3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $ Forum

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Jklmn

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3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by Jklmn » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:18 pm

3.97 GPA, 179 LSAT, slightly above average softs (?), non-URM.

I know I'm super fortunate to have a lot of really great options open to me, but for personal reasons, there is zero chance I'll go anywhere outside the midwest. My goal is to get in and get as much money at Chicago/Mich/Northwestern/etc as possible.

I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the LSAC fee to apply to T-14 schools I 100% won't even consider for the purposes of bargaining, or if I'm safe enough with my numbers to get a lot of money, including a Ruby or Darrow, from my top schools regardless. Yeah I get that it's "only" $35 but that adds up quickly. Advice and/or snarky comments appreciated!

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chargers21

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by chargers21 » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:20 pm

YHS acceptance will help with a ruby if you somehow don't get it outright

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cavalier1138

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by cavalier1138 » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:21 pm

Applying broadly, especially to HYS, is extremely important for bargaining scholarships (although you're guaranteed to get it).

You should be gunning for a Ruby. And here's your obligatory if-you-qualify-for-significant-aid-at-Yale-you're-an-idiot-to-turn-it-down notice.

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A. Nony Mouse

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by A. Nony Mouse » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:24 pm

No, they wouldn’t be an idiot to turn down Yale.

Rigo

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by Rigo » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:38 pm

I bet you could get away with applying only to Mich & NW outside the T6. It's more about avoiding YP than negotiating scholarships (and thus applying broadly) at that level for you imo. Plus you could just use T6 money to negotiate with Mich if you really needed to (I don't think you will).

Write very convincing Why X essays for Mich and NW.

Awesome numbers. Enjoy your great cycle.

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UVA2B

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by UVA2B » Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:09 pm

A. Nony Mouse wrote:No, they wouldn’t be an idiot to turn down Yale.
Ruby is literally the best outcome for this person who wants to stay in the Midwest for law school. It beats Yale every time in my mind.

Boutique_Associate

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by Boutique_Associate » Thu Oct 26, 2017 1:40 pm

The David M. Rubenstein College of Law is the best law school in the country. Enjoy.

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UVAIce

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by UVAIce » Thu Oct 26, 2017 3:31 pm

It makes sense to apply to the top schools as a bargaining device. You can avoid schools that tend not to give out a full-ride or have a habit of YPing (Berk, UVA, Cornell and Georgetown are probably reasonable schools to leave off your list if you're that averse to the application fee). It may also make sense to apply to the best regional school in the state you want to practice. If you are from Minnesota you might think about the University of Minnesota or if you were from Iowa you might consider the University of Iowa. Honestly, a lot of this depends on where you want to end up practicing and I'm assuming you want to practice in the Midwest.

I know you said you wouldn't leave the Midwest, but, being a Midwesterner myself from Minnesota, I think that's a poor position to take. Given the distance between Chicago and Minnesota or Ann Arbor and North Dakota, you might as well be on one of the coasts as any kind of reasonable travel is going to involve air travel. If you live in Illinois a lot of this is mute.

Pozzo

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by Pozzo » Thu Oct 26, 2017 3:48 pm

UVA2B wrote:
A. Nony Mouse wrote:No, they wouldn’t be an idiot to turn down Yale.
Ruby is literally the best outcome for this person who wants to stay in the Midwest for law school. It beats Yale every time in my mind.
FTFY, arguably

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UVA2B

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by UVA2B » Thu Oct 26, 2017 4:17 pm

Pozzo wrote:
UVA2B wrote:
A. Nony Mouse wrote:No, they wouldn’t be an idiot to turn down Yale.
Ruby is literally the best outcome for this person who wants to stay in the Midwest for law school. It beats Yale every time in my mind.
FTFY, arguably
This debate has been done a million times. I agree with you, but others disagree. It’s obviously at least debatable.

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SmokeytheBear

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by SmokeytheBear » Thu Oct 26, 2017 4:19 pm

UVA2B wrote:
Pozzo wrote:
UVA2B wrote:
A. Nony Mouse wrote:No, they wouldn’t be an idiot to turn down Yale.
Ruby is literally the best outcome for this person who wants to stay in the Midwest for law school. It beats Yale every time in my mind.
FTFY, arguably
This debate has been done a million times. I agree with you, but others disagree. It’s obviously at least debatable.
What happened to your head?

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UVA2B

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Re: 3.97/179/staying in Midwest - how wide to apply for $

Post by UVA2B » Thu Oct 26, 2017 4:21 pm

SmokeytheBear wrote:
UVA2B wrote:
Pozzo wrote:
UVA2B wrote:
A. Nony Mouse wrote:No, they wouldn’t be an idiot to turn down Yale.
Ruby is literally the best outcome for this person who wants to stay in the Midwest for law school. It beats Yale every time in my mind.
FTFY, arguably
This debate has been done a million times. I agree with you, but others disagree. It’s obviously at least debatable.
What happened to your head?
Early Xmas spirit. It’s way too early, I know, but I figured it could be a Halloween costume that transitions into Xmas.

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