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You should not attend any law school that will accept you with these numbers.

Retake the LSAT.

massappeal wrote:3.4 GPA, 149 LSAT.. what are my chances at various new england law schools?

don't go to law school

massappeal wrote:3.4 GPA, 149 LSAT.. what are my chances at various new england law schools?

Not great. What are your career goals?

Not looking to work for a big firm, and I realize my stats aren't elite but I want to be an attorney nonetheless. I'm already employed by the federal government so I wouldn't mind working my way up that ladder in my sector of the government or doing public interest work. A JD gives you numerous career options so I don't think I should not attend law school due to an average LSAT score or fear of not finding work; it's what I want to do so I'm pursuing it.

Was just wondering what people thought my chances were at various schools in New England with these numbers. Retaking is not an option for me.

massappeal wrote:Not looking to work for a big firm, and I realize my stats aren't elite but I want to be an attorney nonetheless. I'm already employed by the federal government so I wouldn't mind working my way up that ladder in my sector of the government or doing public interest work. A JD gives you numerous career options so I don't think I should not attend law school due to an average LSAT score or fear of not finding work; it's what I want to do so I'm pursuing it.

Was just wondering what people thought my chances were at various schools in New England with these numbers. Retaking is not an option for me.

Have you considered that schools you will get into will exempt you from a job at the agency your currently work at?

Have not considered that, not basing my decision upon what may happen or what may not. If a career change is needed then I'm open to see where my JD takes me.

massappeal wrote:Have not considered that, not basing my decision upon what may happen or what may not. If a career change is needed then I'm open to see where my JD takes me.

Are you looking to go to school full time?

massappeal wrote:Not looking to work for a big firm, and I realize my stats aren't elite but I want to be an attorney nonetheless. I'm already employed by the federal government so I wouldn't mind working my way up that ladder in my sector of the government or doing public interest work. A JD gives you numerous career options so I don't think I should not attend law school due to an average LSAT score or fear of not finding work; it's what I want to do so I'm pursuing it.

Was just wondering what people thought my chances were at various schools in New England with these numbers. Retaking is not an option for me.

Why is retaking not an option? Is someone holding a gun to your head threatening you not to retake?

massappeal wrote:Not looking to work for a big firm, and I realize my stats aren't elite but I want to be an attorney nonetheless. I'm already employed by the federal government so I wouldn't mind working my way up that ladder in my sector of the government or doing public interest work. A JD gives you numerous career options so I don't think I should not attend law school due to an average LSAT score or fear of not finding work; it's what I want to do so I'm pursuing it.

Was just wondering what people thought my chances were at various schools in New England with these numbers. Retaking is not an option for me.

Your stats are objectively bad, not just not elite. Are you super rich and so don't care about the massive debt you'd go into?

Also, check out lstscorereports.com to get an idea of how bad law school outcomes can get.

It seems like you don't really have a good feel for a plan and just want a jd for fun.

massappeal wrote:Have not considered that, not basing my decision upon what may happen or what may not. If a career change is needed then I'm open to see where my JD takes me.

Have you considered that any of the law schools that might accept you with no scholarship money will not lead you to a new job at all? The legal market is not great and it looks like it might be getting worse at the moment. But even disregarding that, lets look at some data.

Take Roger Williams Law school, where you have a half decent change of getting in with no scholarship money. Total debt for 3 years is $186,211. The class of 2015 had 52.3% employed in long-term legal jobs. So even to get any legal job, you are looking at best a coin flip whether you even get one. So what are the jobs these people are getting? Well, we have no idea, because they refuse to publish the NALP job report data. What are they hiding in that data? Maybe the vast majority of the graduates are employed as paralegals? Who knows. You will also see this is a game that a lot of really bad schools do, with refusing to publish job data.

The schools that most closely are in this range usually have students who get legal jobs in small firms, generally paying around 40-60k a year.

So you are telling us you are gonna take out $186K in loans to get a coin flips change of getting a job paying 40k a year? Or no job at all?

You need to do some research. If you don't, you will be making a life ruining decision.

Data provided by LST

https://www.lstreports.com/schools/roge ... bs/search/

Just because my stats are "bad," in comparison to others does not mean that I can't attend law school and be successful, I'm not letting the fear of debt or failing deter my goals. Sounds like I'm not doing this for fun, sounds more like I'm doing it because I want it to be my career path

Assuming this is not flame, schools that would be in play for you are:

https://www.lstreports.com/schools/suffolk/ (43.3% employed & 60% pay full price)

https://www.lstreports.com/schools/umassd/ (27.6% employed & 33.2% pay full price)

https://www.lstreports.com/schools/newengland/ (40.7% employed & 47.4% pay full price)

https://www.lstreports.com/schools/westernnewengland/ (43.3% employed & 26.5% pay full price)

Why let go of a federal job for less than a coin-flip chance of becoming a lawyer, while having to take out massive loans assuming you are debt-financing? (read: 150-300k in loans)

Study for the LSAT. Retake. Shoot for BU/BC with $. With a 3.4, you will get into BC with $ if you get 163 or above. Or Northeastern at full-ride with a 161.

