Top Law Schools

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If you're not going to take in September, I'd advise waiting to apply. Applying early is always better, but it's especially important for splitters (and assuming you get a decent LSAT, you're a splitter; your graduate GPA doesn't mean anything).

There are way too many unknowns to answer your other question, though. Without actually having an LSAT, admission, specific scholarship offers, or any stated career goals, it's impossible to tell you which school would be a better fit. You need to focus on your LSAT first. Once you have a score, you can start making plans for these hypothetical situations.

Cornell gave a good financial package. I got a 170 in December, and it did not hurt me. I ended up not taking the offer because I could not cover living costs on top of the uncovered tuition, but if your parents could help you out on tuition it could be an option. If you want more details, feel free to PM me.

BoobGoddess wrote:Cornell gave a good financial package. I got a 170 in December, and it did not hurt me. I ended up not taking the offer because I could not cover living costs on top of the uncovered tuition, but if your parents could help you out on tuition it could be an option. If you want more details, feel free to PM me.

But what was your GPA?

The OP is well below Cornell's 25th percentile for GPA, and they don't have an LSAT score yet. It's certainly possible that they'll boost their score 14 points by December, but that's not a given. And even if they get a 170+, they'll still be a splitter. That has a huge effect on the predictability of scholarship offers.

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bigdreams44 wrote:
Syracuse law would be my second choice. Hypothetically, if I were to be accepted at SU with $$$ and Cornell with no $, what would you all recommend?

These are pretty disparate schools in basically every respect except geography. Are you open to other options outside of upstate NY if Cornell doesn't pan out? Law School Transparency shows SU giving you about a 54% chance of getting a job as a lawyer.

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bigdreams44 wrote:

AntsInMyEyesJohnson wrote:

bigdreams44 wrote:
Syracuse law would be my second choice. Hypothetically, if I were to be accepted at SU with $$$ and Cornell with no $, what would you all recommend?

These are pretty disparate schools in basically every respect except geography. Are you open to other options outside of upstate NY if Cornell doesn't pan out? Law School Transparency shows SU giving you about a 54% chance of getting a job as a lawyer.

Well, I cannot relocate and that is why these are my options. I am aware of the difference (in terms of ranking and job prospects), but have to take what I can get. I am very confident in my ability to get a job after (advanced chemistry degrees and desire to do patent law) so that is not my MAIN concern, the $$ is the concern (cost of law school and salary afterward).

You cannot relocate? Or you don't want to relocate?

Also, where are you planning on practicing patent law? I'd assume most of those jobs are in NYC, not Ithaca.

None of these application questions matter until OP gets his LSAT way up. OP- DONT EVEN THINK about applications until you get an lsat score that will get you where you want to go. Now go study.

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grades?? wrote:None of these application questions matter until OP gets his LSAT way up. OP- DONT EVEN THINK about applications until you get an lsat score that will get you where you want to go. Now go study.

Thanks, asshole.

Did you even read my original post? I am asking the best time to take the LSAT and apply to maximize my chances of getting into Cornell.

Everyone seems to be focusing on the last/least important hypothetical question of Cornell vs SU. Including you.

Believe me, I will get a good enough LSAT score for Cornell.

bigdreams44 wrote:

grades?? wrote:None of these application questions matter until OP gets his LSAT way up. OP- DONT EVEN THINK about applications until you get an lsat score that will get you where you want to go. Now go study.

Thanks, asshole.

Did you even read my original post? I am asking the best time to take the LSAT and apply to maximize my chances of getting into Cornell.

Everyone seems to be focusing on the last/least important hypothetical question of Cornell vs SU. Including you.

Believe me, I will get a good enough LSAT score for Cornell.

Your actual LSAT score and your fixation on staying regional are some of the most important questions for you. It's an extremely odd situation where someone can only stay in upstate NY, completely eliminating much better school options that are somewhere between terrible and T14 in NYC or Boston. Giving yourself the binary of Cornell or Syracuse is a huge red flag, because it could result in you either having to go to Syracuse or not being able to negotiate scholarships with Cornell due to your extremely narrow regional focus.

And no one has a reason, at present, to believe that you will score high enough to guarantee admission into Cornell, because you haven't got a score yet.

Edit: And because you never actually answered my question, where are you planning on practicing?

bigdreams44 wrote:

grades?? wrote:None of these application questions matter until OP gets his LSAT way up. OP- DONT EVEN THINK about applications until you get an lsat score that will get you where you want to go. Now go study.

