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Hello,

I really would like opinions on how my numbers and softs would do this cycle. I just sent all my apps in.

Stats:
Latino URM (Puerto Rican)
Highest LSAT - 157
CAS GPA: 3.81
Pretty decent softs (Govt. agency legal internship, tons of community service, leadership roles in school orgs, office work experience, amazing letters of rec)

*Important* Retaking is not an option due to my limited years of free education via GI Bill dependent.
I'm pretty disappointed in my LSAT, especially after getting the same score twice. It's a shame but it is what it is, and waiting a year to retake would most likely mean paying out pocket for one year of school vs. finishing law school debt free if I go in now.

List of schools I'm applying
- Georgetown (Early Decision)
- Cornell
- George Washington
- Fordham
- University of Washington (Seattle)
- USC Gould

Would I have any chance at all applying to any other T-14's? Biglaw would be ideal, but I'd be perfectly happy with good job at a medium size firm.

I get that sitting out a cycle might not be an option because of deadlines. However, that doesn't mean retake is not an option. If you're capable of a 157 and you're a URM you're throwing away a chance to go to Harvard for free by not retaking in later in the cycle. For most people, it doesn't make any sense to retake in the spring for the current cycle. For you it does. For the love of god, retake and get over 160. From my limited experience with tutoring students, URMs are H competitive at like 163ish. I have a previous URM student with a similar GPA at 167 going to S right now. You have nothing but $200 and some study time to lose and damn near everything to gain by retaking this spring.

In case it's not clear, I believe almost every T-13 will make a spot for you as late as July if you hit 163.

edit: just scrolled over to lawschoolnumbers.com. There are current URMs with your GPA in at Harvard with a 161. 4 points. Harvard. For free. If you don't have the money for a tutor, PM me. I've got some time between now and spring semester.

AJordan is right and is very kind for his/her offer, and you should take them up on it. At the very least you have no reason not to be retaking every offering from now until matriculation next fall.

In another point, if midlaw/mid sized firms are an attractive alternative to biglaw for you, I'm sorry to say this but the same types of people who land summer associate spots and recent grad spots at these typea of places are usually those who are at least competitive for biglaw, i.e. go to t13 schools or have the good grades necessary to get looks at least from large firms. They don't hire a ton of people, pay more than small law, offer a theoretical chance at working less than biglaw but still getting some of the same sort of work, and have paid good paying summer associate positions. For these reasons they are usually competitive and not something that can be banked on as "easier" to get than biglaw.

That is to say you need to go to a school that consistently places into biglaw if you want a high chance to get your desired first choice or secondary choice job.