Law school admissions 2005!!! Minority, foreign born

[LonghornAustin]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering what my chances are of getting into a top 20 law school.
Here are my stats:
GPA: 3.71 (lsac), 3.80 UT-Austn, 4.0 Major
LSAT: have not taken but will probably score about 158 or so
Major: MIS from UT business, which is ranked #5 in the country and my major is ranked #3.
Race: Asian. I was not born here and learned english in high school. Lived india and pakistan, and know 3 languages other than english.
Extra/Volunteer: Teacher for 4 years at religious school, honor society, study abroad in Australia (I recommend!), and other crap.
Work: I worked 40 hrs every semester while attending UT. I have paid for 80% of my expenses.

My choice of schools to attend:
1 )   University of Texas – Austin
2 )   Vanderbilt University
3 )   University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
4 )   University of California – Los Angeles
5 )   University of California – Berkeley
6 )   University of Southern California
7 )   Washington University SL
8 )   Emory Law
9 )   Southern Methodist University
10 )   University of Houston

Help me out you guys!!!!

[Regal_Muse]

Why don't you apply and find out what schools you can get into? Don't depend on people on message boards to tell you where you can or cannot get in. Use common sense. Do your own research and realize that most people on here are on the same boat as you.

[Maryanne007]

I think you seem like a strong candidate, but try to get your lsat score up.  Because english is not your first language, you can perhaps note that on an addendum if your lsat score is not as high as you would like.  Wow 40 hours of work a week and school... that's tough!  Good luck!

[Sportseditor23]

my friend,

I worked 40 hours a week as well while in school and I am pakistani to boot.  urdu mein bath karna hain?

English is my first language.

[dta]

If you don't get a 160 or above, it will be very very difficult to get into UT.

[ruskiegirl]

Despite what some people on this board will have you believe, it is not all about the LSAT.  Like Regal said, apply to the schools you are interested in and see what happens.  Your background gives you an element of diversity that will help offset an LSAt that is on the low end of the medians for the schools you mentioned.  Throw in some safeties and things ought to work out.  Obviously, you're an intelligent and hard-working person, so even if you end up having to go to a safety schoool, you can attempt to transfer up after the first year.

[ruskiegirl]

so even if you end up having to go to a safety schoool, you can attempt to transfer up after the first year.

Such as UT?

I don't know that UT would be an adequate safety school for someone with a 158.  I know people that got rejected with 159's.

[ruskiegirl]

i know a nice 169 that got rejected from UT

We weren't talking about Texas, but about the original UT established in 1796.

[ruskiegirl]

The conversation was actually between me and bravesfan21.  We jab at each other because we went to rival schools (UT and UF).  But, yeah, it can get confusing on these boards.

[ruskiegirl]

How did the administration at UT compile their admission statistics?  I didn't know they knew how to count, hahaha.

Well, they counted each time that they beat Florida and multiplied it by a constant of the best record in the SEC (held by UT).