Military officer with 3.38/169 Forum

[NavyOfficer23]

Graduated from top 12 UG school w/ degree in chemistry; officer in US Navy for past 4 years. I think my military service and work experience will help me out, but I just don't know how much.

I would really like Stanford, Berkeley, Michigan, or other T-14 school. Thoughts on my chances?

[Doorkeeper]

Military service is such a rare soft that it's really hard to determine how much it will change where you get accepted to. This being said, myLSN doesn't have anyone with similar stats getting into the T6. I think your softs can really help you at everywhere from Penn down, but how much I don't know.

I would contact any friends of friends that you know of who were in the Navy and are now in law school. The only way you're going to be able to accurately predict your cycle is to gather a lot of data points on how military personnel do in the admissions process.

[florida1949]

Are you a URM?

If not, it's going to be tough, you're below both medians at most T14 except Cornell, Georgetown (at LSAT median) and Berkeley (I think Berkeley is out though given GPA).

I'd imagine Northwestern would definitely give you a boost considering they love WE and don't seem to mind low GPAs as much as the rest of the T14



The best advice is to retake and score 171+, getting over the LSAT median will make you SOO much more competitive for any given particular school

[dextermorgan]

I'd say likely in at NU.

[TheThriller]

Chem as a major will also help you if you are looking to go the IP route. Not for LS admissions, but for jobs outside of your matriculated school.

[FattyMcFatFat]

To paraphrase what Doorkeeper and florida1949 are saying:

Just play up the navy thing in a PS, squid bro. POGs always be stealin' combat bros' thunder anyway (and eat my chonch if you feel like saying "we're all on the same team, bro"). Civilians don't understand the difference (and POGs like to pretend there isn't one, as I'm sure you know). That should give you a solid shot at Cornell, Michigan and Georgetttown. Maybe NU. You would be in much better shape if you were black, red or gay though. It sounds like you're just white and straight. Too bad so sad. Gay might be especially sweet because you were in the military (DADT and stuff)... But wait, you weeeerrreee in the navy... I don't know man. Just tell them you're gay. I promise they won't make you prove it. That might get you a T6.

... or something like that, right bros? Is that pretty much the gist of it?

[FattyMcFatFat]

I'd say likely in at NU.

And shouldn't you be getting ready for Dexter right now?

[willwash]

I"d like to know these stats as well. Navy officer here 9 years in and 3.49 UGPA (strong upward trend), been preptesting in mid to high 170s and have dreams of H and wonder if they are totally of the pipe variety. My insurance policy is Virginia residency for UVA, which may not be of assistance to the OP (though in the Navy it's usually easy to claim Norfolk!).

I'm about to start shore duty as an NROTC instructor, but haven't selected a unit yet. OP if you can get such a billet at a good law school it will undoubtedly help your chances there. There are NROTC units almost across the entire T14.

And @ Fatty McFat, please mind your tact: http://hamptonroads.com/2010/04/downed- ... -sacrifice
I'm a Hawkeye guy myself and have come back to the boat single engine while deplyed twice, and both times this hero was foremost on my mind. We risk every bit as much as our boots on the ground comrades when we go out there and I would never dream of slighting the honor of those lost or hurt.

[FattyMcFatFat]

We risk every bit as much as our boots on the ground comrades when we go out there and I would never dream of slighting the honor of those lost or hurt.

Listen "hero," the underlined is utter nonsense. The fact that you think your little hyperlink in any way validates this horseshit, and that you would use that man's life in an attempt to validate this horseshit, is disturbing. Moreover, only a POG douche (or a civilian) would have the audacity to use the word "hero" as you did. It seems they teach POGs nothing of altruism and humility. You possess the same distorted perception of those terms that infests our young adult population. You should be ashamed yourself. "I would never dream of slighting the honor of those" who actually do all the things you like to pretend you do. "Please mind your tact." Like I said:

Civilians don't understand the difference (and POGs like to pretend there isn't one, as I'm sure you know).

