3.6 GPA and 172 LSAT Forum

[wanttolearn]

I am considering law school in a few years and would like some opinions from you guys. I started college off strong, then had a bit of a snag where I was depressed for a couple years, then finished strong in the final semester, coming back from 3.3 GPAs to a 4.0. Next year I am starting full time work at Goldman Sachs doing investment banking, where I plan to work for a couple of years, and then maybe go to a hedge fund or private equity. Perhaps after Goldman, however, I will want to go to law school. My cumulative GPA will be a 3.6 or so (maybe a bit higher), and I got a 172 on the LSAT.

All of this taken together, could you guys handicap the chances of an applicant such as myself getting into HYS and the top 14? For reference, I am a white male. Will I want to explain my GPA situation in the app?

Thanks!

[PRgradBYU]

HYS is probably out of the question, but I bet you'd get a few T-14 bites (e.g. Northwestern).

[Nova]

YSH are out. Probably out at Columbia. Good shot at NYU. Decent shot at Chi. Youll probably get 1 or 2 of MVP. Probably 3 or 4 of DNGC

[nebula666]

I disagree with Nova about Columbia but agree with the rest. Nobody has been rejected with your numbers from CLS in the last two cycles (7 admit, 1 reject), and only 3 out of 41 have been flat out rejected since 2007. Probably out at Berkeley because they are GPA whores but good shot at everywhere else. Should get a good amount of money at some of the lower T14.

[jkpolk]

I disagree with Nova about Columbia but agree with the rest. Nobody has been rejected with your numbers from CLS in the last two cycles (7 admit, 1 reject), and only 3 out of 41 have been flat out rejected since 2007. Probably out at Berkeley because they are GPA whores but good shot at everywhere else. Should get a good amount of money at some of the lower T14.

He'll likely catch the permanent waitlist at CLS - i.e. rejected

[nebula666]

I disagree with Nova about Columbia but agree with the rest. Nobody has been rejected with your numbers from CLS in the last two cycles (7 admit, 1 reject), and only 3 out of 41 have been flat out rejected since 2007. Probably out at Berkeley because they are GPA whores but good shot at everywhere else. Should get a good amount of money at some of the lower T14.

He'll likely catch the permanent waitlist at CLS - i.e. rejected

http://myLSN.info/qtua7v

To be fair, a few of these were ED and it's a small sample size, but the drop in applications is definitely going to help OP's chances at CLS.

[wanttolearn]

Ok thanks follow up question- is it looked down upon in any way if LSAT scores aren't really fresh i.e. a year or so old? So, if scores are about 2 or 4 years old, as could be the situation in my case, is that discounted in any way whatsoever?

[Nova]

Nah

[megagnarley]

If your app is good you should be in at NYU down with a good shot at CLS and excluding Berkley because they DGAF about the LSAT.

Rejoice.

[wanttolearn]

I appreciate the responses. Another quick follow up question- at what point do law schools stop caring about my 3.6 GPA? With age and great work experience, does it become meaningless? I mean lets say just for fun that I happened to get a job being Obama's aide or something, and he writes a great LoC. Would that and a decent LSAT trump a 3.6 GPA at Harvard or Yale?

[Rahviveh]

double

[Rahviveh]

I appreciate the responses. Another quick follow up question- at what point do law schools stop caring about my 3.6 GPA? With age and great work experience, does it become meaningless? I mean lets say just for fun that I happened to get a job being Obama's aide or something, and he writes a great LoC. Would that and a decent LSAT trump a 3.6 GPA at Harvard or Yale?

I think that's the sort of thing which could help. Something extraordinary. Also, you'd have a non-zero chance at Harvard with a higher LSAT score that would help them overlook a 3.6.

[nebula666]

I appreciate the responses. Another quick follow up question- at what point do law schools stop caring about my 3.6 GPA? With age and great work experience, does it become meaningless? I mean lets say just for fun that I happened to get a job being Obama's aide or something, and he writes a great LoC. Would that and a decent LSAT trump a 3.6 GPA at Harvard or Yale?

Softs are more used to compare people with the same numbers. Only some amazing softs (military, actual rec from POTUS) would make you jump a person in front of you with a better LSAt, GPA or both. There is not much you could do to give yourself a shot at HYS with a 3.6 (non URM).

[boblawlob]

I disagree with Nova about Columbia but agree with the rest. Nobody has been rejected with your numbers from CLS in the last two cycles (7 admit, 1 reject), and only 3 out of 41 have been flat out rejected since 2007. Probably out at Berkeley because they are GPA whores but good shot at everywhere else. Should get a good amount of money at some of the lower T14.

ED to CLS.

[Borg]

My guess is in at CLS on down, WL to rejection at Harvard, straight rejections at Yale and Stanford. Might get significant scholarships at some T-14s too.