International Student - JD

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>Hi everyone! As the title says, I'm an international student from South America (Argentina) expecting to get into a Juris Doctor (yes, that sounds weird cause most students from here prefer the LLM degree) in the US in August 2015 and I wanna know what do you think about my chances of being admitted into a T14 Law School (or maybe a LS in the top 20 of most rankings). My preferences are: Georgetown, Virginia, Chicago, Harvard and the University of Texas. And I will also consider George Washington University and American University.</p>

<p>First of all, I'm a born-and-raised argentinian, 22 years old, expecting to graduate as Bachelor in Laws the following year and with a strong political profile.</p>

<p>In what respects to my academic background, right now I'm in the eight semester (out of ten) and I have a 9.6 (in a scale of 10) GPA what is like 3.84 (in a scale of 4). I'm expected to graduate with honours (possibly a general magna or summa cum laude diploma, and some other honour diplomas in some specific branches like Public Law and Political Law). I have not sit for LSAT yet, cause I'm heavily preparing for it. In addition, I'm also planning to sit for TOEFL and I did the International Legal English Certificate (University of Cambridge).</p>

<p>I have been granted two full merit-based scholarships in two different academic years, and I've also been working as an ad-honorem assistant professor. Additionally, I've got a short thesis on Biolaw and Legislation published in one of the most important Law Magazines of my country.</p>

<p>I'm also involved in some extra-academic activities, performing an outstanding university-political career being elected as Class President in two consecutive periods before I got elected for a term as Secretary General of the Law School Student Government and then for another term as President. And I had also been appointed as Legal Secretary of the University Union of Student Governments. In this context, I was awarded with an scholarship to participate in the Latin American Congress of Catholic Universities Student Governments.</p>

<p>In addition, I've been involved in Model UN Conferences both as a delegate as well as staff member, and I got a scholarship from the Dominican Republic Government to serve as International Consultant for the National Model of United Nations. Previously, I got two Best Delegation mentions that were signed by UNESCO, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development and the City University of New York and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.</p>

<p>Furthermore, in what respects to community service, I've been involved as Member of the Buenos Aires City 14th District Consultive Council, I participated as electoral observer of the Republican Proposal Party in 2009 Legislative Elections and 2011 General Elections, and I take part on different charity activities organized by the Pastoral and Social Commitment Deparment of my University.</p>

<p>In the professional area, I've worked as an intern in the Industrial and Commercial Chamber of Germany in Argentina and then I moved on and got into a Political Consulting Firm where I've been working for the last two years as an Advisor both in Political Campaings Management and in Public Policies Development. Here I have also done some work for an International Foundation related with Politics and Democracy. I may also mention that I have been publishing op-eds on law, politics and education topics in one of the most prestigious newspapers of my country.</p>

<p>Finally, I have also been granted a scholarship by the US Department of State and the Jesse Helms Center for an Leadership Program in North Carolina and I've got an scholarship granted by the Industrial and Commercial Chamber of Germany in Brazil for another Leadership Program in Sao Paulo.</p>

<p>I will certainly have good recommendations from the Law School Dean (who deeply knows me because of my work at the Student Government), another Professor and the CEO of the Firm where I work (who is actually my direct boss and also a Georgetown Alumni).</p>

<p>I would like to know if i have chances of getting into any of these Law Schools and being granted financial aid/scholarships/loans and a work permission, because neither me nor my family can afford it.</p>

<p>And, at least, what tips can you give me on personal statements and resume writing?</p>

<p>PS: If you consider that I can do something to improve my chances in this year and a half that I have before applying just tell me!</p>

2

<p>American law schools care only about your GPA and LSAT. I’m not entirely sure how they treat foreign GPAs but I expect a 9.6/10 to be considered quite favorably. Without an LSAT it’s impossible to determine your chances. However, I am totally unclear on what value a US JD would be to you. American law degrees cost phenomenally more than essentially any other country’s, so there should be a compelling reason you’d want one. Is it your goal to practice in the US?</p>

3

<p>

Due to the difficulty in comparing an astrophysicist from MIT with a basket weaving major from East Boise State, the LSAT is incredibly important. Without knowing what your score will be - or even what you have scored on a practise test - we cannot possibly give you any credible estimate of your chances.</p>

4

<p>Yes, I certainly want to settle down in the US and practice law there until I get into politics.</p>

<p>LSAT practice test (the one downloaded from lsat.org). Scored 168.</p>

5

<p>Why do you want to practice law in the US and not Argentina? Also, be extremely wary of using law as an entrance for politics. Political office is hard to get and law is extremely expensive. As you go further in your cycle (get an LSAT score and some offers) you should come back and we can discuss just how expensive it gets.</p>

6

<p>Demosthenes49 thanks for you advice. I would like to practice there because lots of different reasons (long story short: I love law, it is what im passionate about, and I would like to practice it in the US).
When I say “get into politics” I do not strictly refer to running for a bench in a State Legislature or the US Congress, or to run for mayor or governor. By “getting into politics” I refer to work in the public sector, for example as a congressman advisor, a legislative counselor, etc.
I don’t think like “get my JD degree then being Attorney for the rest of my life”. I see the JD as a proper way to practice law but not to practice it only as an attorney.</p>

7

<p>I don’t see any experience in your resume working with a law firm so I am concerned your passion is for something other than the practice of law. A lot of people go into law school like this and it makes for some extremely unhappy people. It’s really easy to idealize law, but that idealization is basically nothing like how law works on a day to day basis. I don’t say this to dissuade you from your goal but rather to make sure what you think you are pursuing is what you are actually pursuing.</p>

