173 LSAT, question with my GPA

[marcus-aurelius]

My LSAT score is a 173.  MY GPA for my entire undergraduate career will be a 3.5. I went to school (college) from 2000-2001 and was simply not interested in education.  I dropped out.  I went back in 2007 and have recevied all A's short of 1 A- (my graduating GPA will be a 3.98)

I volunteer with the local county courthouse and have interned at a law office as well.

My question is what are my chances for a top 10 school?  I will write an addendum explaining my progression.

[Scroll]

You dropped out from high school? After how many years?

[marcus-aurelius]

I dropped out of college. I went to college from 2000-2001. I dropped out there.  I then went back in 2007 until the present.  I'm done in December

[BikePilot]

Probably worth explaining the situation in your PS or an extra letter.  You'll do much better than someone with a standard 3.5gpa and not as well as someone with a full 3.98.  Overall I'd guess you've got a reasonable shot at all the top 10 and a very good shot at the lower 1/3rd of the top 10.  The more recent performance is probably all that really matters in guessing  how well you'll do in law school, but law schools are also interested in moving themselves up the USNWR rankings and of course the LSAC reported UGPA is a big factor there.... Expect to do better at schools less nervous about their rank than those more nervous.

Note that the LSAC "normalizes" your gpa and spits out a number.  Its possible you'll get a boost from that too - I don't know how they handle situations like yours.  My GPA at a not-so-great state school got bumped up by about 0.1.

[marcus-aurelius]

Probably worth explaining the situation in your PS or an extra letter.  You'll do much better than someone with a standard 3.5gpa and not as well as someone with a full 3.98.  Overall I'd guess you've got a reasonable shot at all the top 10 and a very good shot at the lower 1/3rd of the top 10.  The more recent performance is probably all that really matters in guessing  how well you'll do in law school, but law schools are also interested in moving themselves up the USNWR rankings and of course the LSAC reported UGPA is a big factor there.... Expect to do better at schools less nervous about their rank than those more nervous.

Note that the LSAC "normalizes" your gpa and spits out a number.  Its possible you'll get a boost from that too - I don't know how they handle situations like yours.  My GPA at a not-so-great state school got bumped up by about 0.1.

My PS is about the moment when I said it is time to leave the family business and head back to school.  It gones on how I developed my potential and fought against the tide.  I plan on adding an addendum to my applications to explain the difference.  Hopefully everything works out.

That being said, I was planning on applying to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Chicago, UPENN, UC Berkeley, Georgetown, Duke, UNC. Figure that gives me a wide enough net to where I should be fine

[Morten Lund]

That being said, I was planning on applying to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Chicago, UPENN, UC Berkeley, Georgetown, Duke, UNC. Figure that gives me a wide enough net to where I should be fine

Something is missing from that list...  You should apply to Yale as well.  If you make it past the initial screening, I suspect Yale will be more willing than many other schools to consider your special circumstances.

I also agree with bike on the general subject.

Either way, good luck.

[marcus-aurelius]

That being said, I was planning on applying to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, NYU, Chicago, UPENN, UC Berkeley, Georgetown, Duke, UNC. Figure that gives me a wide enough net to where I should be fine

Something is missing from that list...  You should apply to Yale as well.  If you make it past the initial screening, I suspect Yale will be more willing than many other schools to consider your special circumstances.

I also agree with bike on the general subject.

Either way, good luck.

So Yale as well.  I figured they would be less likely to overlook the numbers because of the small class size compared to Harvard.  I have no qulams about adding another school to my list.  Thank you for both of your opinions

[vintij]

Depends on the school. Each school is a completely different universe when it comes to admissions and student body. Now, I'm no expert on the subject, but I know that certain schools (like Boalt for example) care more about GPA because they see less value in LSAT; where as other schools see all the value in LSAT and little in GPA. I would say you apply to a school that cares more about LSAT, which is many of the top 10. That is a great score by the way, anyone would be lucky to have it. Plus your GPA is not terrible.

[llsatt1]

My LSAT score is a 173.  MY GPA for my entire undergraduate career will be a 3.5. I went to school (college) from 2000-2001 and was simply not interested in education.  I dropped out.  I went back in 2007 and have recevied all A's short of 1 A- (my graduating GPA will be a 3.98)

I volunteer with the local county courthouse and have interned at a law office as well.

My question is what are my chances for a top 10 school?  I will write an addendum explaining my progression.

//edited
Your chances at a top 10 are high.  Your chances at H and S are decent to good.  Your chances at Y could be fair depending on where you went to college and your softs.  H will forgive you for that one year if your undergraduate college is good or decent.....have seen it happen before.

[llsatt1]

apply to Michigan too.  You should get money from there.