper study materials.

I have worked for two prestigious national law firms and they seem to value my work and ability to succeed in the legal field.

I do not want to relocate and Denver University is the only school in Colorado that offers a part-time evening program and that is what I am interested in.

If time allows, take a year off and study for the LSAT like crazy.

High score; scholarship money?; smiles.

I am well aware that my undergraduate GPA is far from acceptable and my LSAT score sucks ass...I do plan to retake the LSAT in June. I just wanted some input from others interested in law school to see if I had a chance in hell with my current status.

You totally do with a new (better) score!

Check out Pithypike's guide in the LSAT prep thread, it's a great place to start.

Best of luck to you!

Thanks gaud!

VREBEL wrote:I am well aware that my undergraduate GPA is far from acceptable and my LSAT score sucks ass...I do plan to retake the LSAT in June. I just wanted some input from others interested in law school to see if I had a chance in hell with my current status.

Sorry, but I think June is too soon. Cancel while you can still get a refund. To get into a school that won't bankrupt you, you're gonna need at least a 20 point score increase. It took me 4-5 months of study to raise my PT scores by 20pts. It can absolutely be done, but it is gonna be hard.

R86
I didn’t mean to get defensive. I know my chances are “friggin’ slim” but I just wanted to see what others thought. I have been working with a great admissions officer already but thanks for the suggestion.

MachineLemon
I have been studying for the June LSAT since I took the February LSAT. I think one of my primary problems is time…I never completed a diagnostic test let alone one under the time constraints. I found myself out of time in each section because I was over analyzing each questions.

VREBEL wrote:R86
I didn’t mean to get defensive. I know my chances are “friggin’ slim” but I just wanted to see what others thought. I have been working with a great admissions officer already but thanks for the suggestion.

MachineLemon
I have been studying for the June LSAT since I took the February LSAT. I think one of my primary problems is time…I never completed a diagnostic test let alone one under the time constraints. I found myself out of time in each section because I was over analyzing each questions.

Practice will make you faster. After the 20th PT I was finishing every section except LG (my one weakness).

I guess I was holding onto a little hope that my legal experience and personal statement would be impressive and somehow make up for my horrible GPA and LSAT score!

VREBEL wrote:I guess I was holding onto a little hope that my legal experience and personal statement would be impressive and somehow make up for my horrible GPA and LSAT score!

The problem is that there are plenty of people out there with experience, good writing skills, and good GPAs and LSATs.

VREBEL wrote:I guess I was holding onto a little hope that my legal experience and personal statement would be impressive and somehow make up for my horrible GPA and LSAT score!

Part-time used to be a bit easier to get into but not lately. You might get in, especially if you've been in touch with admissions. Schedule a tour, sit in on a class, schedule a visit with the dean if they do such things. Putting a face to a name and them seeing you're not a total doofus might help you out.

The problem here lies in that usually someone that has been through exigent circumstances and suffered a low GPA usually knows going in they need a high LSAT and prep very well prior to their app cycles. They then score an awesome LSAT and become a splitter. So that's who your competition is in that arena. On the flip side there are the people that suffered prior to taking the LSAT (i.e. the crying baby) but have a stellar GPA to show the fact that they excel. You have neither. Unfortunately, your PS and addenda might not help you because from the admissions committee's POV you're just like everyone else that has a poor LSAT/GPA and you're trying to convince them in words of what you have been unable to substantiate with proof.

This is why the common mentality on TLS is retake and if you retake and end up with another crappy score reconsider. But try what I said and get in the school's face in a non-abrasive non-obnoxious way and see if that helps you.

I have done a lot of research and it is clear that I need to retake the LSAT and score at least 20 points higher to even have a chance at being accepted. My application has already been submitted for review so I will likely have to re-apply for Fall 2013 after I am denied admission. If for some miracle I get wait listed and score 20+ points higher on the June LSAT maybe I could get admitted from there. Has anyone every been denied admissions and re-applied and gotten in?

VREBEL wrote:I have done a lot of research and it is clear that I need to retake the LSAT and score at least 20 points higher to even have a chance at being accepted. My application has already been submitted for review so I will likely have to re-apply for Fall 2013 after I am denied admission. If for some miracle I get wait listed and score 20+ points higher on the June LSAT maybe I could get admitted from there. Has anyone every been denied admissions and re-applied and gotten in?

I haven't, but I know several people who have. One upped her/his LSAT and ended up with acceptance at a T14 they had been denied at previously.

Good luck. Don't worry. Eventually you are going to be lawyer. In the long run this year to help you get in, preferably with scholly money, is going to be nothing.

VREBEL wrote: Has anyone every been denied admissions and re-applied and gotten in?

If you mean re-applying with the same everything, I dunno.

If you mean re-applying after taking the LSAT again, I have.