172 LSAT 3.95 Biochemistry GPA Forum

[Praying4T14]

Hey everybody,

I took the LSAT in February and recently received my score. I was pleased to see that I managed to hit my target score of a 172. I'm a Junior Biochem major so I won't be applying until next semester, and I currently have a 3.95 GPA. I think I have some okay softs, although I'm not really sure what constitutes "good softs". Softs include a couple of internships, one working with a campaign and the other was in a hospital (in my former pre-med life). I also am serving as President-elect of a medical mission trip organization on my campus, and my experiences on these mission trips will be the focus of my personal statement. I've served in a couple of other leadership positions at my state university but nothing to write home about. I'm not a URM, but I do come from an extremely underrepresented state (not sure if that matters). I was hoping for some insight on my chances at T14 admissions and scholarships. Im hoping for a full ride or at least close to it. I've looked on LSN, but it's hard to find anybody with a science major with a solid GPA. Most of them seem to be splitters.

Thanks in advance!

[Indy16]

Hey everybody,

I took the LSAT in February and recently received my score. I was pleased to see that I managed to hit my target score of a 172. I'm a Junior Biochem major so I won't be applying until next semester, and I currently have a 3.95 GPA. I think I have some okay softs, although I'm not really sure what constitutes "good softs". Softs include a couple of internships, one working with a campaign and the other was in a hospital (in my former pre-med life). I also am serving as President-elect of a medical mission trip organization on my campus, and my experiences on these mission trips will be the focus of my personal statement. I've served in a couple of other leadership positions at my state university but nothing to write home about. I'm not a URM, but I do come from an extremely underrepresented state (not sure if that matters). I was hoping for some insight on my chances at T14 admissions and scholarships. Im hoping for a full ride or at least close to it. I've looked on LSN, but it's hard to find anybody with a science major with a solid GPA. Most of them seem to be splitters.

Thanks in advance!

Science will probably nudge a little in your favor, but I'd check out mylsn.info for your chances. Don't see any reason why you shouldn't get results similar to those there.

You're probably looking at picking between CCN with 25-50% tuition schollys or a lower t-14 with a better scholly. Find a narrative that works for your app and you could be looking at the Mordecai from Duke or something similar. I got a 172 with a 3.93 and a year of work experience and you can check out my profile to see my results (though I think my soft factors helped me a little more than yours would, whereas your high STEM GPA would probably help you more than my humanities one).

[moejoe193]

I'm not a URM, but I do come from an extremely underrepresented state (not sure if that matters).

I am also from an underrepresented state, and I'll say that, though I have no way of confirming this, I believe my state helped me get admissions to HLS. How much it will help for scholarships is another matter.

[BigZuck]

I don't see why you would do any better than a 172/3.95 in basket weaving. Maybe Yale or Stanford might care, but they are hard to predict so it's usually good to just apply there but not have any expectations. If you bink one or both, sweet. If you don't, no biggie.

Check out http://www.mylsn.info for chances.

[RareExports]

What state? Are we talking AK/WY/ND range or like SD/ID/HI/ME range?

ETA: I think AK/WY/ND/MT gets a definite boost, and SD/ID/HI/ME probably gets a marginal boost. Not sure any other states would get a bump. The rest of the small states end up being proportionately pretty well-represented.

[TLSModBot]

Hey everybody,

I took the LSAT in February and recently received my score. I was pleased to see that I managed to hit my target score of a 172. I'm a Junior Biochem major so I won't be applying until next semester, and I currently have a 3.95 GPA. I think I have some okay softs, although I'm not really sure what constitutes "good softs". Softs include a couple of internships, one working with a campaign and the other was in a hospital (in my former pre-med life). I also am serving as President-elect of a medical mission trip organization on my campus, and my experiences on these mission trips will be the focus of my personal statement. I've served in a couple of other leadership positions at my state university but nothing to write home about. I'm not a URM, but I do come from an extremely underrepresented state (not sure if that matters). I was hoping for some insight on my chances at T14 admissions and scholarships. Im hoping for a full ride or at least close to it. I've looked on LSN, but it's hard to find anybody with a science major with a solid GPA. Most of them seem to be splitters.

Thanks in advance!

Just to clarify what matters given your whole shpiel above:

1. LSAT - 172
2. GPA - 3.95
3. URM status - No
4. All the other stuff - matters somewhere between nothing to 1%

Also, retake the LSAT if you have the time and have only taken it once. Right now you might cop a good scholly at the lower t14, but a couple points higher and you're looking at serious money in the t6 range.

