Top Law Schools

Hey TLS,

I have been trying to find someone with a similar situation to mine, but haven't found any luck at this point. I am a long time TLS browser, but this is my first post.

I am a senior on the varsity football team at a HYP who's interested in eventually practicing Biglaw in Philadelphia. I have a rather low 2.6 GPA and am a humanities major. I realize nobody really cares the reason as admissions is pretty much a numbers game, but freshman year kicked my butt! Balancing full-time football and academics coming from HS was really tough for me. I am planning on taking a year off to allow my senior year grades to weigh on my GPA, although I don't have an exact plan for what I want to do with my time off and am open to suggestions. I haven't taken the LSAT yet (doubt it helps, but I had a 2010 SAT). On that same note, I was hoping you might be able to fill me in on what type of score I would need to get me through the door at a few places. I am a NJ resident and not a URM.

I am interested on your opinion on my chances at:
William and Mary
Georgetown
Maryland
Temple
Villanova
Rutgers-Camden

Thank you

Come back with an LSAT score, and try to get the highest possible LSAT score you can get.

Also might want to revise that school list if biglaw is your end goal.

If you take time off you need to work a full time job, this will help you
in your cycle.

Also:

goldenflash19 wrote:Also might want to revise that school list if biglaw is your end goal.

William and Mary - 175
Georgetown - 177
Maryland - 164
Temple - 165
Villanova - 167
Rutgers-Camden - 167

It's pretty hard to guess with that low of a GPA but I think these are at least reasonable.

172 and WE, Northwestern FTW

Gator_Law wrote:William and Mary - 175
Georgetown - 177
Maryland - 164
Temple - 165
Villanova - 167
Rutgers-Camden - 167

It's pretty hard to guess with that low of a GPA but I think these are at least reasonable.

Garbage.

WanderingPondering wrote:172 and WE, Northwestern FTW

Or just get 2 years WE, get a 170, and apply Northwestern. If you have strong ties to Philly, that is your best chance of landing Philly Big Law.

A 2.6 gpa is pretty hard to write off with Varsity Football. I don;t know how else to say it--and I am certainly understanding of academic/time burden placed on student-athletes and was so when I read law applications.

You will at least need to score above the median LSAT at all the schools you named to have an off chance at said schools and look for those that area very much splitter friendly and likely who need LSAT late-game off the waitlist.

MikeSpivey wrote:A 2.6 gpa is pretty hard to write off with Varsity Football. I don;t know how else to say it--and I am certainly understanding of academic/time burden placed on student-athletes and was so when I read law applications.

You will at least need to score above the median LSAT at all the schools you named to have an off chance at said schools and look for those that area very much splitter friendly and likely who need LSAT late-game off the waitlist.

Spivey, could you possibly do a comprehensive post (something like in the TLS writing competitions section of the forum) on your insights and experiences in the admissions world?

I am in a similar boat. I played college basketball for a mid-major division 1 school, and the traveling killed my grades. I ended with over a 3.7, but definitely could have done much better. Most people here disregard the athletic burden, but that is more because it does not play to their favor.

In my app, I explained exactly why the college basketball took such a toll on my grades. Try and give examples, i.e. having to go to class after 2 hours of film, or getting off a red-eye from California and then taking a test as soon as you land...

Gator_Law wrote:William and Mary - 175
Georgetown - 177
Maryland - 164
Temple - 165
Villanova - 167
Rutgers-Camden - 167

It's pretty hard to guess with that low of a GPA but I think these are at least reasonable.

LOL no.

TheThriller wrote:

MikeSpivey wrote:A 2.6 gpa is pretty hard to write off with Varsity Football. I don;t know how else to say it--and I am certainly understanding of academic/time burden placed on student-athletes and was so when I read law applications.

You will at least need to score above the median LSAT at all the schools you named to have an off chance at said schools and look for those that area very much splitter friendly and likely who need LSAT late-game off the waitlist.

Spivey, could you possibly do a comprehensive post (something like in the TLS writing competitions section of the forum) on your insights and experiences in the admissions world?

I'm going to do a day where I answer questions both admissions and career related since I have done both. if you PM me, I'll let you know the day when I figure out when I can sit down and lock myself into this board. I've also blogged some about that.

Gator_Law wrote:William and Mary - 175
Georgetown - 177
Maryland - 164
Temple - 165
Villanova - 167
Rutgers-Camden - 167

It's pretty hard to guess with that low of a GPA but I think these are at least reasonable.

Way off

OP has a shot at those schools with a median LSAT score. Practically no shot with a below median LSAT score. HYP ug is irrelevant.

OP, read this, http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=162680

Nova wrote:

Gator_Law wrote:William and Mary - 175
Georgetown - 177
Maryland - 164
Temple - 165
Villanova - 167
Rutgers-Camden - 167

It's pretty hard to guess with that low of a GPA but I think these are at least reasonable.

Way off

OP has a shot at those schools with a median LSAT score. Practically no shot with a below median LSAT score. HYP ug is irrelevant.

OP, read this, http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=162680

Actually OP wants to be 1 above median, not at median. Although in this coming cycle perhaps you are correct, as I think savvy schools see the downturn in applications and might target at median LSAT to keep their numbers and not lose $$$ with smaller class sizes.

Is there such a thing as non varsity football?

Club teams...

Play until your kneecaps give way, or get a 180.

breadbucket wrote:Play until your kneecaps give way, or get a 180.

Best advice to date--feel free to join me at partner level breadbasket.

You will need a 175 + and WE.

MikeSpivey wrote:
Actually OP wants to be 1 above median, not at median. Although in this coming cycle perhaps you are correct, as I think savvy schools see the downturn in applications and might target at median LSAT to keep their numbers and not lose $$$ with smaller class sizes.

Well, OP wants the highest score possible. But I stand by my previous statement that median is the turning point. Nearly all top schools wont be raising their medians this cycle.

First off I have to vent: It's not what you want to hear but a 2.6 is really bad no matter what school you were at or what you were doing while there. Plenty of people work and do meaningful community service in college while keeping their GPAs up and so do many college athletes. I would actually go as far as to say that if a top law school did give you a pass on your poor grades for playing college sports that would be unfair to other applicants.

Second: Although I don't think it's great that NW does this, as other posters have said NW is known for taking applicants with GPAs in your range if they score 170+ and have meaningful WE. Strategically that would seem to be the best move. Good luck. It won't be an easy road.

Desert Fox wrote:Is there such a thing as non varsity football?

Non-letting football players (usually freshmen).

L’Étranger wrote:First off I have to vent: It's not what you want to hear but a 2.6 is really bad no matter what school you were at or what you were doing while there. Plenty of people work and do meaningful community service in college while keeping their GPAs up and so do many college athletes. I would actually go as far as to say that if a top law school did give you a pass on your poor grades for playing college sports that would be unfair to other applicants.

Second: Although I don't think it's great that NW does this, as other posters have said NW is known for taking applicants with GPAs in your range if they score 170+ and have meaningful WE. Strategically that would seem to be the best move. Good luck. It won't be an easy road.

You obviously haven't played college sports on a high level to know that there is a big difference between community service and college sports in terms of how physically draining it can be to train everyday on such a level and the impact it will have on grades. I did both extensive community service at my school and played sports and there are few parallels in terms of impact on grades. Sorry.

Nobody cares about why your GPA sucks. It's a pure numbers game bro. But use that in your favor. Get some WE, get 170+, and apply to the whole T14. Applications are down and adcoms are giving out deviant sexual favors for 170+ LSATs right now. You'll not only get admitted somewhere, but you might get a handy too.