161 LSAT 3.25 GPA Forum

[AC2015]

GPA: 3.25
LSAT: 161
URM: No
Undergrad: Top 30

Other Info:
-D1 Athlete
-Campus Sub-Chair, Relay for Life
-Intern for Federal Judge
-Current AmeriCorps VISTA

Currently applying to schools and wondering how my softs will be weighed into my app. Specifically, does the D1 Athletics part have any greater effect on my chances? Same with AmeriCorps? I keep hearing conflicting answers.

Applying to UNC, BC, UGA, UM, GW, SMU, Wisconsin, Colorado, Vanderbilt (more than a long shot) and basically any other school I can possibly think of where I seem to have a chance.

Thanks! And if somebody has already gone over this... I'm sorry. I've been searching through TLS for answers for hours though I swear!

[rnoodles]

Really, it's just the numbers unless your softs are incredibly rare (e.g., Rhodes Scholar, CEO of Twitter, etc.). I'd probably retake OP. Just a few more points can increase your chances at the schools you listed, open doors at others, and bring in some serious $$$.

[trebekismyhero]

GPA: 3.25
LSAT: 161
URM: No
Undergrad: Top 30

Other Info:
-D1 Athlete
-Campus Sub-Chair, Relay for Life
-Intern for Federal Judge
-Current AmeriCorps VISTA

Currently applying to schools and wondering how my softs will be weighed into my app. Specifically, does the D1 Athletics part have any greater effect on my chances? Same with AmeriCorps? I keep hearing conflicting answers.

Applying to UNC, BC, UGA, UM, GW, SMU, Wisconsin, Colorado, Vanderbilt (more than a long shot) and basically any other school I can possibly think of where I seem to have a chance.

Thanks! And if somebody has already gone over this... I'm sorry. I've been searching through TLS for answers for hours though I swear!

You need to retake. You're borderline at getting into a few of schools that you mentioned and no chance at a few others, which means if you get into any you'll be paying sticker or close to it.

D1 athlete is definitely a boost and so is AmeriCorps, but it won't make up for GPA and LSAT. Good softs are more like a tiebreaker than anything to get you into law school.

Another thing, if you aren't looking at a t14 law school, you really need to narrow your focus on where you are applying. Only go to Wisconsin if you want to be in Wisconsin after graduation, same with UNC or Colorado. The only two schools that you mentioned that could easily get you beyond its state borders are UM if you mean Michigan and you would need to increase your score to 170 and Vanderbilt, which is strong in the south, but not as strong nationally.

Good luck.

[Traynor Brah]

Law school is not like undergrad; unless you go to a top school (i.e. T14), it is extremely important that you attend a school in the immediate region that you want to practice in long-term. So, your scattershot list is pretty concerning.

Your stats are not going to do you any favors. Unless you want to go to a sub par school and (still) graduate with a ton of debt, you must retake and do significantly better.

What do you want to do as an attorney?

[railyard]

Post above me is right, your target schools seem spread out across the country. If you want to practice in the midwest or chicago maybe you could consider U o Illinois? Their median is right at your score.