Please evaluate my chances...international student Forum

[armlawyer]

I have graduated from Yerevan State University's Law Faculty with the GPA 15.8/20 /during my LL.M admission LSAC estimated my GPA as ''above average''/.
I have approximately 3 year of professional experience /all in Armenia/-/1 year as an associate in top law firm, 1 year in Private Bank and one more year in Central Bank of Armenia in very important position/.
After this I have completed my LL.M degree in University of California Berkeley Law school (Traditional track) with the GPA of 3.8/4.
I have scored 176 in LSAT.
I think that I will have one recommendation form professor of Berkeley Law school, one from professor of Yerevan State University, and one from a partner of a law firm where I worked in Armenia.

Please give me your opinion whether I have a chance to be admitted to top 20 law schools /especially HLS, CLS and University of Chicago Law school/.

[Wednesday]

I'm by no means an expert, but if you don't have a chance, then I don't know who does.

[sparkytrainer]

The difficult part of your application is that you have an above average classification. That destroys your chances at Harvard Yale and Stanford, and likely Columbia and Chicago. There are just too many international students from more prestigious institutions (no offense, but thinking schools like Oxbridge) with Superiors and similar lsats.

I think you will get into some t13s, but you are going to have a difficult journey with that above average. It really sucks, but its what it is.

[EnglishApplicant2017]

I would be more confident about your chances than the poster above. I think an Above Average classification could be an impediment for some of the schools you mention, particularly Yale, but not for others. Due to the difficulty involved in equivalencing transcripts, coupled with the fact that your transcript classification does not count towards their medians for ranking, the LSAT is far more important in the context of an international applicant. And your LSAT is obviously very stellar indeed.

You will need to explain very clearly why you want to go to law school and tie together a strong narrative of how going to a top American law school is the logical next step for you. If you can get a strong reference from your professor at Yerevan in which it is explained why your grades are strong that might be helpful too.

Some of the schools you mention (such as U Chicago) can be a bit funny about internationals, and don't accept many. Yale only accepts about 2 or 3 each year as well. I would imagine that you have a good shot at HLS and CLS both of which really value high LSATS and like to have a large international intake. I have been admitted to both this cycle with 172/Superior but nowhere near as much or as impressive work experience as yours.

If you apply early, interview well, and create a strong overarching narrative to your application (which I believe is particularly important for international students), you stand a good shot for some of the schools and a very good shot for scholarship money at the lower T13.

[armlawyer]

Thanks for your feedback!!! I would like to add that reason for my low gpa is that I was on compulsory military service and did not take part in the exams of the fall semester. I do not say that without this my GPA would have been 20 out of 20 but it largely affected my GPA, I have also the statement of the dean confirming this. Will this addendum improve my chances?

[armlawyer]

Thanks for your feedback!!! I would like to add that reason for my low gpa is that I was on compulsory military service and did not take part in the exams of the fall semester. I do not say that without this my GPA would have been 20 out of 20 but it largely affected my GPA, I have also the statement of the dean confirming this. Will this addendum improve my chances?