2.98 GPA 161 LSAT Forum

[riku33090]

Already dinged at Emory even with the accelerated decision program.
Need to trip down my application list by about 3-6 schools.
Anyone want to help me trim down?
Cant Re-take, used 3 chances already.
Live in CA
Want to ultimately transfer to T-14

Currently thinking of applying

Brooklyn Law
UCI
Cardozo
Chapman
UCD
Florida State
Fordham
George Mason
University of Iowa
Seton Hall
University of Alabama
University of Arkansas
University of Florida
Wake Forest
UW
WU

[patogordo]

you want to work in CA?

[Nova]

Want to ultimately transfer to T-14

Odds of that happening are very slim. Something like a 90% chance it wont happen from a T1.

When can you retake?

[Winston1984]

I just wouldn't go.

[riku33090]

you want to work in CA?

Doesn't have to.

[Nomo]

Please don't go. There is a very high probability you will regret going to any of these law schools for the rest of your life. Tuition is just too high. Transferring into a T-14 (where tuition is also too high) is a crapshoot.

You're going to owe more than $200,000 at about 7.5% interest when you get out. Your monthly payment, even on a 20 year plan will be around 2k/month.

Even if you manage to transfer to Berkeley (your best possible outcome) you're still at a school where only 60% of people get biglaw or federal clerkships. How are you going to pay those loans if you don't get biglaw? What if you do get biglaw but you end up at a Patton Boggs, Howery, or Dewey, and you're laid off halfway through year 1? You can't answer IBR/PAYE and PSLF anymore.

[d cooper]

First of all, you should wait until two years from your initial LSAT take has passed and then retake. It will only be a year or so away if you've taken it three times. Due to your GPA, "can't retake" just isn't on the table.

Second, if you haven't yet applied to these schools but still plan to this cycle you will under-perform your already poor numbers. It's very late in the cycle for new applications. Even more reason to sit out and retake.

170 is the absolute threshold if you're a sub-3.0 splitter. Even if it takes you 10 years to attain that score, it will be a much wiser course of action than matriculating with your 161.

[patogordo]

even with a 170+ LSAT, that GPA means sticker is just about inevitable. sure, sticker at northwestern or UVA is a whole lot better than sticker at chapman, but it's still a shitload of debt. tread carefully.

[burtmacklin]

even with a 170+ LSAT, that GPA means sticker is just about inevitable. sure, sticker at northwestern or UVA is a whole lot better than sticker at chapman, but it's still a shitload of debt. tread carefully.

Actually last year NU was giving out ~15-25k to some super splitters, but yeah OP you've gotta get to super splitter level

[taxman128]

You can't answer IBR/PAYE and PSLF anymore.

why not?

thanks

[TheSpanishMain]

Join the military for three years and get the GI Bill. It's far and away the most rational thing you could do.

[californiauser]

Join the military for three years and get the GI Bill. It's far and away the most rational thing you could do.

just do active service, man

but seriously, a paralegal certificate > any of these options at the prices you're looking at

[ohioguy99]

You are all over the map with the choices you listed. I'd focus more on location and go from there.

[abrahm]

What about San Diego? You could probably get in there with your LSAT. I would not recommend that school, but if your goals are to do well and transfer (very hard to do, esp to a T14) and be in California then it may work for you. Also, I believe their application deadline is really late like maybe even August 1. Good luck!

[francesfarmer]

Join the military for three years and get the GI Bill. It's far and away the most rational thing you could do.

just do active service, man

but seriously, a paralegal certificate > any of these options at the prices you're looking at

Do firms even hire people with paralegal certificates anymore? All the paralegals I know at biglaw firms were just college grads with high GPAs.

[Nucky]

A 2.98 is far from a death sentence. Just retake until you get to 165-170+ and you'll have solid options.

[PepperJack]

Join the military for three years and get the GI Bill. It's far and away the most rational thing you could do.

just do active service, man

but seriously, a paralegal certificate > any of these options at the prices you're looking at

Do firms even hire people with paralegal certificates anymore? All the paralegals I know at biglaw firms were just college grads with high GPAs.

I think that's the track at big law firms. Paralegal certificate hires seem to be relatively common at small firms where they really just want someone for 15-20/hr, and don't care about college GPA.

[Nomo]

You can't answer IBR/PAYE and PSLF anymore.

why not?

thanks

Because it appears to be politically unstable. It looks like its going to gutted at some point. What's unclear is whether current students will be grandfathered into the old rules, people already in payment will be grandfathered, or whether nobody will be grandfathered.

[thebobs1987]

A 2.98 is far from a death sentence. Just retake until you get to 165-170+ and you'll have solid options.

This. And focus on the place you want to live. Don't randomly apply to Iowa or Alabama if you don't have any ties

[jbagelboy]

I wouldn't go.

[rad lulz]

.

[IgosduIkana]

A 2.98 is far from a death sentence. Just retake until you get to 165-170+ and you'll have solid options.

[03152016]

Cant Re-take, used 3 chances already.

You can certainly retake. You're eligible to write the test again two years from the date of your first take.

If you're serious about a career in law, why not sit out a cycle or two while you get your LSAT score up? You'll have a much better range of options doing so, and in the meantime you can gain some work experience, maybe in the legal field.

[ManoftheHour]

I took 4 times. You can definitely retake. I might say fuck it and take a 5th or 6th time if I get that job offer that I am very close to.

[PDaddy]

Even if you were a URM I would still say to try to bring the score up by about three points. You need 165-170. Sticker at any schools but the "top-10" (i.e. T14 minus GULC and Cornell) is risky.