Should I Apply as a Splitter

[Mmjd12]

Hi Everyone,

My PTs are consistantly 170-175. In an ideal world I would like to apply to T5 school. I'm in my late 20s, 8-10 years of work experience, 3.76GPA in undergrad from a liberal arts school, and URM. I have good letters of recommendation, but not from anyone with a "connection" to those schools. (alumni, etc) I am applying for a joint MBA/JD program, although both programs operate completely independently so my law school application would not necessarily influence my business school application and vice versa.

I realize my GPA is below the median for a T5 school. I'm taking the lsat for the first time in the next couple months and I'm doing all I can to improve to above 175. But I'm unable to swing a 175+ on test day, what do you think realistically my odds are? I don't have endless resources so I have to judicious about which schools I apply to.

[Mmjd12]

***If I am unable to swing a 175+ on test day ...

[Adam Tyson]

A lot depends on the rest of your application, Mmjd12, but this much is certain: if you don't apply, your odds of acceptance are zero.

Medians are the middle, which means there are admitted students below those numbers. Why not you? If your application is strong in other ways, and you have your heart set on a particular school, go for it! I understand that resources are limited, and you may not be able to apply to every program that you would be interested in attending, so consider speaking to the admissions offices at some of those schools to feel them out. Pay a visit, schedule an informative interview, see what sort of feedback you get.

For now, focus on that LSAT score. The better you do, the better your chances. Some schools may be looking for higher LSAT applicants and be willing to trade that off against below-median GPAs. That's your best bet for a T-5 school.

But also, give some thought as to why you want one of those schools. Would a full ride to a lower ranked school be a better choice for you, giving you greater flexibility after graduation thanks to a lower debt load? Or do you have your heart set on a career in Big Law, or on the Federal bench, or eventually teaching at a prestigious law school? If not, then why T-5? Don't fall into the trap of thinking that those schools are somehow "better" in some objective way. Consider whether you need that pedigree in order to build the kind of career you want. Lots of lawyers - MOST lawyers - don't go to those schools, and they still have rewarding careers in a variety of fields.

In the end, apply to schools you want to attend. Some may be a reach, but if you don't try, you may miss a rewarding opportunity.