Serious Problem

[marioc]

I am hoping someone here on this forum can answer my question. I graduated with my BS in 1999. My GPA is a miserable 2.32 due to the fact that during my younger years I did too much parting and not enough studying.I have held a full time job with a school district for the last 12 years and used this employment as a means to pay for my education.Now that I have a wife and two kids I would really like to go to law school and complete my education. The law school that I am looking at going to is either Texas Southern or South Texas College of Law. I am planning on studying for the LSAT like crazy for the next complete year so that I can score a killer LSAT score. What do you think of my chances?

[lawschoolafterdark]

I am not sure what your school options are in your area. However, there are schools that do not require the LSAT.  Some people groan at this idea.  However, there are schools like Birmingham School of Law that are designed for adults who have other responsibilities.  Classes are offered at night and you can finish in 3 to 4 years.  The bar pass rate at BSL, although lower than most ABA approved schools is respectable.  It is a case of you get out what you put in.  Visit my web site for other evening school links. http://www.lawschoolafterdark.com

[lawstudent1]

the answer is...it depends (humor lawstudents will get). The two most important factors are gpa & lsat. But I had a miserable 2.3 also, scored well on the lsat & got into a great top 100 school. Work experience is key to an applicant not 22 & fresh out of college. But obviously, if your school's average gpa is a 3.8 with lsat's in the 170's, your chances aren't great. p.s. they say there is a law school for everyone. Good Luck!

[jeffjoe]

If you plan to study for the LSAT, really study it.  I just read through a book about the LSAT, took some sample tests and thought I would improve my score.

No such luck.  You will need to really crack down to do better.  My practice test scores were 156, 156, 154, 156.  My actual LSAT was 155.

 

[ajlynnette]

lawstudent, would you mind telling me where you got in at and what your lsat score was? i don't remember seeing it in the other boards and if it is there, i beyond aplogize for drudging this up. thanks!

aj

[ohiolaw]

I would like to weigh in on this issue. First off if you have been out of school a while I think that will work to your advantage because your more mature (hopefully) and on task. Secondly, I would make application like everyone else. I am convinced a lot of admissions are based on who you know rather than talent so, you put your pants on like anyone else. Keep in mind the LSAT does not determine how well you will do in law school. In my mind it is nothing more than high stakes testing with no purpose. So when take the test the point of view that it is not a make or break situation. Third, make sure you get to know one or two lawyers that graduated from the law school you want to attend. I have creditable evidence that admission to a law school boils down to a "good ole boy" environment. I have already interviewed several second year law students in addition to three deans of law schools. When someone cannot give you straight answers to honest questions, you know the selection process is flawed. Finally, I would make it a point to send out 15 to 20 applications. I know this can be costly but you will be surprised to the results you get. I would say out of 20 applications you probably will get seven offers and the rest rejections. Of the seven figure out which one will cost you the least and then enroll. If I were you I would not pay to much attention to most of the people that get all hung up on law school rankings because each student has to take a required course of study to qualify to sit for the bar exam of the state you live in. You would have to check with your state supreme court to see if they have any additional requirements you need to do. Do not depend on a law school to direct you through the process because most of those people are clueless if you are an out of state applicate.

Remember one thing when you get to law school, look around you and your classmates. They all come from different backgrounds and levels of abilities. Everyone of you have a 4.0 GPA. The key is to keep that 4.0. I am a graduate student finishing my Masters Program and will be making application to a law school of my choice. I say that because I will make it a point to give them a choice that they can either accept me or face a lawsuit for discrimination. I seriously doubt a law school wants bad media attention.

Another thing to consider is many law professors are typically poor attorneys or they would never have left practice. Many discovered that they knew what was in the book and can tell you all about a subject but lack the ability to practice law. The real difference between you and the professor is he/she has passed a bar exam and you have yet to take one. A law license does not make you a lawyer by a long stretch.

Law school is no different than any other course of study. You either want to be there and get through it or you don't. I know some pretty good lawyers that are not rocket scientists and I know some extremely bright people that have law licenses that I would never let handle any legal business I might have.

