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

[A.]

You'll hear eventually.  Splitters tend to hear later.

As for classmates over 40:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Wurtzel

[mbw]

You'll hear eventually.  Splitters tend to hear later.

As for classmates over 40:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Wurtzel

Yeah, but Wurtzel started law school at 38.  My thesis is that the +40 crowd have a distinct disadvantage as 1Ls, particularly at T14a.  There's a psychological cut off, like a 165 LSAT.  It's arbitrary, but still there.

[A.]

If you say so.

[mbw]

If you say so.

The point is, Alici, is that I'm looking for people to prove me wrong.  Two week ago, I met a Yale alum, now a prof at a T40, who tried to convince me to apply to Yale.  He felt that my "whole package" was something they would appraise in an unbiased fashion, yet I theorize that while my package might be appraisable if I were of a certain age, there is in fact a cutoff - a point there law students are past prime.  I'm perfectly willing to be proven wrong - but as of yet, I haven't run across a T14 1L under over the age of 40. If you come across one, particularly one of color, can you let me know?

[wellpreserved]

Thanks guys. I'm trying to expand my horizons. I do not have anything keeping me in a particular market. I am a NC resident, howevever, for what it is worth.

I am a non-trad with approx. 12 years of professional marketing and corporate training experience. I'm a published writer with a few academic and professional writing awards.

There is a huge gap between my first two years in college and my latter two. It looks like I'll make it out of an HBCU with a 3.5-3.6 with a major in English and minor in Philosophy. I have two LORs finished thanks to a former employer and a prof. I am working on a third.

I think I bring a clarity of purpose and a diversity of perspective and culture. I also like to think my Statement will be solid.

My interest is in employment and labor law. Ideally I would like to attend a ls with ties to a strong research institution that provides a PhD program in labor/international/political philosophy or the like. I would like to combine my outreach experience with formal legal training and academic research for, maybe, something in policy or government? I'm open to the end result. Got to leave some room for fate.

My LSAT is 156 and I'ma ride or die with it because I'm only taking it once.

Currently on my radar:

UIUC
University of Arkansas - Fay
UNC
NCCU
Seattle U
Tulane

I am hoping for any and all reccomendations of other schools I should research. I am open to location but would love the pacific northwest or the east coast.

Ultimately, my number one concern after do I stand a chance of acceptance is MONEY!!!!  Cost of living, liberal scholarships, etc.

Thanks.

[A.]

If you say so.

The point is, Alici, is that I'm looking for people to prove me wrong.  Two week ago, I met a Yale alum, now a prof at a T40, who tried to convince me to apply to Yale.  He felt that my "whole package" was something they would appraise in an unbiased fashion, yet I theorize that while my package might be appraisable if I were of a certain age, there is in fact a cutoff - a point there law students are past prime.  I'm perfectly willing to be proven wrong - but as of yet, I haven't run across a T14 1L under the age of 40. If you come across one, particularly one of color, can you let me know?

I think the dearth of over-40 law students has less to do with any "cut-off" and more to do with the fact that a.) few people at that age are willing to go back to school to start new careers, b.) of those who are, even fewer have the qualifications to attend a t14, and c.) of those who do, even fewer are willing up uproot or leave their families to move to one.  So yeah, few and far between, but probably not because of any "psychological cut off."

[Miss P]

If you say so.

The point is, Alici, is that I'm looking for people to prove me wrong.  Two week ago, I met a Yale alum, now a prof at a T40, who tried to convince me to apply to Yale.  He felt that my "whole package" was something they would appraise in an unbiased fashion, yet I theorize that while my package might be appraisable if I were of a certain age, there is in fact a cutoff - a point there law students are past prime.  I'm perfectly willing to be proven wrong - but as of yet, I haven't run across a T14 1L under the age of 40. If you come across one, particularly one of color, can you let me know?

I know a fairly recent YLS alum who I think was 41 when she applied (as a transfer). 

The BBE was 40 when he applied to law school.  He got into HLS and CLS.  I don't know if he applied to YLS.  (He went to Yale undergrad and never seemed too fond of it.)

[naturallybeyoutiful]

How many points in either direction of the LSAT would you safely compare yourself to? With my 156 should I consider the record earned by a 158 or a 159?

No

...I know that due to my very unusual stats (165, 2.85 (as a single mom and 20 years ago, and within the window of serious grade inflation)...

I'm confused.  Do you mean serious grade deflation?  

[A.]

If you say so.

The point is, Alici, is that I'm looking for people to prove me wrong.  Two week ago, I met a Yale alum, now a prof at a T40, who tried to convince me to apply to Yale.  He felt that my "whole package" was something they would appraise in an unbiased fashion, yet I theorize that while my package might be appraisable if I were of a certain age, there is in fact a cutoff - a point there law students are past prime.  I'm perfectly willing to be proven wrong - but as of yet, I haven't run across a T14 1L under the age of 40. If you come across one, particularly one of color, can you let me know?

I know a fairly recent YLS alum who I think was 41 when she applied (as a transfer). 

Oh I think I know who you're talking about.  I didn't know how old she was, but that seems about right.

[mbw]

How many points in either direction of the LSAT would you safely compare yourself to? With my 156 should I consider the record earned by a 158 or a 159?

No

...I know that due to my very unusual stats (165, 2.85 (as a single mom and 20 years ago, and within the window of serious grade inflation)...

I'm confused.  Do you mean serious grade deflation? 

No, grade inflation.  I graduated just as grades began to rapidly inflate, with curves at Bs and even As.  Most of my classes were curved to a C.




According to studies on grade inflation, GPAs have increased .15 per decade, so that my 2.85 is roughly equivalent to a 3.15-3.2 - not great, but above the dreaded 3.0.