176 / 3.09 / non-URM (or: How to take up smoking) Forum

[oman]

God damn GPA.

My softs:

• Economic refugee - grew up in Middle East, went to military school (pushups in the desert), emigrated to Canada at age 12
  Got thrown out of six high schools in Canada (does this count as a soft?)
  Scratched and clawed my way back into a decent institution (University of New Orleans for a year, then University of Toronto)
  Worked at the economic development organization of post-Katrina New Orleans on some reasonably impressive projects
  Worked at Canada's largest tech consultancy as a business analyst
  Mentored at-risk youth in Canada's toughest urban neighbourhoods
  Founded a web development company operating in three geographies (New Orleans, Toronto and India). It failed
  Worked under professorial supervision at Univ. of Toronto to write a real interesting counterterrorism policy paper
  Worked as a research analyst for the G8 Research Group, an independent G8 watchdog jointly founded by Oxford & U of Toronto
  Currently taking a year off to work as a policy analyst for a social-managerial NGO in India that executes development projects funded by the UNDP, World Bank etc.

My grades dipped in year 3 due to the suicide of a close friend but I'm not sure if mentioning this willl even help. Trying to get into the upper half of the t14 (aren't we all)... what are my realistic options?

[oman]

Additional question: My LSPredictor results list Columbia as a "Reach" school, but older information says Columbia has a GPA floor of 3.45... what gives?

I'm strongly considering a Columbia ED, which is why I'm asking.

[smaug_]

Additional question: My LSPredictor results list Columbia as a "Reach" school, but older information says Columbia has a GPA floor of 3.45... what gives?

I'm strongly considering a Columbia ED, which is why I'm asking.

Unless someone loves your story, Columbia might be hard to swing. You can look around the boards for similar numbers, but I think you might need to pin your hopes on UVA or NW.

That said, you seem like you have interesting relevant softs, so your cycle might be hard to predict anyway. I don't know that I'd ED. I think I would shoot Columbia an application.

[JamMasterJ]

ED Penn. I think your gpa precludes you from anything higher.

[breadbucket]

Proof that grades should not matter, but rather the person should matter

[toothbrush]

o

[UtilityMonster]

Proof that grades should not matter, but rather the person should matter

Nope.

[Tiago Splitter]

Additional question: My LSPredictor results list Columbia as a "Reach" school, but older information says Columbia has a GPA floor of 3.45... what gives?

I'm strongly considering a Columbia ED, which is why I'm asking.

LSP looks at your index, which is based off of your LSAT/GPA combo. They tell you where your index score ranks relative to the people who get in to the school. The problem is that the conclusion LSP makes from your index ignores GPA floors. So while a 176/3.09 might have the same index as a 172/3.5 the second guy has more of a chance because he won't be automatically excluded for his low GPA.

That said, it's always worth applying, especially in this era of declining applications. A few years ago a place NYU almost never dipped below a 3.4, but last cycle they were taking plenty of GPAs in the 3.2 range.

[2014]

I'd probably ED NYU if you prefer it to Penn and if that fails ED Penn for their 2nd round deadline. (Others please spare me the spiel about Penn's ED contract please)

[RickyDnwhyc]

Definitely do the GPA addendum, I think a friend's suicide would be at least somewhat compelling to most adcomms, in any case I doubt it would look negative...

[Br3v]

I'd probably ED NYU if you prefer it to Penn and if that fails ED Penn for their 2nd round deadline. (Others please spare me the spiel about Penn's ED contract please)

Could I do almost the exact opposite of what you said to do and ask what you are refering to about penns ed?

[Yukos]

mylsn.info is much better than LSP because it's based on actual cycles (though sometimes the sample size is pretty small). Here's your stats FYI.

It looks like anywhere above UVA is unlikely (UVA only with an ED), but as others have mentioned, it's possible you'll be the exception -- especially with declining applications.

You look like a model NU student though: they love those guys whose work experience proves that they're GPA isn't indicative of their potential.

[laxbrah420]

I didn't know you could use the word "geographies" like that and I'm still not sure

[dsc1943]

I applied this cycle with slightly worse stats (175 3.08 non URM) and much worse softs (Paralegal work, briefly ran e-commerce company) and am currently attending NYU, I was one of the last people off the WL. The only T14 acceptance I wasn't WL/rejected at was NU, be prepared to ride a bunch of waitlists but your cycle should be better than mine b/c of better stats/softs/probably less apps. CLS will still be tough but everything from NYU down (except probably Berkeley) is definitely in play.