Save your nonsense for the civilians. Use it to manipulate your way into a better school if you like (I've already encouraged this). But don't you dare sit here with me and pretend the fact that you have some $5 hooker call you "hero" when she sucks you off means the word is applicable in all the ways you want to pretend. You disgust me.

[willwash]

Seriously, lose the attitude. It was you who slighted me (and all those who serve/have served in the US Navy) and merely I who stand here to correct the record, and now you're just trying to bully your way to the top of the argument by using demeaning language and personal attacks, proving, once again, that you lack the tact expected of a member of the armed services. If you expect to be able to sit there and imply that, if naval personnel/veterans enjoy any admissions advantage at law school over civilians, they do so in any way undeservedly--you can expect to ruffle more than a few feathers among those of us who have made multiple deployments (and I mean aboard a ship, not to Qatar or Bahrain, screw that), spent years away from family and have lost friends who made the exact same ultimate sacrifice as any Marine living or dead. And you can expect that those whose feathers are so ruffled will not sit there and allow you to impugn their honor.
If you choose to live in a fantasy world where nothing bad happens to anyone in the military who doesn't set foot on the dirt in Afghanistan (which we do--can you say IA, anyway?); where back to back summer deployments to the Persian Gulf under conditions so miserable that the suicide rate is thousands of times the national average (and this is amongst people who have all had thorough medical and psychological screening) count for nothing; and where, yes, good people die; if you choose to believe that we do nothing to deserve the accolades and advantages our nation bestows upon those who sign on the dotted line just as Army and Marine personnel do--then I cannot help you.
I, for one, know that when I "play the military card" (or however you phrased it) on my law school application, though I will be grateful for any consideration I am given by the admissions committee, I will know that my conscience will rest easy and that any such consideration would be well deserved.
And I did not in any way try to call myself a hero. I brought up a single example of heroism in our military that happens not to involve the Army or Marines (not at all to say that these branches do not put it all on the line--they do and they have my utmost respect...but you're the one who said or at least implied that about the Navy, which is objectively incorrect) to illustrate the very real and mortal risks of naval service. It was just one example. I can provide more if you'd like, though I find such petty bickering odious.
To everyone else on this thread, I wouldn't take advice or highbrow moral lessons from someone who advises you to lie on your application (eg, about your "orientation") to gain an advantage in the admissions process. If you've served honorably in the military, you deserve a bump. Period.

[FattyMcFatFat]

If you've served honorably in the military, you deserve a bump. Period.

We agree about this.

The remainder of your post is false, tangential, immaterial, or in some other sense nonsensical drivel.

Good luck OP. I'm sorry this guy has a problem with reality and an axe to grind.

[willwash]

If you've served honorably in the military, you deserve a bump. Period.

We agree about this.

The remainder of your post is false, tangential, immaterial, or in some other sense nonsensical drivel.

Good luck OP. I'm sorry this guy has a problem with reality and an axe to grind.

Whatever. I've already won this discussion.

[FattyMcFatFat]

If you've served honorably in the military, you deserve a bump. Period.

We agree about this.

The remainder of your post is false, tangential, immaterial, or in some other sense nonsensical drivel.

Good luck OP. I'm sorry this guy has a problem with reality and an axe to grind.

Whatever. I've already won this discussion.

Oh. Cool story, bro. You "I always have to have the last word" types are hilarious. Thank you for this.

[sinfiery]

I wonder if good WE is better than military experience for 9 years. I'm guessing it also depends what you do in the military past having risked your life. Which gets you far, but isn't the end all be all of acheivment for a military personal.

either way, 3.49 is going to make HYS next to impossible and UVA is going to require you getting close to your PT average. Which is harder said than done.
Goodluck.

[Systematic1]

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[willwash]

either way, 3.49 is going to make HYS next to impossible and UVA is going to require you getting close to your PT average. Which is harder said than done.
Goodluck.

I'm hoping that between the upward trend in the 3.49, the military time, my Virginia residency and an ED app that I'd get into UVA with 171/172 or better. Could be wrong, tho

[sinfiery]

either way, 3.49 is going to make HYS next to impossible and UVA is going to require you getting close to your PT average. Which is harder said than done.
Goodluck.

