HYS chances this cycle? Forum

littlemozart · Post by **littlemozart** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:07 pm

Hi TLS.

Sorry for another 'what are my chances' thread, but I am completely clueless as to my chances for HYS as my GPA is right around their GPA floors. I graduated from a T15 university (non Ivy) last year with a 3.78. I took the LSAT during my senior year and scored a 177. I just received an MPhil from Oxbridge and will spend the next year at a well known NGO/IGO. I know my softs aren't great, but do you think I'm competitve at all three schools given my low GPA?

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:23 pm

Post removed.

gnomgnomuch · Post by **gnomgnomuch** » Thu Aug 13, 2015 9:30 pm

MistakenGenius wrote:I'd say you have a very good shot at Harvard and should get in there. A couple years ago I got into all three with roughly the same GPA and a 179 LSAT. Yale's always a black box so there's really no telling. Even a 4.0/180 applicant is by no means assured acceptance. You probably don't have a great chance there since no one does, but it's definitely worth the application though. You also probably won't get Stanford. They know they can't compete with HY in LSAT so they heavily favor GPAs. A 4.0/170 would have a much better shot than you because of how they weigh stuff, but Harvard is way better anyway (come at me Cal lovers). Definitely apply to other schools though. You're in the position to get some very nice scholarships, and probably a full ride at Cornell/Northwestern.

Honestly, an Oxfords master + his GPA/LSAT combo and his WE could put him through into YS... I'd be pretty surprised if he DOESN'T get H. OP, depending on your interests consider applying to the Furman at NYU, it's a full ride and comes with some great advantages.

Deanerlaw33 · Post by **Deanerlaw33** » Sun Aug 16, 2015 7:20 pm

Hey guys. Newbie question. Which GPA scale is used here? I have an 85% average from a Canadian university. What LSAT score would be necessary for Harvard with this?

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 8:52 am

Post removed.

gnomgnomuch · Post by **gnomgnomuch** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 9:06 am

MistakenGenius wrote:
Deanerlaw33 wrote:Hey guys. Newbie question. Which GPA scale is used here? I have an 85% average from a Canadian university. What LSAT score would be necessary for Harvard with this?
This can be confusing, so I hope my horrible explanation makes some sense. We're talking about the American GPA scale, which is traditionally an A =4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0.0. LSAC has their own scale which takes into account A+ and A- all the way down the scale, so the highest GPA one can have is a 4.33, but so few schools offer A+'s that a 4.0 is still viewed as perfect. Harvard's median GPA is around 3.87, which is what American applicants ideally want to have (though people do get in with GPAs at 3.7 or lower if they have some solid softs and above median LSATs). I don't know much about your GPA system in Canada (so I don't know how good 85% is), but because your GPA will not be factored into the USNWR, then your LSAT becomes far more important. I would shoot for a minimum of a 173 LSAT (median score for Harvard), in order to have a pretty good shot, though of course, the higher the better.

And Gnomnomuch, I really think you're underestimating YLS's typical class. If OP were a Rhodes/Marshall Scholar, we'd be having a different conversation. However, just a masters from Oxbridge is by no means atypical of YLS. There are TONS of people here with that. That and his work experience is a decent soft, but it's not going to be huge factor for admission. He may get Yale or Stanford, but it's still an uphill battle given his GPA. OP, I would work on making a great application though, especially the 250. I'd be more than happy to critique any of your essays.

Wow, I guess I really am underestimating Y. I also never heard someone say "Just a masters from Oxbridge." I guess that throws out basically any chance I have at admission when/if I do end up applying.

Well Hung Jury · Post by **Well Hung Jury** » Wed Aug 26, 2015 4:16 pm

Enjoy Harvard OP

Deanerlaw33 · Post by **Deanerlaw33** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:11 pm

MistakenGenius wrote:
Deanerlaw33 wrote:Hey guys. Newbie question. Which GPA scale is used here? I have an 85% average from a Canadian university. What LSAT score would be necessary for Harvard with this?
This can be confusing, so I hope my horrible explanation makes some sense. We're talking about the American GPA scale, which is traditionally an A =4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, F=0.0. LSAC has their own scale which takes into account A+ and A- all the way down the scale, so the highest GPA one can have is a 4.33, but so few schools offer A+'s that a 4.0 is still viewed as perfect. Harvard's median GPA is around 3.87, which is what American applicants ideally want to have (though people do get in with GPAs at 3.7 or lower if they have some solid softs and above median LSATs). I don't know much about your GPA system in Canada (so I don't know how good 85% is), but because your GPA will not be factored into the USNWR, then your LSAT becomes far more important. I would shoot for a minimum of a 173 LSAT (median score for Harvard), in order to have a pretty good shot, though of course, the higher the better.

And Gnomnomuch, I really think you're underestimating YLS's typical class. If OP were a Rhodes/Marshall Scholar, we'd be having a different conversation. However, just a masters from Oxbridge is by no means atypical of YLS. There are TONS of people here with that. That and his work experience is a decent soft, but it's not going to be huge factor for admission. He may get Yale or Stanford, but it's still an uphill battle given his GPA. OP, I would work on making a great application though, especially the 250. I'd be more than happy to critique any of your essays.

Hey, thanks for that well written and helpful response. I don't log on here too often so i did not see it right away, but that definitely sheds some light on this for me. Time to crush the LSAT in Oct. and hopefully give myself a shot.

Thanks again.