169 / 3.63 - retake?

[USC2009]

169 LSAT
3.63 GPA (possibly 3.68 by the end of the fall semester)
White, male
Decent softs (mostly working over the summers, during the semester, some volunteer tutoring)

Goals:
Duke
GULC
Michigan
Northwestern
UVA
Cornell

I'll also be applying to UCLA, USC, Texas, WUSTL and GW (maybe Notre Dame, Vanderbilt)


I know with a retake my chances at Chicago, UPenn, etc. would improve, but I would feel pretty content at any of the goal schools I listed, and I might pick the other schools for a lower price.

Any thoughts?

[DontQuestionMe]

You stand a legitimate shot at every single one of your "goal schools." In fact, you are 50% on the LSAC UGPA/LSAT calculator at several of those schools. Your biggest concern, with your present numbers, will be which school offers you the most money, not whether or not you get in.

Good luck and get your apps in early!

[USC2009]

You stand a legitimate shot at every single one of your "goal schools." In fact, you are 50% on the LSAC UGPA/LSAT calculator at several of those schools. Your biggest concern, with your present numbers, will be which school offers you the most money, not whether or not you get in.

Good luck and get your apps in early!

Definitely will do, and thank you!  I know someone with the same stats as me who applied last year (he went to Berkeley, though I doubt it makes much of a difference, especially since I believe they have A+s) and he got the most money from Duke.

[USC2009]

I had your exact same numbers and got into Mich, Cornell, Duke, UCLA, Wustl (did not apply to the rest of your listed schools).  Rejected at Upenn, accepted at Chicago.

Chicago eh?

Did you have any other factors that may have helped you get in there?


Thanks for the reply, nice to see someone with similar stats 

[DontQuestionMe]

I'd recommend you aim high.  You never know who will like you (or for what reason), and you might be surprised like I was.  I also got all of my applications sent in in October, so I'm sure that didn't hurt, and it's nice to get acceptances and scholarship offers early.

TITCR.

I got accepted to a few schools that really surprised. I also got rejected by one or two that really surprised. I really recommend people aim high, and apply to a lot of schools early.

[USC2009]

I had your exact same numbers and got into Mich, Cornell, Duke, UCLA, Wustl (did not apply to the rest of your listed schools).  Rejected at Upenn, accepted at Chicago.

Chicago eh?

Did you have any other factors that may have helped you get in there?


Thanks for the reply, nice to see someone with similar stats 

Short answer: no.   That one was a shock - I was accepted off the waitlist.  I was only involved in one extracurricular activity (leadership role senior year).  Other than that, I worked part-time summer jobs in my hometown. 

I'd recommend you aim high.  You never know who will like you (or for what reason), and you might be surprised like I was.  I also got all of my applications sent in in October, so I'm sure that didn't hurt, and it's nice to get acceptances and scholarship offers early.

Will do.  I probably won't apply HYS, but I'll probably blanket the rest of the T14.

[Lindbergh]

You're probably not getting into HYS (or probably Boalt) because of your GPA, and you already have a decent shot at everywhere else, so I'd go ahead and apply.  Apply to everything in the T14, and the other schools noted, and you'll probably end up with several options (and at least one T14). 

Make sure you visit the schools you're most interested in, meet with the adcoms, etc.  You're right on the borderline, so you want to push yourself over.

169 LSAT
3.63 GPA (possibly 3.68 by the end of the fall semester)
White, male
Decent softs (mostly working over the summers, during the semester, some volunteer tutoring)

Goals:
Duke
GULC
Michigan
Northwestern
UVA
Cornell

I'll also be applying to UCLA, USC, Texas, WUSTL and GW (maybe Notre Dame, Vanderbilt)


I know with a retake my chances at Chicago, UPenn, etc. would improve, but I would feel pretty content at any of the goal schools I listed, and I might pick the other schools for a lower price.

Any thoughts?

[DontQuestionMe]

I think you may have a decent shot at Boalt. Your GPA is only .01 under their 25-75%, and your LSAT is 2 points over their median. That is about as good as it can get for a splitter.

Good luck!

[USC2009]

I think you may have a decent shot at Boalt. Your GPA is only .01 under their 25-75%, and your LSAT is 2 points over their median. That is about as good as it can get for a splitter.

Good luck!

Yeah, that's true, although Berkeley places much more emphasis on GPA than LSAT (based on LSN and most Law school forums)

You're not getting into HYS (or probably Boalt) because of your GPA, and you already have a decent shot at everywhere else, so I'd go ahead and apply.  Apply to everything in the T14, and the other schools noted, and you'll probably end up with several options (and at least one T14). 

Make sure you visit the schools you're most interested in, meet with the adcoms, etc.  You're right on the borderline, so you want to push yourself over.

Is it difficult to get an interview at most law schools?  I know Northwestern pushes for interviews (although I believe they can be with someone more local).  I might try and make a trip out east to some schools, although I don't know how many I could visit (some seven states for my highest ranked schools).

[Lindbergh]

I think you may have a decent shot at Boalt. Your GPA is only .01 under their 25-75%, and your LSAT is 2 points over their median. That is about as good as it can get for a splitter.

Good luck!

The problem with Boalt is that 1) they're idiosyncratic with their admissions, and actually pretty hard to get into on a % basis.  They're also very GPA focused, as noted, so if you don't have a 3.8, it's usually tough going, regardless of LSAT. 

He should still apply, of course, but I think he'd actually have better odds at CCN, not to mention the other 14 schools.