Top Law Schools

Hey everyone!

I just started my applications this week. I have a 3.72 at Penn State Schreyer Honors College and a 167 LSAT. My LORs will be written by the associate heads of each of my major departments and I think my personal statement is pretty strong... I'm just nervous about my chances at each of these places. I don't want to go outside of PA if possible, so Penn is really my only strong choice

My top choices are as follows:
Penn (Early Decision)
Georgetown
Cornell
UVA
Temple (it's near my home)
Fordham

Has anyone else applied with these numbers to these schools? What happened? Any speculation on the outcome here?

You have a good shot at Cornell. I wouldn't bother at Temple. Retake for a 170 for Penn.

Very likely in at Cornell, fair shot at GULC, and no chance whatsoever at Penn or UVA, as you're below both medians at both schools. In at Fordham at an unjustifiable cost of attendance. In at Temple, likely with a large scholarship.

The titles of your recommenders are completely irrelevant.

You should definitely retake.

Definitely retake. Also, any particular reason NYU isn't on this list? It's probably closer/more accessible to Philly than UVA would be.

I don't think I have any chance at all at NYU, Plus I have a bit of a vendetta against them! When I applied for undergrad they lost my application and left me hanging for months! I realize it's not the same school and it's not the same people handling the application, but after they refused to reimburse my application fee the first time I don't plan on giving them any more of my money. Unreasonable? Yes. But that's my story.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll keep everyone posted!

kek5250 wrote:Hey everyone!

I just started my applications this week. I have a 3.72 at Penn State Schreyer Honors College and a 167 LSAT. My LORs will be written by the associate heads of each of my major departments and I think my personal statement is pretty strong... I'm just nervous about my chances at each of these places. I don't want to go outside of PA if possible, so Penn is really my only strong choice

My top choices are as follows:
Penn (Early Decision)
Georgetown
Cornell
UVA
Temple (it's near my home)
Fordham

Has anyone else applied with these numbers to these schools? What happened? Any speculation on the outcome here?

Look outside of PA! I am also from Philly, had relatively similar stats - and ended up happily at a school far far away from Philly. I do want to go back to Philly but you can achieve this in places outside Philly/East coast if you crush it in law school and do have those ties.

Yes, you will want to ED Penn. I would say Temple should be an option because of your Philly ties but Fordham should not be an option. With your stats, Beasley will give you a full scholarship. To echo everyone else on this board, a retake and a 169 gets you into Penn ED - right now I'd chance you at 40% with ED. PM me with any questions as I was in a similar scenario.

Today I received merit based fee waivers at UVA, Penn, and Columbia- I realize that this does not change my numbers or my chances, but is that at all an indication that I'm at least looking in the right places? Or is it possible that in this, frankly, horrid financial situation that law schools are desperate to up their selectivity numbers by extending fee waivers to students who are just under qualified?

Thanks for all the help thus far, guys!

kek5250 wrote:Today I received merit based fee waivers at UVA, Penn, and Columbia- I realize that this does not change my numbers or my chances, but is that at all an indication that I'm at least looking in the right places? Or is it possible that in this, frankly, horrid financial situation that law schools are desperate to up their selectivity numbers by extending fee waivers to students who are just under qualified?

Assuming you are non-URM, it's the latter. These schools want you to apply so they can reject you.

moneyball026 wrote:To echo everyone else on this board, a retake and a 169 gets you into Penn ED - right now I'd chance you at 40% with ED.

OP is below both medians at Penn. His/her chances there are essentially nil, even with an ED app.

I'm not sure if this matters, but I studied abroad and my GPA was the victim of some serious grade deflation issues- the school where I was generally a 70% earns first honors and is considered excellent... but transfers back as Cs on my home institution transcript anyway! Without this semester, my GPA would be a 3.87. I got multiple letters explaining these academic differences from professors abroad as well as the president of IES abroad in my city. I've written an addendum as well. My hope is that my GPA will actually be seen as what it would be without the semester abroad. Any thoughts on that also?

kek5250 wrote:I'm not sure if this matters,

doesnt matter

kek5250 wrote:I'm not sure if this matters, but I studied abroad and my GPA was the victim of some serious grade deflation issues- the school where I was generally a 70% earns first honors and is considered excellent... but transfers back as Cs on my home institution transcript anyway! Without this semester, my GPA would be a 3.87. I got multiple letters explaining these academic differences from professors abroad as well as the president of IES abroad in my city. I've written an addendum as well. My hope is that my GPA will actually be seen as what it would be without the semester abroad. Any thoughts on that also?

you've got to actually be at one median first before they take a serious look at the rest - specific courses taken, profs, LoRs, distribution of grades/upward trend ect.

The easiest way to up your chances for Penn is to retake the LSAT (or i guess you could just wait as the number of law school applications continues to decline and their median's inevitably slip into the 160's - this could be two years, five years or never)

jbagelboy wrote:

kek5250 wrote:I'm not sure if this matters, but I studied abroad and my GPA was the victim of some serious grade deflation issues- the school where I was generally a 70% earns first honors and is considered excellent... but transfers back as Cs on my home institution transcript anyway! Without this semester, my GPA would be a 3.87. I got multiple letters explaining these academic differences from professors abroad as well as the president of IES abroad in my city. I've written an addendum as well. My hope is that my GPA will actually be seen as what it would be without the semester abroad. Any thoughts on that also?

you've got to actually be at one median first before they take a serious look at the rest - specific courses taken, profs, LoRs, distribution of grades/upward trend ect.

The easiest way to up your chances for Penn is to retake the LSAT (or i guess you could just wait as the number of law school applications continues to decline and their median's inevitably slip into the 160's - this could be two years, five years or never)

This is spot on. ED does not work miracles. However, it can certainly be a significant boost as long as you are at one median.