Top Law Schools

Hi all,

So I'm pretty much peppering the T-14 (and few below) with applications. What's the highest realistic school I might get in?

http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com

Though if I remember correctly, NYU is the highest that might bite if you ED.

Blanket. Though, HYS may be a stretch.

StillIll wrote:Hi all,

So I'm pretty much peppering the T-14 (and few below) with applications. What's the highest realistic school I might get in?

Nobody can really answer that. It all depends on the need to maintain the LSAT median over the GPA median. You're not really ruled out anywhere (except probably YS); just apply to a lot of schools.

OP is not going to any of HYS with that GPA, and Columbia and Chicago are a huge stretch.

Thanks guys, I already kinda assumed I was ruled out of HYS and Columbia is kind of the dream. NYU would be very cool even if a reach, I've read Berkely is more favorable towards GPA sadly, UPenn or UV may be in the cards... I'm confident once I get in somewhere that i'll do well, my low GPA is due to a slacker philosophy my first 2 years, and the LSAC's repeated courses policy. Just so nervous. asdklasjd;kase

StillIll wrote:Thanks guys, I already kinda assumed I was ruled out of HYS and Columbia is kind of the dream. NYU would be very cool even if a reach, I've read Berkely is more favorable towards GPA sadly, UPenn or UV may be in the cards... I'm confident once I get in somewhere that i'll do well, my low GPA is due to a slacker philosophy my first 2 years, and the LSAC's repeated courses policy. Just so nervous. asdklasjd;kase

Friend of mine and old poster on this forum got into H in 2007 with 3.3 / 177 (he didn't go). I think H is worth the app, but not S or Y. You never know with H because the class size is just massive, but S/Y have hard cutoffs for GPA which you are below.

StillIll wrote:Thanks guys, I already kinda assumed I was ruled out of HYS and Columbia is kind of the dream. NYU would be very cool even if a reach, I've read Berkely is more favorable towards GPA sadly, UPenn or UV may be in the cards... I'm confident once I get in somewhere that i'll do well, my low GPA is due to a slacker philosophy my first 2 years, and the LSAC's repeated courses policy. Just so nervous. asdklasjd;kase

Penn is a waitlist. Probably UVA too. You'll get into at least a couple places in the lower T14 with money though. Enjoy the cycle

Nobody with your numbers is rejected at NYU, but it's about a 40% chance you will be waitlisted. Only super safe bet is GULC but I think you'll get NYU this cycle.

Thanks guys. It'll be interesting looking back on this once the results are in.

My GPA after this last semester of my senior year will be up above 3.4, I think, but the thought of waiting a whole year+ to start law school seems unbearable.

Columbia isn't quite the reach it used to be. Their GPA floor has slowly dropped over the last couple of years.

You'll probably get in next cycle if you get the GPA over 3.4. Apply this cycle and see what happens, but if you really want Columbia and can't get off the WL this year just try again next year.

Do you have an upward trend in your GPA at all? I know it doesn't really make a difference in admissions but I'm just wondering.

Tiago Splitter wrote:Columbia isn't quite the reach it used to be. Their GPA floor has slowly dropped over the last couple of years.

Maybe I should have listened to TLS and retaken...

fallingup wrote:Do you have an upward trend in your GPA at all? I know it doesn't really make a difference in admissions but I'm just wondering.

Oh heavens yes. Well, somewhat of a hill/valley, with a steep climb at the end.

4.0 first semester freshman year
2.something second semester freshman year (..yeah...)
hovered around 3.0 for like a year and a half
Straight A's my last 3 semesters, dean's list my last 4 semesters. (5 year senior)

Basically, I was a naive young do-gooder, then I became corrupted by college, then I was directionless for a period there before finally manning up and actually giving a damn. If you had told 18-20 year old me that my slacking then was the difference between Harvard/Stanford/Columbia and Georgetown or UCLA I would have slapped you in the face. Sigh.

StillIll wrote:

fallingup wrote:Do you have an upward trend in your GPA at all? I know it doesn't really make a difference in admissions but I'm just wondering.

Oh heavens yes. Well, somewhat of a hill/valley, with a steep climb at the end.

4.0 first semester freshman year
2.something second semester freshman year (..yeah...)
hovered around 3.0 for like a year and a half
Straight A's my last 3 semesters, dean's list my last 4 semesters. (5 year senior)

Basically, I was a naive young do-gooder, then I became corrupted by college, then I was directionless for a period there before finally manning up and actually giving a damn. If you had told 18-20 year old me that my slacking then was the difference between Harvard/Stanford/Columbia and Georgetown or UCLA I would have slapped you in the face. Sigh.

Lol I been there man. But you redeemed yourself with that great LSAT. Nowhere to go but up from here...

ChampagnePapi wrote:

StillIll wrote:

fallingup wrote:Do you have an upward trend in your GPA at all? I know it doesn't really make a difference in admissions but I'm just wondering.

Oh heavens yes. Well, somewhat of a hill/valley, with a steep climb at the end.

4.0 first semester freshman year
2.something second semester freshman year (..yeah...)
hovered around 3.0 for like a year and a half
Straight A's my last 3 semesters, dean's list my last 4 semesters. (5 year senior)

Basically, I was a naive young do-gooder, then I became corrupted by college, then I was directionless for a period there before finally manning up and actually giving a damn. If you had told 18-20 year old me that my slacking then was the difference between Harvard/Stanford/Columbia and Georgetown or UCLA I would have slapped you in the face. Sigh.

Lol I been there man. But you redeemed yourself with that great LSAT. Nowhere to go but up from here...

Thanks a lot brotha. The words of encouragement mean a lot during these trying, stressful times.