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Should I consider law schools outside of my region?
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:11 pm
by jdmerritt14
I am a senior going into the last semester of my undergrad. Upon my graduation from law school, I will most likely try to have my practice in Texas. I am not sure what area of law that I want to practice, but I have dreamed of being a lawyer since I was a kid. My father being a lawyer, he has drilled into me that I should go to a law school in either Texas or Oklahoma since those schools will best prepare me for the Texas State Bar Exam. But I do know that the prestige and ranking of the law school one goes to matters a great deal. My undergraduate GPA is just under a 3.5. My first LSAT score was a 153, but I managed to raise it to a 166 on my second attempt. I have looked at the 509s of each of the law schools in Texas and Oklahoma and, other than UT, my new LSAT score is higher than the 75th percentile of each of them. Based on the percentages that LSAC told me, I have about a 30-40% chance of getting into UT. I am located within a gap in which I most-likely cannot get into the best law school in the area, but have the LSAT score to go to a better school than the rest in the area. Should I consider schools outside of my area? Which law schools are worth going to even if they are located outside of the region that I want to locate my practice? Do I have the GPA and LSAT score to go to these schools? Or should I just try to stay in Texas/Oklahoma for law school?
Re: Should I consider law schools outside of my region?
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 6:31 pm
by kyle1978
First, who is financing law school for you? If you are taking out loans that you are 100% responsible for, I think you would be better off staying in Texas and going to a school that gives you considerable $$$$$. A good strategy may be, blanket Texas (including UT), as well as Georgetown (and some other "top" schools) to see if you can leverage some $. Alternatively, re-take the LSAT. Good luck.
Re: Should I consider law schools outside of my region?
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 7:01 pm
by Rigo
With your current numbers, it wouldn't make sense to go to a school outside the region if you want to return to Texas.
Re: Should I consider law schools outside of my region?
Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2018 7:47 pm
by emkay625
That's an awesome increase. Congrats!
The best option is to try to retake and raise that score 1 or 2 more points and then safely get into to UT.
When are you planning on applying? Is this next cycle or this cycle?
Re: Should I consider law schools outside of my region?
Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2018 3:08 pm
by jdmerritt14
emkay625 wrote:That's an awesome increase. Congrats!
The best option is to try to retake and raise that score 1 or 2 more points and then safely get into to UT.
When are you planning on applying? Is this next cycle or this cycle?
I will be applying this cycle, but I do know that it is very late in the application process, so I am ok with taking a gap year if I have to.
Re: Should I consider law schools outside of my region?
Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:25 pm
by emkay625
jdmerritt14 wrote:emkay625 wrote:That's an awesome increase. Congrats!
The best option is to try to retake and raise that score 1 or 2 more points and then safely get into to UT.
When are you planning on applying? Is this next cycle or this cycle?
I will be applying this cycle, but I do know that it is very late in the application process, so I am ok with taking a gap year if I have to.
If it were me, I'd plan on a June retake. You can always use it to try to get off any waitlists you're on this cycle, and if that doesn't pan out, you'll be ready to apply first thing next cycle.