T-14 Chances

[prospectivelaw27]

I'm intending to apply to law school this fall '09. Having talked to my admissions counselor, I've been uneasy about my chances of getting into T-14, especially with the expected rise in applications. I was hoping for some feedback. I'm particularly looking at NYU, Columbia, UPenn, and Georgetown.

Undergrad: UPenn
LSDAS GPA: 3.65
LSAT: 172
Econ major, history minor

A couple of extracurriculars, no outstanding leadership. 2 LOR (one academic, one law professor), but nothing stellar. So as you can see I'm hoping that law school admissions is truly a numbers game, rather than relying on my other factors. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[botbot]

The upper t14 is likely (GULC included).  Columbia and NYU are in-play.

Apply early.

[lawstud80]

You have a great shot at Columbia/NYU and a small chance of getting into HLS (but you should definitely throw in an app)

Good luck!

[js11287]

Check LSN, but I'm working with similar numbers and applying to all of the same schools. I think the key is definitely to apply early, because those numbers are technically within the range of most of those 25/75.

[lawstud80]

*

[politicaljunkie]

just a word of caution - it's not just about the numbers.  People with a 3.6+ from a tier 2 college (or very low tier 1) have a significantly smaller chance of getting into a school like Columbia or Chicago. This is because the top schools take very few people from these tier 2 schools in general, and the students with a 3.6 don't stand a chance.  However at the top undergrads, like the Ivies, the top law schools cast their nets much wider when it comes to gpa/lsat.  Thus the poster, who has a 3.65 and has graduated from an Ivy, is in very good shape.

How do you know how law schools view your college in terms of difficulty and prestige? Is it based on the US News rankings. I went to American and I know that here in DC it's a pretty well-regarded school but I don't know how it's perceived in general. I wonder whether the perception of American is that it's for people who couldn't get into Georgetown or GW. Also, the admissions person at the Georgetown law info session I attended recently said that they factor in whether your school has grade inflation. Is there any way to figure that out?

[nealric]

Also, the admissions person at the Georgetown law info session I attended recently said that they factor in whether your school has grade inflation. Is there any way to figure that out?

The LSDAS transcript service tells them what % of people applying to law school from your undergrad have what GPA.

As for American, it's not that it's a bad school, it's just a bad financial proposition. UMD or GMU make much more sense if you can get in-state tuition.

[Beren]

You have a great shot at Columbia/NYU and a small chance of getting into HLS (but you should definitely throw in an app)

Good luck!

I'm a new to this pre-law thing, so I am wondering why there is such a difference in these top 10 schools.

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just a word of caution - it's not just about the numbers.  People with a 3.6+ from a tier 2 college (or very low tier 1) have a significantly smaller chance of getting into a school like Columbia or Chicago. This is because the top schools take very few people from these tier 2 schools in general, and the students with a 3.6 don't stand a chance.  However at the top undergrads, like the Ivies, the top law schools cast their nets much wider when it comes to gpa/lsat.  Thus the poster, who has a 3.65 and has graduated from an Ivy, is in very good shape.

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