<p>Hi, I'm currently a second semester sophomore at the University at Buffalo majoring in political science. My dream is to attend Cornell Law School, and I've been on track with them to help in the admissions process. Although I'm technically a sophomore, I skipped a year due to the number of AP credits I came in with (32). I achieved a GPA of 3.94 in my first semester, yet am having trouble in my second semester. I'm still adjusting to the overall couseload, and I'm having trouble getting used to the upper level courses I'm taking. Since I'm graduating early I've had to take more advanced courses earlier on so I can satisfy my major and general education requirements. On top of that I am a member of the honors college, so I have even more requirements to fill in addition to an honors seminar each semester. So how will having a lower GPA effect my chances, at the moment I'm aiming for a 3.5, yet it might be as low as a 3.3 this semester. I also feel as if this will be my toughest semester since I'm taking three upper level couses despite my youth. I'm also taking a five credit introductory course for italian, which is by no means easy! In the future I'm planning to study abroad in Italy, and then come back to Buffalo for my final year. I know I'm worrying and looking to far ahead, but any input would be helpful. This summer I'm going to intern at a public service law firm, and also observe what goes on in a pro-bono divorce clinic. As for recommendations and LSATs, I've already identfied one teacher who will write my recommendation, and shes from the Romance Languages and Literatures department. For my second recommendation, I'm hoping to get a political science professor, and then maybe an additional recommendaton from my mentor. As for LSATs I've taken one practice test and received a 160, without prior studying, so hopefully that will go up in time. </p>
<p>I was also wondering if minorities get any preference and law school selection, in regards to race, sexual orientation, religion, etc.</p>
<p>Yes, African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans receive preferential treatment in law school admissions.</p>
<p>With a 3.30, you would need a 168 to have very respectable chance at Cornell, 172 to be extremely confident, and 174 to be absolutely certain. Those thresholds fall if you’re a member of any of the aforementioned groups.</p>
<p>Well I’m talking a 3.3 GPA in this semester only, so I would have an overall of 3.6. I also have two years left to raise it higher, I’m just worried one weaker semester might look bad, although im taking more difficult courses at a younger age.</p>
<p>it makes little sense to speculate without an actual LSAT score. But if you can get a 168 and maintain a 3.6 gpa, you have a definite shot at an acceptance. But stats do seem to be going up, so you will need to cast a wider net than Cornell.<br>
If you do get the 168/3.6, you may be able to further enhance your chances of acceptance by having a year or two work experience. Sometimes graduating in 3 years may not be looked at in the most positive light as you are considered a young candidate with little life experience.
of course- if you really ace the LSAT and get 170 or above then my last statement becomes less relevant. Schools love high LSAT scores regardless of your background or age.
my d was accepted to cornell this cycle with a 167 lsat. But as she was a cornell UG, I think that gave her application a bit of a boost. In the past a 167/168 should have gotten a Cornell acceptance, but so far this seems to be a competitive year. We’ll know more at the end of the admission cycle.</p>
<p>As your first practice test was 160, I think you have the potential of scoring close to the 170 range if you study like crazy for the exam. My kids first practice was in the low
150’s and she went up 15 points after doing the Kaplan course with alot of self study too.
also- try not to overload yourself with courses. That really can have a negative effect on your gpa. If for financial reasons you must graduate in 3 years, consider doing a few SUNY on line courses during the summer or winter break session. D # 2 is a Suny Cortland student and has taken a few SUNY on line courses. This enabled her to have a minor and still graduate within the 4 year period. Without those extra SUNY online courses, she would not have been able to graduate in 4 years.
Good luck.</p>
<p>also- keep in mind your study abroad grades can be calculated into your overall gpa. That worked in my kids favor as she too studied in Italy (Florence) and got a 4.0 that semester. If you are interested, she went with a program through Wells college. I believe one of the suny’s also has a program at that university. The program was in english. but my kid took Italian courses and some classes in globalization etc. My kid had a great time. I’ll check the suny website and see which school participated in it.</p>
<p>yes flowerhead - that is why we’ll see how this all plays out at end of cycle. Kids with 167/168 have not been rejected yet. But their applications have been on hold and will be re-evaluated later in the cycle. Sounds like what Northwestern is doing too.</p>
<p>anyway back to the study abroad in Italy–
my kid did a semester at Lorenzo d’medici in Florence through Wells college. Broome community college has a program at that school too.
I believe my kid took a few International business courses in addition to language, cooking, a culture course etc. She absolutely adored her time in florence. The courses were taught in english. I think coursework in international business would be tough in Italian- so this program met her needs.
