160 / 3.8 Forum

[enidwexler]

http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com/enidwexler

Interested in civil rights law. If outside the T30, I want to be either in DC or California.

Let me know what you think.

ETA: Already taken the LSAT 3 times. And I need to start school this Fall for financial reasons.

[boblawlob]

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but RETAKE (as everyone on TLS will tell you).

I say this especially because according to your LSN, you're still in UG. Taking 1 year off is NOTHING especially if you'll end up being K-JD if you go to law school this fall.

That GPA is golden and a 6 point increase could open a lot of doors, like Cornell possibly.

[nebula666]

Obviously retake. You are going to have a hard time in the California and DC markets, respectively, with those numbers. You are in at UC Davis and George Mason (maybe WL at GWU), which give you the best chances at finding a job in those areas. You may get a little $ at both schools but will likely be paying close to sticker anyway.

5-6 more points opens up chances Cornell and NU, along with USC/UCLA and everywhere ~25 and below with significant scholarships. You are going to lose more money by going to law school with your numbers than you would by taking a year off to retake and go to a great school next year.

[20130312]

Retake to 172+ for Hah-vahd. Also, why the arbitrary cutoff at T30 for schools you'd consider outside of DC/Cali? Pretty much every law school outside of HYS is regional to some degree, so if you want to work in DC/Cali, go to school there.

[simplycatalina]

http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com/enidwexler

Interested in Public Interest law. If outside the T30 (which it very likely will be), I want to be either in DC or California.

Let me know what you think.

I'm in the exact same situation as you. 3.8 GPA and 160--I'm trying to figure out where to apply and I'm also interested in Public Interest Law.

Have you figured out where you're going to apply yet? I think I'm just going to apply to some reaches (GW, Fordham) and see what happens.

[spleenworship]

Retake.

[enidwexler]

I should have clarified - I've already taken the LSAT 3 times. Choked all three times.

And I need to start law school this Fall for financial reasons, so I can't hold off a few years to retake again.

[enidwexler]

http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com/enidwexler

Interested in civil rights law. If outside the T30, I want to be either in DC or California.

Let me know what you think.

I'm in the exact same situation as you. 3.8 GPA and 160--I'm trying to figure out where to apply and I'm also interested in Public Interest Law.

Have you figured out where you're going to apply yet? I think I'm just going to apply to some reaches (GW, Fordham) and see what happens.

Yup - see the list of schools on my LSN page. That's where I'm applying. Just curious about what folks think my chances are.

[enidwexler]

Also, why the arbitrary cutoff at T30 for schools you'd consider outside of DC/Cali? Pretty much every law school outside of HYS is regional to some degree, so if you want to work in DC/Cali, go to school there.

True. In my mind, T30 just has a certain prestige. But I get what you're saying.

[boblawlob]

I should have clarified - I've already taken the LSAT 3 times. Choked all three times.

Are you out of LSAT takes?

I still think it is warranted that you take the LSAT a 4th time, especially since you are still in UG, although personally I'd aim for a Oct/Dec test date.

There are many stories of people who have taken the LSAT 4 times and are at T14 schools, if not T6 schools.

Now regarding your LSN profile, you're out at Cal, UCLA, USC, GULC, and NU (I could be wrong about NU though if you have amazing softs or something). I'd have to guess you're out of UCI too (but still apply because I could definitely be wrong) because they're trying to game the rankings and are trying to get in between #20-#30. UC Davis and Hastings are worth a shot considering your high GPA, but I am inclined to believe Davis would turn you down because they have to be very careful about their medians dipping low with a sub 200 class size. You definitely have a better shot at Hastings, albeit not something I could personally guarantee. You have a great chance at Loyola (I know someone who is attending with ~3.4 and a 158 LSAT), but you might have to ride the WL.

If you end up getting accepted to Santa Clara, Golden Gate, or Southwestern, it is best that you NOT attend those schools because it will be a long and bumpy ride towards getting a job worthy of all the hard work that you've put in thus far. Emphasis on long and bumpy. I would also say the same for Loyola, but that's just me personally.

Again, you're still in college and presumably 22 (give or take). You still have time.