[BigZuck]

What state? Are we talking AK/WY/ND range or like SD/ID/HI/ME range?

ETA: I think AK/WY/ND/MT gets a definite boost, and SD/ID/HI/ME probably gets a marginal boost. Not sure any other states would get a bump. The rest of the small states end up being proportionately pretty well-represented.

I've never heard this before, what are you basing it on?

[Broncos15]

Hey everybody,

I took the LSAT in February and recently received my score. I was pleased to see that I managed to hit my target score of a 172. I'm a Junior Biochem major so I won't be applying until next semester, and I currently have a 3.95 GPA. I think I have some okay softs, although I'm not really sure what constitutes "good softs". Softs include a couple of internships, one working with a campaign and the other was in a hospital (in my former pre-med life). I also am serving as President-elect of a medical mission trip organization on my campus, and my experiences on these mission trips will be the focus of my personal statement. I've served in a couple of other leadership positions at my state university but nothing to write home about. I'm not a URM, but I do come from an extremely underrepresented state (not sure if that matters). I was hoping for some insight on my chances at T14 admissions and scholarships. Im hoping for a full ride or at least close to it. I've looked on LSN, but it's hard to find anybody with a science major with a solid GPA. Most of them seem to be splitters.

Thanks in advance!

Just to clarify what matters given your whole shpiel above:

1. LSAT - 172
2. GPA - 3.95
3. URM status - No
4. All the other stuff - matters somewhere between nothing to 1%

Also, retake the LSAT if you have the time and have only taken it once. Right now you might cop a good scholly at the lower t14, but a couple points higher and you're looking at serious money in the t6 range.

Or alternatively, apply with what you have now and see if you like where your cycle is and if you don't like......No easy answer on the retake since you are in such a good position already ( especially in this period of decreased apps)

[TLSModBot]

Can you even apply to law school as a college junior?

It has been a while since I applied to law school.

[malleus discentium]

Why do you want to go to law school with a 3.95 in biochem?

[RunnerRunner]

Hey everybody,

I took the LSAT in February and recently received my score. I was pleased to see that I managed to hit my target score of a 172. I'm a Junior Biochem major so I won't be applying until next semester, and I currently have a 3.95 GPA. I think I have some okay softs, although I'm not really sure what constitutes "good softs". Softs include a couple of internships, one working with a campaign and the other was in a hospital (in my former pre-med life). I also am serving as President-elect of a medical mission trip organization on my campus, and my experiences on these mission trips will be the focus of my personal statement. I've served in a couple of other leadership positions at my state university but nothing to write home about. I'm not a URM, but I do come from an extremely underrepresented state (not sure if that matters). I was hoping for some insight on my chances at T14 admissions and scholarships. Im hoping for a full ride or at least close to it. I've looked on LSN, but it's hard to find anybody with a science major with a solid GPA. Most of them seem to be splitters.

Thanks in advance!

Just to clarify what matters given your whole shpiel above:

1. LSAT - 172
2. GPA - 3.95
3. URM status - No
4. All the other stuff - matters somewhere between nothing to 1%

Also, retake the LSAT if you have the time and have only taken it once. Right now you might cop a good scholly at the lower t14, but a couple points higher and you're looking at serious money in the t6 range.

This. Especially because it boosts your YHS probability. Literally just improving one or two points would have a relatively big influence on your chances there since you are just a shade below median LSAT. (Of course if all you want is t14 money don't bother: you'll get some with your current numbers for sure).

[RareExports]

What state? Are we talking AK/WY/ND range or like SD/ID/HI/ME range?

ETA: I think AK/WY/ND/MT gets a definite boost, and SD/ID/HI/ME probably gets a marginal boost. Not sure any other states would get a bump. The rest of the small states end up being proportionately pretty well-represented.

I've never heard this before, what are you basing it on?

Personal experience and correspondence with adcoms. Obviously that's not great evidence, so I prefaced it with "I think" which sums up my assessment of it.

[teleste]

.

[MarkfromWI]

Why do you want to go to law school with a 3.95 in biochem?

[science burner]

Why do you want to go to law school with a 3.95 in biochem?

