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Hi all,

I came to this forum in 2020 as a college senior with a 3.4 mid GPA. Everyone suggested I raise it up to 3.5 and luckily I got it up to 3.54 by graduation. I am taking two years off to work at a non-profit. What are my chances for HYS?

Another question: would it be helpful to retake my LSAT? I know each cycle is getting tougher and a 175 may lose its value. I’m PTing at 178 average but test taking conditions are different from practice so I’m not sure I’ll even get a better score.

Thank you for your time.

Softs(?): ivy undergrad, URM, senior thesis, executive positions across several campus publications, years of interning/volunteering in social justice/philanthropy

There’s no difference between a 175 and anything above a 175. A few years ago you’d basically be a lock anywhere. I can’t imagine that’s changed THAT much.

What's your major? Is it something extremely rigorous? Does your school do grade deflation? What is the average/median GPA at your school? Just need some more context for the 3.54.

Disagree. Splitter with super high LSAT, decent GPA, and URM should be a shoo in.

GPA is solid, I don’t think there’s a need for some big explanation. It’s not like it’s a sub-3 or something, that is a decent GPA.

Agree with Dcc. Chillax, focus on putting a solid app together, and if you somehow don't get at least one of HYS you'll have a big T14 scholarship which is at least as good an outcome anyway.

Yes - blanket T14, and one or more of Mich/UVA/Duke/NU should give you a $-$$ scholarship, perhaps more if your written materials are outstanding. NYU/Columbia/Penn are achievable, but likely will be sub $60k scholarship even if you get in (33%?). Chi and Harvard are reaches, S/Y are not worth applying to.

industrialstylebest wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 23, 2022 11:13 am

Yes - blanket T14, and one or more of Mich/UVA/Duke/NU should give you a $-$$ scholarship, perhaps more if your written materials are outstanding. NYU/Columbia/Penn are achievable, but likely will be sub $60k scholarship even if you get in (33%?). Chi and Harvard are reaches, S/Y are not worth applying to.

What is your rationale for these distinctions between NYU/Columbia/Penn, Harvard/Chi, and S/Y? Columbia and Penn are more selective than Chicago, and Harvard has higher median LSAT and UGPA stats than Stanford. (https://7sage.com/top-law-school-admissions/) Is your entire basis the USNWR rankings?

talons2250 wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 23, 2022 1:14 pm

industrialstylebest wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 23, 2022 11:13 am

Yes - blanket T14, and one or more of Mich/UVA/Duke/NU should give you a $-$$ scholarship, perhaps more if your written materials are outstanding. NYU/Columbia/Penn are achievable, but likely will be sub $60k scholarship even if you get in (33%?). Chi and Harvard are reaches, S/Y are not worth applying to.

What is your rationale for these distinctions between NYU/Columbia/Penn, Harvard/Chi, and S/Y? Columbia and Penn are more selective than Chicago, and Harvard has higher median LSAT and UGPA stats than Stanford. (https://7sage.com/top-law-school-admissions/) Is your entire basis the USNWR rankings?

I agree with the sentiment expressed above. I got into Chicago and waitlisted at Michigan. I know someone who got into Harvard, was rejected by Columbia, and got a scholarship at NYU. Another friend of mine got into Columbia but was rejected by NYU and Penn. These things are more random than people realize, and it's not correct that the more "prestigious" a school, the less likely it is that any given applicant will get in.

OP should just blanket the T14 and see what happens.