<p>How important is networking for getting into top law schools? I mean, should I try and visit as many of these schools as possible and talk with the admissions people? Are there people I should be corresponding with by email? I guess my question is, are there ways to make yourself known outside of your application? Is this kosher? </p>
<p>The more I read that Harvard admissions blog and the more I research it, the more I want to go there. I know my gpa is in the lowst 25% for HLS though (3.66), so I just want to know if there's ANYTHING else I can do in the next 9 months before I apply. It might be a pipe dream, but I won't be able to live with myself if I don't give it all I've got and then some!!</p>
<p>Get a good score on the LSAT. My GPA is way lower than yours (3.36) and using the LSAC UGPA/LSAT tool, with my LSAT score my odds of getting in to Harvard jump up to a range of between 55 and 70%..and thats purely numerics and doesnt count any extra points I might earn when you take into account difficulty of major, full time employment history, URM status, letters of rec, etc etc. (oh, and I don't mean to say I'm "in" by any means...I respect HYS way to much to assume I'm in until they tell me I am, I'm just saying that if your talking hypothetical I'm an example of someone not even doing as well as you with supposed good odds by the best tool available to judge it...)</p>
<p>So you are definitely still in the very competitive range for Harvard assuming you get a good LSAT. </p>
<p>Oh, and I don't know about networking...if its convenient I would do it, but I wouldnt go to any extra expense AND while introductory emails are acceptable it may be premature for you 9 months out...you'd want to make an email to an admissions director meaningful by being able to summarize your main app points in a paragraph: UGPA with major & university name, LSAT score, relevant employment history if applicable. Just writing to say you want to go there is going to be a waste of your chance to introduce yourself to them because they're not likely to have much to say in response to that...maybe they would send your name to an admin person to mail you a brochure..... </p>
<p>Also, don't assume that they won't try to recruit you in small (or big) ways if you are a competitive candidate. Once my LSAC file became complete (all transcripts in and LSAT) my name began to pop up in the searches they do to zero in on candidates that will be competitive at their school....even the top law schools do this...its been just about 3 weeks since my LSAC file became complete and I've already gotten letters from Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Northwestern, and a slew of other lower ranked places. So again, no need to go to expense and extreme effort networking the schools now..when you have all of the pertinent information in line and available to them, they will run searches using LSAC and contact you if you meet what they consider criteria "to be competitive" at their school. Then you will have a legitimate reason to begin a dialogue by letting them know that you've received correspondence from them and are happily applying....</p>