Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions Forum

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MattM

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by MattM » Tue Jan 13, 2015 3:16 pm

deanmeekerconsulting wrote:
MattM wrote:Hello,

I had GPA related question in general for T14 schools admissions.....would there be a material difference If I applied to law school with a 3.57 GPA or a 3.64 GPA? ( my PT average on LSAT is 168-172, in this hypothetical, assume i would have the exact same LSAT for in both GPA scenarios and my test day score would fall into that 168-172 range)

I am excited for a May 2015 graduation and crossing the graduation stage...but I wonder if it would be better to add a minor and graduate in Dec 2015 instead ( the minor would be something I am interested in and enjoy and not just simply to boost GPA)

In the graduation Dec 2015 scenario, i would have my courses spread out so my LSAT prep would not be impacted much, and even while taking courses I could still get some work experience as the courses in the minor would be online so I would have flexibility in time as well, finances would not be an issue as well either in paying for the extra courses

I don't want my excitement of finally being able to cross the graduation stage possibly in May lead me into making the wrong choice
Hi there. I don't think that potential boost in your GPA will make much difference at the T14 schools, because it is still going to be below every school's median GPA. Thus, all the other components of your application, particularly the LSAT, are going to be important to increase your chances for admission. My advice is to invest that time and money instead in LSAT preparation (because of course landing at the high end of your range versus the low end on the LSAT will make a significant difference in terms of where you will be competitive amongst the T14 schools).
Could you expand on what you mean by 'being below a school's median GPA" means in terms of admissions? I have seen it a lot on these forums and wanted to ask two questions as to what it means. 1. Is below median GPA a mark that it is irrelevant as to how far you are below, once you are below that mark? 2. Or are there distinctions within this mark. for example my GPA places within the lower 25% for many of the top schools while a 3.3 applicant would need a much better overall Application and LSAT score to compensate for a lower GPA in T 14 Admissions. I would imagine a 3.57 while still below the GPA median, would have a better chance than a 3.3 ( assuming all else rest of app/LSAT equal) because this candidate would not be as far below the median.


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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by MattM » Tue Jan 13, 2015 3:40 pm

Sorry for the double message but Maybe your clarification on GPA medians and how they work will already answer the next question.

One of my top options outside the T14 would be UT Austin as I am a Texas resident and it would probably end up being much more economic than going to a T14 school. I could see myself going to a school like UT for the great employment chances especially if I decide to stay and practice in Texas at a much lower cost than a T 14 school.

in my case is hitting their median GPA important ( 3.68) when I apply....I see less reason to extend graduation if there are distinctions between being below median in applicants and if it is not an all or nothing scenario being below median ( unless of course I have a more compelling reason to add the minor, which i could certainly see as possibility)

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DerekMeeker

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:41 pm

MattM wrote:
deanmeekerconsulting wrote:
MattM wrote:Hello,

I had GPA related question in general for T14 schools admissions.....would there be a material difference If I applied to law school with a 3.57 GPA or a 3.64 GPA? ( my PT average on LSAT is 168-172, in this hypothetical, assume i would have the exact same LSAT for in both GPA scenarios and my test day score would fall into that 168-172 range)

I am excited for a May 2015 graduation and crossing the graduation stage...but I wonder if it would be better to add a minor and graduate in Dec 2015 instead ( the minor would be something I am interested in and enjoy and not just simply to boost GPA)

In the graduation Dec 2015 scenario, i would have my courses spread out so my LSAT prep would not be impacted much, and even while taking courses I could still get some work experience as the courses in the minor would be online so I would have flexibility in time as well, finances would not be an issue as well either in paying for the extra courses

I don't want my excitement of finally being able to cross the graduation stage possibly in May lead me into making the wrong choice
Hi there. I don't think that potential boost in your GPA will make much difference at the T14 schools, because it is still going to be below every school's median GPA. Thus, all the other components of your application, particularly the LSAT, are going to be important to increase your chances for admission. My advice is to invest that time and money instead in LSAT preparation (because of course landing at the high end of your range versus the low end on the LSAT will make a significant difference in terms of where you will be competitive amongst the T14 schools).
Could you expand on what you mean by 'being below a school's median GPA" means in terms of admissions? I have seen it a lot on these forums and wanted to ask two questions as to what it means. 1. Is below median GPA a mark that it is irrelevant as to how far you are below, once you are below that mark? 2. Or are there distinctions within this mark. for example my GPA places within the lower 25% for many of the top schools while a 3.3 applicant would need a much better overall Application and LSAT score to compensate for a lower GPA in T 14 Admissions. I would imagine a 3.57 while still below the GPA median, would have a better chance than a 3.3 ( assuming all else rest of app/LSAT equal) because this candidate would not be as far below the median.


