3.3GPA 164LSAT Forum

[secretsquirrel]

So I've been a lurker forever but finally just created this account because I'm going crazy sending in these apps. Took the DEC LSAT scored 164, and honestly don't think I can get any higher. It was my first time ever taking the LSAT but through PowerScore I increased from a diagnostic of 149 to a test day score of 164 and was scoring 161/160 on PT's the week prior so I don't think I have much more room to move up. I have some pretty unique softs (military, EMT, DA internship, mock trial etc, two years out of school.. and a pretty decent addendum that helps to explain the low GPA). I'm not quite sure of where I want to live/work right now for the rest of my life so I want to go to the best school possible, money isn't an issue since the Guard pays 100% tuition reimbursement. I've gone over LSN, and all the other statistical analysis that can be found online so I figure that I'm stuck with schools ranked 20 and up. I'm nervous about my numbers so I'm applying to quite a few places and was wondering if anyone here might be able to kill any of the false hope I have with any of these schools and help me figure out what else to maybe apply to. Since the DEC scores came out I've sent in apps to....

ND (wrote both of the optional essays)
WUSTL
BU
Emory
Iowa
MN
WI
Indiana-Bloomington
MU-Columbia

I've pretty much lived on these forums lately and I figure if anyone would know it would be you all.

[Ferrisjso]

So I've been a lurker forever but finally just created this account because I'm going crazy sending in these apps. Took the DEC LSAT scored 164, and honestly don't think I can get any higher. It was my first time ever taking the LSAT but through PowerScore I increased from a diagnostic of 149 to a test day score of 164 and was scoring 161/160 on PT's the week prior so I don't think I have much more room to move up. I have some pretty unique softs (military, EMT, DA internship, mock trial etc, two years out of school.. and a pretty decent addendum that helps to explain the low GPA). I'm not quite sure of where I want to live/work right now for the rest of my life so I want to go to the best school possible, money isn't an issue since the Guard pays 100% tuition reimbursement. I've gone over LSN, and all the other statistical analysis that can be found online so I figure that I'm stuck with schools ranked 20 and up. I'm nervous about my numbers so I'm applying to quite a few places and was wondering if anyone here might be able to kill any of the false hope I have with any of these schools and help me figure out what else to maybe apply to. Since the DEC scores came out I've sent in apps to....

ND (wrote both of the optional essays)
WUSTL
BU
Emory
Iowa
MN
WI
Indiana-Bloomington
MU-Columbia

I've pretty much lived on these forums lately and I figure if anyone would know it would be you all.

Check the 509's to see how your GPA stacks up for each school, it's pretty average though, there's lot's of threads with people in the 2.0's with 160+ LSAT scores. It most certainly doesn't cancel your really strong LSAT! You're in really good shape if money's not an issue because you can get admitted to any of these schools and money would have been the main issue with those stats. You are above the 25th for both GPA and LSAT for WUSTL which is the best school on your list so you should probably be in at the rest of these places as well(might get rejected from one or two, also if the last one on your list is Columbia University Law you are getting rejected there for sure, I don't know what the MU means). Good luck! You shouldn't be nervous about your numbers, you are in a better position than most applicants and you should be really proud of yourself! In your situation(seeing as you're going for free) maybe you should ED a school if you clearly have a first choice on this list?(school in desired practice region). I think you should be more concerned that your list has schools from 7-8 states than you are about your numbers. You should go to law school where you want to practice and from the look of this list it seems like you're either very unsure about that(this is the situation I'm in) or just shooting for the highest ranked schools you think you can be admitted to. I disagree with alot of the consensus on this site but one thing that I agree with 100% is that the T14 are the only national schools, a handful of others can get you into a few different states and the rest primarily serve their state or local area within a state. It is getting a little late to apply to schools your numbers are on the borderline for getting into to, but as of now it looks like you'll have several acceptances. Good luck!

[Gitaroo_Dude]

Hmm, your numbers might not align with your goals.

