Undergrad student with questions....

[brittany.green88]

Hi all I'm new here I'm 22 years old and I will be transferring to Southern Illinois University in the fall from my community college. I have a 2 year old and hadn't been the best student.. I had to withdraw from some classes and retake a couple. I have also failed maybe 3-4 courses...some which have been retaken. I know SIUC isn't a great school BUT its a start I'm really passionate about becoming a lawyer. I know that I can focus and go through all the schooling. I love the law (as corny as it sounds) but I learn something about it and it sticks with me. I want a little advice from you experienced ppl. I want to go to a good law school. SIUC has a law school but... being honest if I want to become a GREAT, SUCCESSFUL lawyer I think I should get into a great school.  I was looking at the 2011 top law school ranking and I was wondering what undergrad gpa/ extra curricular activities I would need to have a shot at these following law schools...

1. UCLA
2. Northwestern University (IL)
3. University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
4. New York University
5. Vanderbilt
6. University of Texas- Austin
7. University of Chicago
8. Cornell University
9. Georgetown
10. Duke

I know this is probably a BIG list but I figured maybe its better to start somewhere... What do you all think of these universities?  Please give me any advice that you can. I'm a very focused woman with dreams and I will accomplish them. I just need a little guidance from people who have been here or at least have an idea of what I'm going through. I'm not sure if I want to go into Entertainment Law or Family Law...
 Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[john4040]

http://schools.lawschoolnumbers.com/

[EarlCat]

I . . . hadn't been the best student.. I had to withdraw from some classes and retake a couple. I have also failed maybe 3-4 courses...some which have been retaken.

Well, the bad news is you're not off to a very good start.  With 3-4 Fs on your transcript, you might have to put some time between you and college (i.e. graduate and get some quality work experience under your belt) before you'll be seriously considered at any of the top schools.  While in school, you're gonna have to work your butt off to pull your GPA up as high as you can get it (straight As, no excuses), and you're gonna have to absolutely destroy the LSAT.  This is going to take a lot of time and sacrifice on your part.

[brittany.green88]

Thank you so much for your response. I've started working my butt off to improve my grades getting A's are what I'm aiming for no less! It just to to be so much with me studying for classes and having a newborn at home. Do you think in an essay that would be understood ? Not in exception to my Gpa because I'm going to pull it up even if I have to take extra courses to do so. I looked up my unofficial transcript and there are 4 F's( from the semester I had my son) 1 course was actually after that time frame. Do you think it would make a difference if in the summers when I'm in my hometown for break I can retake these classes to get the higher grade calculated into the gpa and the failed course taken off?? Or do you think that would be pointless? I kn ow the class will always show my original grade and that I repeated the course. Sorry I'm asking you a million and one questions its just that your 1 of the very few 2 people that took the time to respond.
 Thank you again!
~Britt~

[EarlCat]

I'd see if you can get the old grade removed because of your maternity.  I have no idea if schools would do this, but it's worth looking into.  If the grades stay, then yes, an addendum to your law school application would be more than appropriate.