No way is this being an "elite." Just genuinely concerned about you throwing current job away for 3 years of opportunity cost for making less than what you are probably making now, if you are lucky enough to have a job that is.

massappeal wrote:Just because my stats are "bad," in comparison to others does not mean that I can't attend law school and be successful, I'm not letting the fear of debt or failing deter my goals. Sounds like I'm not doing this for fun, sounds more like I'm doing it because I want it to be my career path

You do realize there will likely be no career path for you. Just because you want to be successful doesn't mean you will. Every person going to one of these garbage law schools thinks they will be the exception and will be successful and get a job. Yet half don't. You very well could spend a ton of money for no job. And even if you do get a job, you will be making almost nothing.

Your life, but you would literally be ruining it. At least when you come back in 4-5 years complaining how screwed you are, we can all say you were warned. This is not scare tactics, this is reality.

massappeal wrote:Just because my stats are "bad," in comparison to others does not mean that I can't attend law school and be successful, I'm not letting the fear of debt or failing deter my goals. Sounds like I'm not doing this for fun, sounds more like I'm doing it because I want it to be my career path

So what people are trying to tell you is that there is basically no career path for you with your stats. You would end up taking massive loans to go to a school with awful employment statistics even for people at the top of the class. Your best bet would be retaking to try to get into a good regional school in the region you want to work. People are trying to help dude.

Thank you for your concern!

massappeal wrote:Thank you for your concern!

I hope you get the message here. I think you don't, but good luck. You are going to need it.

I know people at my job working for the federal government as GS-10 grade levels or higher with solely a bachelor's degree, if I maintain my job while continuing my education in pursuit of a JD there is no reason why I couldn't reach that pinnacle or higher with a decent pay check and full government benefits.

I appreciate the concern, I genuinely do, but that's my outlook on it.

massappeal wrote:I know people at my job working for the federal government as GS-10 grade levels or higher with solely a bachelor's degree, if I maintain my job while continuing my education in pursuit of a JD there is no reason why I couldn't reach that pinnacle or higher with a decent pay check and full government benefits.

I appreciate the concern, I genuinely do, but that's my outlook on it.

Well you have no conception then of how a JD works in the real world. Your naivety is kinda ridiculous. Also just fyi, with the new administration, I doubt full federal government benefits are gonna exist for much longer. You have no idea what a JD will actually do and not do for you. I truly hope someone knocks some sense into you. Many reasons exist why you wont reach that level with a JD from these schools, because no fed govt job will hire you to begin with.

massappeal wrote:I know people at my job working for the federal government as GS-10 grade levels or higher with solely a bachelor's degree, if I maintain my job while continuing my education in pursuit of a JD there is no reason why I couldn't reach that pinnacle or higher with a decent pay check and full government benefits.

I appreciate the concern, I genuinely do, but that's my outlook on it.

That makes no sense. So why not just get there with your bachelor's degree without going 150k+ in debt?

I made this thread for some input and I appreciate all that I have received. Thank you guys! Wish me luck

massappeal wrote:I made this thread for some input and I appreciate all that I have received. Thank you guys! Wish me luck

At this point, I kinda don't, because you don't deserve luck in light of what people with experience are telling you, which you are then ignoring. So at this point, I call flame.

massappeal wrote:I know people at my job working for the federal government as GS-10 grade levels or higher with solely a bachelor's degree, if I maintain my job while continuing my education in pursuit of a JD there is no reason why I couldn't reach that pinnacle or higher with a decent pay check and full government benefits.

I appreciate the concern, I genuinely do, but that's my outlook on it.

A 149 on the LSAT means you got little more than half correct. It's like getting a 55-60% on a test, essentially. Think about what types of law schools are going to admit students in with those results?

I also hate to tell you, but a JD doesn't really offer numerous career opportunities. In many cases it can act as a scarlet letter on your resume, causing would-be employers to look at you as defective, wondering why you aren't a lawyer. (Because chances are you won't be working as an attorney going to a school that accepts you with a 149)

I think you're just a bit naive or perhaps have a bad case of special snowflake syndrome. That used to be me until this forum knocked some sense into me. Do some research.

If you truly want to be an attorney, dedicate proper time to the LSAT and retake.

ETA: I'm working full-time and plan on dedicating as much time as I need to achieve a high LSAT score. If you think you'll be able to balance working and law school, then why don't you prove it to yourself by prepping for a retake and working. I can assure you law school is harder than prepping for the LSAT.

lol, fucking dumbass...