LSAT 168/international/AA/T-14? Forum

[micheala]

Hi everyone!
I took the Jan 2022 LSAT and got a 168. I'm an international student who graduated in 2012 and get an AA for my undergrad GPA（3.2/4.0）. I have about 10 years of work experience, the first three of which I spent as a technology journalist writing a popular column on intellectual property in the technology sector. In the six years following, I served as the co-founder and content director of a media startup. My most successful project was the most popular reality competition show in the Chinese market. This show received over 2.63 billion views, and the startup raised over $31 million in venture capital, becoming the most successful show production company in China. This is the story of my personal statement； Other background includes I am a first-generation college student in my family, my family has been bankrupt several times, I started a business in college and supported my family, other projects include co-founding a scholarship fund with an investor and supporting an LGBT+ colleague to become a social influencer with 100,000 followers, as shown in my diversity statement and recommendation letter.

btw， Asian female， so non-URM
Does work experience that not in the U.S. count? I think my weaknesses are no study experience in the US, no TOEFL score, and too low original GPA, so should I focus on t20 schools, and what are my chances at T-14 schools?

Thanks

[The Lsat Airbender]

Your T20 chances are fairly grim because of the 168; you'd want to improve that to 171+.

Your work experience and other background should be a mild positive, and its not occurring in the U.S. isn't an issue. Family background should also be a positive but unlikely to overcome the 168.

Your GPA doesn't matter; Superior would be preferred but AA is perfectly adequate for most of the T14 (which is a mixed blessing because this is why schools will rely so heavily on LSAT).

You might need a TOEFL, but AFAIK it's mainly a "do you have functional English proficiency" check.

[Lxwind]

AA most likely will not hurt you unless you want HYS+maybe Chicago. Check with each school’s policies but I’m fairly certain no one requires TOFEL. Within T14, Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Duke, Northwestern, Cornell and Georgetown are more friendly to international students. Northwestern especially has a reputation of favoring more mature students. You have unique softs and a great story to tell, which would be helpful, but I agree that having just a couple more points for LSAT will greatly help your chances.

[BEng,MBA,FRM,JD(?)]

You should retake the LSAT if you're looking for T20. Also an international with similar LSAT (had a superior) and a decade of experience. My unique softs helped me get a WL at HLS a couple of times but that was it. All other T14 outcomes were as predicted by the LSAT score. I applied a few years ago when the medians were a couple points lower, though. From my experience, the most international friendly (or LSAT focused) schools in top 20 were: HLS, CLS, Duke, Cornell, WUSTL, BU. Wasn't expecting UT and Vandy but they also offered me more than half scholly.

[micheala]

You should retake the LSAT if you're looking for T20. Also an international with similar LSAT (had a superior) and a decade of experience. My unique softs helped me get a WL at HLS a couple of times but that was it. All other T14 outcomes were as predicted by the LSAT score. I applied a few years ago when the medians were a couple points lower, though. From my experience, the most international friendly (or LSAT focused) schools in top 20 were: HLS, CLS, Duke, Cornell, WUSTL, BU. Wasn't expecting UT and Vandy but they also offered me more than half scholly.

May I ask the most international-friendly Law school is also LSAT-focused？

[The Lsat Airbender]

You should retake the LSAT if you're looking for T20. Also an international with similar LSAT (had a superior) and a decade of experience. My unique softs helped me get a WL at HLS a couple of times but that was it. All other T14 outcomes were as predicted by the LSAT score. I applied a few years ago when the medians were a couple points lower, though. From my experience, the most international friendly (or LSAT focused) schools in top 20 were: HLS, CLS, Duke, Cornell, WUSTL, BU. Wasn't expecting UT and Vandy but they also offered me more than half scholly.

May I ask the most international-friendly Law school is also LSAT-focused？

It's not that "international-friendly" = "LSAT-focused" but that our measurement for the former quality—the number of students admitted without a reportable GPA—could also reflect a relative emphasis on LSAT as opposed to GPA. (Conversely, a GPA-focused school like UChicago or Stanford would necessarily have to be harder, all else equal, on international students and their nonreportable GPAs.)

[BEng,MBA,FRM,JD(?)]

You should retake the LSAT if you're looking for T20. Also an international with similar LSAT (had a superior) and a decade of experience. My unique softs helped me get a WL at HLS a couple of times but that was it. All other T14 outcomes were as predicted by the LSAT score. I applied a few years ago when the medians were a couple points lower, though. From my experience, the most international friendly (or LSAT focused) schools in top 20 were: HLS, CLS, Duke, Cornell, WUSTL, BU. Wasn't expecting UT and Vandy but they also offered me more than half scholly.

May I ask the most international-friendly Law school is also LSAT-focused？

It's not that "international-friendly" = "LSAT-focused" but that our measurement for the former quality—the number of students admitted without a reportable GPA—could also reflect a relative emphasis on LSAT as opposed to GPA. (Conversely, a GPA-focused school like UChicago or Stanford would necessarily have to be harder, all else equal, on international students and their nonreportable GPAs.)

Completely agree. Nothing to add.