Good luck.

[20130312]

I need to start school this Fall for financial reasons.

Calling bullshit.

[enidwexler]

I need to start school this Fall for financial reasons.

Calling bullshit.

If I take time off, my UG loans will start kicking in and neither my parents nor I can afford to start paying them off right now. Starting LS in the Fall would allow us to keep deferring payments.

[20130312]

I need to start school this Fall for financial reasons.

Calling bullshit.

If I take time off, my UG loans will start kicking in and neither my parents nor I can afford to start paying them off right now. Starting LS in the Fall would allow us to keep deferring payments.

Request economic hardship deferral.

[enidwexler]

I need to start school this Fall for financial reasons.

Calling bullshit.

If I take time off, my UG loans will start kicking in and neither my parents nor I can afford to start paying them off right now. Starting LS in the Fall would allow us to keep deferring payments.

Request economic hardship deferral.

Don't think we'd qualify, but I'll look into it a little bit more.

[enidwexler]

I should have clarified - I've already taken the LSAT 3 times. Choked all three times.

Are you out of LSAT takes?

I still think it is warranted that you take the LSAT a 4th time, especially since you are still in UG, although personally I'd aim for a Oct/Dec test date.

There are many stories of people who have taken the LSAT 4 times and are at T14 schools, if not T6 schools.

Now regarding your LSN profile, you're out at Cal, UCLA, USC, GULC, and NU (I could be wrong about NU though if you have amazing softs or something). I'd have to guess you're out of UCI too (but still apply because I could definitely be wrong) because they're trying to game the rankings and are trying to get in between #20-#30. UC Davis and Hastings are worth a shot considering your high GPA, but I am inclined to believe Davis would turn you down because they have to be very careful about their medians dipping low with a sub 200 class size. You definitely have a better shot at Hastings, albeit not something I could personally guarantee. You have a great chance at Loyola (I know someone who is attending with ~3.4 and a 158 LSAT), but you might have to ride the WL.

If you end up getting accepted to Santa Clara, Golden Gate, or Southwestern, it is best that you NOT attend those schools because it will be a long and bumpy ride towards getting a job worthy of all the hard work that you've put in thus far. Emphasis on long and bumpy. I would also say the same for Loyola, but that's just me personally.

Again, you're still in college and presumably 22 (give or take). You still have time.

Good luck.

Yeah, out of takes. Thanks so much for the advice. Been thinking about transferring up after a year. Don't know if anyone has thoughts on that... I've heard it's not a good idea?

[rebexness]

[enidwexler]

I think I'll go ahead and apply this cycle and see where I end up.

Thanks to all for the advice!

[Mick Haller]

Public interest jobs Calif are pretty hard to get.

[boblawlob]

Yeah, out of takes. Thanks so much for the advice. Been thinking about transferring up after a year. Don't know if anyone has thoughts on that... I've heard it's not a good idea?

It's not so much that transferring is a bad idea, but its more unrealistic than retaking the LSAT (LSAT is a test you can "game"...law school exams you cannot).

However, it is not impossible. Wherever you go outside of T14, you should (1) understand how difficult it is to find a job (2) understand that you need to be in at least top 30% to find a job (but this still is not a guarantee because some top 10% still have trouble with OCIs etc. In a nutshell, you should be ready to study your ass off not just for the possibility of a transfer, but for the possibility of an actual job. If you end up getting 3.8+ (through a combination of hard work AND luck), then you're in great shape to either stay and graduate with honors/order of the coif/w.e or transfer! Most gunners in non-T14 would be lying to themselves if they didn't ever consider the prospect of transferring. Just realize that the odds are stacked against you and that you have to be absolutely happy and comfortable with where ever you end up at (environment + job prospects).

Once you find out where you've been accepted, go read up TLS on what to do for 0L prep as everyone has differing opinions on what to do (LEEWS, GTM, E&E reading, etc). In fact this is what everyone should be doing regardless of where they end up. From the moment we all decided to take the LSAT, everyone has become a gunner and is already competing for jobs and the work never stops until you get an offer as 3L (arguably even after that when you actually pass the bar).

Good luck.