<p>Hi! I need some advice. I graduated from the University of North Texas with a 3.66 in philosophy. I am now about to finish my masters in Theological Studies from Baylor. I just decided that I really want to go to law school. I'm taking the lsat in Feb. Unfortunately, I've already missed the app. deadlines for most schools, except Baylor. However, I do not want to go to Baylor. (It's most known for trial law which is not what I want to do, and I want to get out of Texas.) I would really like to go somewhere in the northeast. </p>
<p>So, my question is, would I have a better chance of getting into a top 20 school if I wait a year and apply for 2008, or if I go to Baylor for a year and then transfer? Also, if I do really well on the lsat, will it counteract my not-so-good GPA, or will nothing help it??</p>
<p>1) Your GPA is fine for the top 14.
2) I am not sure how taking a year off will help your chances, though you should make sure you do something productive with your time.
3) I would recommend doing the full three years at a law school. Law school is only three years, and I just don't think it's a good idea to transition between two wholly different environments when one can have a richer, more coherent experience. That's just my opinion. I transferred between undergraduate schools, and just establishing myself took one year. When you think about it, it will take you time to adjust to law school, then you transfer, and it will take you time to adjust to the new law school. You will only really have one year to "enjoy" law school.</p>
<p>If you want to go to HYS, then taking your LSAT in Feb is too late, so to go there you would have to wait another year (unless you score like a 180, and in that case, send in your applications to HYS even if its technically late - why not you know? When you score at that level with a high GPA you've earned the right to try for exceptions, although of course they decide whether or not to grant them). As far as the other top schools...I'm not sure if any have deadlines that you could make. </p>
<p>Also, your GPA is solid...and even if your major was considered soft ( I have no idea if it is, I'm not familiar with the demands of that major) your masters in Baylor with solid performance would probably eliminate those concerns. While UNT is not particularly thought of as great or bad, Baylor is a very good school. (I live in Irvine, but prior to last May I lived in Carrollton, TX...not to far from UNT) </p>
<p>I was actually in your same spot last Feb...all of a sudden realized I wanted to go to law school, and was trying to decide whether to rush into the upcoming academic year as best as I could late in the game or take the loooong wait until the following academic year. I personally waited because as you mentioned, it was to late to get into the great schools, and I wanted to compete at that level. If you have to wait, it may not be the worst thing in the world. You could study a little longer and take the July LSAT if you chose, and then use the year to either really beef up your intangibles by doing something unique and extraordinary or more pragmatically taking care of any financial issues you have prior to beginning school.</p>
<p>I should start law school in August...at that point I will have been out of school and working for over 3 years....and mostly I have been just working and sampling different industries/career paths...I really recommend it unless you truly feel that you have the life experience to know what you do and dont want to do....</p>
<p>I was recruited to work for IBM before I graduated....did that and learned so so much about big corporate life and being a "road warrior" for good and for bad...then got altruistic and left to be a high school math teacher in a severely economically depressed part of Dallas (Oak Cliff)...then supported a career opportunity for my husband and moved across the country so he could take a promotion and am using my marketing skills learned from IBM to work in private sector here...so i've basically been educating myself on different career paths in life, observing , learning, and getting to a point where I feel strongly that a path in law is not only something I want, but something that I am educated enough about life to know that I want (if that makes any sense?)</p>
<p>So embrace this extra year! You'd be amazed at how much can happen in that time, and unless you completely go coach potato and do nothing, I'm sure it will just make you a better candidate for law school than if you went direct rush from undergrad.</p>