If you're not sure about where you want to work after graduation, it would be best if you attended a T14 you so that you'd have some flexibility with where you can find a job afterwards. But your numbers give you not shot at that (unless you're a URM).

MyLSN and LSN will give you a very good idea of your outcomes though; your softs aren't that unique and won't be a big factor one way or the other. Of the schools that you're choosing, they're all regional schools. Some like Notre Dame might allow you to return to your home market, but for the most part you're going to be locked into the MidWest with your schools or Boston and Atlanta for BU and Emory, respectively.

If you're fine living in the Mid West after school, some of your school choices are fine. But if you don't want the Mid West you're probably gonna need to retake the LSAT and shoot for the T14.

[trebekismyhero]

Yeah, you really need to figure out where you want to live. These are all fine schools, but all either state specific or regional.

I would think you will get into most. ND, Emory, UMN, and BU aren't locks, but you should have a shot. But don't go to any school that you don't want to work and live in that region after law school. If you're truly unsure then you need to retake and shoot for a t14.

[trebekismyhero]

So I've been a lurker forever but finally just created this account because I'm going crazy sending in these apps. Took the DEC LSAT scored 164, and honestly don't think I can get any higher. It was my first time ever taking the LSAT but through PowerScore I increased from a diagnostic of 149 to a test day score of 164 and was scoring 161/160 on PT's the week prior so I don't think I have much more room to move up. I have some pretty unique softs (military, EMT, DA internship, mock trial etc, two years out of school.. and a pretty decent addendum that helps to explain the low GPA). I'm not quite sure of where I want to live/work right now for the rest of my life so I want to go to the best school possible, money isn't an issue since the Guard pays 100% tuition reimbursement. I've gone over LSN, and all the other statistical analysis that can be found online so I figure that I'm stuck with schools ranked 20 and up. I'm nervous about my numbers so I'm applying to quite a few places and was wondering if anyone here might be able to kill any of the false hope I have with any of these schools and help me figure out what else to maybe apply to. Since the DEC scores came out I've sent in apps to....

ND (wrote both of the optional essays)
WUSTL
BU
Emory
Iowa
MN
WI
Indiana-Bloomington
MU-Columbia

I've pretty much lived on these forums lately and I figure if anyone would know it would be you all.

Check the 509's to see how your GPA stacks up for each school, it's pretty average though, there's lot's of threads with people in the 2.0's with 160+ LSAT scores. It most certainly doesn't cancel your really strong LSAT! You're in really good shape if money's not an issue because you can get admitted to any of these schools and money would have been the main issue with those stats. You are above the 25th for both GPA and LSAT for WUSTL which is the best school on your list so you should probably be in at the rest of these places as well(might get rejected from one or two, also if the last one on your list is Columbia University Law you are getting rejected there for sure, I don't know what the MU means). Good luck! You shouldn't be nervous about your numbers, you are in a better position than most applicants and you should be really proud of yourself! In your situation(seeing as you're going for free) maybe you should ED a school if you clearly have a first choice on this list?(school in desired practice region). I think you should be more concerned that your list has schools from 7-8 states than you are about your numbers. You should go to law school where you want to practice and from the look of this list it seems like you're either very unsure about that(this is the situation I'm in) or just shooting for the highest ranked schools you think you can be admitted to. I disagree with alot of the consensus on this site but one thing that I agree with 100% is that the T14 are the only national schools, a handful of others can get you into a few different states and the rest primarily serve their state or local area within a state. It is getting a little late to apply to schools your numbers are on the borderline for getting into to, but as of now it looks like you'll have several acceptances. Good luck!

MU is Missouri

[that1one1guy]

Where geographically do you want to work after law school? With your options this is the most important decider.
Are you URM? That will also decide where you get in.

