3.63 GPA with 163 - which law schools in california???

[flora3892]

Hi everyone! this is only my 3rd post. i just got a 163 on the sept lsat with a 3.63 GPA in UC San Diego. I'm an Asian female (immigrated from Hong Kong at 10 years old). I was wondering which schools in california can be my safety schools and target schools?

i'm considering UCLA, UC Davis, USC, Hastings, Loyola, any other suggestions??

any help appreciated! Thanks!!

[bamf]

are you in state in Cali?

You have a real slim shot at UCLA, but your targets are Hastings and Davis.  Outside those two, pick your school based on where you want to live (ie if you want to live in LA, loyola, if you want San Diego go for USD ... etc.

[ElMismoPandejo]

You should probably get into Davis, decent chance at Hastings, just try UCLA but you're not going to get it.  Don't bother with any of the other Cali schools, they really suck and I doubt any of them would give you enough $$ to make it worth it.  Well if you want to live in San Diego, apply to USD but don't go unless they give you enough money to bring the tuition down to in-state CA level (~$25K).  USD is by far the best school for SD but even so, it's not worth whatever they're charging in private tuition.

You know what might be a good idea for you:  try the University of Arizona.  You'll probably get in and you can get in-state your second year, which would make it cheaper than Hastings or Davis.  Big SD firms are huge on local ties, and if you're from SD I doubt they'd apply a worse cutoff do you than they would an SD native at Hastings, Davis or USD.  They might not interview on campus though, but if you hustle you can get around that.

At the U of A, small firms in SD will probably give you the same look that they'd give a USD grad, provided you're from SD.  You'd also open up the Phoenix legal market for you, one of the few in the country that's actually growing.

[gldtiamat]

You should probably get into Davis, decent chance at Hastings, just try UCLA but you're not going to get it.  Don't bother with any of the other Cali schools, they really suck and I doubt any of them would give you enough $$ to make it worth it.  Well if you want to live in San Diego, apply to USD but don't go unless they give you enough money to bring the tuition down to in-state CA level (~$25K).  USD is by far the best school for SD but even so, it's not worth whatever they're charging in private tuition.

You know what might be a good idea for you:  try the University of Arizona.  You'll probably get in and you can get in-state your second year, which would make it cheaper than Hastings or Davis.  Big SD firms are huge on local ties, and if you're from SD I doubt they'd apply a worse cutoff do you than they would an SD native at Hastings, Davis or USD.  They might not interview on campus though, but if you hustle you can get around that.

At the U of A, small firms in SD will probably give you the same look that they'd give a USD grad, provided you're from SD.  You'd also open up the Phoenix legal market for you, one of the few in the country that's actually growing.

Actually, I'd say you have a pretty safe bet at getting into either Hastings or Davis.  UCLA would be a slim shot, but...that's just life.  At Davis, you're slightly ahead of the median...and I actually think the same goes for Hastings.  If you apply to UCD or Loyola, you'll more likely than not (I did with a slightly lower GPA) get a scholarship that makes the tuition slightly less or = to UC tuition.  Santa Clara can be stingy with money, though...

Just a word of advice.  Don't apply on the deadlines like I did, lol.  For Loyola and USD, it actually worked to my advantage where they gave me grants instead of scholarships (same money, but no GPA requirements).  For the UCs, it ended up really hurting me as I got initially waitlisted, then didn't get grant money because I applied so late.  Whatever the case, I think you'll be fine for the schools listed and anything lower!  =D

[flora3892]

thank you everybody for all your advice!!