I have a horrible gpa, barely scratching at a 3.0 but I got a 179 on the LSAT. Thoughts?
Where should I apply? Where would I get in? Where do I maybe have a shot? Reaches?
Any insight would be great!
You should apply everywhere in the T14, as early in the admissions cycle as possible. The cycles of splitters are hard to predict, and that’s a fairly extreme split. The only viable strategy is to go as wide as possible.
Agree with Demo, but that GPA is most likely an auto-reject from Y&S, WL at H. All are high reaches as is Chicago.
Real decent looks at NYU down.
get a year of work experience and you’d have a great shot at Northwestern (who is splitter-friendly)
Thanks for the feedback! I really thought I had 0 chance at T14.
I’m in the quarter system at my school so I have this quarter plus summer & fall to bring up my gpa a bit more. I will be graduating 2 quarters early (basically 1 semester, at the end of fall)
I know experience is key but do you really think working for a semester and attending fall 2016 is best? Or trying my attempts at a school with spring admissions for Spring 2016?
Experience is certainly not key for law school admissions. Only one school in the T14 cares about experience (Northwestern). Employers are the people who care though, and they are pretty important.
Also, why are you graduating early? With barely a 3.0 that’s a terrible idea. Fill your life with fluff classes and pull down some As. Unless your undergrad is prohibitively expensive, pulling your GPA up a few points will probably be worth more than you spend on UG tuition. If your undergrad is that expensive, defer graduation and fill up on classes from your local community college. Those As count just as much.
The above poster is right on the money. It doesn’t matter where you take the classes, get your GPA up as high as you can. Once you get that degree your lsac grade point average is locked in stone. The most reasonable thing for you to do is pad it as much as you can right now.
I’d bet you’ll get into at one or probably more t14 schools. They really are swayed by high lsats (amazing score BTW congrats). I know someone with worse stats (last and GPA) who got scholarships at multiple t14 schools
With that LSAT, if you’re an URM you’ll get into Harvard at least.
@Demosthenes49 its because it’s taken me a considerable amount of time to finish my undergrad, with taking time off, moving out of state, etc., so I think I’m just anxious to finally say I’m done! But you’re right, it makes sense to stay longer and bring up my GPA. My only question is about the timeline of everything. If I send in my application in September, aren’t schools only going to see my GPA up until summer? So fall, winter & spring won’t even make a difference until it’s too late?
@AVR455 thank you! I’m really concerned about financial aid & scholarships when it comes to T14 schools. It will definitely be a huge factor.
@SeattleTW I am an URM and Harvard is my top choice so fingers crossed!
I think blue bayou is a little bit more close on the yhs front. Even if you are a URM i would really doubt a 179 makes you a lock at Harvard.
That said it sounds like you might have a nontraditional undergrad story to tell. If that might be unique experience or something like that consider making that a part of your application if its really interesting. Putting together a compelling package is the name of the game for the hys schools
@talarose:You should hold off submitting your application until the grades are in. Admittedly, being a URM can change the calculus a bit. What kind of URM are you? The URM status will definitely help you with admissions. I have no data as to whether it would help with financial aid, but I am inclined to doubt it. Increasing your GPA definitely will help.
@AVR455 I honestly don’t think I’m going to be a lock anywhere. I’m just hoping for the best. Harvard is basically my only/#1 choice, any other T14 (if I even get into any) I would probably decide based on money, location, etc. I’m just trying to do (and figure out what to do) to make it a reality!
@Demosthenes49 I am half African American, half Middle Eastern. I am torn because isn’t submitting my application ASAP going to give me a better chance since I have such a huge gap between my GPA & LSAT? I definitely agree with you that bringing up my GPA is key but won’t it affect my admissions with such a late submission date?
You’ve got a good attitude about this and i’m rooting for you! To take advantage of all of your grades it may be worthwhile to finish out the entire year and apply after a gap year. There was a good article in the school paper today here at H about referencing applications with work experience. you’d have a higher GPA and some work experience under your belt (which will eventually help you a lot with employers BTW- nothing to sneeze at for sure!).
The general thinking (at least when i was in your shoes) was that the earlier you apply the better. I think waiting until after Dec is a mistake. This is the game of rolling admissions.
You have a 99th percentile LSAT. Even with a 2.9, Harvard will welcome a black female (male even better), so long as you go to a respectable college. Query: is it at least a top 25?
@talarose: The half AA will definitely help with admissions. You’re right that applying early in the cycle will better your chances. Most importantly, early in the cycle all the merit money is available and you want as big a piece of that as possible. However, there’s no point with a 3.0. You’re better off skipping this cycle, boosting that GPA, and applying again later. Law school isn’t going anywhere, but with applicants going down and your numbers going up, you could see a lot more money next cycle.
You might be surprised just how far that LSAT will take the OP. I know of African Americans with 2.7 and 2.8 GPAs who got into Michigan because of AA. Other URMs aren’t given as much of a bump. With that LSAT, the OP has a realistic chance at Harvard, especially if he/she went to a good undergrad (top 25) and had a difficult major (e.g., math).
@SeattleTW: My concern isn’t the OP getting into a T14. I expect between the LSAT and the URM that won’t be a problem. My concern is getting as much cash as possible. There’s a definite push for diversity candidates, enough for admission, but no real incentive for merit aid. That’s where the GPA comes in.
The undergrad name and major will make absolutely no difference. No one cared about that during the glut of applicants. They definitely don’t care now.
@AVR455 thank you, I really appreciate it! @SeattleTW
@Demosthenes49
So getting in wont be a high reach if I decide to apply this fall, just the money will? And that’s because of the GPA, correct? Just want to make sure I’m clear on everything.
In all honesty, I’m dead set on Harvard as my top choice. If I get in, I plan on going. That being said, if you know what doesn’t happen (let’s not put that out into the universe) any T14 schools I get into (if any at all), that will be based on other factors such as location, $$, etc.
I’m just trying to get a picture of where I could possibly get in because before this, I was HIGHLY skeptical that I even stood a chance at any T14, let alone Harvard. I really appreciate everyone input!
OP:
If you want relevant advice, you need to lay out enough details for us to comment. Otherwise, folks maybe laying out irrelevant facts. Are you are URM, for example? That is an important fact, along with GPA+LSAT. (Even better if AA male.) If not, Seattle is speculating needlessly.
I just read your other posts, and you have a different background than many. Floundered after HS, time off, 20-something, got it together for an upward trend. Such things can matter a lot more if you can get your grades up.
OP said s/he is an URM, re-read all posts.
OP,
Your undergraduate school and major matter somewhat in law school admissions. There are plenty of threads on the topic. Look at the views of everyone before arriving at a conclusion.