Thanks!
No, it is not irrelevant as to how far you are below the median GPA and there certainly are distinctions within that range. But in your case - a 3.57 v. 3.64 - I'm saying there isn't going to be a significant difference (not enough to warrant going to school for an additional semester to take courses online). I think a better use of your resources (time and money) is investing in LSAT prep and writing a stellar personal statement; plus, almost all of the schools ranked 7-14 provide the opportunity to write an additional essay, which I would advise doing too. If you score a 170+ on the LSAT and have solid essays with a 3.57, you're going to be competitive at the same schools within the T14 as you would with a 3.64. But if you score a 168, or even a 169 (regardless of whether you have a 3.57 or 3.64), the schools at which you will be competitive diminishes. So, the point is, moving your GPA by .7 won't change your overall competitiveness much - but just 1 or 2 points on the LSAT will.

To go a little deeper into your question as to whether there are distinctions within GPAs below the median, yes, there are, but it is not as simple as: well, this person has a 3.57 and this person has a 3.3, so I'm going to admit the 3.57. It is within this pool of candidates that all other factors in the application (non-numerical) become more heightened: major, undergraduate school, work experience, leadership, service, geographic profile (where applicant grew up/state of residence) diversity factors, unique experience/perspective, overcoming challenges, etc. So, yes, "assuming all else rest of app/LSAT equal" a 3.57 is a stronger candidate than a 3.3 - but, the reality is "all else" is rarely equal. There are almost always distinctions within the soft factors. And a 3.3 who has the same LSAT score as a 3.57 can easily be a more compelling candidate because of those soft factor distinctions.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by tfarunner » Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:30 pm

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer questions.

I graduated from a top public university with a 3.87 from our honors college double majors in poly sci and journalism. I participated in varsity sports for two years, student government, and various other campus activities. Upon graduation, I joined TFA and am now in year 2 and have a 4.0 in our masters program as well. I took the LSAT in Sept., but got a 158 even though I was PTing in the mid to high 160s- test day nerves got me. I was unable to take the Dec. LSAT, but am taking the Feb. LSAT. My plan is to apply to the schools with deadlines in Feb. now and ask them to hold my application until the Feb. score comes and then apply to others as soon as possible after my score comes out.

My goal is T-14, but I am afraid they are going to see the 158 and not even hold my application and reject outright?

What is your perspective on this/ any advice you have?

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Thu Jan 15, 2015 4:21 pm

tfarunner wrote:Thanks so much for taking the time to answer questions.

I graduated from a top public university with a 3.87 from our honors college double majors in poly sci and journalism. I participated in varsity sports for two years, student government, and various other campus activities. Upon graduation, I joined TFA and am now in year 2 and have a 4.0 in our masters program as well. I took the LSAT in Sept., but got a 158 even though I was PTing in the mid to high 160s- test day nerves got me. I was unable to take the Dec. LSAT, but am taking the Feb. LSAT. My plan is to apply to the schools with deadlines in Feb. now and ask them to hold my application until the Feb. score comes and then apply to others as soon as possible after my score comes out.

My goal is T-14, but I am afraid they are going to see the 158 and not even hold my application and reject outright?

What is your perspective on this/ any advice you have?
As long as you request them to hold your app until they receive the Feb score, they will do so. Also, with that high a GPA and all the other factors you mentioned (top school, honors college, double major in Poli Sci/Journalism, TFA, MEd, etc.), you will be a compelling candidate at some of the top schools. Good luck - hope the Feb test goes well!

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by Liz_Lemon » Fri Jan 23, 2015 3:46 pm

At this point in the cycle, what is the best way to address a significant addition to your resume? I submitted most of my applications by early December, and have since taken on a significant new role at work, not exactly a promotion, but a high-profile set of responsibilities that involve speaking with reporters and regularly giving on-the-record interviews as part of a political campaign. It sees like something that would be interesting and memorable to AdComms, so is it worth sending some kind of addendum to the schools where I'm still pending? And if so, should I email it to a Dean or try to find a general admissions email address?

Thanks so much for fielding all these questions!

