3.72 GPA/165 LSAT Math major with military service Forum

[Cal_DevilDog]

Hey y'all I'm a student at UC Berkeley majoring in Applied Mathematics. I'm taking the LSAT in December, but I believe it's reasonable to expect that I get around a 165. Before college I was in the Marines for four years and after law school I want to go back in as a JAG officer (all of this is discussed in my personal statement). My target schools are:

1. UC Berkeley
2. Duke
3. UCLA
4. USC

What are my chances? Thanks!

[MattM]

It's best to come back and ask after receiving an actual LSAT score.

Often LSAT actual exam scores will drop due to anxiety, test day conditions and whatnot

The cycle can be hard to predict if you are taking it for the first time since Fall 2015 is riding on one score in December ( Feb 2015 LSAt is too late unless you are willing to wait to apply for Fall 2016

[BigZuck]

Not looking particularly good at any of them but military sometimes means a good bump so who knows. Check out mylsn.info. I would definitely use up to all 3 takes and try to break a 170 minimum.

[Cal_DevilDog]

What about being a math major? Don't they look favorably upon that?

[butlerraider1]

What about being a math major? Don't they look favorably upon that?

On the margins maybe. Your service in the marines will give you a bigger boost than your UG major though.

[TheSpanishMain]

Your major won't really help, or it will help very, very slightly. Like, less than one extra point on the LSAT.

Are you Post 9/11 eligible, or did you use it all on undergrad? You'd probably get one of UCLA or USC with a 3.7/165 (just for reference, I got UCLA with money with a 3.3/168, also a vet), but either one of them without the Post 9/11 would not be wise financially.

[Cal_DevilDog]

Are you Post 9/11 eligible, or did you use it all on undergrad? You'd probably get one of UCLA or USC with a 3.7/165 (just for reference, I got UCLA with money with a 3.3/168, also a vet), but either one of them without the Post 9/11 would not be wise financially.

I'll have 1 year left on my Post 9/11. I'm going to try for voc-rehab, but I'm not sure what my chances are with that. I've heard different stories, but I've had good luck with the VA in the past.

[TheSpanishMain]

Are you Post 9/11 eligible, or did you use it all on undergrad? You'd probably get one of UCLA or USC with a 3.7/165 (just for reference, I got UCLA with money with a 3.3/168, also a vet), but either one of them without the Post 9/11 would not be wise financially.

I'll have 1 year left on my Post 9/11. I'm going to try for voc-rehab, but I'm not sure what my chances are with that. I've heard different stories, but I've had good luck with the VA in the past.

I don't, unfortunately. I'd suggest heading over to the Veteran's Thread on the Admissions forum. Introduce yourself there and ask. I don't personally know, but there are enough vets lurking around there that someone could probably help you out.

[winstonsalem]

I think you're likely to get into all the schools on your target list, and that you should therefore aim a bit higher in the T14. The military bump is real, powerful, and often underestimated, and I think vets make a mistake in not applying to more reach schools. As an example of how powerful the bump can be, a non-URM vet I know with a lower GPA than you and a 160 on the LSAT got into Berkeley a few weeks ago. Schools really are interested in bringing in vets nowadays, so don't sell yourself short by not applying to schools in the T6.

I would specifically recommend that you at least add Stanford to your target schools. My impression from them last cycle was that they were especially intent on having vets in their entering class.

Also, I second the idea that you should take the LSAT again in Feb.

One last bit of unsolicited advice, I would recommend looking into http://service2school.org. They provide free law school application consulting services for vets.

[jbagelboy]

What about being a math major? Don't they look favorably upon that?

I was an applied math major and it made no difference in applying to law school. although its frustrating because your family, friends, college professors, and just about anyone else will somehow think its relevant

it should help you land a 1L SA tho