Low GPA, High ACT, where do I look? (Looking for Pre-Law program)

College Search & Selection
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<p>Up until I took the ACT I didn't have many options, I was basically set on Northeastern University, but I pulled a 35 somehow without studying, and I now I'm wondering if I can be looking higher. If it helps with suggestions, I'm looking for a school with a program that will prepare me for eventually applying Law School.</p>

<p>The schools I'm looking at right now are:
Northeastern
Suny Binghamton
Stony Brook
University of Rochester
UChicago (reach I know, but I really want to go there)
I'm considering adding Cornell and Princeton to my list as super-reaches, is it even worth applying to them though?</p>

<p>My stats are as follows:</p>

<p>3.3 UW / 4.0 weighted
What's always dragged my grade down has been my math grades. I usually get high 80s to low 90s in all my sciences and humanities, including APs, but I've never seemed to be able to break out of the low 80s in my math classes. If it helps, I plan on majoring in Pre-Law or Poli-Sci, so the humanities are obviously more important. Should I mention this in my essay somewhere or what?
Also, my grades definitely show an upward trend, the last semester of my Junior year I hit a 3.6 GPA, and I hope to continue that in the first semester of my Senior year. </p>

<p>SAT - I got about 2000 first time around, without studying, so I think I could bump that up to at least a 2100, hopefully higher, taking it the second time around after some studying. </p>

<p>SAT II
Chem - 780
Math II - 770</p>

<p>ACT - I took the ACT because my friend suggested it, and I was pleasantly surprised to find my scores were very competitive.
35 Composite
English - 36
Math - 36
Science - 33
Reading - 35</p>

<p>Honors Classes:
Geometry
English 10
Chemistry
Physics
Independent study Architecture</p>

<p>APs:
Chem - 4
Language and Comp - 5
US History - 5
Biology
Literature
Computer Science
European History</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Four years of Varsity Cross Country - Senior year as captain
Two years of Indoor Track
Four years of Spring Track
Volunteer french teacher for 5-6 year olds - an hour weekly for six months
Volunteer teacher at a computer camp for kids - 160 hours
Three years of Science Olympiad - I'm a state medalist and my team placed 3rd in the state in my first year - I'll be an officer on the team next year (huge time commitment, upwards of 400 hours per year, I'll be writing one of my essays on this)</p>

<p>I'm not sure which category to place this one under but, I attended a two week accredited summer-college business program at Northeastern University.</p>

2

<p>Pre-law can be done with any reasonable major and any reasonable course selection at any reasonable school. GPA and learning thinking skills that are tested by the LSAT are most important. Note the performance of LSAT takers from different majors:</p>

<p>[LSAT</a> Scores of Economics Majors: The 2008-2009 Class Update by Michael Nieswiadomy :: SSRN](<a href=“http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1430654]LSAT”>http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1430654)</p>

<p>An ACT of 35 may get you an automatic full ride to allow you to save money for expensive law school:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Before you get too focused on prelaw as a major…</p>

<p>Prelaw is among the five lowest-scoring majors on the LSAT with 148.3. So really I wouldn’t worry too much about whether or not a school has a prelaw program.</p>

4

<p>I would advise looking at European universities. They emphasize standardized test scores more than anything else and your GPA is mainly for qualifying. </p>

<p>Sent from my SGH-T959V using CC</p>

5

<p>getting into law school is not like getting into med school.
getting a job after law school, now that is a problem unless you want to be an ambulance chaser or slip and fall lawyer!</p>

6

<p>You major in whatever you want as a pre-law student. </p>

<p>Some schools may suggest that taking classes in history, poly sci, writing, public speaking, deductive logic, ethics, economics and science are helpful for someone who is law school bound.</p>

<p>any school that has a good law school probably has good pre-law advising and/or recommended courses to include with your major.</p>

<p>With your ACT and weighted GPA, you’d qualify for free tuiton at Bama which also has a highly ranked law school (which is also a good deal for OOS students.)</p>

<p>*Among these law schools is the University of Alabama School of Law, which has firmly established its reputation as a top-tier law school. Given the school’s exceptionally low resident and non-resident tuition rates, enrolling would be a wise investment *</p>

7

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<p>Did you take ACT with writing? If so, there’s no point in retaking SAT Reasoning. Just send colleges your ACT score.</p>