Top Law Schools

tfleming09 wrote:

DTDT wrote:You should get in those schools you listed based on your LSAT even with a shitty GPA.

That doesn't mean you should go there bruh.

Why NYC? WUSTL will take you with a 170. You have a super outside shot at NU. Don't waste a 170 on these places. Your GPA will make it tough but not impossible. You'll have zero options coming out of these toilets.

lisjjen wrote:Also, why would you ever tell somebody with a 170 to retake? I know law students don't do numbers, but statistically, when you retake an absurdly high LSAT, you are just asking to get a lower score.

Nelson wrote:

lisjjen wrote:Also, why would you ever tell somebody with a 170 to retake? I know law students don't do numbers, but statistically, when you retake an absurdly high LSAT, you are just asking to get a lower score.

According to LSAC's own statistics, most people who retake a 170 do better, not worse.

Mr. Somebody wrote:

Nelson wrote:

lisjjen wrote:Also, why would you ever tell somebody with a 170 to retake? I know law students don't do numbers, but statistically, when you retake an absurdly high LSAT, you are just asking to get a lower score.

According to LSAC's own statistics, most people who retake a 170 do better, not worse.

Where do you find this info? Just curious

Mr. Somebody wrote: Where do you find this info? Just curious

RainMan wrote:I graduated in last may in 2011 with a 2.25 GPA for reasons that I would not be able to fully explain in an addendum (I changed majors and tried to transfer). I currently a Media and Communications graduate student with a 3.5 GPA and will graduate in December. I scored a 170 on the LSAT. I really want to go to law school in New York but I think my GPA will prevent me. I have letters of recommendation from a U Chicago teaching graduate and a New York judge ( I am pursuing a third). I also have done volunteer work for a hospice. Any personal statement recommendations? Thank you for any help in advance...

Schools I am looking at:
Touro
Syracuse
New York Law
St. John's (Legacy)
Hofstra

dietcoke0 wrote:
Also could try Minn, Illinois, Indiana, or some other tier 1 splitter friendlys.

Tom Joad wrote:You are close to screwed if you want to get in any law school that will allow you to pay off your loans, since you are looking at sticker. If you are serious, you will have to become a disciple of Crumps.

RainMan wrote:

Tom Joad wrote:You are close to screwed if you want to get in any law school that will allow you to pay off your loans, since you are looking at sticker. If you are serious, you will have to become a disciple of Crumps.

I don't know what a disciple of Crumps is. However, I find it hard to believe that these law schools receive applications every year from thousands of students unable to pay off loans once they graduate.

RainMan wrote:

Tom Joad wrote:You are close to screwed if you want to get in any law school that will allow you to pay off your loans, since you are looking at sticker. If you are serious, you will have to become a disciple of Crumps.

I don't know what a disciple of Crumps is. However, I find it hard to believe that these law schools receive applications every year from thousands of students unable to pay off loans once they graduate.

Grizz wrote: The reality is, only 58% of law grads get full time jobs that require bar passage. Not all these jobs even pay. http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5#p5146995. Assuming that 10% of all incoming entrants don't want to practice (99% of people at my school do, incidentally), law school was already a bad decision for at least 1/3 of all grads. They will never work as lawyers. Those that don't get jobs come disproportionally from lower-ranked schools. http://balkin.blogspot.com/2011/09/sobe ... ho-do.html. Meanwhile, average law school indebtedness nears $100k. http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdail ... ubble.html.

There's a lot of emphasis placed on big law firms here because that's the surest way to pay down that big debt. If you miss out on the big law boat, you'll likely start at about $50k. http://www.nalp.org/salarycurve_classof2010#curve2 (keep in mind that a lot of those jobs in the trough, $95k+, are big firms in smaller markets). This is, of course, if you are one of the lucky few that gets a legal job at all.

Meanwhile, law schools are lying to you, telling stories of 90%+ grads employed 9 months after graduation, with the implication that they are all getting jobs as lawyers. They use salary statistics from a small, successful portion of the class with the implication that this small segment represent the whole. http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdail ... ption.html; http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/ (look at the data clearinghouse). Why are they doing this? To get a nice cut of easy federal student loan dollars, as the government is lending to students without regard for their ability to repay. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/busin ... davidsegal.

So no, it's not elitism that makes me warn off people from less regarded schools, but rather simple economic realities of this noble profession. I read this article the other day, and I was struck about the actual nobility in how Lord, Day & Lord ran their practice. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/02/nyreg ... funct.html. Those were the good 'ol days. Now, prospective entrants to the profession are lied to and saddled with massive loans from the get-go. Telling someone not to take out $200k of debt for a school like Stetson is pretty sound economic advice. $50k debt? Okay, maybe that's not so bad. If someone wants to go to a school that has bad employment outcomes, go ahead, be my guest, I hope it works out for them. Nowhere did I say that law could not be rewarding. But from many schools, many grads will end up getting a nonlegal job they could have gotten with just their undergrad degree, except they'll be $100k in non-dischargeable student loan debt lighter.

Sincerely,
Grizz

rad lulz wrote:A JD is not useful for getting a job outside law. The degree has little bearing on law, let alone any other profession. It actually raises red flag for employers. It makes you look like you washed out.

If you think the amount of debt isn't relevant, you're deluded.

RainMan wrote:

rad lulz wrote:A JD is not useful for getting a job outside law. The degree has little bearing on law, let alone any other profession. It actually raises red flag for employers. It makes you look like you washed out.

If you think the amount of debt isn't relevant, you're deluded.

I didn't say it was not relevant. I know when you graduate from law school you can legally appraise homes and contract the selling rights. That's called being a real estate agent and using your law degree to save money.

rad lulz wrote:

RainMan wrote:

rad lulz wrote:A JD is not useful for getting a job outside law. The degree has little bearing on law, let alone any other profession. It actually raises red flag for employers. It makes you look like you washed out.

If you think the amount of debt isn't relevant, you're deluded.

I didn't say it was not relevant. I know when you graduate from law school you can legally appraise homes and contract the selling rights. That's called being a real estate agent and using your law degree to save money.

Law school doesn't teach you how to do that.