Top Law Schools

I'm currently in the process of applying. 3.1 UG from West Point, 166 LSAT. Captain in the Army, 5+ years of legit WE, 2 deployments to Iraq, awarded the Bronze Star for Merit. What schools do I have a chance to get into? Floor/Ceiling? Thanks for all the help.

http://myLSN.info/2ri1zv

I.e., you're looking at definite admission for most schools below the T30, and some schools in the T30 itself. LSN isn't the best resource for splitters, however, so take this with a grain of salt.

Thank you for the quick response. I appreciate it.

Are you applying this cycle?

If so, I think you are good for pretty much every school outside of the T25. Schools are putting a premium on higher LSATs (165+) due to decreased numbers. Who knows how next cycle will pan out, but I don't imagine things will be too different next cycle.

Based on anecdotal evidence (and some personal experience), the most military-friendly (i.e. they value the military "soft") schools in the Top 25 are Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, UT-Austin, UVA, Northwestern, and Columbia. You would be a long shot at all these schools, but if you put together an outstanding application (great PS...incorporating your Military Experience, "Why X" essay, LORs, cross every "i"/dot every "t") I think you would have an outstanding chance of getting into at least one of the ones I mentioned above.

Other schools in the Top 25 may be military-friendly, as well, but I can only speak to the schools I mentioned above.

Appreciate your service, by the way. Best of luck!

Thank you JC for the assistance and the kind words, to be thanked by a stranger is always a humbling thing, I'm honored by your thanks. I am applying this cycle. I have a number of those schools on my list, and I'm hoping I can overcome my low GPA and sneak into one of them. I just retook the LSAT this past Saturday due to the snow storm so I'm hoping to improve my score, I think I have an outside chance at a 170, but it's also extremely late in the game for school to accept that score. Hopefully the military experience will bail me out.

If you hit 170, I would love your chances at Northwestern (and "in" at ND, Vandy, UT-Austin) and think you'd have a fighter's chance at Columbia.

Your Feb score is not too late, especially in this cycle. Schools are desperate to maintain their LSAT medians, so I do not think the lateness will negatively impact your chances (at least not in a significant manner).

I bet you would get in to Notre Dame. I got in (with $) with a 3.38/166 k-JD from a much less prestigious school than West Point. No badass military history either. Do a Why ND essay and you're probably in.

See if you can get the Army to pay for law school in exchange for four more years in JAG. You're not getting biglaw out of any of those schools anyway, and with your stats, it'd be a shame to be forced into a terrible job/not get any job at all because your GPA wasn't great.

Alternatively, retake for 170~, go to NU/ED UVA.

i would retake and try to hit 170, and then go to uva, northwestern, texas, or vandy for free with GI bill/YRP

what year, btw?

Like everyone else has said, 170 would give you a lot of security. But with that being said you should check out this guy's LSN profile: http://lawschoolnumbers.com/matthewsean85

Obviously not the same, but he's about as close to your situation as anyone you're going to find. You can see he has clearly out performed his numbers by a long shot (NU from below both medians, Berk with a weak GPA). But at the same time your softs aren't a magic bullet that will solve everything. If you can hit 170 you're definitely in at NU next cycle and good chance at getting picked up elsewhere in the t14.

(173/3.0 vet here just got NU last week, and not nearly as decorated plus enlisted)

Also, NU does participate in the yellow ribbon program, and per my emails with them this morning they have never used all 10 spots, so its basically guaranteed.

Thank you guys for all the info. ND wasn't even on my radar, I'll have to add that to the list. I missed the application deadline for NU, I don't imagine schools allow you to apply after the deadline, anyone have any info on that? Fatduck: I was a 2006 Grad.

Superman99000 wrote:Thank you guys for all the info. ND wasn't even on my radar, I'll have to add that to the list. I missed the application deadline for NU, I don't imagine schools allow you to apply after the deadline, anyone have any info on that? Fatduck: I was a 2006 Grad.

ah, just missed you then, i was c/o 2010. didn't graduate, though.

Superman99000 wrote:Thank you guys for all the info. ND wasn't even on my radar, I'll have to add that to the list. I missed the application deadline for NU, I don't imagine schools allow you to apply after the deadline, anyone have any info on that? Fatduck: I was a 2006 Grad.

NU extended their deadline to 1Mar as of yesterday. If they take the feb score (and its 170+) you should be ok.

If you're not dead set on a legal career, you should think about an MBA. Business schools are way bigger on military and work experience and don't care nearly as much about a GPA, and I bet you could be looking at Harvard/Wharton/Chicago/Columbia/MIT etc. with a background like that.