Thanks, asshole.

Did you even read my original post? I am asking the best time to take the LSAT and apply to maximize my chances of getting into Cornell.

Everyone seems to be focusing on the last/least important hypothetical question of Cornell vs SU. Including you.

Believe me, I will get a good enough LSAT score for Cornell.

No one is being an asshole. Your question isn't relevant until you have an LSAT score, and people are confused by the Cornell vs. SU hypothetical because that's an uncommon situation to be in. Is applying in Dec/Jan too late? Maybe. It depends on whether your LSAT is high or low. Right now, you're essentially like a guy who goes to a doctor and asks what type of medicine he should take without even telling the doctor his symptoms.

Also, per your previous post about employment from SU, why on earth isn't getting a job your "MAIN" concern about law school? It's great that you're confident in your ability to get a job, but I'm guessing that at least some of the 46% graduates from SU who didn't get jobs were pretty confident, too.

grades?? wrote:None of these application questions matter until OP gets his LSAT way up. OP- DONT EVEN THINK about applications until you get an lsat score that will get you where you want to go. Now go study.

This; I'd say start studying without even having a specific date to take as a goal. Keep going till you get where you want/need to be.

Edit - OP, I see that you're getting frustrated with other users, but let me tell you that I was given the same advice about a year ago, and it is 100% correct. Your real LSAT score could end up being different than what you practiced at, and you haven't even started practicing yet! It'd be better to just focus on the LSAT and not worry about admissions at this point.

bigdreams44 wrote:

grades?? wrote:None of these application questions matter until OP gets his LSAT way up. OP- DONT EVEN THINK about applications until you get an lsat score that will get you where you want to go. Now go study.

Thanks, asshole.

Did you even read my original post? I am asking the best time to take the LSAT and apply to maximize my chances of getting into Cornell.

Everyone seems to be focusing on the last/least important hypothetical question of Cornell vs SU. Including you.

Believe me, I will get a good enough LSAT score for Cornell.

Chill. The best time to apply is always early. I think that would be October 31 (or whatever date the application process starts). Following that logic, take the LSAT that helps you apply during that time. I took the October LSAT and applied as soon as I got my score back (I'm also at Cornell). I don't think Cornell takes the February LSAT, so that would make December the last LSAT you could take for that application cycle.

Having said that, no need to get angry on TLS, seriously.

bigdreams44 wrote:

grades?? wrote:None of these application questions matter until OP gets his LSAT way up. OP- DONT EVEN THINK about applications until you get an lsat score that will get you where you want to go. Now go study.

Thanks, asshole.

Did you even read my original post? I am asking the best time to take the LSAT and apply to maximize my chances of getting into Cornell.

Everyone seems to be focusing on the last/least important hypothetical question of Cornell vs SU. Including you.

Believe me, I will get a good enough LSAT score for Cornell.

Dude chill the hell out. It doesn't matter about what schools you might get into because right now, with no LSAT score, you aren't getting into any. If anything, you are the asshole for just assuming you will get a good enough LSAT score for Cornell. The median LSAT score for Cornell is a 167- which if I remember correctly is around the 95% percentile? Which means out of a 100 people taking the test, you need to be in the top 5 scores. So sure, optimism is good, BUT YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS.

The reason I am giving this advice is because I was once in your shoes saying I was going to get a 170 on my lsat. Turns out first try I didn't break 160. It took me 3 tries and over a year of studying to break 170. From a person with an ivy undergrad and Oxbridge masters. The lsat is a game, not an intelligence test. So you might be all high and mighty that you are smart enough, but until you actually take it, you are all talk. And remember, you have a low undergrad GPA. So to have a shot at cornell you are gonna need a 170 probably at a minimum to get in, which is a 98% percentile score or higher. SO you gotta out test 98 out of a 100 test takers.

As far as Cornell v Syracuse. Cornell gives you a good shot at getting a job. Syracuse does not. So in your scenario its Cornell or bust. Therefore, stop reading this site and go study.

the fact that you keep repeating that your lsat score is gonna be great is just so fun lulz. please come back and let us know what you actually scored and how it wasn't the automatic score necessary for cornell. good luck to you. you need it.

Edit: FYI OP had posted above and then deleted her comment after I posted this reply.