California schools- Canadian student, 167 planning to retake Forum

[superspaz]

Hi,

I'm applying for law schools this cycle and am really hoping to study somewhere in California. I just wrote the LSAT for the first time on Saturday and am hoping for a 170, but feeling kind of iffy about the test tbh. If I don't get 170+ then I'm definitely planning to retake and just apply for Fall 2015. I usually PT around 170-173, but I think perhaps with more time (and maybe taking an actual LSAT prep course?) I could do better. GPA is around 3.7 and I don't really see it changing much, since I'm in my last term of undergrad. I have pretty solid work experience at a mid-sized accounting firm as a co-op student/intern (my UG major is accounting) and am planning on starting an 8-month masters of accounting program in January. My UG program is a "professional program" and is pretty intense, but it's in Canada so I don't know how much weight it will hold with adcomm in the States. I did some ECs during my first 2.5 years, but not so much in my later years since I wanted to focus more on my GPA.

My top choice is Berkeley, but I'm not sure realistically what my chances would be of getting in. Also would consider USC or UCLA, but outside of that I don't think I'd really move to the States to attend a small regional school - would probably just stay in Canada and try for UofT or something.

So basically just wondering if I have a shot at Berkeley? If not right now, maybe there's a target LSAT score I can aim for?

Thanks!

On a side note, I'm also considering trying for NYU and maybe Columbia. But I just want to make sure I'm being realistic before I actually apply anywhere. I've pretty much determined though that if I don't get into a T14 school I'm just going to stay in Canada.

edit: Okay I'm actually not sure if I've converted my GPA right. Will probably end up with a cumulative avg around 83-85%. Probably lower if I only take in marks from last 2 years because I got a 67 in one course last term and it killed my avg (and also made me realize that I was definitely headed into the wrong profession.)

re-edit: Just tried to calculate my GPA using LSAC's scale and apparently I'm sitting at 3.06 right now. Really surprised and disheartened, I didn't really think I was doing that badly school-wise. I'm at the University of Waterloo, don't know if that makes a difference. Now I'm not even sure if a 170+ LSAT can make up for that difference and get me into a T14 school... don't know if it would be worth retaking to try for 175? I don't know how much that would improve my chances.

[jbagelboy]

You should figure out exactly where your UGPa will stand for LSAC. As an international student, you may not have an LSAC gpa, in which case everything will fall on your LSAT score (and your cycle will probably be a little weaker than the score would otherwise suggest) unless you attended a prestigious Anglo university, like UCL, Cambridge, U Toronto, ect.

If your 84% GPA in Canada was to be converted to the American A-F scale, it would fall around 3.1; this limits you to a coterie of splitter friendly top schools, among which Berkeley is not a member. Typically, CA law schools are viewed as hostile to splitters. Whatever the conversion, DO NOT attend a law school other than Cal, Stanford, or UCLA/USC on substantial (25k+/yr) scholarship.

It will be difficult to get a CA large firm job out of schools like UVA or Northwestern with no prior ties to the state. Firms are wary of where you are from and whether you're a flight risk, and bidding almost exclusively on one secondary market is always risky even above median at lower T14s. The reality is the CA legal market is so bad that if your GPA is B-average or your LSAT not over 170, you may want to revisit your goals for the time being

[to116]

American and Canadian schools handle percent grades differently. An 84% is an A- in Canada which would translate to around a 3.7ish. I don't think LSAC would count it as a 3.01, they probably have the scales for Canadian schools when they convert, or it would be very unfair. I wouldn't worry.

[twenty]

A 170+ will very likely get you into a T14 school (particularly NU or UVA). That said, since you don't actually have an LSAT just yet it's hard to make that sort of assumption, and since we don't know what your GPA actually is, we can't really be very sure when we're telling you where you will or won't get into.

[superspaz]

Thank you all for your replies.

So unfortunately I scored a 167 on the October LSAT. My tentative plan right now is to retake in February or June at the latest, and apply next cycle. I think that with my numbers right now, I have a decent shot at getting into almost any Canadian school, so I'd be happy going to like UofT or something and then just staying in Canada. Still have my heart set on a T-14 though, and California is still the dream.

Just had a follow-up question though... taking into account the fact that I am Canadian aka an international student, would that mean that my uGPA wouldn't be considered at all for admissions, and the only thing that would really be looked at would be my LSAT score? A little bit of clarification on this would be appreciated!

[to116]

No applicants from both Canadian and American schools get their transcripts converted by LSAC

[altoid99]

No applicants from both Canadian and American schools get their transcripts converted by LSAC

What? Are you missing a period after "No"?

[RIZALIANA]

Hi! I am new to this but after I read your
Post, I couldn't help myself to say that you have a very good GPA
and LSAT score, and I believed that you will have a big
chance here in our university (Canada). Try to apply, University of Victoria's
due date is Dec. 1...and check the dates on other universities.
Think positive!!!

[to116]

No applicants from both Canadian and American schools get their transcripts converted by LSAC

What? Are you missing a period after "No"?

No, applicants from both Canadian and American schools get their transcripts converted.

[jbagelboy]

Hi! I am new to this but after I read your
Post, I couldn't help myself to say that you have a very good GPA
and LSAT score, and I believed that you will have a big
chance here in our university (Canada). Try to apply, University of Victoria's
due date is Dec. 1...and check the dates on other universities.
Think positive!!!

This is weird, yo.

[withoutapaddle]

Have law schools that desperate to their telling people to apply on a forum haha.

[str8yolked]

Hi! I am new to this but after I read your
Post, I couldn't help myself to say that you have a very good GPA
and LSAT score, and I believed that you will have a big
chance here in our university (Canada). Try to apply, University of Victoria's
due date is Dec. 1...and check the dates on other universities.
Think positive!!!

I was going to apply to uvic, even received a hand written note inviting me to apply. Right before handing in my app a recruiter from the school flat out told me that I'd be wait listed with my 17x LSAT... Lol what?