Getting into T14 with my situation?

[Beliy]

My first post, so excuse me if I'm in a wrong board.

My situation is that I have finished my BA some years ago with low GPA of 3.2.

I then proceeded to get a MS degree from the same university, this time the GPA was 3.9.

I have not yet taken LSAT, but I have taken the "sample" test to measure my performance and scored 169 on it.

I am planning on taking LSAT preparation course (this May) at a local university and will continue to drill myself for coming couple of months with study material.

I am personally aiming for mid 170's and with some preparation I am confident I can achieve it.

If I do achieve that LSAT score, my goal was to get into a T14 school.  How real would it be for me to get in?

My main concern is my relatively low undergraduate GPA.   Would the graduate GPA, which is reasonable, have any weight on their decision?

I am from Ukraine/Soviet Union and speak 3 languages if that makes any difference to acceptance procedure (possibly minority status?).

edit:  I am looking to practice Corporate Law.

Thank you,

D. Beliy

[Hammerstein]

I'll bullet point this to keep it clear:

-UG GPA is somewhat low and this will hurt -- you will find the upper half of the T14 harder to get into.  It will be a little easier if you went to an Ivy league school for undergraduate.

-With a 174-175, the lower half of the T14 is definitely golden.  It's only the upper half (HYSCCN) that is going to be really tough.  Your GPA is lower than they'd like.

-The graduate GPA, while great, isn't going to be that influential.  It will help, definitely, but it's not going to decide your admissions

-The soft factors (country of origin and languages) might make a difference, but again won't probably be the deciding factor, though you can probably strengthen your application by somehow including them in a personal or diversity statement.

Those are my opinions.  Hope they help.

[Beliy]

Thank you for response,

My undergrad GPA suffered on my 2nd year in school due to some personal issues, but in my final semester it was 3.85 and was on high rise trend through my final years in undergrad.

I also have some research and real world work experience. 

Hopefully the "soft" factors do help, I wont be dissapointed in getting into lower part of T14 either.

It is good to hear that I have a chance of getting into T14 school!

[Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration]

Thank you for response,

My undergrad GPA suffered on my 2nd year in school due to some personal issues, but in my final semester it was 3.85 and was on high rise trend through my final years in undergrad.

I also have some research and real world work experience. 

Hopefully the "soft" factors do help, I wont be dissapointed in getting into lower part of T14 either.

It is good to hear that I have a chance of getting into T14 school!

you should check out Lawschoolnumbers.com

With real world experience and a 175, you will be an absolute shoo in for Northwestern.  You should consider applying early decision there (I believe they have an ED option).  They will scoop you up in a second.

[Beliy]

Thank you all.


I'll set my high mark for Columbia and will try apply to all T14's below it to cover all bases.   

[HippieLawChick]

Note: you being from Ukraine/Soviet Union will not give you "minority" status.

[Moe Zhust]

Excuse me, but a 169 on a sample test is no guarantee of a mid-170s final score.  Was the practice test a real test or a fake sample test?  Did you take it under STRICT, realistic, timed conditions? 

Don't get ahead of yourself,  take the test for real and see where you stand.  June is the best time.  Good luck

[vjm]

Me: 165-171 practice, 158 on the big day. Excellent idea to take a class, it seems to really help most people.

[upgrade]

Thanks to USNWR, your graduate performance will be considered a soft factor by most schools.

[I can has lauskul!]

Excuse me, but a 169 on a sample test is no guarantee of a mid-170s final score.  Was the practice test a real test or a fake sample test?  Did you take it under STRICT, realistic, timed conditions? 

Don't get ahead of yourself,  take the test for real and see where you stand.  June is the best time.  Good luck

TITCR.  OP does not have a "situation" until after the LSAT results are in.  "I'm confident of getting >170" and other wild fantasies don't amount to squat.  Take the test.