Chances? Planning to apply with GRE score and MBA degree Forum

[camilawyer]

I am planning to attend law school in the fall of 2022 once I complete my MBA degree. I am also planning on submitting my application with a GRE score rather than an LSAT score. I will be re-taking the GRE, but my current score is a 304 (156 LSAT equivalent). What do my chances look like? Can I at least get accepted to a lower tier law school?

[cavalier1138]

Which schools would you be targeting that accept the GRE?

In general, people recommend taking the LSAT if you're set on law school, because the GRE isn't universally accepted. Additionally, schools seem to favor (and some even explicitly say they favor) GRE applicants who have an established career in a more non-traditional field, such as STEM.

[camilawyer]

I think I am going to focus on getting into Florida International University and Florida State, schools like that. However, was also going to apply to Harvard, Cornell, Georgetown, etc., mainly for fun. I am feeling optimistic though after you said about schools favoring GRE applicants who have a career in a non-related field. I have been working in Finance for a while now.

[nixy]

What's your undergraduate GPA? Why would you apply to T14 schools with that GRE score? (Admittedly the conversion between GRE and LSAT is hotly debated, but usually the concern is that the conversion inflates the LSAT equivalent to the GRE.)

[decimalsanddollars]

Take the LSAT. Also note that, if you apply without an LSAT, your GPA and work experience will be much more important. Finally, finance isn't really a "non-traditional field"; people leave finance jobs for law school all the time, and many biglaw practice areas overlap with certain aspects of finance-career training. The focus on non-traditional fields that Cavalier mentioned mostly applies to people who are working on or just finished a PhD program that required another test (here, the GRE). Berkeley's policy on this makes that preference explicit: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions ... zed-tests/

[camilawyer]

What's your undergraduate GPA? Why would you apply to T14 schools with that GRE score? (Admittedly the conversion between GRE and LSAT is hotly debated, but usually the concern is that the conversion inflates the LSAT equivalent to the GRE.)

It was a 3.5. As for why I would apply, emphasis on the "mainly for fun" part I had mentioned. I definitely don't have high expectations and would be happy attending a lower tier school. I just want a better idea that with a decent GRE score, I'll be able to get into at least a school like FIU or FSU.

[camilawyer]

Take the LSAT. Also note that, if you apply without an LSAT, your GPA and work experience will be much more important. Finally, finance isn't really a "non-traditional field"; people leave finance jobs for law school all the time, and many biglaw practice areas overlap with certain aspects of finance-career training. The focus on non-traditional fields that Cavalier mentioned mostly applies to people who are working on or just finished a PhD program that required another test (here, the GRE). Berkeley's policy on this makes that preference explicit: https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions ... zed-tests/

Hi, thanks for your reply. Do you think if I boost my GRE score, along with my decent GPA and my work experience, I'd be good for FIU or FSU?

[nixy]

I don't know what FIU and FSU's admissions numbers look like off the top of my head, but if your UGPA and LSAT (equivalent) are at/above their medians, you have a good shot.

Applying to schools where you don't have a chance at admission doesn't really sound like something to do for fun.

[decimalsanddollars]

FSU has a median UGPA of 3.73 and a median LSAT of 160. FIU has a median UGPA of 3.61 and a median LSAT of 157. Even assuming your "156 LSAT equivalent" actually gives the same weight as a 156 LSAT score, you're unlikely to gain admission at either school with your stats, which are below both medians for both schools.

Note that, if you do take the LSAT and earn a reportable score, both schools will require you to submit the LSAT score (and FSU won't take your GRE score). See:
https://law.fsu.edu/admissions-financia ... procedures
https://law.fiu.edu/admissions/jd/

[cavalier1138]

Why do you want to go to law school?