I hope this helped you out and I wish you well.

[Aonghus]

DEFINITELY spend alot of time on it, I even took a class and hoped to improve my score by osmosis, and wasted a lot of money, just didnt have time to prepare....  I took practice tests and scored 163, 167, 170, 171... 

Test day was 162

DO LOGIC GAMES TILL YOUR EARS BLEED!

If you plan to study for the LSAT, really study it.  I just read through a book about the LSAT, took some sample tests and thought I would improve my score.

No such luck.  You will need to really crack down to do better.  My practice test scores were 156, 156, 154, 156.  My actual LSAT was 155.

 

[holidayinspain]

I agree with Aongus (sp?) about the logic games, when the day comes either you will get them, or you won't and there will be no bs'ing to save your score. also, as for studying, this isn't like some college exam... the LSAT is something you can study for -- however you have to realize that when you take a practice exam that you will likely still score somewhere around that number give or take 10 (yes 10) points. I.e. don't get a 145 on your first practice test and expect to roll out a 174 come test day. I did okay on the LSAT (164) but from my experience, and from talking to many other law students (i am a 1L now) i am of the total belief that the LSAT has a lot to do with your psyche. I do disagree with Ohio regarding the LSAT though-- it is not necessarily cause-effect with repect to how you might do in law school, but i do think there is a correlation...

I guess it depends how hard those schools you mentioned are to get into... i am assuming they are 3rd/4th tiers, you have to know the schools well, i mean some schools weigh LSAT more than GPA and vice versa. maybe you should check out the BC grid-- i don't think i have it anymore, but if you ask around or google it i am sure someone will help you get a hold of it. It is a LSAT/GPA grid related to chances of admission and specific schools.

good luck!   

[Law Hopeful]

My advice to those who have been out of school a while is that while your grades and LSAT will matter less, they will still matter.  Especially considering you have a family to support, you probably shouldn't be spending thousands of dollars on applications.  So, take a look at the rankings and see what local schools numbers are.  With a 2.3, I probably would apply to a top 25 law school (but, that depends entirely on your LSAT).  But, apply to 2-3 "reach" schools, 2-3 questionables (where your numbers are on the lower end, but experience will make up for it) and then 2 "guarentees".  This should keep your costs down and your chances high, hopefully.  Keep in mind- lower tiered schools tend to offer much more financial aid, which could be esential in your situation. Good luck!

To Ohio law- You had some interesting advice to offer.  But, I have to ask... what is with the threat of suing law schools?  Law schools reject tons of students every year and they don't sue.  Why would it be discrimination not to let you in?  And why bash all law professors?  Some professors are good, and some bad- just like some lawyers and good and bad.  But, it is people who have graduated top in their classes that usually go on to teach- and so I wouldn't call them talentless.

[Dogged]

With a 2.3, I probably would apply to a top 25 law school (but, that depends entirely on your LSAT).  But, apply to 2-3 "reach" schools, 2-3 questionables (where your numbers are on the lower end, but experience will make up for it) and then 2 "guarentees".  This should keep your costs down and your chances high, hopefully.  Keep in mind- lower tiered schools tend to offer much more financial aid, which could be esential in your situation. Good luck!

I only taught for a year. I've got two kids too and it'll be a sacrifice for family life for 3 years--three and a half if you take the LSAT seriously. I bumped my score 10 points with an $800 prep course. Yeah the ideas were great but the real value was that the $800 allowed me to study 3 nights a week even though my family would have liked me home. You've got to find a way to make your eyes bleed regularly (buy all the test, work all the games. The readings won't help too much, they've gotten a lot harder since the 90s.

 I haven't taken real college classes for over 3 years and one school (Cornell) still insisted that I find a faculty reference. (Hopefully after 12 years they'll take your principal's word for it, where they didn't mine) (got wait-listed at Cornell--they take the average score so that didn't help either).

Financing school with a family of four is a bigger deal for me that getting in to a school where I'd have a good experience. With a family, I feel like a minority; maybe I could actually find a scholarship out there if I weren't white or if I were gay.