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by m27 » Fri Jan 23, 2015 10:45 pm

Thank you for taking our questions.

Many, if not all, T14 schools have a application deadline that does not accommodate the February LSAT score release. If an application hold is not available for a particular law school, is submitting the application late significantly detrimental to admission? Should someone in this situation email the law school informing them of this? What is the best way to handle such a situation? Thank you

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by ymmv » Fri Jan 23, 2015 10:48 pm

m27 wrote:Thank you for taking our questions.

Many, if not all, T14 schools have a application deadline that does not accommodate the February LSAT score release. If an application hold is not available for a particular law school, is submitting the application late significantly detrimental to admission? Should someone in this situation email the law school informing them of this? What is the best way to handle such a situation? Thank you
Yes, it's detrimental. Your odds of admission and scholarship offers will be significantly lower if you wait until March to apply. Wait out this cycle, max out your LSAT score, and apply in October.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Fri Jan 23, 2015 11:13 pm

Liz_Lemon wrote:At this point in the cycle, what is the best way to address a significant addition to your resume? I submitted most of my applications by early December, and have since taken on a significant new role at work, not exactly a promotion, but a high-profile set of responsibilities that involve speaking with reporters and regularly giving on-the-record interviews as part of a political campaign. It sees like something that would be interesting and memorable to AdComms, so is it worth sending some kind of addendum to the schools where I'm still pending? And if so, should I email it to a Dean or try to find a general admissions email address?

Thanks so much for fielding all these questions!
Yes, definitely worth sending and will be of interest to AdComms. Send your updated resume via email; explain that you are submitting an updated resume for your file because of a new role/significant increase in responsibilities at work. You can give a very brief overview of the new role in the message. You can email it to the general admissions email address. Best of luck!

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by MattM » Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:56 pm

Hello,

I was interested to get your take on how admissions committees consider the median LSAT scores from one's UG institution and how that plays a role into how they evaluate you as a candidate.

My undergraduate median LSAT score is a 154 ( the 60% mark) which is somewhat competitive in that it means that the average LSAT test taker from my UG school scores about 10% higher than the median test score ( 150-151)

Do they look at the UG school's median LSAT to get a general sense of rigor of the program.?...( for example would a low gpa splitter be in a more slightly more advantageous position if the median LSAT was a 162 at the UG compared to a 145)

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Sun Jan 25, 2015 8:35 pm

m27 wrote:Thank you for taking our questions.

Many, if not all, T14 schools have a application deadline that does not accommodate the February LSAT score release. If an application hold is not available for a particular law school, is submitting the application late significantly detrimental to admission? Should someone in this situation email the law school informing them of this? What is the best way to handle such a situation? Thank you
In short, yes, taking the February LSAT and applying late in the process are going to diminish your chances for admission, particularly if you are a splitter candidate or if both your LSAT and GPA are below the school's medians. That said, most of the T14 schools (per their websites) WILL accommodate a February LSAT score. Only NYU expressly says they will not and Harvard says "normally will not be considered." Some of the others simply say they will accept the February score, while most have "yes, but..." types of wording (yes, but be advised it is late in the process, etc.). Chicago even indicates that it will consider the JUNE LSAT. Here are the schools' policies on accepting the FEB LSAT:

Yale – yes
Harvard – “normally will not be considered”
Stanford – may submit a formal written request for February LSAT to be considered
Columbia – yes
Chicago – yes (Although the Law School will continue to accept and evaluate applications after the March 1 deadline and applicants taking the June LSAT may still apply, space will be limited at that time (though, on occasion, we have accepted outstanding applicants into the summer).
NYU – no
Penn – yes
Berkeley - February test scores may be accepted, but you should be aware that your admission chances will be diminished due to our rolling review process.
Michigan - Applicants who take the LSAT in February of the year in which they're applying (and do not already have other score reports) may be at a disadvantage because their score reports will not be available until early March, which is late in the admissions season.
Duke - As you can tell, the February test is a poor fit for our admission cycle. (Unless, of course, you are taking it in the year before you apply to law school!) The scores are not available until after our application deadline. Although we can consider such late applications, they are at a significant disadvantage.
Northwestern – yes
Cornell - Yes; however, your application will be considered late and admission will be on a space available basis.
Georgetown - Although we will accept the February 2015 LSAT, taking an earlier exam is strongly encouraged.

