Law school admission strategy

[Anonymous]

DC interested in law school, and wondering if DC should attend a reach undergraduate college or a target given gpa matters for law school admission (assuming he is lucky to get into several reaches).

I know a few schools he is applying to that dont grade inflate. I would much rather have him attend low target, improve his chances for a 4.0 than a higher ranking competitive school with a 3.7.

Thoughts on strategy?

[Anonymous]

Grades must be nearly perfect from day one - the median at many top schools is now 3.9. Also - Law School is expensive, so select undergrad accordingly. If you don’t have $700,000 to spend on your kids education, or you want to help them avoid massive debt, don’t go full pay private undergrad - it will not matter one bit to the law school. They still focus primarily on GPA and LSAT, and applications are through the roof.

[Anonymous]

It's not harder to get high grades at reach schools.

[Anonymous]

Target vs reach doesn't matter. College grades and LSAT matter.

If she wants a slight edge, she should work for two years after college.

[Anonymous]

Sorry *he

[Anonymous]

You need to think further out: What are your child’s goals beyond “go to law school”? Law school is a means to an end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Grades must be nearly perfect from day one - the median at many top schools is now 3.9. Also - Law School is expensive, so select undergrad accordingly. If you don’t have $700,000 to spend on your kids education, or you want to help them avoid massive debt, don’t go full pay private undergrad - it will not matter one bit to the law school. They still focus primarily on GPA and LSAT, and applications are through the roof.

Based on data under prelaw advising available to current students, the two T10s(one ivy one not) my kids attend have students accepted to lower T14s with average to slightly above GPA at those schools(3.8), LSATs 166-170, which is also avg to slightly above for these undergrads. Being in the top 15-20% at the school (3.96 at one, 3.90 at the other) and LSAT around 170+ is almost guaranteed T14 and many of them get into T5s. There are 2-10 students each year going to each of the T5 law schools. Professors know what it takes and advise correctly, write good recs, and there are internships through the schools to build the resume, bolstered by the fact that both of these undergrads have a top-5 law school. Law schools use GPA in the context of the undergrad; they are known to dip well below 3.9 for students from top schools/rigorous programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Target vs reach doesn't matter. College grades and LSAT matter.

If she wants a slight edge, she should work for two years after college.

Prestige of undergrad college provides a bump: T14 law schools are well aware that a 3.8 at a top school with majority 98-99%ile uber competitive high schoolers takes a lot more work than getting a 3.9+ at a T50 or lower. Not a coincidence that T14 law schools favor undergrads from their own and each other's schools.

[Anonymous]

strategy is simple - get perfect/almost perfect grade and LSAT

[Anonymous]

I think you have a better shot at the 3.7 at a competitive school than the 4.0 at a less competitive school. I don't think people realize how many smart hard-working kids are at "less" competitive schools.

My son has a friend who graduated number 1 or 2 at our public high school. He is at the same state school as my son on a full ride. Kids with those grades at our high school usually have options like Duke, Penn and Cornell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Target vs reach doesn't matter. College grades and LSAT matter.

If she wants a slight edge, she should work for two years after college.

Prestige of undergrad college provides a bump: T14 law schools are well aware that a 3.8 at a top school with majority 98-99%ile uber competitive high schoolers takes a lot more work than getting a 3.9+ at a T50 or lower. Not a coincidence that T14 law schools favor undergrads from their own and each other's schools.

The problem is that every time someone tries to prove that undergrad prestige matters, they cannot separate correlation from causation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Target vs reach doesn't matter. College grades and LSAT matter.

If she wants a slight edge, she should work for two years after college.

Prestige of undergrad college provides a bump: T14 law schools are well aware that a 3.8 at a top school with majority 98-99%ile uber competitive high schoolers takes a lot more work than getting a 3.9+ at a T50 or lower. Not a coincidence that T14 law schools favor undergrads from their own and each other's schools.

The problem is that every time someone tries to prove that undergrad prestige matters, they cannot separate correlation from causation.

Well, let's say they don't want to be a lawyer anymore. It could matter then.

[Anonymous]

If they do too well and are not fortunate enough to have law school funded, they could be stuck in BigLaw paying off BigLoans.

Also, scoring a 170+ on the LSAT is not the piece of cake that DCUM makes it out to be and not something everyone achieves with a little practice. How were ACT/SAT scores?

[Anonymous]

OP you are way overthinking.

[Anonymous]

Don't know what their goal is, but law firm life is often not overly fulfilling. Jobs that appear potentially rewarding or interesting often pay less. It's not like medical field where you're potentially making people's lives better.