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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:22 am
by ashleyrama
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Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:34 am
by crumpetsandtea
It's good that you have a high GPA. I'd say you need at least a high 160s, like 168 to get in though, ideally a 170+ (this might give hot a shot at the $150k scholarship) . Also it will be harder if you don't have any work experience. I see that you're taking a year off, so that's great if you want NU. NU is not very friendly for reverse splitters though so I would really recommend shooting for 170 or 168 at the lowest.
Disclaimer - I'm a 3L and it's been a while since I looked at NU's acceptance cycles. They might be more lenient now because of lowered apps, but I don't think it's a bad thing to overprepare!
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:11 pm
by ashleyrama
Thanks for the input! Although I really won't be getting much work experience as I'll just be keeping my current job at a restaurant. I'm hoping to go up like 7 or 8 points, I'll be putting in several hours a day to study for it!
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:18 pm
by Mack.Hambleton
K
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:41 pm
by illegallad
Take a few years off and get some work experience first. I was a K-JD and applied with a gpa slightly lower than yours and a 170+ LSAT. I got in, but I barely got any scholarship money. It's anecdotal I know, but it looks like NU just isn't normally willing to shell out for K-JD students so taking a few years off won't hurt.
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:44 pm
by crumpetsandtea
ashleyrama wrote:Thanks for the input! Although I really won't be getting much work experience as I'll just be keeping my current job at a restaurant. I'm hoping to go up like 7 or 8 points, I'll be putting in several hours a day to study for it!
Honestly, it doesn't REALLY matter where you go (in terms of WE) as long as you can spin it ("Working at a restaurant taught me to juggle a lot of things at once and taught me about time management, which will make me a successful law student" or "Working in a high-speed restaurant job taught me how to deal with stress and think on my feet.") When they look @ WE, they're looking for mature candidates, not necessarily "I worked as a paralegal for Sullivan Cromwell for 9 months." (:
Right now though, your focus on studying for the LSAT is definitely a good one. Don't be afraid to take it a third time (I did!) in order to put yourself in the best spot possible. Also, if you do land a 17X and you are dead set on NU, you should apply for their ED program (you are required to matriculate, but you also received a $150,000 scholarship). Applying early, even if it's not to the ED program, will give you a small boost for admissions and make it more likely for you to get scholarship money.
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:47 pm
by Kratos
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:52 pm
by kcdc1
Median is 168, but I'd imagine NU will be hoping to raise that to 169 next year (not to say they'll actually succeed). If you have a median LSAT and a reasonably polished application, I'm sure you'll get in given your GPA.
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 3:54 pm
by ashleyrama
crumpetsandtea wrote:ashleyrama wrote:Thanks for the input! Although I really won't be getting much work experience as I'll just be keeping my current job at a restaurant. I'm hoping to go up like 7 or 8 points, I'll be putting in several hours a day to study for it!
Honestly, it doesn't REALLY matter where you go (in terms of WE) as long as you can spin it ("Working at a restaurant taught me to juggle a lot of things at once and taught me about time management, which will make me a successful law student" or "Working in a high-speed restaurant job taught me how to deal with stress and think on my feet.") When they look @ WE, they're looking for mature candidates, not necessarily "I worked as a paralegal for Sullivan Cromwell for 9 months." (:
Right now though, your focus on studying for the LSAT is definitely a good one. Don't be afraid to take it a third time (I did!) in order to put yourself in the best spot possible. Also, if you do land a 17X and you are dead set on NU, you should apply for their ED program (you are required to matriculate, but you also received a $150,000 scholarship). Applying early, even if it's not to the ED program, will give you a small boost for admissions and make it more likely for you to get scholarship money.
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 3:56 pm
by ashleyrama
kcdc1 wrote:Median is 168, but I'd imagine NU will be hoping to raise that to 169 next year (not to say they'll actually succeed). If you have a median LSAT and a reasonably polished application, I'm sure you'll get in given your GPA.
Here's to hoping I can jump up several points!
Re: Chances at Northwestern?
Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 4:12 pm
by crumpetsandtea
ashleyrama wrote:This is not only helpful information but encouraging. Thank you very much. I can definitely see what you mean by spinning it to help them see why I would be a good law student as a result. Excellent advice, thanks again!
No problem!! Let me know if/when you get into NU, I'm a 3L there now and I'd love to give you some outlines and general advice!
Also, wow I didn't realize the median for NU had dropped to 168. It was 170 when I was applying. If it really is 168, then I would say getting a 168+ is a definite lock for you, but 170-172 would be your sweet range for that scholarship (it was 174 back when I applied - anyone over 3.6/174 got the scholly, IIRC).