Really, what it comes down to is how strong your LSAT score will be. For those schools that are open to accepting the February LSAT, if you score above their median (and your GPA is also above their median, or at least not too far below), you will be competitive. Even in the days when law schools were receiving far more applications than they are now, the reality was if an applicant called up after the deadline and said - "I have a 173 LSAT score and 3.85 GPA; can I still apply to your school?" - many schools would have said yes and accepted the applicant. The dilemma, of course, is you won't know your LSAT score until sometime in March and you will need to submit your applications before then - so you would be taking a chance of not putting forth your best application. And as ymmv notes, your scholarship odds also will be lower (even if you do end up with a great LSAT score - though schools are negotiating far more and much later in the process these days than they were prior to the decline in apps). That is definitely something you need to consider. You want to apply to law school when you are going to be in the best position to get admitted to a number of competitive schools and get the best financial deal. And, while applying late with a February LSAT score won't necessarily preclude you from gaining admission (or perhaps shut you completely out of financial aid), you're not going to have as many options or as much flexibility as you would applying earlier in the process.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by TheProdigal » Mon Jan 26, 2015 12:35 am

I may have gotten someone who didn't really know, but whoever answered the phone at NYU admissions a few months ago said they would accept a February score.

In a related topic, is there any consistency, beyond the schools explicitly stating it on their websites, in which schools accept applications past their deadline?

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Mon Jan 26, 2015 2:58 pm

TheProdigal wrote:I may have gotten someone who didn't really know, but whoever answered the phone at NYU admissions a few months ago said they would accept a February score.

In a related topic, is there any consistency, beyond the schools explicitly stating it on their websites, in which schools accept applications past their deadline?
That doesn't surprise me. The bottom line is: applications are continuing to decline and the number of LSAT takers with a 170+ (the "bread and butter" applicants for the top 7-8 schools) also dropped. Schools are being more flexible in terms of their deadlines and policies. They want applications, and they really want good applications. Given the current state of the market, it is very unlikely that they are going to turn someone away who is taking the LSAT in February or applying late in the season. So, regardless of what they say on their website, it is best to contact the school directly and ask. As I said in the prior post, even during the hey day when schools were receiving record numbers of applications, if a really strong applicant contacted the school after the deadline and asked to apply, many schools would have allowed it (unless, of course, they happened to already be overenrolled at that point.) You just have to consider whether, at that late point in the process, you are getting the same opportunities you would have gotten had you applied early in the process (in terms of admission offers and scholarship offers).

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by masterz » Wed Jan 28, 2015 12:12 am

My application is currently under review by Penn. Do you think it would be appropriate and helpful if I submit a Why Penn essay now?
Also I took LSAT three times: 160, 163 & 165. Do you think it's too late for me to add an addendum explaining my scores? Or would that seem inappropriate and hurt me?

Thank you so much for taking your time to answer the questions!!

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Wed Jan 28, 2015 6:22 pm

MattM wrote:Hello,

I was interested to get your take on how admissions committees consider the median LSAT scores from one's UG institution and how that plays a role into how they evaluate you as a candidate.

My undergraduate median LSAT score is a 154 ( the 60% mark) which is somewhat competitive in that it means that the average LSAT test taker from my UG school scores about 10% higher than the median test score ( 150-151)

Do they look at the UG school's median LSAT to get a general sense of rigor of the program.?...( for example would a low gpa splitter be in a more slightly more advantageous position if the median LSAT was a 162 at the UG compared to a 145)
Hi there. Yes, admissions committees consider the school's mean LSAT to get a sense of the rigor of the program and the competitiveness of the students at that school in terms of their analytical and critical reading skills. It is also used to get a sense of how an applicant stacks up against his or her peers. While not a significant factor in the process, it can be a distinguishing factor among similarly competitive candidates (and, yes, could certainly give an edge to a "low GPA splitter" from a school with a higher LSAT mean.)
Last edited by DerekMeeker on Thu Jan 29, 2015 5:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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DerekMeeker

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Wed Jan 28, 2015 6:29 pm

masterz wrote:My application is currently under review by Penn. Do you think it would be appropriate and helpful if I submit a Why Penn essay now?
Also I took LSAT three times: 160, 163 & 165. Do you think it's too late for me to add an addendum explaining my scores? Or would that seem inappropriate and hurt me?

