Any thoughts?

[hdsteele]

Hi to all- have been lurking here and enjoy the posts, very informative.

Here is my situation - I'm 48 years old and want to go to Law School.  However, my GPA from "way back when" (1973-1975) is horrible.  My GPA since I have gone back (25 years later) to finish is good.  Numbers wise, I have an overall GPA of about 2.6 with a GPA of 3.7 for the more recent 2 years of course work.  I have a practice LSAT score of 155 and a more interesting work background than most.

Any thoughts on exactly how the admissions people will look at me?  I am looking at Stetson and Florida State because of their location near family. 

Thanks!

[Ivy_Hopeful]

Just to gove you the basics, as a non-traditional applicant your LSAT (and the more recent cursework) will be weighted the most. Unforunately all grades leading up to the UGPA graduation (including the older grades) will be looked at under one scope (the UGPA), study hard (real hard) and up that LSAT practice score and you have a shot and some pretty good law schools especially if your work experience is more uique than most as you mentioned earlier.
GOOD LUCK! 

[hdsteele]

Thanks for the comments.  My plan is to take the June LSAT and I am beginning serious study now although it is hard because I work full time and am taking my final last 12 credit hours for the undergraduate degree.  I would like to apply to Stetson for the Spring 2005 semester.  Again my recent grades are good but the old ones really drag the GPA down.  My background is with the US Secret Service, 6 years or so working for the Royal Family of a middle eastern monarch and then 17 years in the business world.  I hope that my experience would be looked at favorably and that they would  overlook my "student-athlete" days (in my case that was backward!).  I am in a position where I can move to where the law school is and go full time.  I would like that to be Florida because thats where we want to end up.  I have always heard that it is better to apply and go to Law School win the state you want to practice in but don't know the truth about that.  Does anybody have any idea, if I keep the same LSAT-155 if I would have a shot at Stetson or Florida State?  I think Stetson is ranked higher than Florida State.  The other lower tier choice down there is Barry in Orlando but I think it is so new that it doesnt carry much weight educationally.

Thanks again, sorry to be so long winded!

[Ivy_Hopeful]

It's okay I like long  winded (look at my other hundreds of posts) 

You are very welcome, and also welcome to ask for any other comments, or if you have any other questions. Congrats on continuing to legal education, its a monumnental step.
IVY

[jgruber]

What a coincidence.  I'm 48 and applying to law school, and I got a 155 on my February LSAT.

Hmmmmm.  Am I talking to myself?   

[hdsteele]

Maybe we should go take it together and get a 310, explain "yes, thats just how good we are" and take turns going to Harvard.

Most likely we are both crazy.  Talking to yourself is just an indicator of things to come....

[jgruber]

Maybe we should go take it together and get a 310, explain "yes, thats just how good we are" and take turns going to Harvard.

Most likely we are both crazy.  Talking to yourself is just an indicator of things to come....

That won't work.  I'll lend you about .... let's saw 30 points and you give them back to me after you are accepted.