Some Advice Needed on Admissions/Career Prospects...

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>So I'm half-freaking out over life and half-apathetic to my situation because part of me thinks that whatever I do, I'm doomed anyway. I'd like some input as to how bleak my future looks.</p>

<p>Am currently a 3rd year undergrad at UCSD, double major in political theory and human biology. I'm on a five-year track so I'm not graduating any time soon. I'm hoping to go into patent law.</p>

<p>A little about myself: Female of East Indian descent.</p>

<p>My first concern is my GPA. My first four quarters were pretty bad, ~3.1. After that, it's been 3.6-3.7, and I expect this to continue because I will deem my existence as a failure if I let it get that bad again without any good reason. My overall right now is 3.4.</p>

<p>I haven't taken the LSAT yet and I know that GPA goes hand-in-hand with LSAT but my question is: assuming my LSAT isn't anything spectacular, is my GPA bad enough to keep me out of top 20/25? How will that upward trend be perceived? Will it help? </p>

<p>Next question: I think I read on another thread on this site (can't remember which one) that to be considered as a competitive candidate for an entry-level position at a IP firm in the life sciences/bio, I'd need at least a master's. True or not? I aim to attend law school and end up practicing in the SF bay area, if that makes any difference.</p>

<p>Does the prestige of where I attended law school (not HYS but something like UC Davis vs. UC Hastings vs. Santa Clara) matter when it comes getting hired? What about where I do graduate work (UCSD vs. San Jose State or something)?</p>

<p>All those "unemployed attorney" stories are beginning to scare me. I'm hoping that a lot of it has to do with what type of law one is in. I know I won't looking for a job for a good number of years but I still want to know: how ARE job prospects for patent attorneys in biology? I hope to God I won't end up begging for a job at my local Walmart.</p>

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<p>good questions :)</p>

<p>biology does generally require an advanced degree to be successful in the patent world. you can take the patent bar with just a bachelors but the market forces usually demand a masters or phd (not sure if there is a specific preference for phd). </p>

<p>it looks like with the requisite effort your GPA will end up in the 3.5-3.7 range. the higher the better obviously, but with a 3.5 coupled with a 165+ should put you in the running for a T25. T14 would require either 3.7/168 ish or 3.5/172 ish. once you go over 170 plenty of top schools will accept a midling gpa</p>

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<p>Your GPA is basically in the range where it doesn’t tell you anything. If you score a 140, you probably can’t get in anywhere. If you score a 180, you can probably get into any school in the country besides four. Anything in between and you’re on a sliding scale.</p>

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<p>^^Which four ?Harvard,Yale,Stanford, and ?</p>

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<p>berkeley, the non - top3 perennial gpa whore</p>