Law School - Page 28 - The Lounge Discussion and Review on Literature, Arts, Culture

I got into Florida State(#53 at the time, I think) with a 2.3 uGPA. I got denied from a number of lower ranked, less selective schools, though, so YMMV. There's a decent NJ state school somewhere near the top of T2, though, IIRC. Rutgers? I'm too lazy to look it up.

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05-29-2009 , 01:39 PM

#677

CIncyHR

veteran

Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,719

Quote:

Originally Posted by recipro

If you have the numbers (using Law School Numbers) to get into better schools than GULC if you wait an extra year, it might be best to wait and attend a better school. GULC is a great school, but the job prospects at the top of its class can be much different than at the bottom. If, by waiting, you'd have a good shot at Columbia/NYU/Penn, you end up with a lot better job prospects if you end up below median.

You might be also able to get a better scholarship. And who knows when the legal market will recover from this economy.

Well, I'm 3.36/175, so I'm on the edge of NYU/Columbia/Penn even w/ early app in. I could probably raise that LSAT to 177-178 if i REALLY wanted to.

I'm somewhat on the fence about what to do, but I'm leaning toward going to GTOWN. I have no doubt that if I don't **** around like I did undergrad, I can be at or near the top of the class.

How big of a difference does it make in terms of ease of finding work and salary at gtown v. one of the nyc schools? If I'm near the top of the class, is the difference that big?

Also, since I already applied to those schools this year, does it lower my chances of getting in next year?

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05-29-2009 , 01:48 PM

#678

Tsunami11

journeyman

Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 235

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWf

yeah rutgers and seton hall are like 70/80ish...

so essentially i would have to kill the lsats?

what kind of work are you looking to do after school?

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05-29-2009 , 02:36 PM

#679

Durs522

adept

Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,114

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tsunami11

I just graduated a couple weeks ago from undergrad with a bs in business admin... and I'm now really considering law school. I want to take the lsats in october and get my apps in real early mainly because my gpa is god awful, sub 2.5. As far as recommendations, I've had a couple internships a a couple good professors. What I want to end up doing is not biglaw but to work for the EEOC or some other government affiliate/public service. I live in NJ and would like to get instate tuition as my undergrad loans are up to 100k. So I figure if I go through law school, my loans would be through the roof even though they already are.

Any recommendations? other than study my a** off.

Please be honest...I wouldn't mind the "Don't even try" recommendation.

I got in to a T2 with $$ with a 2.5 and a 165 and am currently wait listed at Cardozo.

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05-29-2009 , 02:44 PM

#680

Karak

ELIte

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 62,726

I had a 3.0 (not quite a 2.5, but not stellar either) and an LSAT around 163ish and I got into every T2 I applied to, most with $$.

I also got into a couple T1s.

My problem: I barely studied for the LSAT at all. I decided in late October that I was going to take the December LSAT and see how I would do. I had the backup plan of waiting a year and retaking if I bombed it, but I did well enough and got good enough $$ at some schools that I decided to attend this year.

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05-29-2009 , 03:22 PM

#681

FlyWf

It's the other way

Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 58,097

Keep in mind, the difference between a 3.3 and a 2.8 and a 2.8 and a 2.3 is not the same. A sub 2.5 isn't just "not stellar", it indicates being a **** up. You need part of your application to indicate that you are no longer a ****up.

I, um, didn't have that, so that's why I'm here.

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05-29-2009 , 03:51 PM

#682

Noah.

banned

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 20,057

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyWf

Did you include your posting history on 2+2 as a job, extracurricular, or just discuss it in a separate addendum?

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05-29-2009 , 04:54 PM

#683

Case Closed

self-banned

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 19,112

Do extracurricular activities and leadership positions account for anything in the admission process?

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05-29-2009 , 05:19 PM

#684

eviljeff

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,485

Case Closed, are you looking more for speculation, third hand information, or anecdotal evidence?

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05-29-2009 , 05:30 PM

#685

Karak

ELIte

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 62,726

Quote:

Originally Posted by Case Closed

Do extracurricular activities and leadership positions account for anything in the admission process?

Yes, but not for much.

It's mainly a numbers game.

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05-29-2009 , 05:56 PM

#686

Noah.

banned

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 20,057

Case Closed,

I heard from a friend that his college roommate was head of a bunch of clubs in college and got into Harvard with a 3.3 and 165. He had some other things going for him so not sure if thats why he got in.