Currently, assuming you aren't URM, these are how I see your options:

WUSTl - Unlikely as you are under both their medians. Ignore their 25th numbers, these are mainly for splitters.
Emory - Unlikely for the same reasons
BU- Unlikely but possible, you at least have their median LSAT. You'd have a better chance at BC, which provides similar outcomes
ND - Unlikely but possible, again you at least meet their median LSAT
MN- Unlikely but possible, same as above
WI - Likely to be accepted
IU - Likely to be accepted
MU - Likely to be accepted

[lymenheimer]

(I don't know what the MU means).

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Mu+columbia

[Ferrisjso]

(I don't know what the MU means).

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Mu+columbia

Lmao. Yes I know I should have looked it up.

[secretsquirrel]

So as a follow up for anyone who stumbles across this thread, when I applied about a month ago I was entirely overdramatic and irrational about thinking I wouldn't get into anywhere. So far I've been accepted to MU with $$$, MN with $$, Iowa (waiting to hear about scholly) and Colorado Boulder (waiting to hear about scholly). I will 95% most likely be going to school somewhere in the midwest since I need to drive back to my home state once a month for drill. The nice thing is with the national guard educational benefits I get 36K a year automatically towards tuition so with most of the midwest schools as long as I get a small amount of $$ tuition is completely paid for. Now I just really am waiting to hear back from Notre Dame (which I think I have a very decent shot at) and Iowa scholly so I can decide on where I want to go. (If I could choose any school it would probably be Colorado because I am in love with mountains and am a climber, but I'm not willing to transfer national guard units and lose my states amazing educational benefits they offer). After all I really have no ambition for Big Law at all, I just want to spend time in a court room and do criminal work. These forums have significantly helped guide me and I thank you all for that.

[Ferrisjso]

So as a follow up for anyone who stumbles across this thread, when I applied about a month ago I was entirely overdramatic and irrational about thinking I wouldn't get into anywhere. So far I've been accepted to MU with $$$, MN with $$, Iowa (waiting to hear about scholly) and Colorado Boulder (waiting to hear about scholly). I will 95% most likely be going to school somewhere in the midwest since I need to drive back to my home state once a month for drill. The nice thing is with the national guard educational benefits I get 36K a year automatically towards tuition so with most of the midwest schools as long as I get a small amount of $$ tuition is completely paid for. Now I just really am waiting to hear back from Notre Dame (which I think I have a very decent shot at) and Iowa scholly so I can decide on where I want to go. (If I could choose any school it would probably be Colorado because I am in love with mountains and am a climber, but I'm not willing to transfer national guard units and lose my states amazing educational benefits they offer). After all I really have no ambition for Big Law at all, I just want to spend time in a court room and do criminal work. These forums have significantly helped guide me and I thank you all for that.

Congratulations!

[secretsquirrel]

So as a follow up for anyone who stumbles across this thread, when I applied about a month ago I was entirely overdramatic and irrational about thinking I wouldn't get into anywhere. So far I've been accepted to MU with $$$, MN with $$, Iowa (waiting to hear about scholly) and Colorado Boulder (waiting to hear about scholly). I will 95% most likely be going to school somewhere in the midwest since I need to drive back to my home state once a month for drill. The nice thing is with the national guard educational benefits I get 36K a year automatically towards tuition so with most of the midwest schools as long as I get a small amount of $$ tuition is completely paid for. Now I just really am waiting to hear back from Notre Dame (which I think I have a very decent shot at) and Iowa scholly so I can decide on where I want to go. (If I could choose any school it would probably be Colorado because I am in love with mountains and am a climber, but I'm not willing to transfer national guard units and lose my states amazing educational benefits they offer). After all I really have no ambition for Big Law at all, I just want to spend time in a court room and do criminal work. These forums have significantly helped guide me and I thank you all for that.

Congratulations!

Thanks!! I'm super happy how the cycle has turned out, and honestly the schools that accepted me so far are better than any school I had ever thought I would be able to get into a half a year ago. Now I'm just looking forward to starting law school in the fall!