The Official BLSD "What Are My Chances?/Where Should I Apply?" Thread

[crazy8]

Mystery,

Thanks for the great advice.  At this late stage in the game, I'm afraid to apply anywhere else (and if you saw the amt. of schools I applied to...it took my entire life savings).  I'm hoping that my application was strong enough for someone to say yes, and I'm so ready to be a lawyer, that I'll take a nod from any of those schools, and work my way up the ladder if needs be.  I wish I would have found this thing before I sent my apps. out.  Would love to talk to you a bit more and wouldn't mind sharing my personal statement with you so you could give me your advice on what a former ad comm. member would think of it.

[WarrenG]

1) 166/3.9, good EC, International Student, what are my chances at Harvard, Columbia and NYU
2) If I get in what are my chances of getting a deferral for financial reasons
3) If I don't get in would it be better (IYO) to take a year off, get some work experience, boost my LSAT and reapply or gonna to a slightly lower ranked school and try to transfer.

[crazy8]

1) 166/3.9, good EC, International Student, what are my chances at Harvard, Columbia and NYU
2) If I get in what are my chances of getting a deferral for financial reasons
3) If I don't get in would it be better (IYO) to take a year off, get some work experience, boost my LSAT and reapply or gonna to a slightly lower ranked school and try to transfer.

Based on the advice I've been given, 1)I think you'll be fine as long as you don't jack up the rest of your apps.  2) Don't know how the schools work when it comes to granting deferrals 3) It all depends on how badly you want to be in law school.  If waiting a year won't be hell for you, then wait.  If you think you could go somewhere else and kick a$$ your first year,then don't wait.

[Fidelio]

Given that you have applied to alot of PT programs you have a terrific shot at those. 

[crazy8]

Given that you have applied to alot of PT programs you have a terrific shot at those. 

Thanks for the advice!  Please keep 'em coming!

[Slow Blues]

I would tend to agree with Mystery and others. I think you look pretty good for most of those schools on your list. Your work experience will be a plus; I've read that there will be less emphasis placed on your GPA (and more on your work history) the further you are removed from undergrad.

I note you applied to strictly East Coast schools. Was that on purpose?

[Slow Blues]

I think your LSAT and GPA are fine as is to get into those schools. Not sure about the deferrals though.

[crazy8]

Yes, I'm not familiar with West Coast schools.  Any ideas on some west coast schools?  I mean, I'm so close to the deadlines at this point, but curious to what schools would be up my alley on the west side.

[jeb240]

I think it depends on what else there is in addition to your numbers.  I do not know ho much I stand as a testimony, but I think my success and Slow Blues' being on one end and John Galt's being on the other should probably give you some indication.  But, at the same time, the stuff going on behind our numbers for all of us seems to be different -- by behing our numbers, I mean the soft factors AS WELL AS things that have made/determined our numbers.

As far as deferrals, I think a lot of schools are hard about giving them unless you have a compelling reason -- i.e. you are doing something better.  I do not know that they count earning money as doing something better.  I'm assuming by financial reasons you meant to make money to pay for law school, but I don't imagine you'd be making so much in a year that it would be of much use to you.  I mean, the more money you are making/have in savings, the less money the school will give to you in grants and loans to attend.  So taking off time to save up money (again, assuming that's what you meant) would probably just hurt you to get the aid you want.  AT THE SAME TIME, Harvard is not known for it's non need-based scholarship's, while looking at this board you can see that is not at all the case for Columbia and NYU.  Still moreover, I think Columbia is widely regarded as very nice about granting deferrals.  So, of course I do not know what you mean by financial reasons, but I think you have a pretty good shot at these schools and, you know what, being a URM with such strong numbers, I would hardly be surprised if they weren't happy to lock you in for a year later and let you go off and do what you want for that year.

I don't see you not getting into at least one of the 3, assuming you can put together a decent application package.  But if you don't get into a top 5 school, I imagine the next 5 would all be waiting at your doorstep like courting lovers.  But if for some reason you will only consider HC and N, then I guess that's your call -- but also realize that, with the exception of H (which because of the power of its name is in a class all by itself, even above Yale), the opportunities that you will get, depeding on what you want to do of course, from this super top school or that super top school, will most likely not differ greatly.  You'll have great choices (honestly, I didn't think I would and now I can only wish that May were further away because I have no idea how I'm going to decided  [and I still haven't heard from everywhere!]), and I imagine that, when it comes down to it, you'll be picking based on quality of life factors or money more than anything else.

Good luck (sorry for being so wordy).

[WarrenG]

Thanks for the opinions and any other responses would be appreciated.  Do you really think I have a shot at Harvard, I thought the 166 might take me out of the running there.