Does it matter if you go to community college?

<p>"Do you guys think any of the top 10 law schools would accept someone who went to community college even if their academic record is flawless and they get a good LSAT?"</p>

<p>Yes, I think they would. A 3.95/175 is sitting pretty no matter where it came from. The California CC->UC system is pretty well known among admissions professionals. If you have financial or family reasons for choosing this route, and if you keep that GPA in the stratosphere (big if), I think you'll be OK, especially if you get your degree one of the higher-ranked UCs.</p>

<p>I wouldn't know whether people in my law school class went to CC's first, because you're identified at law school by your degree-granting school. But I had a classmate who went to U of North Dakota. If you can get into YHS from the U of North Dakota, I can't believe that it's impossible coming from CC+Berkeley or CC+UCLA.</p>

<p>While you CAN do this, in the few cases I'm familiar with, the person not only had a valid reason for going to a CC, but didn't apply to law school straight out of college. I think this is one factor you should take into account. If you want to go straight from college to law school, you'll be applying at a time when you will only have two semesters of grades at your degree granting college. If you wait and get the degree and THEN apply, you'll have four semesters worth. If you get four semesters worth of straight As at the degree granting U and a high LSAT, you probably have a good shot.</p>

<p>But, from what I've seen--and I'll admit it's a sample of fewer than 5 people---you have to be willing to sit out a year. </p>

<p>In one case, a former poster on this board, a NY state resident, went to a NY State CC and then transferred to Cornell ILR. Applied to law schools after one year at Cornell ILR, and did get into some law schools, but none in the top 25 or so, despite high grades and a relatively high LSAT. She definitely did not do as well in the admissions process as her Cornell ILR classmates.</p>

<p>Please note that I am NOT saying it's a bad idea to take some time off before law school. I'm just saying that I think that if you take the CC path, you'll need to do this.</p>

<p>I actually agree with the above post. It is something to keep in mind and as a result I will probably work for a year or so before going to law school simply to complete my degree and get all of the grades.</p>

<p>I'll be going to Texas Tech next year (omg I know tier three!!!) and I went to community college for 2 years, so it is possible.</p>

<p>And how would admissions people differentiate a difficult course load from an easy one? Would courses like "General Math", "Biology 101" and the like automatically say, "I'm lazy, that's why I went to a no-name school?".</p>

<p>Well I mean at a Community College isn't everybody taking lower divs anyway, which do tend to be easier?</p>

<p>Wildflower, while I'm not an admissions rep, my brother, who attended a CC for his first two years, just entered law school at NYU (#4). One of his best friends from college, who he also went to CC with, is entering Yale (THE law school) with a 3.82 and a 174. Please, go to a board such as www lawschooldiscussion org and you will find that you are VERY ill informed regarding this process. CC has NO, I REPEAT NO, impact on what law school you go to GRANTED you graduate from a 4 year...</p>