What kind of great job do you think someone with only a BS in biochem is going to get? Even with a 3.95 gpa

Maybe lab tech doing the same boring assays every day or a sales rep. Best case scenario is research scientist, but with the glut of PhDs who are graduating these days, why would a PI take a fresh biochemistry student over someone with a PhD that knows what they'll be doing?

Hell, most of the sales reps I deal with have a PhD or at the very least a masters.

[teleste]

.

[GreenEggs]

Can you even apply to law school as a college junior?

It has been a while since I applied to law school.

No you typically can't. Though some schools are in partnerships where you can apply as juniors in some sort of accelerated program. 3+3.

[James.K.Polk]

Why do you want to go to law school with a 3.95 in biochem?

I think this is so hilarious; people who think the job market for law is bad ought to take a look at the chemistry/biochemistry job market.

PhD -> Post-Doc (I believe the average PhD now spends 8 years as a post-doc on ~40k/year) -> If you're lucky, a low-paying faculty position where you better hope you get your k99/k1 grants, or you're toast.

Edit: You could get some work experience as a consultant or something, if you wanted to make some money before the debt of law school. I know kids with lesser GPAs from STEM that made big $$ at BCG/Bain/etc.

[biomed123]

Eh Chemistry/Biochem depending on what you studied could transition to a pretty nice paycheck private industry after graduation. But yeah, if you studied something not relevant in industry or are trying to get into academia its definitely rough. Not that it matters since its just a BS anyway.

[Tls2016]

Eh Chemistry/Biochem depending on what you studied could transition to a pretty nice paycheck private industry after graduation. But yeah, if you studied something not relevant in industry or are trying to get into academia its definitely rough. Not that it matters since its just a BS anyway.

Law seems like such a waste of time and money for a person with a good life science degree. In my experience, it's not true that hiring is a joke compared to law. And even in law, a bachelors in life science won't get you IP.

I know people with jobs in industry (pharmaceuticals and nutrition though they live in Ohio and New Jersey) and in hospital research labs (Weil Cornell hospital) with just a masters or even a bachelors. I think it's a mistake to just turn to law school just because you decide not to go to medical school and you want a professional degree, which is what seems to happen, not saying OP is necessarily in that group.

I am not always convinced that life science people have any clue what lawyers do for a living, the hours, the actual work and what their life will be like. Most people seem to go to law school because they have useless undergrad degrees and can't find any other job. A high GPA in biochem should get you into a better career path than law.

I think OP should look very hard for other jobs. Law school will always be there as a backup plan. His LSAT credentials are good for 5 years.

[biomed123]

With a bachelors degree their work in pharmaceuticals or in a hospital lab would likely be as a tech. Your right there are some good jobs but they can be hard to come by and generally require some amount of experience. Honestly what the 3.95 Biochem screams at me personally would be either PharmD or PharmD/JD if they were looking at job prospects but it may not be the direction OP wants to go.

[Tls2016]

With a bachelors degree their work in pharmaceuticals or in a hospital lab would likely be as a tech. Your right there are some good jobs but they can be hard to come by and generally require some amount of experience. Honestly what the 3.95 Biochem screams at me personally would be either PharmD or PharmD/JD if they were looking at job prospects but it may not be the direction OP wants to go.

I just don't think OP should throw away what he has done so far without seriously pursuing another job. OP hasn't mentioned any real interest in law and nothing in his background supports it. I can just see OP as another person hating the biglaw paper shuffle. I'm guessing OP s drawn in by the biglaw salary. (Please note: I'm generalizing and could be completely wrong about OP, but the only appeal I see law having for him is a 3 year professional degree with an alluring big paycheck.)

A couple of my friends have masters, but not PHDs. They are doing well, have houses, kids and work hours that allow them to have hobbies. These jobs exist.

My friend at the hospital has a bachelors and is a lab tech getting experience before possibly going to grad school. She works on research she loves, helps seriously ill patients get well, is named on research papers and works like 8:30 to 4:30 M-F. She gets home in time to walk her dog. She doesn't earn much, but she has no debt and is really happy with her life right now.

I don't know about consulting, but that sounds possible.

(Also, from above, the underserved state concept is way more relevant to medicine than law. )

[biomed123]

I agree it is certainly not a bad place to be coming from especially with that GPA. Also if IP is of interest they could almost certainly get into a great graduate school as long as they have or acquire a little research experience so they know they enjoy it. That has the added benefit of coming with a stipend so debt is not a concern.