Top Law Schools

Hey everybody!

-Asian american
-Div 1 Athlete at a Big Ten Univ
-3.1 gpa econ major
-170 LSAT
-active in multiple cultural groups
-strong volunteer experience/work
-Strong connections with Michigan law school administrators (associate dean, largest school donor, speakers)

What are some schools that I should apply to? Thanks!!!

The athlete thing might do a bit to help with the GPA, but it's not going to make that much of a difference. MyLSN should be a pretty accurate predictor for you.

I'd apply broadly across the T20 and hope for a bite from the lower T13 or maybe CCN.

If money is tight, I would assume HYS, Chicago, and Berkeley are pretty safe not to apply to. With your numbers it is important to apply as broadly as possible, though. Maybe you don't think you want to go to Cornell, but you don't really have the luxury to be too choosy. Be prepared for a lot of waitlists and don't let them discourage you - they are to be expected.

Making a bit of an assumption here but I think you should very likely plan on going to UM. Take advantage of every relationship you've already built and make sure you at least get in. Being a D1 athlete with a 170 is awesome, but a 3.1 is still a 3.1. Then, like others have said, apply broadly and see if anybody surprises you with a lot of money. Just don't ignore your back yard. You may find yourself on 15 waitlists and scrambling, wishing you had better cultivated that which you may already have.

What are your goals?

Just to be frank, I wouldn't expect the D1 athlete soft to do too much in LS admissions. I was a D1 athlete (ACC) and I my admissions cycle was what would be expected from my stats. I also know quite a few D1 athletes who applied to LS and it did not seem to make them over perform their stats.

It will likely help to some extent with legal hiring out of law school, but I wouldn't expect much of a bump in admissions.

I'm just tagging along with this thread. Would also like to know my chances.

I am also a Div 1 XC/Track athlete at a top private school.
3.5 GPA/ 170 LSAT.
Non-URM.
Engineering major.
Undergraduate Researcher.
Other leadership positions on campus.
Strong volunteering positions.

imgoingin wrote:I'm just tagging along with this thread. Would also like to know my chances.

I am also a Div 1 XC/Track athlete at a top private school.
3.5 GPA/ 170 LSAT.
Non-URM.
Engineering major.
Undergraduate Researcher.
Other leadership positions on campus.
Strong volunteering positions.

recent history might suggest one or more of H,CCN with minimal to no money or a variety of options in the lower part of the T13 where you may be able to negotiate yourself into a pretty good position.

AJordan wrote:

imgoingin wrote:I'm just tagging along with this thread. Would also like to know my chances.

I am also a Div 1 XC/Track athlete at a top private school.
3.5 GPA/ 170 LSAT.
Non-URM.
Engineering major.
Undergraduate Researcher.
Other leadership positions on campus.
Strong volunteering positions.

recent history might suggest one or more of H,CCN with minimal to no money or a variety of options in the lower part of the T13 where you may be able to negotiate yourself into a pretty good position.

I'd be shocked if Harvard accepted a 3.5/170. Athletes don't get that kind of boost.

In fairness, I would be too. Still, D1/athlete plus engineering 3.5 made me think twice. I guess not all engineering majors are equal. Something like civil and EE/CS may be seen differently? 173 with those stats has a decent shot at H, imo.

stego wrote:What are your goals?

My goal is to work BigLaw for a couple years and possibly practice after. West coast would be awesome but I shouldn't bee too choosey for my first years of work after law school.

akimbo546 wrote: My goal is to work BigLaw for a couple years and possibly practice after.

what does this mean?

guybourdin wrote:

akimbo546 wrote: My goal is to work BigLaw for a couple years and possibly practice after.

what does this mean?

It is hard to give cogent advice when your goals are this unclear.

As a fellow D1-er (although not big 10) it did not give me any boost and I was captain of my team. I preformed precisely as LSN said I would, less a few WL that I expected to be Admits and vice-versa but I did not over preform anything really. I will say it gave me something useful to write about, and was a good talking point for interviews, but don't count on a bump from the sport. It likely wont be there.

Being a D1 athlete is a nice soft but it's unlikely to make much of a difference.

As cavalier suggested, apply broadly to the T20. You'll likely get several offers and decent scholarship money.

Also, if Michigan's "largest school donor" knows you well enough to write a strong letter of recommendation, then definitely ask him to do so.