I'm hoping that between the upward trend in the 3.49, the military time, my Virginia residency and an ED app that I'd get into UVA with 171/172 or better. Could be wrong, tho

It seems 169 is 6% and 170 is 95% chance. If you ED that removes all the WLs.

Seems you are right.

[SemperLegal]

Firstly, http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... &start=450

Secondly, shitcan the "Pog" talk and interservice bullshit in front of the civilians. United front.

Thirdly, having served alongside operators, infantry, and non-infantry from six continents (and on four of them), anyone who thinks a person's MOS/rating/whatever-the-AF-calls-it, branch of service, or national affiliation determines what they did in OIF or OEF, is an absolute idiot.

Fourthly, (and thread relevant) OP with similar stats as you, I got 3 T14's each with money, but I could not crack the T6.


ETA: No matter what you did, the military bump is the same for everyone, with the exception of Dakota Meyer, Seal Team 6, and anyone 0-5 and above. Civilians do not know, care, nor should they care, about the differences between CENTCOM and EUCOM, grunt and POG, or National Defense Medal and Silver Star.

Employers, the grapevine has told me, may be more discerning, but I doubt it.

[nygrrrl]

You disgust me.

And since you've been warned before about trolling the on-topics, this will earn you a 24 hour vacation.

[blackandstrong]

--ImageRemoved--

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cobretti]

POG checking in. OP are you retaking? I'm a splitter too and just got a 170 on Oct, hoping to get above some 75ths with the retake and buy myself a cushion. I think you're still competitive for a lot of the bottom half of the T14 right now, but like other people have pointed out, a couple points could make a world of difference.

[willwash]

POG checking in. OP are you retaking? I'm a splitter too and just got a 170 on Oct, hoping to get above some 75ths with the retake and buy myself a cushion. I think you're still competitive for a lot of the bottom half of the T14 right now, but like other people have pointed out, a couple points could make a world of difference.

I'd be pretty wary about retaking a 170...ballsy. I guess it's kind of like hitting a 16 in blackjack...it's something you never want to have to do, but sometimes you gotta?

[Cobretti]

POG checking in. OP are you retaking? I'm a splitter too and just got a 170 on Oct, hoping to get above some 75ths with the retake and buy myself a cushion. I think you're still competitive for a lot of the bottom half of the T14 right now, but like other people have pointed out, a couple points could make a world of difference.

I'd be pretty wary about retaking a 170...ballsy. I guess it's kind of like hitting a 16 in blackjack...it's something you never want to have to do, but sometimes you gotta?

Did ~35 PTs to prep, lowest one ever was a 171. Average since starting up studying again has been ~176-177. No way I'm staying on a 170.

[Doorkeeper]

I wonder if good WE is better than military experience for 9 years. I'm guessing it also depends what you do in the military past having risked your life. Which gets you far, but isn't the end all be all of acheivment for a military personal.

either way, 3.49 is going to make HYS next to impossible and UVA is going to require you getting close to your PT average. Which is harder said than done.
Goodluck.

1) There was a poster from last year that got into H with a 3.40
2) 9 Years military service is as good of a soft as you're going to get to make a 3.49 competitive.

I'm not saying H is likely, but it's possible.

[sinfiery]

I wonder if good WE is better than military experience for 9 years. I'm guessing it also depends what you do in the military past having risked your life. Which gets you far, but isn't the end all be all of acheivment for a military personal.

either way, 3.49 is going to make HYS next to impossible and UVA is going to require you getting close to your PT average. Which is harder said than done.
Goodluck.

1) There was a poster from last year that got into H with a 3.40
2) 9 Years military service is as good of a soft as you're going to get to make a 3.49 competitive.

I'm not saying H is likely, but it's possible.

Just saw that person's LSN. Crazy, in after WL in June. Rejected at Chicago. 177 surely helps but it was still very difficult. 4 years at capitol hill was an interesting soft, wonder what the 4 years consisted of.

I see, did not know that.


So we agree, it is possible, but not likely.