3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS? Forum

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happydebater

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3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by happydebater » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:19 pm

Hi! I had a "rough" year my first year where I got mostly B's in econ coursework–last three years I had straight A's in econ + comp sci. I went to a state school, did pretty well on the debate circuit (multiple national breaks + one world break) and was president of our program, had an internship at a (small) bank as well as a few other random internships, and pursued some music activities on campus. I feel like I'm below the median for HYPS esp. considering I went to a state school for financial reasons, does anyone have advice for my personal statement? Does being a woman have any slight effect on chances? Thanks!
Last edited by happydebater on Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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cavalier1138

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by cavalier1138 » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:22 pm

Well, you're definitely way below the median for Princeton.

You will be a very competitive candidate for Harvard, and you have a definite shot at Yale/Stanford. But unless you have very unicorn-y goals, you would probably be better off with a full ride to CCN, which you are also competitive for. What do you want to do with your JD?

And no, being a woman doesn't affect your chances, nor does going to a state school.

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UVA2B

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by UVA2B » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:23 pm

First, Princeton doesn't have a law school.

Second, you're in a good spot for H, but why would you confine yourself to just those schools?

Image

You could be looking at a T13 for cheap. If you have max need-based financial aid that makes H close to equal cost, then go ahead and take it. But if H is closer to full price while Columbia came with a $120k discount, you'd be foolish to not take Columbia.

What do you want to do with a law degree?

Edit: as usual, scooped

happydebater

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by happydebater » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:29 pm

UVA2B wrote:First, Princeton doesn't have a law school.

Second, you're in a good spot for H, but why would you confine yourself to just those schools?



You could be looking at a T13 for cheap. If you have max need-based financial aid that makes H close to equal cost, then go ahead and take it. But if H is closer to full price while Columbia came with a $120k discount, you'd be foolish to not take Columbia.

What do you want to do with a law degree?

Edit: as usual, scooped
Oops, assumed the P was for Penn.

Planning on going into tech or IP so Harvard seemed ideal. I'm also interested in securities and financial law, would an NYC school be better for that?

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UVA2B

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by UVA2B » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:34 pm

happydebater wrote:
UVA2B wrote:First, Princeton doesn't have a law school.

Second, you're in a good spot for H, but why would you confine yourself to just those schools?



You could be looking at a T13 for cheap. If you have max need-based financial aid that makes H close to equal cost, then go ahead and take it. But if H is closer to full price while Columbia came with a $120k discount, you'd be foolish to not take Columbia.

What do you want to do with a law degree?

Edit: as usual, scooped
Oops, assumed the P was for Penn.

Planning on going into tech or IP so Harvard seemed ideal. I'm also interested in securities and financial law, would an NYC school be better for that?
Ok, that's a more reasonable mistake. HYPS gets thrown around for UGs mostly, but including Penn as another option at least makes more sense.

No school will be "better" for those types of jobs than the others beyond placing generally a bit stronger/weaker into the market of private law firms. Do you have a STEM background that makes IP realistic? If so, you absolutely must go to the cheapest option you have, because IP tends to care as much about your background as your law school pedigree.

You should apply to all of the T13 and see what kind of tuition discounts are afforded to you. Although you're on the higher end of uGPA/LSAT for most schools, it's still most appropriate to think you'll have a median outcome at any of these schools, and at all of the T13 the median outcome for someone wanting private firm work is a Big law firm. And since law firms all largely pay the same regardless of what school you go to, doing so from the cheapest option generally makes the most sense.

Edit: just re-read and saw the comp-sci major. Are you patent bar eligible?
Last edited by UVA2B on Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Future Ex-Engineer

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by Future Ex-Engineer » Tue Jul 25, 2017 2:35 pm

happydebater wrote: Oops, assumed the P was for Penn.

Planning on going into tech or IP so Harvard seemed ideal. I'm also interested in securities and financial law, would an NYC school be better for that?

1) Why group Penn with HYS? That doesn't really make any sense at all.
ETA: Apparently I'm a low-class peasant who didn't realize HYPS is a thing for UG.

2) Why Harvard for IP/tech? That also doesn't make any sense - there are a number of T13s with good IP faculty/clinics. Did you finish your comp sci degree? If so, that should be your selling point for IP, not being 'from Harvard'.

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towel13661

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by towel13661 » Wed Jul 26, 2017 9:35 am

Future Ex-Engineer wrote:
1) Why group Penn with HYS? That doesn't really make any sense at all.
ETA: Apparently I'm a low-class peasant who didn't realize HYPS is a thing for UG.
I was under the assumption the P in HYPS is for Princeton

Socratease

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by Socratease » Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:10 am

I didn't check MyLSN but I think you have a good chance for Pepperdine. Might even get $$$

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Future Ex-Engineer

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by Future Ex-Engineer » Wed Jul 26, 2017 10:29 am

towel13661 wrote:
Future Ex-Engineer wrote:
1) Why group Penn with HYS? That doesn't really make any sense at all.
ETA: Apparently I'm a low-class peasant who didn't realize HYPS is a thing for UG.
I was under the assumption the P in HYPS is for Princeton
If you read, OP stated they assumed the P was for Penn (normally the P in HYPS is Princeton)

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core_four

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by core_four » Mon Jul 31, 2017 2:35 pm

HYPS is normally used to refer to princeton and grouping Penn with HYS instead of a CCN school is weird- therefore I think the confusion is warranted.

Regardless, OP you should obviously be considering Brown Law.

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Re: 3.81/175 LSAT, ??? softs–HYPS?

Post by flashdril » Wed Aug 02, 2017 1:15 pm

OP you're underselling yourself. The "difficulty" of your undergrad school is something that only undergrad students care about - admissions people know that certain top UG schools have runaway grade inflation, and they also know that where you went to UG represents a lot of different factors, some of which are outside of the control of the 17/18-year-old making that decision. (I got into Chicago for UG and went to a state school because my parents wouldn't cosign the loans.) Getting into Harvard is hard; getting good grades once you're there is significantly less difficult.

Had a 172/3.4 from a state school, took two years off and had good softs (and good GPA excuse) and got waitlisted at Harvard and Chicago. Didn't apply to the others and pulled off the WL before I got a result (probably would have gotten rejected). But the point is you're competitive.

That said, I'd echo the advice to go to another T-14 and graduate debt free. There are undoubtedly doors that get much harder to open if you're not at Yale, but you seem to not be interested in pursuing those opportunities.

Looking forward past admissions, firms like people who went to a state school for undergrad and then excelled in law school. It makes you seem more normal.

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