Stanford - Work Experience Valued? Forum

[BlaqBella]

Hi All,

I also posted this question on the URM forum but thought it might also be a good idea to post here, too. Can anyone tell me if Stanford Law values work experience or views it as a great soft? It has been my dream school and I wanted to know if my work experience can help my relatively low GPA (3.4). As for additional stats, I am an AA female with about 4 years work experience in NYC BIGLAW (corporate para) and depending on when I apply, will have additional work experience at a Fortune 500 financial institution, also within a legal capacity.

All gurus and experts are welcomed to reply!

[amc987]

I think that your work experience could definitely help you. I'm not sure whether your soft factors will be enough to overcome a 3.4 GPA since Stanford is known for being a GPA-heavy school, but I don't think it's impossible. Over the last few years, Stanford has accepted a few minorities who had GPAs that were lower than 3.6: http://lawschoolnumbers.com/operagrl71; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/dubdub; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/jimbo1220; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/MaxCO; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/eskimogirl; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/TigerTeacher; and http://lawschoolnumbers.com/NikaneOkie. Additionally, I know there was an AA male who got in with a 3.49/172 and an AA female who got in with a 3.5/169. As you can see, almost all of these people were AA, attended very highly-ranked UGs, and got pretty solid LSAT scores. Stanford seems willing to take a few URMs with lower GPAs as long as Dean Deal believes that the other aspects of those candidates' applications are very strong.

Honestly, I think your best bet is to get the highest LSAT score you can (preferably above 170). You might even be in play with a score over 168 (assuming it's your first take), but a higher score will improve your chances. In your case, I think a strong LSAT will take you much further in Stanford's admissions process than your work experience. You'll also need a strong resume (which is where your WE and any UG leadership experiences will come in), well-written essays, and positive rec letters to make Stanford happen.

Good luck!!

[BlaqBella]

I think that your work experience could definitely help you. I'm not sure whether your soft factors will be enough to overcome a 3.4 GPA since Stanford is known for being a GPA-heavy school, but I don't think it's impossible. Over the last few years, Stanford has accepted a few minorities who had GPAs that were lower than 3.6: http://lawschoolnumbers.com/operagrl71; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/dubdub; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/jimbo1220; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/MaxCO; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/eskimogirl; http://lawschoolnumbers.com/TigerTeacher; and http://lawschoolnumbers.com/NikaneOkie. Additionally, I know there was an AA male who got in with a 3.49/172 and an AA female who got in with a 3.5/169. As you can see, almost all of these people were AA, attended very highly-ranked UGs, and got pretty solid LSAT scores. Stanford seems willing to take a few URMs with lower GPAs as long as Dean Deal believes that the other aspects of those candidates' applications are very strong.

Honestly, I think your best bet is to get the highest LSAT score you can (preferably above 170). You might even be in play with a score over 168 (assuming it's your first take), but a higher score will improve your chances. In your case, I think a strong LSAT will take you much further in Stanford's admissions process than your work experience. You'll also need a strong resume (which is where your WE and any UG leadership experiences will come in), well-written essays, and positive rec letters to make Stanford happen.

Good luck!!

Extremely helpful post! Thanks amc!!