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05-29-2009 , 06:21 PM

#687

lolasthma

adept

Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 801

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyedea

got into Harvard with a 3.3 and 165. He had some other things going for him so not sure if thats why he got in.

lots of melanin?

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05-29-2009 , 07:20 PM

#688

Karak

ELIte

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 62,726

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyedea

was he a minority?

3.3/165 getting into harvard is pretty crazy

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05-29-2009 , 07:25 PM

#689

laser16

veteran

Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 2,093

Couple questions. I'm taking the lsats on June 8 and I have done nothing to prepare for the writing sample, should I?

Also I basically failed out of my first undergrad school with a 1.9 then took two years off and re enrolled at a different school and graduated from there with a 3.2. So when looking at online calculators for law school admission should I input my gpa as a 2.5?

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05-29-2009 , 07:50 PM

#690

MaliceUW

banned

Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 5,490

you can leave the writing sample blank if you'd like

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05-29-2009 , 07:55 PM

#691

FlyWf

It's the other way

Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 58,097

laser- Writing sample is unscored, nobody cares. Just write some bull****.

You do need to count every undergraduate institution into your GPA, but like attach an addendum about how you found academic Jesus during those 2 years in the desert. Your grades back up that story.

The school will still need to report your uGPA as 2.5 or whatever, though, and they care about that quite a bit.

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05-29-2009 , 10:46 PM

#692

Karak

ELIte

Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 62,726

I never did a writing sample before test day. I finished it in 10 minutes. At least do it, but don't worry too much about it. Read a few things about it if you want. You never know what random adcom wants to read your writing sample.

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05-30-2009 , 01:49 AM

#693

SoulPower

old hand

Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,548

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karak567

was he a minority?

3.3/165 getting into harvard is pretty crazy

I was going to guess huge ****, so we might both be right.

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05-30-2009 , 10:50 AM

#694

Noah.

banned

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 20,057

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karak567

was he a minority?

3.3/165 getting into harvard is pretty crazy

I think you failed to spot the issues in my post or grasp the underlying policies.

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05-30-2009 , 10:53 AM

#695

Dave D

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4,834

Quote:

Originally Posted by miajag

My bar studying summer went as follows:

May 21: graduation
May 23: pick up last year's BarBri and PMBR books from the dude I bought them from off Craigslist
May 23-June 15: Study/take practice tests like 8 hours/day
June 15-20: Go down to beach for conference for nonprofit I worked for during school year, bring books because I'm totally gonna study some
June 21: Decide to stay down at the beach for a while longer
July 10-ish: OMFG the bar exam is in like 2 weeks and I haven't cracked a book in 3
July 11-July 24: panicked cramming of areas of law I've realized I know nothing about
July 24-25: Bar exam
Nov. 2: GREAT SUCCESS

How much did you pay for those books?

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05-30-2009 , 12:55 PM

#696

remi983

grinder

Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 495

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyedea

I think you failed to spot the issues in my post or grasp the underlying policies.

I agree. He didn't even mention a personal statement. Nor intangibles, like professional persistence (calling the admissions office everyday, etc.). Newb.

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05-30-2009 , 03:19 PM

#697

qdmcg

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 4,870

probably not the best place to post this but there are smart gaiz ITT:

i just had an interview on thursday for a position that I really want. to the best of my knowledge the interview went really well (the interviewer/owner of the company actually said this to me as i was leaving). anyway, i won't find out for approx 25 days because he had interviews in late may, early june, and mid june.

i know you're supposed to generally send an email thanking them for the opportunity to interview, etc. how soon should i email the guy and what should the email say?

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05-30-2009 , 05:08 PM

#698

eviljeff

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 8,485

my advice, ymmv:

1. e-mail him today, keep it short.

2. say it was nice meeting him, but avoid generic throwaway statements like "I think I would fit in great." he already knows whether or not you would fit in.

3. mention something specific from the interview so that he remembers you and knows that you remember your conversation. you want to do this in a way that it makes him think you reflected on your conversation and are the type of person who will follow up. ex. "On Thursday we talked about the research I did with the Psychology Dept. I have attached a copy of an article we published in January that should give you an overview of our findings."

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05-30-2009 , 08:31 PM

#699

Dave D

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4,834

Quote:

Originally Posted by eviljeff

#3 is crucial imo. I might say something like "I thought I would send along the article we discussed as you seemed interested" or something like that. I just think it's important not to sound like you're just shoving something at him. But in the follow up you DEFINITELY need to mention something specific you talked about.