157/3.61 Forum

[ColdToes]

I have a 3.61 GPA and 157 LSAT. I take 3 classes this term and then I graduate, so my GPA won't change. I don't have any extracurriculars and my professors said their recommendations were really positive (one from a policy prof who taught me 3 classes, the other a writing prof).

My school list is:
Temple University
Northeastern University
American University
University of Denver
Vermont Law School

Anyways, I'm mostly interested in hearing about my chances to get into Temple. One the one hand, I'm out of state which means I pay them more money and my GPA is near the 75th percentile. On the other hand, I'm out of state and they probably have a quota for instate students which lowers my chances, and my LSAT is 1 point below the 25th percentile.

I'm also interested in hearing guesses for American and Northeastern. I think I have a solid shot at Denver and I'm guessing Vermont will accept me again.

Thanks y'all!

[deadpanic]

I'll be the first to say it: retake.

You need to try to go to a better school at a more affordable price. The market is absolutely brutal. You likely have a very low chance at a legal job at all from any of those schools.

On top of that, those schools are notoriously expensive (Temple may be okay with instate tuition only).

Where do you want to practice? Where do you have ties? Your list is scattered all over.

For the sake of answering your question...I would say you are likely to be admitted to all of those schools, but at sticker price, which again, would be a horrible investment.

[ColdToes]

Where do you want to practice? Where do you have ties? Your list is scattered all over.

I grew up in DC so I want to go back to the east coast. I lived in Georgia for a while so I know dixie isn't for me, so I'm looking at the mid-Atlantic and New England regions. I've been to a lot of cities on the east coast so I know I'll be happy living in DC, Philly, or Boston.

[Void]

Agreed. Retake the LSAT. Even if you graduate in the top 10% of your class from Temple you might still have a hard time finding a job. I know it feels like you never want to take the LSAT again and you need to get to law school just as soon as you possibly can, but believe me- taking the LSAT again is way easier than fighting your way to the top of your graduating class and possibly ending up unemployed.

[romothesavior]

Go to Law School Transparency and look at the job data for these schools. Go read the Vale of Tears thread, and the thread where the guy is taking a job at UHaul instead of a law firm because it offers better pay and benefits for fewer hours, and the debt pwnage thread. Go do your research and come to grips with the grim realities of the legal market and how bad these schools are.

Then retake the LSAT, get at least 8-10 more points on the LSAT, and go to à far better school at a much lower cost. Barring that, avoid law school.

[PRgradBYU]

[R]etake the LSAT, get at least 8-10 more points on the LSAT, and go to a far better school at a much lower cost. Barring that, avoid law school.

TITCR. Retake or don't go... the admissions benefit of having a high LSAT score (especially with your 3.61 GPA, which is decent) can't be overstated.

[timbs4339]

You cannot go to law school with those scores and that list of schools. I'm sorry. Paying BIGDEBT for Temple and winding up with a 50K job (remember, that is considered a very good outcome from any school on your list) is a terrible financial decision by any metric. American has an employment score of like 40% or something.