Thank you so much for taking your time to answer the questions!!
Yes, you certainly can still submit the supplemental Penn essay and it could add value to your application. Best to maximize the options available to you!
As far as the LSAT addendum, given how closely clustered your scores are, I don't think an addendum is necessary.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by eriedoctrine » Fri Feb 06, 2015 2:58 am

I like you, Dean Meeker.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by ltowns1 » Sun Feb 08, 2015 1:23 pm

Hi Dean Meeker, I was wondering if you could shed light on the minority pool of applicants, and specifically the African American diversity pool in respect to admissions in t-14 schools. Do you see top law schools limiting the amount of seats for minorities as a result of decreasing applications in order to reduce the likelyhood that t-14 school lower their own standards in terms of LSAT and GPA? Secondly, I am an African American male from an HBCU with a double major in Political science and History (3.8 cumulative). I would like to attend Harvard Law. I have two recommendations. One from my professor who graduated from UNC Law, and the other who graduated from Harvard Law. My other question is based on this information what LSAT score range would you suggest I target in order for my application to be at least competitive?

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by goodoll » Sun Feb 08, 2015 8:47 pm

Will attempt to make my situation as brief as possible:

I started at UCLA in fall 2011, but withdrew my first quarter because of mental illness. I was diagnosed with a severe form of depression. This not NOT affect my GPA.
I started again in the Winter, and completed Winter 2012, Spring 2012, and Fall of 2012. However, three weeks into this semester, again my mental illness got the best of me. I was forcibly put into the hospital, where again I had to withdraw. Still no effect on my GPA.

Because of my illness, I decided to go back to my city college and do two years of school there, until I could be come mentally healthy. Now, this is my fourth and last semester there and I will be returning to UCLA in the fall, and will graduate in 2016. Despite the withdrawls in 2011 and 2012, my community college GPA is 3.85 and UCLA GPA is 3.72.

I am going to score ~176 on the LSAT, and maintain around a 3.75 GPA.

Now my question is, are the withdraws early in my academic career going to absolutely kill my chances of getting into a T14 law school?
Or perhaps, I wonder, showing great adversity and "messing up" early in my career and then completely rebounding with stellar grades and and an awesome GPA may work to my advantage.

Long Story Short: It was a rocky road to get there, but with a 176+ LSAT and ~3.75 GPA be enough to get me into a T14 despite early academic withdraws that happened 3+ years ago? Could these maybe actually be used to my advantage to show that I struggled and overcame adversity earlier on?

Thank you very much for reading and helping me with my situation.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by dadownclub8 » Tue Feb 10, 2015 1:03 pm

Hi Dean Meeker. I'm wondering if you could elaborate on how these two situations are viewed by the admissions committee to the best extent that you can. Are they viewed very similarly or viewed quite differently? Two canceled LSATs and then a third score that is fairly solid (168+) or one canceled LSAT, second LSAT being lower (150-159 range) and a third score that's 168+. How badly are two canceled LSATs seen as? Worse than having one cancellation and then a low score (but a score nonetheless)? Thank you.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by GreatBraffsby » Tue Feb 10, 2015 3:39 pm

Hello,

Thanks so much for doing this. I was wondering how Law School admissions views students who transferred during undergrad, and specifically my personal case. I made a lateral move during my sophomore year (between two top 30 colleges), but I had to take an extra course per semester to fulfill deparment requirements that didn't exist at my first school. Accordingly, I took an inflexible schedule that consisted of solely upper level courses in my two majors. I graduated with a 3.6, but had a 3.9 the only semester in which I took a "normal" load (my final semester).

Would it be worth submitting an addendum describing this situation? I'm worried it might come off as simply making an excuse for a non-stellar GPA. I've discussed the scenario with a former professor and she is willing to address this concern in a letter of rec and vouch for my academic ability.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Tue Feb 10, 2015 4:32 pm

ltowns1 wrote:Hi Dean Meeker, I was wondering if you could shed light on the minority pool of applicants, and specifically the African American diversity pool in respect to admissions in t-14 schools. Do you see top law schools limiting the amount of seats for minorities as a result of decreasing applications in order to reduce the likelyhood that t-14 school lower their own standards in terms of LSAT and GPA? Secondly, I am an African American male from an HBCU with a double major in Political science and History (3.8 cumulative). I would like to attend Harvard Law. I have two recommendations. One from my professor who graduated from UNC Law, and the other who graduated from Harvard Law. My other question is based on this information what LSAT score range would you suggest I target in order for my application to be at least competitive?
Hi there. I think the top schools will fight to maintain their minority enrollment numbers, despite the decline in applications overall. My guess is that we'll more likely see some of them shrinking their overall class size a bit (in order to maintain both LSAT/GPA medians and solid minority enrollment). Shoot me a PM so I can learn a bit more about your soft factors (personal background, work experience, service, leadership, etc.) to provide some guidance on the LSAT.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Tue Feb 10, 2015 10:59 pm

goodoll wrote:Will attempt to make my situation as brief as possible:

I started at UCLA in fall 2011, but withdrew my first quarter because of mental illness. I was diagnosed with a severe form of depression. This not NOT affect my GPA.
I started again in the Winter, and completed Winter 2012, Spring 2012, and Fall of 2012. However, three weeks into this semester, again my mental illness got the best of me. I was forcibly put into the hospital, where again I had to withdraw. Still no effect on my GPA.

Because of my illness, I decided to go back to my city college and do two years of school there, until I could be come mentally healthy. Now, this is my fourth and last semester there and I will be returning to UCLA in the fall, and will graduate in 2016. Despite the withdrawls in 2011 and 2012, my community college GPA is 3.85 and UCLA GPA is 3.72.

I am going to score ~176 on the LSAT, and maintain around a 3.75 GPA.

Now my question is, are the withdraws early in my academic career going to absolutely kill my chances of getting into a T14 law school?
Or perhaps, I wonder, showing great adversity and "messing up" early in my career and then completely rebounding with stellar grades and and an awesome GPA may work to my advantage.

Long Story Short: It was a rocky road to get there, but with a 176+ LSAT and ~3.75 GPA be enough to get me into a T14 despite early academic withdraws that happened 3+ years ago? Could these maybe actually be used to my advantage to show that I struggled and overcame adversity earlier on?

Thank you very much for reading and helping me with my situation.
Hi there. No, those withdrawals will not preclude you from gaining admission to a T14 school. With a competitive LSAT score, your three years of consistently strong academic work and stability, along with solid letters of recommendation and a truthful (but concise) addendum should be enough to address any questions/concerns.

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by texasforever54 » Wed Feb 11, 2015 4:10 am

Hi Dean Meeker!

I echo everyone else's sentiments -- thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.

I have two questions that I think are pretty common but too frequently receive conflicting information.

1) Given that law schools report admitted applicants' UGPA's as is, how much is an undergraduate institution's prestige and reputation for academic rigor taken into account? Certainly this is only one component of the application, but would you say that applicants coming from schools with low-grade inflation are compensated at all for this?

2) You've mentioned several times that multiple LSAT scores within several points of one another need not be explained and, most likely, admission committees will consider the highest score. Do you think this remains true if the retake is lower than the first? And is an addendum necessary in that situation? It seems that the committee would assume that the applicant believes the higher score should be weighted more heavily and that an addendum is just unnecessary paperwork. Was that your experience?

Thanks again!

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DerekMeeker

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Re: Former T14 Dean of Admissions taking your questions

Post by DerekMeeker » Wed Feb 11, 2015 6:16 pm

dadownclub8 wrote:Hi Dean Meeker. I'm wondering if you could elaborate on how these two situations are viewed by the admissions committee to the best extent that you can. Are they viewed very similarly or viewed quite differently? Two canceled LSATs and then a third score that is fairly solid (168+) or one canceled LSAT, second LSAT being lower (150-159 range) and a third score that's 168+. How badly are two canceled LSATs seen as? Worse than having one cancellation and then a low score (but a score nonetheless)? Thank you.
Hello. I don't think there would be a significant difference in the way the situations are viewed. Honestly, both scenarios would raise some question on my part, so really it becomes more about the reason behind the cancellations (or the cancellation and the significantly lower score). I would want to see an addendum in both cases. Were there external circumstances surrounding either test that were outside the applicant's control? Was it simply a matter of anxiety? Or under-preparedness? So, it really depends on the context, and also the application as a whole. One of the points that I've tried to convey in my responses on here is that adcomms are always looking at the application as a whole. What I mean by this is, if, for example, an applicant has 2 LSAT cancellations (or 1 cancellation and 1 low score), but has a consistent and excellent academic record with strong LORs, then I am less concerned about the LSAT history. But if I see other inconsistencies in the file (for example an uneven academic record) or something perhaps in the essays or LORs that causes me to question the applicant's maturity and readiness for law school, then I see a pattern and the LSAT history becomes a more glaring issue.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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