2.7gpa, 174 lsat chances Forum

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Tar1588

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2.7gpa, 174 lsat chances

Post by Tar1588 » Tue Nov 13, 2018 2:59 pm

Just wondering what my chances are. Graduated in 2011 with a 2.7 after multiple serious family issues kind of derailed me. Always considered law school but started working right away to help the family. I'm hoping now is the time. Got a 174 on LSAT and got one letter from a professor, another letter from a former boss. What range of schools should I aim for and is it going to be possible for me to get money from any school since I'm already 30 and low GPA? Would University of Iowa be possible?

albanach

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Re: 2.7gpa, 174 lsat chances

Post by albanach » Tue Nov 13, 2018 3:52 pm

Tar1588 wrote:Just wondering what my chances are. Graduated in 2011 with a 2.7 after multiple serious family issues kind of derailed me. Always considered law school but started working right away to help the family. I'm hoping now is the time. Got a 174 on LSAT and got one letter from a professor, another letter from a former boss. What range of schools should I aim for and is it going to be possible for me to get money from any school since I'm already 30 and low GPA? Would University of Iowa be possible?
Your cycle will be all over the place. I would strongly encourage submitting applications as early as possible. You need to blanket everywhere from about NYU down to George Washington (giving due consideration to geographic reach of the lower schools and whether you'd be able to secure employment).

It's entirely possible that you'll get a bite in the T-14 but it will almost certainly be at sticker. That's a big decision. You really need to sell that professor recommendation. I think the family issues, well presented - especially with the delaying law school to work and support the family - could make for a strong PS.

Start reaching out and asking for fee waivers, because you're going to have a lot of applications. Get folk to review your PS and make sure it's perfect.

If you were willing to pay sticker for T-14 (and that's a very big commitment) a targeted ED might make sense. Thinking Penn/UVA? Somewhere like UVA that gives a good boost to ED applications and turns them around in three weeks would give time for another ED application if they turn you down.

But again, sticker is a huge commitment. I'll let others opine on whether they think it's worth it over, hopefully, a low six-figure scholarship in the 20-30 range?

QContinuum

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Re: 2.7gpa, 174 lsat chances

Post by QContinuum » Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:58 pm

albanach wrote:Your cycle will be all over the place. I would strongly encourage submitting applications as early as possible. You need to blanket everywhere from about NYU down to George Washington (giving due consideration to geographic reach of the lower schools and whether you'd be able to secure employment).

It's entirely possible that you'll get a bite in the T-14 but it will almost certainly be at sticker. That's a big decision. You really need to sell that professor recommendation. I think the family issues, well presented - especially with the delaying law school to work and support the family - could make for a strong PS.

Start reaching out and asking for fee waivers, because you're going to have a lot of applications. Get folk to review your PS and make sure it's perfect.

If you were willing to pay sticker for T-14 (and that's a very big commitment) a targeted ED might make sense. Thinking Penn/UVA? Somewhere like UVA that gives a good boost to ED applications and turns them around in three weeks would give time for another ED application if they turn you down.

But again, sticker is a huge commitment. I'll let others opine on whether they think it's worth it over, hopefully, a low six-figure scholarship in the 20-30 range?
I second all of the above. IMO, whether OP should aim for T13 is dependent on what they want out of law school. If BigLaw, then certainly I think sticker at a T13 - or even a strong T20, esp. Vandy - would likely be TCR over a substantial scholly at a T1. But I recognize not every law student guns for BigLaw, and given the family situation mentioned, it's possible OP may be geographically constrained, which may strongly limit his/her options.

Dads707

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Re: 2.7gpa, 174 lsat chances

Post by Dads707 » Sat Dec 08, 2018 2:26 pm

170/2.66 here. I applied when I was 28yo (Jan 2016), with 4 years on non-law professional work experience (STEM) and a part-time MBA.

I applied basically everywhere in the top 60 that gave me a fee waiver (27 schools). The lowest ranked school I was willing to go to was Richmond, so I applied everywhere that might be able to give me negotiating leverage for that and above.

4 T14s, 3 rejects, 1 WL.

I ended up at WUSTL on a killer scholarship (90%) which I thought I was a reach going in, but it worked out. Beyond that my best scholarship offers (75%+) came from schools in the 40-60 range.

The one thing I think may have helped my cycle was applying earlier in the cycle.

The thing that I get a lot of people saying they wish they had done like me was apply very broadly.

For perspective on job market. WUSTL has gotten me some biglaw interviews, mostly patent though. I ultimately received an non-patent offer from a midlaw firm in my hometown which turned out to be a great fit.

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