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3.18 GPA, 174 LSAT

Academic addendum: I started out at junior college and transferred to a top 20 university. I had an unstable living situation in my first year at jc so I did really badly the first year but then retook everything and got top grades (ended up with a 3.7 GPA but LSAC counts all the original Fs toward the GPA) and when I transferred to the university I had all As the first 2 semesters but then I had to get a job to pay tuition and started working almost full time on political campaigns so my grades suffered (I ended up with a 3.4 but I have 1 NP and 1 I so LSAC has graciously counted those as Fs too).

4 years work experience: I've worked on 3 major political campaigns and now work for a nonprofit. I want to go into public interest law so my work is highly relevant to my legal aspirations.

Background: I've lived in 3 different countries, leaving the first as a refugee at the age of 4 with my family and living through a war in the second when I was 5. I've lived in the US though since I was 10 so I know that this isn't as relevant to my application as someone who grew up in a different country or had those experiences at an older age (though I wouldn't wish it on anyone), but those life experiences do play a significant role in why I want to practice public interest law.

What are my chances at T14? I think I have a good shot at Northwestern but I'm not sure.
Outside of T14, should I still apply far and wide or will it be easier to find a job if I go to a lesser ranked school that's in the location where I want to practice law? (I live in and want to practice in San Francisco so I'm going to apply to Hastings and Davis, but I'm not even sure what my chances are there or if I'm better off going to a better school out of area)

Thanks so much for any advice!

No, I'm a white Jewish woman.

lmsf wrote:I live in and want to practice in San Francisco so I'm going to apply to Hastings and Davis, but I'm not even sure what my chances are there or if I'm better off going to a better school out of area

There a person who had your GPA and 171, and got a full ride at Hastings (renewable with modest GPA benchmarks). Unfortunately, that still leaves you with a 50/50 shot at a job in SF.

Thanks for the info on Hastings and NU. Do I have any chance at T14 other than NU? Berkeley or Stanford (I know it's a long shot but I wonder if my WE and background would help)?

I'm going to apply to UCLA and USC too, because I figure that's at least in CA, but am I better off going there or to Hastings or Davis (job in San Francisco wise)?

And am I better off applying at out of state T1 schools that are ranked higher than Hastings or will a local school help more than a higher ranking in finding a job?

Thanks for any feedback!

lmsf wrote:Thanks for the info on Hastings and NU. Do I have any chance at T14 other than NU? Berkeley or Stanford (I know it's a long shot but I wonder if my WE and background would help)?

I'm going to apply to UCLA and USC too, because I figure that's at least in CA, but am I better off going there or to Hastings or Davis (job in San Francisco wise)?

And am I better off applying at out of state T1 schools that are ranked higher than Hastings or will a local school help more than a higher ranking in finding a job?

Thanks for any feedback!

I'd think 0 shot at Stanford probably close to 0 shot at Berkeley as well b/c of the GPA but throw an app out anyway due to your WE and unique GPA and life experience. You should have a shot everywhere 6-14(maybe minus Berkeley). I got into NYU with a 175 and a slightly lower GPA with much worse softs (also not a URM) expect a lot of waitlists.

lmsf wrote:Thanks for the info on Hastings and NU. Do I have any chance at T14 other than NU? Berkeley or Stanford (I know it's a long shot but I wonder if my WE and background would help)?

I'm going to apply to UCLA and USC too, because I figure that's at least in CA, but am I better off going there or to Hastings or Davis (job in San Francisco wise)?

And am I better off applying at out of state T1 schools that are ranked higher than Hastings or will a local school help more than a higher ranking in finding a job?

Thanks for any feedback!

Berkeley and Stanford are out.

GULC, Mich, and UVA are possibilities, but might require ED's.

If you want to work in SF then you need to either go to a T14, UCLA/USC or Hastings/Davis.

Thanks for the feedback!