Choosing a Law School

[MrSmith]

I'm having a tough time deciding what law schools to apply to. There are a lot of factors and I want to make sure I consider every possible angle. Are there some basic factors that you recommend? I don't want to send out a ton of applications if I don't have to.

[Maura Lafferty]

To narrow down the number of applications you send, you will want to target the schools that accept students that are within your GPA and LSAT range in addition to applying to schools that are just above. Most schools publish detailed statistics on how many applicants with a certain LSAT score and GPA are accepted. You can use that information to help you determine where you should apply. The admissions offices will give you this information, and for instance, Harvard's 25% and 75% LSAT range of students is 167/173. Their 25% / 75% GPA is 3.73 / 3.93. As Law Services suggests, the general philosophy on applying to law schools is that you should have a threefold plan: dream a little, be realistic, and be safe. Most applicants have no trouble selecting dream schools--those that are almost, but not quite, beyond their grasp--or safe schools--those for which admission is virtually certain. Thus, if you apply to those law schools whose student body profiles most closely match your personal profile, you have a better chance of being admitted.

[Jon Denning]

There's a great resource at https://officialguide.lsac.org/Release/ ... fault.aspx that allows you to plug in your GPA and LSAT score and see what your odds of admission are at various schools. Might give you a good idea about where you can go currently, as well as what sort of score improvement you'll need to get into any target schools you're considering.

[Anne Chaconas]

LSAT and GPA numbers are definitely important when selecting a law school, but the intagibles (school location, offerings, class sizes, career prospects, rankings, etc.) are also just as important (if not more important), in my opinion.

Take a look at this blog post on our LSAT and Law School Admissions Blog; it gives a breakdown of what else you should be considering as you make your final decisions: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/choosing-a-law-school/

Best of luck with your applications! And be sure to let us know if you have any questions as you apply!

[jenn]

I need some suggestions related to LSAT. What if I meet the minimum index but I do not have the minimum LSAT score required? Or what if I have the minimum LSAT score, but not the minimum index? Will I be considered for admission in law school?

www.askforeducation.com/online-schools/by-subject/social-sciences/law

[Anne Chaconas]

Hi Jenn,

Your question is a bit of an odd one--schools typically do not have "minimum" requirements of anything, even LSAT scores (which is why, ever year, students with relatively low LSAT scores get into the most prestigious law schools--other things in their applications allowed them to stand out enough to be offered admission). When you say "index," I assume you mean the result of the index formula which some schools use for admission and others don't. However, those formulas (which are customized for each school) are not publicized, so I'm not sure where you could be getting them and plugging in your numbers.

In any case, here is my advice:

1. Become familiar with the LSAT/GPA ranges each school prefers (again, these are not "minimum" or "maximum" numbers, but ranges in which the schools accept the majority of students). You can find these in LSAC's Official Guide to Law School Admissions, here: http://officialguide.lsac.org.

2. Aim to obtain an LSAT score well within or above the range for the schools in which you are interested. This will allow you to maximize that part of your profile.

3. If your GPA is well below what a school looks for, aim to get an LSAT score that is well above the 75th percentile of what the school typically prefers. This will minimize the damage done by your GPA.

4. Don't worry about "indexes." Instead, focus on presenting the very best application you can, from your letters of recommendation and essays, to your LSAT score.

If you put forth a strong application, with strong numbers and a cohesive essays and letters, you will be considered for admission, regardless of what any index might say.

Best of luck!