need help with odds!

[heynow]

Heres my stats
3.96 from Tier 3 university (junior)
double major in English and Political Sci
minor in French
170 best practice LSAT score (shooting for 175 actual)
2 full time summer internships
Female Minority

Heres my mistakes
33 credit hours that were horrible at antother university (1.
these credits were never transferred to my degree granting university because I just left and "started fresh", so basically they're irrelavent to my undergrad degree
shoplifitng incident at 15 and had to do community service

I'm working really hard and have my heart set on attending either Harvard or Columbia.  I calculated what my cum gpa would be with the bad grades and its about a 3.5 if I keep doing well.  I've been thinking about joining the marines (always wanted to do it esp after 9/11) after undergrad and then applying to law school the following year.  How much leverage would that give my application?  And the bad grades from before were result of an abusive relationship. (Im going to include a note in the LSDAS report about that)  So my basic question boils down to will the marines help my chances and can those schools overlook my "shady" past?

[ebrumm]

Why would you even need to mention a shoplifting thing when you were 15? Thats far from a major felony! I think youre a shoe in for many great great schools!

[heynow]

I thought it was best to divulge any and all info (the Bar conducts an Extensive Background check!) But what do you guys think? Am I Harvard material?

[karenw911]

I  would NOT leave your juvenile incident off of your application.  You're asking for trouble if you do.  Law schools are foregiving of these types of juvenile indiscretions but they will not condone lying or falsification by inadmission.

Your credentials sound great.  You get that 175 and you can probably get into the school of your choice.

Karen W.

[heynow]

Sorry that 33 hrs at another school was a 1.87 I hope that schools will be able to overlook that, I don't want to sound like a baby but my situation was pretty bad.  Its so unfair that grades irrelavent to your under grad degree have to be counted!!! I've worked so hard and I feel like I wont get into a top five because that is holding me back (sorry venting)

[drewpac]

Are you an URM or Over represented minority?  That would make a huge difference.  If you're an URM you will get into the school of your choice with a 165 or better.  Good luck and keep that gpa up!

[heynow]

Thanks guys for all your input, well I went to a recruiting office and of course they sugar coated everything, but I think I'm going to enlist!  That said I also added an econ minor to my workload, (b/c I know I'll use it later) and hopefully graduate by next fall leaving me the spring for boot camp.  Im happy about the timing but I wonder if my early graduation (3.5yrs) instead of four will affect my chances. Im studying hardcore for the LSAT (consistantly getting around 175!) and I don't know if I'm an under represented minority or not (1/4 Iranian 1/4 Pakistani and 1/2 Afghani) and does that count as being multi racial I have no clue.  I always just considered myself Asian on those ethnicity choices. 

[drewpac]

They don't consider people of Middle Eastern descent an URM.  Good thing you're gonna have a high LSAT!  With a 175 LSAT score it doesn't matter what you are, schools will still be begging for you to attend.

[ebrumm]

Going back to the whole shoplifting thing - read through all the apps closely - if the ask you to reccount any misdemeanors in the last 5 years or while in college, etc - then shoplifting when you were 15 is hardly applicable (unless youre a 19 or 20 year old college graduate). I think listing it would be adding in useless info that can be interpreted negatively... just another opinion

[blugidy blahblah]

Hey, hold on there for a minute...don't enlist!!!!  Trust me!  I just finished 4 years.  You'll have a college degree, so the last thing you need to do is make life harder on yourself.  If you're going to have a college degree and really want to go into the military, by all means, play your cards and go officer!!!  If you enlist, you'll be a dung beatle.  But you have a degree, so you are able to become an officer.  The pay is better, the quarters are better, there's more respect and your uniform is kickin!  But good god don't go enlisted if you have the college degree!!!