Top Law Schools

GPA: 3.6X, or it will be when I graduate in May. I am cruising towards straight A's this semester, continuing a strong upward trend (3.9X) my final four semesters. Knock on wood.
LSAT: 178. For what it's worth, I was consistently PT'ing at 180 in the weeks leading up to test day, so I could theoretically retake, but I am loathe to do so, particularly since I am already above the 75ths everywhere.
URM: Mexican
Undergrad: Massive state school
Softs: KJD, as of now. Have a job lined up at the state branch of my political party, and that's where I plan on working until next fall, when I head to law school. Softs during undergrad were mediocre.

Wanted to wait out this current cycle to present my final GPA. In hindsight, probably should have just sent in updated transcripts. Oh well, at least I'll have the short political WE. Obviously, I would apply as early as possible. myLSN has shown me as a total lock for Colombia/NYU, but that seems high with my GPA. It also has me as a strong candidate for H, which also seems unrealistic. myLSN has a pretty small sample size for my numbers when you filter for URM's. Am I just being overly pessimistic? If not, and I am a strong candidate for H, should I thrown in app at YS? What about money at the lower T14? Interested to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Strong candidate everywhere. Probably in at H, and very good shot at YS. You'll get $$$ too. Congrats!

Alexandros wrote:Strong candidate everywhere. Probably in at H, and very good shot at YS. You'll get $$$ too.

Yaaaaaaay. Another question for you. Would a strong diversity statement make a big difference at HYS here? I ask because I grew up in an upper-middle class background, and never felt particularly disadvantaged by being Mexican. So my diversity statement probably won't blow anyone's doors off. Will that hurt?

Alexandros wrote:Strong candidate everywhere. Probably in at H, and very good shot at YS. You'll get $$$ too. Congrats!

This.

VeiledProtectorate wrote:

Alexandros wrote:Strong candidate everywhere. Probably in at H, and very good shot at YS. You'll get $$$ too.

Yaaaaaaay. Another question for you. Would a strong diversity statement make a big difference at HYS here? I ask because I grew up in an upper-middle class background, and never felt particularly disadvantaged by being Mexican. So my diversity statement probably won't blow anyone's doors off. Will that hurt?

I would add a diversity statement and try to make it decent (and honest), but you don't need to blow anyone's doors off. Your numbers are strong enough to get you H/$$$ even without the URM boost.

I have the exact same numbers/grade trend/mediocre softs/applying with one year of WE. However, I am not URM.

I expect you will get less waitlists, more money, and much stronger chances at HYS. I would be stunned if you don't get into at least Harvard, very strong T6 offers, and immense T13 offers.

Alexandros wrote:

VeiledProtectorate wrote:

Alexandros wrote:Strong candidate everywhere. Probably in at H, and very good shot at YS. You'll get $$$ too.

Yaaaaaaay. Another question for you. Would a strong diversity statement make a big difference at HYS here? I ask because I grew up in an upper-middle class background, and never felt particularly disadvantaged by being Mexican. So my diversity statement probably won't blow anyone's doors off. Will that hurt?

I would add a diversity statement and try to make it decent (and honest), but you don't need to blow anyone's doors off. Your numbers are strong enough to get you H/$$$ even without the URM boost.

I beeeeelieeeve (not know but believe) that the URM boost occurs regardless of the details of the applicant - in other words, a rich Sag Harbor URM applicant gets a URM boost as much as a student from Compton that faced true adversity just that the Compton story would be helpful on the soft side of the application. If I'm wrong someone disabuse me

Po$eidon wrote:

Alexandros wrote:

VeiledProtectorate wrote:

Alexandros wrote:Strong candidate everywhere. Probably in at H, and very good shot at YS. You'll get $$$ too.

Yaaaaaaay. Another question for you. Would a strong diversity statement make a big difference at HYS here? I ask because I grew up in an upper-middle class background, and never felt particularly disadvantaged by being Mexican. So my diversity statement probably won't blow anyone's doors off. Will that hurt?

I would add a diversity statement and try to make it decent (and honest), but you don't need to blow anyone's doors off. Your numbers are strong enough to get you H/$$$ even without the URM boost.

I beeeeelieeeve (not know but believe) that the URM boost occurs regardless of the details of the applicant - in other words, a rich Sag Harbor URM applicant gets a URM boost as much as a student from Compton that faced true adversity just that the Compton story would be helpful on the soft side of the application. If I'm wrong someone disabuse me

Oh, absolutely. That was just to emphasize the point that outstanding soft factors will not be necessary. And OP will get the URM boost regardless.

Thanks everyone! Glad to hear some good news and will be submitting an app to YS.

Po$eidon wrote:

Alexandros wrote:

VeiledProtectorate wrote:

Alexandros wrote:Strong candidate everywhere. Probably in at H, and very good shot at YS. You'll get $$$ too.

Yaaaaaaay. Another question for you. Would a strong diversity statement make a big difference at HYS here? I ask because I grew up in an upper-middle class background, and never felt particularly disadvantaged by being Mexican. So my diversity statement probably won't blow anyone's doors off. Will that hurt?

I would add a diversity statement and try to make it decent (and honest), but you don't need to blow anyone's doors off. Your numbers are strong enough to get you H/$$$ even without the URM boost.

I beeeeelieeeve (not know but believe) that the URM boost occurs regardless of the details of the applicant - in other words, a rich Sag Harbor URM applicant gets a URM boost as much as a student from Compton that faced true adversity just that the Compton story would be helpful on the soft side of the application. If I'm wrong someone disabuse me

this is correct. law schools love to brag about their XX% of students of color, but they include all the UMC/rich kids who who are int'l applicants or might be 1/4 Mexican-American with no strong cultural ties. OP will be fine. my friend is 3rd gen Mex-Am and got a 177 LSAT, had "meh" essays imo but got in everywhere he applied. ultimately chose S over Y.

OP: join us! http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... m.php?f=14

make sure to write Why X essays for the schools in the mid-T13. without a demonstrable interest in these schools, you may be prone to WLs

Don't even consider a retake and have fun in the T4!

http://mylsn.info/7046yc/

Based on LSN, Penn is the only T14 (other than Yale) that you'll have less than a 50% shot at. URM cycles with Penn are brutal...

Lol. Enjoy getting into every school that you want to. Congrats on an excellent set of (future) options.

Similar numbers here! Good luck with your cycle. I predict at least 2/3 of HYS