Also make sure you apply to a lot of schools and be prepared for a bizarre cycle. I was waitlisted at schools like Fordham and UC Hastings.

[breadbucket]

Proof that grades should not matter, but rather the person should matter

Nope.

Your opinion is duly noted

[senorhosh]

I'd probably ED NYU if you prefer it to Penn and if that fails ED Penn for their 2nd round deadline. (Others please spare me the spiel about Penn's ED contract please)

Could I do almost the exact opposite of what you said to do and ask what you are refering to about penns ed?

I think he is talking about "multiple" EDs (ED-ing to another school if you get rejected/WL). Some schools state you can only ED to that school for the entire cycle.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc ... zcnc#gid=0
Check out the "if R/WL from ED, can ED at another school?" column.
It seems ok for Penn to have "multiple" EDs (if you get rejected, you can ED another school)

CNN however, seems to be not ok with multiple EDs. You can only ED to their school per cycle.
Hence, this NYU ED -> Penn 2nd ED doesn't seem to work out.

[HeavenWood]

Proof that grades should not matter, but rather the person should matter

Nope.

Your opinion is duly noted

How about both of you shut the fuck up?

I also think EDing NYU round I (and Penn round II if NYU doesn't work) is good advice, assuming NYU's floor isn't above a 3.0.

[SportsFan]

ED Penn. I think your gpa precludes you from anything higher.

This is what I would do if I was in OP's position. Not worth the risk to try NYU IMO.

[HeavenWood]

ED Penn. I think your gpa precludes you from anything higher.

This is what I would do if I was in OP's position. Not worth the risk to try NYU IMO.

Taking another look at LSN, I agree.

[senorhosh]

OP can't ED both NYU and Penn.

NYU's ED contract only allows one ED per cycle (to their school).

[2014]

I guess it's just different schools of thought, but I still don't get the people worrying about the ED stipulations. I'm the type to consider both the explicit agreement as well as the practical matter, and practically the stuff in the contract about only being able to ED to one school is complete bullshit put in there to try and intimidate students into making schools that aren't their top choice their top choice. They only have control over your application to their school, they cant preclude you from ED'ing elsewhere and if they have an ED app sitting in front of them they want to accept they are going to accept it regardless of whether you ED'd somewhere else previously in the cycle.

I respect people who want to follow contracts explicitly, I just think the wording here is a scare tactic with no bite to it.

After that tangent and re-thinking this if OP is still looking for advice though I'd probably just ED Penn first and work down from there. Penn and NYU are peers anyway and Penn is way more likely than NYU.

[HeavenWood]

I guess it's just different schools of thought, but I still don't get the people worrying about the ED stipulations. I'm the type to consider both the explicit agreement as well as the practical matter, and practically the stuff in the contract about only being able to ED to one school is complete bullshit put in there to try and intimidate students into making schools that aren't their top choice their top choice. They only have control over your application to their school, they cant preclude you from ED'ing elsewhere and if they have an ED app sitting in front of them they want to accept they are going to accept it regardless of whether you ED'd somewhere else previously in the cycle.

I respect people who want to follow contracts explicitly, I just think the wording here is a scare tactic with no bite to it.

After that tangent and re-thinking this if OP is still looking for advice though I'd probably just ED Penn first and work down from there. Penn and NYU are peers anyway and Penn is way more likely than NYU.

I'm fairly certain people have called up the NYU admission's office asking for clarification on the matter (though someone please correct me if I'm wrong).

Point being, adcomms talk to one another, and you don't want to risk getting blackballed.

[Doorkeeper]

ED to Penn. You will probably get deferred and then WL.

If you get deferred by Penn, ED to UVA.

Apply to everything in T14 from NYU down. You don't have a shot at Columbia or Chicago.

I would expect that someone between Penn and Northwestern bites (not Berkeley). Worst case scenario is that you go to Northwestern. That's not bad at all.

[UtilityMonster]

Proof that grades should not matter, but rather the person should matter

Nope.

Your opinion is duly noted

How about both of you shut the fuck up?

I also think EDing NYU round I (and Penn round II if NYU doesn't work) is good advice, assuming NYU's floor isn't above a 3.0.

Your strategy is shit. You obviously know nothing about applying to law school. Shut yer fuckin' mouth and get the fuck off this forum.

[HeavenWood]

Nope.

Your opinion is duly noted

How about both of you shut the fuck up?

I also think EDing NYU round I (and Penn round II if NYU doesn't work) is good advice, assuming NYU's floor isn't above a 3.0.

Your strategy is shit. You obviously know nothing about applying to law school. Shut yer fuckin' mouth and get the fuck off this forum.

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