I am 25, male, half asian half white(super NON URM), go to a Cal State, Political Science major, in my last year of undergrad. I have a 3.7 overall gpa, except my LSAC gpa is a 3.2 (I know this is the gpa that matters). 172 LSAT and maybe considering a retake this Oct???? Like some on this forum, my first couple years was plagued by personal and medical problems. I had two very close friends die, parents divorced, and have had a panic disorder/depression that is coupled with extreme sweating which caused me to stop going to classes (failing to drop courses, resulting in 6 F's). This happened over 2 years- I just shut down and was a naive lost 18-20 year old. It has been a long and hard battle to climb out of this whole and have finished my last 90 credits with a 4.0 and haven't had more than 3 panic attacks over the last several years....so I'm "stable" if you would like to call it that...I know cry me a freaking river right?
I'm kinda a non traditional student in a sense that even with my conditions, I have worked through out college, first at an investment firm for 4 years (30 hours a week), and then going with my true passion of politics and joining a political consulting firm focusing on finance. I have been involved in multiple leadership positions leading winning local campaigns. I want to study campaign finance law/election law. I will have two very strong letters of recommendation(one professor who saw me go through another death, but stayed strong with an A), and lots of extracurriculars. This all after I getting my life together. I'm going to have an extensive gpa addendum as well.. Are those F's really going to screw me even with my upward trend?!
I need general advice! Where to apply? I want to stay in CA if possible. Good shot at Hastings, Davis, USC, UCLA? I know Boalt is out of the question. Yes, I have looked at every applicant on the law school predictor thingy.. How can I explain my personal troubles in a good light, showing admissions that I have overcame a lot of stuff and turned my life around? Should I bring it up in my personal statement as well? Should I aim for a higher LSAT >172? Take more classes before I certify my degree? Will admissions have no sympathy, and say "if this guy cant handle the stress of undergrad at a CSU, how is he going to cut it in law school"? Help?!
