Significant Other Getting A Work Visa while I'm in Law School?

[_____]

However, he mentioned his GF and their desire to be close so I don't think just going to the best school he gets into is that simple.  Simple for people who are single but maybe not so for people who are committed and so have to take into consideration their SO.

I, too, see where you are coming from, but given that the poster is not going to wait for his girl friend so they can apply together, going to the best school IS that simple--especially if he wants to maximize his chances of transferring somewhere to be closer to she ends up getting admitted, if necessary, later on.  (The higher up you are, the more chances of transferring you have--up, down, or laterally.)

Also, I know about the whole SO thing... My husband is staying behind this year to finish up school in California while I start at UMich in 3 weeks...  I know that it's hard, but I also know that it's important to do what's best (ie what creates the best opportunities for both me and my husband later on down the road)... And that's what I encourage the poster to do too...

[Justme3]

I think it's awesome that your husband is understanding and willing to be apart for a year.  It definitely won't be easy but it's great to hear that you got into a top school and have personal things work out too...I'm sure things will work out great!!

In the OP's case, though, nothing is certain.  You have everything worked out but he is just asking what-if questions.  I agree with you about him waiting a year so he and his girlfriend can apply together and go from there.  Then, he wouldn't have this problem.  But he's unwilling to do that so who knows?  As to transferring, don't you have to still perform very well even if you go to a top school?

[_____]

As to transferring, don't you have to still perform very well even if you go to a top school?

Yes, that's the whole point.  Of course, you have to do well--especially if you want to transfer up.  But someone in the middle of the pack at Harvard or Yale could probably transfer to Temple or Rutgers or wherever... Or at the very least, they'd have a better shot at transferring to those schools than someone in the middle of the pack at Cooley, know what I mean?

[3ML]

First off, I am white and I'm from an upper middle class family with some really wealthy relatives. The reason I don't want to go to some schools is that I have no interest in where their primary placement is. Texas would have to pay me money for me to apply. I'm less fussed about the others, but I really don't want to live in some parts of the US. I like the country as a whole, but given my cultural background and political beliefs, I would feel very uncomfortable in some areas. This also isn't an ignorant opinion, I have travelled all over the US and the world. I felt more 'welcome' in Turkey than I did in Lynchburg Tenn.

Now having said that I'm still open to applying to some schools in the south (Duke for one), but they would be way down my list of favourite schools. But it's like anod said, it will be easier to transfer from there - although how much easier it would be to transfer from Duke than it would be from Minnesota is a mystery to me.

In any case, the decision we reached over the weekend is that spending a year apart is acceptable. Living near Canada would be best, that way she could do a masters at a school close to the border. In that sense, Cornell and Michigan are right at the top of the list. However, I will apply to many schools in the top 25, but none outside of it. If I fall to a safety school, it will be in Canada, not in the US.

The vast majority of these would be reaches with my stats (3.2/161+170), but I'm hoping that many adcoms overlook the first LSAT. There's a really solid reason why it's low and why I didn't cancel which I can prove -- I travelled a VERY long way to write it the first time and was exhausted when I took it, and didn't cancel because it had cost a fortune and I didn't think I would be able to pay for another one. After I got my score my girlfriend's family offered to pay for me to write it again.

Anyways, basically I'm thinking of:

Michigan, Northwestern, Duke, Cornell, G'town, UCLA, USC, Minnesota, BU and WUSTL.


That's 10 schools so I may need to cut some out. Of those, I would think of Minnesota as pretty likely (they take highest score and I'm 4 points above their 75th percentile) and WUSTL as the same (I hear they are LSAT whores) but all the others would be a miracle if I got in.

[_____]

You list doesn't seem all that unreasonable, you know... I'm just glad you're realistic about your odds...

So go for it... And good luck to both you and your GF...

[3ML]

Yea well, hard not to be realistic. I've sent out emails to all ten of those schools, some have given really positive responses (Michigan in particular told me they would send me a fee waiver) and have said they would all but ignore the first LSAT (Boalt, Cornell, NW, Michigan). Others have been pretty negative and unimpressed (BU).

I guess I'll just have to put together a killer package and see what happens. I wouldn't mind spending a year in Minnesota at all, it's a rocking town that appreciates hockey. How can you not love that?

I figure if I apply to 8 schools the odd are decent that I'll get in to at least one. If it's Minnesota or WUSTL, that's fine. If it's something higher up, that's great. Either way, I'm happy.

And if I get in nowhere, well that sucks but I'll apply to a few schools in Canada too. Alberta is an LSAT whore, Dal is a cool school and I'll probably apply out West somewhere too.

Point is, no matter what happens I'll be going to law school, and that's good enough.

[_____]

Yea well, hard not to be realistic. I've sent out emails to all ten of those schools, some have given really positive responses (Michigan in particular told me they would send me a fee waiver) and have said they would all but ignore the first LSAT (Boalt, Cornell, NW, Michigan). Others have been pretty negative and unimpressed (BU).

Congrats on getting Michigan to send you a fee waiver!

They admit 60% of the people who get fee waivers and apply...

(Check out their FAQ for more info...)

[3ML]

It's going to be a need based waiver, don't think the 60% applies to that...

[_____]

It's going to be a need based waiver, don't think the 60% applies to that...

Ah... Perhaps not... Good luck either way!