<p>As to working for the legislature, those kinds of jobs do exist but they are not common. Going to law school solely for this purpose is an extremely bad idea unless you are extremely well funded. The simple fact of the matter is that the only good reason to go to law school is to be a lawyer. The odds are just too stacked against any of the other jobs. </p>

<p>If you are interested in a broader array of legal work then law school may be a better bet. A general focus on government work could help, but I think a lot of that will only be open to US citizens. I know a lot of the Congressman/Senators that advertise positions at my school have high preference for those who come from their state, and I can’t imagine they’d jump at a non-US citizen. I would do a good bit of research on the available government work and its requirements. </p>

<p>As to the LSAT, a 168 is a very respectable score. I would advise you to get that at least up to 170 on a real LSAT. With a 9.6/10 and a 170 or better, law school can be made much more attractive.</p>

8

<p>I notice that you say your family cannot afford it. This is a serious obstacle.</p>

<p>Not all of the law schools on your list offer need based financial aid other than loans. Some of those which do give grants don’t offer such aid to foreign nationals. Why? </p>

<p>(1) Law schools assume you will borrow the maximum amount of student loans from the US federal government before you borrow $ or get loans from them. As a foreign national and non-green card holder, you are ineligible for those loans. That means a law school will have to give and/or loan you more money to attend than it has to loan an American citizen in the same financial circumstances–unless your own government or some other source will give you $ to study law in the US.</p>

<p>(2) A lot of international students come here, borrow money, get on a plane to go home and never repay the loans. Some nations make it virtually impossible to collect these debts. For this reason, some law schools prefer that you borrow the money to attend from banks in your own nation. </p>

<p>Some of the schools on your list use needaccess to assess need. You can see what questions you and your parents will have to answer here. [Need</a> Access - Home](<a href=“http://www.needaccess.org/home.aspx]Need”>http://www.needaccess.org/home.aspx)</p>

<p>Assuming you can stay in the US and work here is a mistake. There are employers who sponsor foreign attorneys to stay and work here. I am NOT an expert in this field, but my understanding is that they usually do that to get a lawyer who has expertise in the law of a foreign nation and, sometimes, who speaks an unusual language. That’s part of the reason LLMs are popular. The recipients are already attorneys in their home country and thus are useful in navigating foreign law. You will not have such expertise. That means that you will NOT be able to offer skills which lots of American lawyers don’t have. While I have no knowledge whatsoever about the subject and admit that, I am doubtful that any committee or subcommittee of the US House or Senate or an individual senator or representative is going to sponsor a foreign citizen to employ instead of hiring an American citizen for the position. </p>

<p>You should understand that immigration law in the US is in flux. There is a lot of sentiment to allow foreign nationals who receive advanced STEM --science, technology, engineering, and math–degrees in the US to stay and work here. With thousands of US attorneys out of work, there isn’t the same interest in keeping foreign nationals who come here to study law.</p>

<p>Nobody can tell you now what the immigration picture will look like 5 or more years from now when you finish law school. You may be able to stay–you may not.</p>

<p>I’m not saying “forget it.” I am saying that in your case, it’s NOT going to be just about gpa and LSAT. While they will determine where you get in, funding will be a major problem. You may want to email some schools now and find out (1) if they offer financial aid to foreign nationals and (2) whether they offer merit scholarships to foreign nationals.</p>

<p>Note that to get a student visa, you have to prove that you have enough money to get through at least one academic year in hand–whether it’s from a law school, a loan, personal earnings, your family. You can’t come here and then hope it all works out.</p>

9

<p>Updating the info above: </p>

<p>I checked Harvard, which I expected to be most liberal. Here is the link: [International</a> Students](<a href=“http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/sfs/basics/policy/international.html]International”>http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/sfs/basics/policy/international.html)</p>

<p>It does give Harvard institutional loans in the same amount US students get US government loans.</p>

<p>UVirginia: you’re eligible for merit money. School warns you’ll probably need a US citizen to co-sign student loans. <a href=“http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/prospectives/finaid/international.htm[/url]”>http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/prospectives/finaid/international.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>American U doesn’t look good.<a href=“Financial Aid - American University Washington College of Law”>Financial Aid - American University Washington College of Law;

</p>

<p>My advice:If you are really set on doing this, check out your eligibility for loans and grants BEFORE you decide where to apply.</p>

10

<p>I want to emphasize that it is not practical to assume that you will get a work visa and eventually lead to permanent US residency. My son-in-law is from Canada, graduated from a US law school and now works for a tippy top law firm in NYC. He is still on a work visa that he has to renew every 2 years and it does not lead to US residency after almost 6 years with the same firm. If he gets laid off, he has to leave the US. My daughter is now sponsoring him for a green card.</p>

11

<p>cbreeze, is there some reason that your SIL’s employer wouldn’t have sponsored the green card application? That is usually how Canadians working on an H-1b visa start the process, and it’s important to start it well before the expiration of the six year limit on an H-1b. I hope your SIL has requested an extension if he’s nearing the six year point.</p>

12

<p>alwaysamon, as I understand it, he is on a NAFTA TN visa, I didn’t ask why his firm didn’t sponsor a H-1b visa. There are also several Irish and British colleagues who have worked at the firm for a while and not on a green card track.Perhaps my SIL didn’t feel he wanted a green card as he is a proud Canadian. Now that he’s married a US citizen, perhaps he’s changed his mind.</p>

13

<p>Ah okay, I guess I assumed he’d been with your D the whole time. You can still be a proud Canadian and have a green card. :slight_smile: Heck, you can even have dual citizenship these days! Good luck to him!</p>

14

<p>If you want to get into politics, do not spend money on a JD. Work as a legislative aide, work for a PAC, or learn economics and get hired by a think tank.</p>