Broome County CC had other programs in Italy. If you haven’t decided on a particular study abroad program, check the SUNY study abroad website. There seem to be a number of SUNY programs throughout Italy- and as they are SUNY, I’ll assume the cost factor may be a bit less than comparable programs.</p>
<p>I don’t know whether this change is pervasive in the entire T14, however. I think Cornell and NU’s increase are due mostly to the fact that they’re the “easier” T14s to get into (with NU being super “LSAT Splitter” friendly, and Cornell being super “GPA Splitter” friendly).</p>
<p>but it may go further than that. Based on what I’m reading on TLS, Columbia seems to be pretty slow in sending out acceptances too.<br>
It will be an interesting “post season analysis”.</p>
<p>just got back from my TLS read. Seems like columbia is requesting alot of fall semester transcripts. So that may be their method of slowing down the process.</p>
<p>I really can’t figure out why a T-5 school needs to slow down the process. Unless they are trying to target the kids rejected from HYS who would gladly go to columbia as an alternative. So if a student doesn’t bother sending back the transcript, it might be perceived that they already got admitted to a more desireable school and wouldn’t accept a spot at Columbia anyway. My gut tells me this is all a gaming system to look good for USWNR ranking and to stay ahead of NYU. This is a similar ploy that my kid got from the waitlist status at a T-20 school. Their response was that if she was truly interested in attending this school, she should contact them ASAP. As she didn’t bother to make the contact, I am assuming my d will eventually get rejected and her non- interest in attending the school will not adversely affect their ranking.</p>
<p>I am telling you- I have less and less regard for the whole process. I think schools are definitely making decisions and taking action based on boosting their ranking in USWNR.</p>
<p>Marny1- Thank you for the response. Im planning to go to Florence as well, yet through Stony Brook University, at Florence University of the Arts. Yet I might check the Broome Commity College one, since I do remember it being offered. I just feel overwhelmed this semester, despite having the same number of credits. The three hundred level courses are definitley difficult, but I’m just not used to getting Bs and B+s instead of As, theres still room for improvement, yet I did a GPA calculation and I’m probably going to be around a 3.5, which will pull my overall GPA to a 3.74. Yet if I can consistently keep that from here on out, I really think my experience when studying abroad, and my internship from this summer will help me out in the process. I just really want to go to Cornell, I don’t know what I would do if I got rejected. Does anyone know the chances of transferring after a year, because if I was rejected I would maybe go to UB for a year then try again.</p>
<p>Yes, but they’ve also admitted people before they’ve had a chance to send in their transcripts, some even with Hamiltons.</p>
<p>And no, I don’t think Columbia is particularly slower this year. If your daughter is waiting for a rejection/waitlist (no offense, but if she’s white, that’s the likely result with a 167), those come a little later.</p>
<p>just passing along what I’m reading on TLS. Columbia seems to be a bit slower than NYU and some of the other t-5 schools. Maybe it’s just a longer process at columbia than at the other schools.
before everyone was so attuned to TLS-facebook-twitter etc, no one could delve or compare the admission process at individual schools. But now info is made known to a wide audience in an instant-- and everyone overanalyzes everything. Including me.<br>
so yes, columbia may not be any slower than it has been in previous years, but according to those on TLS, it seems to be a slower process than its peer schools.</p>
<p>ubbulls- maybe you are rushing things a bit too much? Higher level courses are going to be harder. Don’t ruin your gpa due to overextending yourself. Maybe you should consider taking no more than 12 to 15 credits for a semester.</p>
<p>Re: study abroad–I’m sure the stony brook program is great too- just compare course offerings and language requirements. As my kid was an ILR major at Cornell, she needed to have the international business/globalization courses available to her. Lorenzo d’medici fit the bill. Many of the study abroad programs in Italy focused on language and art and that wouldn’t meet the requirements of her labor relations major. Good luck.</p>
<p>hey. don’t quite know the rules of decorum here. i hate to impose on your thread, but i am also interested in cornell. what about a 3.1 at the university of miami, 173 lsat? pre-med exit… 4.0 in new major – history. i am 1/2 cuban, 1/4 puerto rican, but with a jewish last name. work/internship experience, too. the lsat is projected based on practice tests… awaiting february results.</p>
<p>Ima- if you are saying your gpa is somewhere between a 3.1 to 4.0 (which I’ll assume will be in the 3.6 range when LSAC calculates ALL your grades) and you get the 170 LSAT, you should be ok.<br>
again- to be on the prudent side, you may want to cast a wider net than the T-14’s (top 25 and you might get some nice scholarship offers).<br>
Hope the LSAT went as well as you expected.</p>