Boston College 1.5L taking questions...

[Penn263]

1. Entertainment law, I'm not so sure about BC's credentials in that field. Personally I would look into USC if that were really a quintessential legal interest you have. I would say BC is pretty solid in family law, we have a very experience faculty member in that field. International law is actually growing here at BC, we're presently trying to add an international law course to the 1L elective list.
2. BC has traditionally lacked minority students. But in the past few years there has been a rapid growth in minority enrollees. In the past couple of years it's jumped from like 22% to 25%. Also, BC Law has a variety of really active affinity groups that definitely go out of their way to make sure every student feels accepted into the BC Law community. I think more work needs to be done with respect to socio-economic minorities. From my own experience here, I can attest by saying you will feel extremely accepted.
3. BC accepts students from your college every year, so they know exactly how your system works, and make well-informed decisions as to who they select. With that said, BC is also known to be GPA-heavy in terms of admissions, which basically means every year the median GPA goes up and the bar gets set higher and higher, while the median LSAT stays about the same. If your GPA is below the the 25th percentile, i.e. below a 3.5, then ideally you would make up for it with an LSAT score above the 75th median.

Wow, BC is my top choice law school. In Boston, but, not the same urban campus as BU. I actually have a few questions:

1. What are the specialty fields? I'm thinking I either want to focus on entertainment law, family law or international.
2. What kind of people do you think attend BC. I'm sure a wide variety - but, are there any stereo types that could tell me something about how I would fit in?
3. Now the tricky part. I don't think I'll ever be accepted. I'm in my junior year at Case Western, and overall I only have a 3.0 and a 159 on the LSAT. However, this was mostly due to a bad fist semester. I've had a 3.2-3.4 since that first semester, and am probably going to continue to raise my GPA (I should get at least a 3.6 this semester). Also, Case doesn't give +/-'s, so, I'd probably have a 3.5 were it not for that. Although, I don't know if any school is going to take my word for it that I would have had B+'s if the school offered them. So, I'm guessing that won't help me at all. Is BC good at looking at all of these circumstances, or should I just start looking for another dream school?

[dischord]

Bump while I edit my memo.

Seriously, talk to me, I'm really effing bored with this thing.

[rockababy123]

Hi, since you all are answering questions...I'm currently a junior at a fellow Jesuit university and was wondering if BC gives any preference to thsese schools (I've always heard of the Jesuits looking after their own).  Thanks!

[dischord]

No idea.  I doubt it would overcome out-of-range numbers, but they might take it into account a wee bit.  However, the Jesuit influence here is supposedly waning, and frankly, while I know some kids here who went to Jesuit undergrads, they're vastly outnumbered by kids who didn't. 

[Penn263]

Hi, since you all are answering questions...I'm currently a junior at a fellow Jesuit university and was wondering if BC gives any preference to thsese schools (I've always heard of the Jesuits looking after their own).  Thanks!

When you say take it into account do mean merely by looking at which undergrad you went to via your transcript, or by writing about it in your personal statement? If the former, I would say no preference is given at all. But if you plan to write an elaborate PS about how you embody the Jesuit spirit in your personal statement, maybe. But even so, it's not so much a preference for you following Jesuit virtues, as much as you writing a good PS generally. I didn't even know BC was Jesuit until after I applied, so...

[Tess R.]

I hsve a question - I am interested in applying to BC for 2010, and am a non-traditional student - husband, kids, the whole thing. Will I be totally out of place at BC? And how good do you think major Boston firm prospects are for graduates?
Thanks!

[amassherst]

I'm in the same boat at Tess R but maybe just not quite as non-traditional since I'm not married nor a parent.  I will be older than many incoming students, though.   Ending my 20's.  Is it a very straight-from-college feel to your 1L group? 

Also, yeah, same question with those Boston big firm prospects. 

[tebucky]

Hey there board.  Another BC 1L here.  Figured I'd chime in on the last two posts as I'm a nontrad myself - certainly over 30!  I'm engaged, no kids.  I really haven't felt out of place at all.  Mostly it's just due to the fact that everyone is pretty friendly.  There's a whole student group for students with kids and that group tends to bond pretty well.  For As far as fitting in, I really wouldn't be too concerned about it.  It's really what you make of it.  I've actually found being older to be a huge advantage - I know myself better now than I did at 22, don't feel any pressure to hang out with the right crowd, etc. so I can just enjoy the experience for what it is. 

As far as Boston big firm prospects go, I honestly have no idea.  The school is certainly well respected in the area, but landing a major firm job is anything but guaranteed. From what little anecdotal evidence I have from 2 and 3Ls, historically the top 1/3 of the class has done really well, but this economy is a female dog so people are having a harder time now than in the recent past (but that's going to be true everywhere). 

Whew that was long.  In closing, I'll leave you with the one thing I have absolutely learned regarding law school career prospects...unless you're at a T14, go to school where you want to work...and preferably that area is one where you have geographic ties.  Not only will the brand name of the school be stronger in that area, the alumni network will be stronger and firms will know that you aren't going to get sick of this lovely New England weather and bolt back to Florida after a year!

[jumbo07]

I'm pretty familiar with BC having had a family member go there for undergrad, but admittedly a little unfamiliar with the Newton campus. Does it have it's own gym? What's that like? Any other particularly good/bad features at Newton? What's the closest T stop?

Thanks.

[Penn263]

I'm in the same boat at Tess R but maybe just not quite as non-traditional since I'm not married nor a parent.  I will be older than many incoming students, though.   Ending my 20's.  Is it a very straight-from-college feel to your 1L group? 

Also, yeah, same question with those Boston big firm prospects. 

Absolutely NOT (in terms of BC LAW feeling like a straight-from-college environment). Even though most people are two or less years out of college, the environment is one of high maturity and professionalism, rather than the carefree college environment. Everyone here is pretty much equally as mature and focused, whether 22 or 32 or older. Personally, I'm on the young end of the age range (a year out from college), but I have lived on my own while working abroad before coming to law school.

Also, some people say law school, in general, feels "cliquey," but I would have to say I disagree in terms of BC LAW being that way. College and high school were far cliquier from my experience, and here at law school there is no sense of not fitting in for anyone, regardless of age, race, gender, etc. Highly educated people are the most open-minded. I can easily strike up an interesting convo with anyone in my section, so this notion of not fitting in (for whatever reason) is definitely a myth, at least for BC Law. But there is a caveat: "fitting in" is subjective and depends on your own internal mentality. If you make yourself feel out of place, then you may be self-stigmatizing yourself regardless of how the people around view you. So all I can say is that everyone here is very open-minded, mature, and accepting, so it's very easy to "fit in".

Hope this helps. Feel free to message me or post with any question you still may have.