Top Law Schools

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David_Hume14 wrote:OK softs, typical poli-sci $hithead stuff like volunteering with campaigns, community activism, and student government. 1 year FT WE post-graduation (state U ug c/o '12) doing office work, awful 2.7 GPA but with upward trend, 165 LSAT

Chances at these schools?

Minnesota
George Washington
Wash & Lee
Illinois
WUSTL
SMU
Wisconsin
Emory
Georgia
BU
Indiana
Fordham

Thanks in Advance

You should retake and shoot for 170+ with that GPA.

.e.

David_Hume14 wrote:

isuperserial wrote:

David_Hume14 wrote:OK softs, typical poli-sci $hithead stuff like volunteering with campaigns, community activism, and student government. 1 year FT WE post-graduation (state U ug c/o '12) doing office work, awful 2.7 GPA but with upward trend, 165 LSAT

Chances at these schools?

Minnesota
George Washington
Wash & Lee
Illinois
WUSTL
SMU
Wisconsin
Emory
Georgia
BU
Indiana
Fordham

Thanks in Advance

You should retake and shoot for 170+ with that GPA.

But let's say I don't.

Then you shouldn't go to law school. You'd be making a financially reckless decision if you did. SMU is the only one of these where you have a strong chance of admission, but you'll be paying sticker or close to it, which means you'll have amassed $210-250K of nondischargeable debt at graduation -- for a degree that gives you a ~15% chance at a high-paying job. That's completely illogical.

Also, it looks like you selected your schools by throwing darts at a map of the lower 48. Where do you have ties? None of these degrees will travel very far outside of their home markets, and many of these markets range from somewhat insular to very insular. For many of these schools, potential employers will be suspicious of someone without preexisting ties.

Ti Malice wrote:

David_Hume14 wrote:

isuperserial wrote:

David_Hume14 wrote:OK softs, typical poli-sci $hithead stuff like volunteering with campaigns, community activism, and student government. 1 year FT WE post-graduation (state U ug c/o '12) doing office work, awful 2.7 GPA but with upward trend, 165 LSAT

Chances at these schools?

Minnesota
George Washington
Wash & Lee
Illinois
WUSTL
SMU
Wisconsin
Emory
Georgia
BU
Indiana
Fordham

Thanks in Advance

You should retake and shoot for 170+ with that GPA.

But let's say I don't.

Then you'd be making a financially reckless decision. SMU is the only one of these where you have a strong chance of admission, but you'll be paying sticker or close to it, which means you'll have amassed $210-250K of nondischargeable debt at graduation -- for a degree that gives you a ~15% chance at a high-paying job.

Also, it looks like you selected your schools by throwing darts at a map of the lower 48. Where do you have ties? None of these degrees will travel very far outside of their home markets, and many of these markets range from somewhat insular to very insular. For many of these schools, potential employers will be suspicious of someone without preexisting ties.

I can only speak in regards to UGA because that is the only school I really have experience with (and where I am attending) but you would surely be accepted and probably get a good amount of money (in state + maybe a few k extra). This would bring tuition down to about 14-16k a year, which is absolutely a great deal IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING IN GEORGIA. Judging by your list, though, I think you would need to spend some time figuring out where you would really be comfortable working for a great deal of your life.

Ti Malice wrote:

David_Hume14 wrote:

isuperserial wrote:

David_Hume14 wrote:OK softs, typical poli-sci $hithead stuff like volunteering with campaigns, community activism, and student government. 1 year FT WE post-graduation (state U ug c/o '12) doing office work, awful 2.7 GPA but with upward trend, 165 LSAT

Chances at these schools?

Minnesota
George Washington
Wash & Lee
Illinois
WUSTL
SMU
Wisconsin
Emory
Georgia
BU
Indiana
Fordham

Thanks in Advance

You should retake and shoot for 170+ with that GPA.

But let's say I don't.

