3.2/170. Any thoughts? Forum

[ylee11]

Graduated UG with 3.2 GPA in accounting. I scored 170 in lsat. I am Korean, studied in US since high school, currently working in a construction company as an accountant. Softs would be just passed all CPA exam (not licensed yet), and am a fantasy novelist, recently publishing 3 books.

What would be my best case scenarios?
I haven’t decided which schools to apply, Northwestern for sure but top 10 seems impossible since my GPA is so low. I would like to know if there is any schools with some possibility of getting in with scholarship.
I am even thinking about going to another graduate school to cover my low UG GPA. Would this be a bad idea?

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

[mjjames]

Have you thought about the T15-T20 schools in addition to the T-14? Places like UCLA, WashU, etc. I would do that + blanket the lower T14.

[Bach-City]

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[ylee11]

You're actually above the 75th for Northwestern, and the accounting major may play well with NU Law's business oriented atmosphere. You're actually pretty competitive.

To share my story, I'm a 3.20/175. Columbia fell in love with me and gave me 70k, while no one else in the T-14 even admitted me. (Got 90k to Vandy and 145k to WUSTL).

During a thread about a month ago, a bunch of splitters shared their results, and while everyone got into 1 or 2 T-14s, it was seemingly only schools where students were just above the 75th percentiles for LSATs.

My advice based on all this: Target the schools in the lower T-14 where you're just above their 75th percentile in LSAT, because I believe these schools are also targeting you. You're an easy way to shore up their LSAT medians/75ths. Apply everywhere, and to the T15-20. However I think you'll be able to do really well in the lower T-14 if you apply early and write genuine Why X statements.

You're above the 75th at Georgetown, Michigan, Northwestern, Berkeley, and Cornell. At the 75th at Duke, UVA, Penn. And somehow above median at NYU. So this isn't over for you by a long shot.

Being Asian doesn't get you URM help, but actually being foreign might.

Anyway, buck up kid! Your law school adventures are only just beginning.

Thanks for the advice! I would definitely take your advice and find schools that I stand just above their 75th percentile.
I was having many thoughts about this lately, and your post cheered me up a lot.
Yes, this would be just the start of my journey, just hope things I do now would be worthy of something in the future.
Thanks!

[ylee11]

Have you thought about the T15-T20 schools in addition to the T-14? Places like UCLA, WashU, etc. I would do that + blanket the lower T14.

Yes. I was considering schools within T20 in consideration. UC schools as well, since I want to practice in California as I heard that place is more open to internationals. Currently, I am working in the East, and ppl came from the West says the ambiance itself is a lot more opened than here.
Thanks for the advice!