Then you shouldn't go to law school. You'd be making a financially reckless decision if you did. SMU is the only one of these where you have a strong chance of admission, but you'll be paying sticker or close to it, which means you'll have amassed $210-250K of nondischargeable debt at graduation -- for a degree that gives you a ~15% chance at a high-paying job. That's completely illogical.

Also, it looks like you selected your schools by throwing darts at a map of the lower 48. Where do you have ties? None of these degrees will travel very far outside of their home markets, and many of these markets range from somewhat insular to very insular. For many of these schools, potential employers will be suspicious of someone without preexisting ties.

Actually, Souther Methodist is great if you can get it on the cheap. Good employment rates.

isuperserial wrote:Actually, Souther Methodist is great if you can get it on the cheap. Good employment rates.

I didn't really say otherwise. But it still only places a little over 15% of its graduates into BigLaw + FedClerk. OP will not be getting much money from SMU, if any at all, so it would be bad idea for him/her.

Ti Malice wrote:

isuperserial wrote:Actually, Souther Methodist is great if you can get it on the cheap. Good employment rates.

I didn't really say otherwise. But it still only places a little over 15% of its graduates into BigLaw + FedClerk. OP will not be getting much money from SMU, if any at all, so it would be bad idea for him/her.

Perhaps, but I think considering the 73% employment rate, while you're not going to get rid of that debt super quick, a person dead set on being a lawyer could do a hell of a lot worse. It's probably not going to be a super profitable investment, but I probably would not tell someone they absolutely should not go. If they know the cost and they know they're probably not going to become very wealthy, then I think this is a relatively safe decision.

David_Hume14 wrote:OK softs, typical poli-sci $hithead stuff like volunteering with campaigns, community activism, and student government. 1 year FT WE post-graduation (state U ug c/o '12) doing office work, awful 2.7 GPA but with upward trend, 165 LSAT

Chances at these schools?

Minnesota
George Washington
Wash & Lee
Illinois
WUSTL
SMU
Wisconsin
Emory
Georgia
BU
Indiana
Fordham

Thanks in Advance

I.e., retake or don't go.

Your chances suck, even at these schools. Short answer is you must retake, but not necessarily for a 170.

Here's how law admissions largely work at these T15-25 level regional schools (as a caveat, this is a generalization from convo's with admissions, not the exact process for each school). They look at your scores. 1) If you're above both medians, they admit you with scholarship unless you're obvious YP or have C&F issues. 2) If you're above one median, they put your application in a pile for full consideration and actually read your PS/LORs/resume. Assuming you make a somewhat compelling fit, you're offered a buttload of scholarship and admitted. 3) If you are below both medians but above 25ths, they'll look briefly for something in your app to justify admitting you (diversity), which you do not have. 4) If you can't break 25ths, you're fucked and they might not even read most of it.

You fall into category 4 and at best 3 at UMN, GWU, IUIC, WUSTL, Emory, BU, ect. However, if you retake and hit 168, since median is a more common tool than mean, you could be looking at $$ at several of these schools. So study up a couple points and come back so we can tell you how overpriced all your options are, lol.

jbagelboy wrote:Your chances suck, even at these schools. Short answer is you must retake, but not necessarily for a 170.

Here's how law admissions largely work at these T15-25 level regional schools (as a caveat, this is a generalization from convo's with admissions, not the exact process for each school). They look at your scores. 1) If you're above both medians, they admit you with scholarship unless you're obvious YP or have C&F issues. 2) If you're above one median, they put your application in a pile for full consideration and actually read your PS/LORs/resume. Assuming you make a somewhat compelling fit, you're offered a buttload of scholarship and admitted. 3) If you are below both medians but above 25ths, they'll look briefly for something in your app to justify admitting you (diversity), which you do not have. 4) If you can't break 25ths, you're fucked and they might not even read most of it.

You fall into category 4 and at best 3 at UMN, GWU, IUIC, WUSTL, Emory, BU, ect. However, if you retake and hit 168, since median is a more common tool than mean, you could be looking at $$ at several of these schools. So study up a couple points and come back so we can tell you how overpriced all your options are, lol.

I'm thinking he should re-take and shoot for a 171