Dear Swifty,
Please let me first apologise for not attending to your question
earlier: I haven?t seen it and apparently so did none of my regular
spies and informants among the other Researchers, who would have
notified me.
Your GPA is wonderful, and so is your experience. Your LSAT is very
borderline, or even substandard for the schools you?ve asked for. In
addition, none of these schools is particularly known to be an easy
choice for a non-traditional or an older student. I added a list of
schools ranked as the best for non traditional, older, students,
according to the Princeton Review (with their ranking in US News?
ranking); and a link to a discussion group of older law students,
which I am sure could contribute to you now as well as in your future
life as a student.
Best Schools for Non-Traditional/Older Students and Their US News Ranking
=========================================================================
1 Seattle University - Ranked 99 in US News -
http://www.law.seattleu.edu/admission/application ; 75th Percentile
LSAT Score 159 ; 75th Percentile GPA 3.6.
2 University of Wyoming ? On US News Tier 4 ? average LSAT 151.91 ;
GPA 3.29 - http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/Law/Prospective%20Students/home.htm
3 Arizona State University - Ranked 53 in US News - median LSAT
score of 161; 3.5 median score - http://www.law.asu.edu/
4 Northern Illinois University - On US News Tier 4. Median LSAT 156;
Median GPA 3.26 http://law.niu.edu/go.cfm?do=Page.View&ID=363
5 University of New Mexico - ranked 99 in US News ? admission
statistics N/a on their site. http://lawschool.unm.edu/about/index.htm
6 Rutgers University, Newark - ranked 72 in US News -
http://law.newark.rutgers.edu/ - 3.60/3.0 and 162/153 on the LSAT.
7 Georgia State University - ranked 89 in US News -
http://law.gsu.edu/ - he average GPA is 3.32 and the average LSAT
score is a 158.
8 University of Utah - ranked 47 in US News -
http://www.law.utah.edu/ Median UGPA was 3.60, and median LSAT was 162
for last year's admitted candidates.
9 South Texas College of Law ? On US News Tier 4 -
http://www.stcl.edu/ - 2.66/3.36 GPA and 146/152 LSAT scores.
10 University of Arkansas at Little Rock ? On US News Tier 4 -
http://www.law.ualr.edu/ - No statistics on the site.
SOURCES: an integrated version of Princeton Review ranking of the 10
best schools for older/non-traditional students, with US News ranking
of law schools:
America?s Best Law Schools ? US News
<http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/grad/rankings/law/lawindex_brief.php>
Princeton Review - Most Welcoming of Older Students
<http://www.princetonreview.com/law/research/rankings/rankingDetails.asp?topicID=11>
As mentioned before, this Yahoo! Group might be of support:
Yahoo! Group: Older Law Students <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/olderlawstudents/>
See also this discussion forum:
Law School Discussion ? Non-traditional Students
<http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/board,5.0.html>
Now for the universities you?ve asked for.
US News Top 15 Universities - Admission Policies for Non-Traditional Students
=============================================================================
1. Columbia - <http://www.law.columbia.edu/> - only 9% of the students
are over 30. LSAT median is 171 (with mean of 170); and the median GPA
is 3.70, with a mean of 3.65. Your chances are not high, because in
every aspect bar your GPA, you are bellow their usual standards.
2. University of Chicago - <http://www.law.uchicago.edu/> - 10% of the
students are over 30. The medial candidate has a 3.65 GPA and 169 on
their LSAT. Chicago has a name of a school valuing the LSAT highly,
and therefore your chances are not good; but ? since they are adamant
on disputing that reputation, you might have a chance after all, in
the name of diversity.
3. University of Michigan?Ann Arbor - <http://www.law.umich.edu/> -
the median GPA is 3.62; LSAT is 167 . The average age of the students
is 24.2 with 16% studying law as a second career.
4. University of Pennsylvania - < http://www.law.upenn.edu/> ; 75th
Percentile LSAT.171 ; 25th Percentile LSAT. 166 ; 75th Percentile
GPA.. 3.8 ; 25th Percentile GPA.. 3.4. Avergae age is 24 (Age Range:
20-42).
5. University of Virginia - < http://www.law.virginia.edu/> - The
median student has a 3.66 GPA and scored 167 on their LSAT; the
average age is 24, but older students are welcomed. The school tries
to stress in their publications, how important to them is diversity,
including that of age and non-traditional applicants. Despite their
high standards, there is some chance here.
6. Duke University ? < http://www.law.duke.edu/ > Last years? typical
applicant had scored 162-168 on their LSAT and had a GPA of 3.38 to
3.83. The school is committed to diversity, and the scores are very
close to your own. No information on average age, though.
7. Northwestern University (IL) - < http://www.law.northwestern.edu/>
- 60% of the students have previous work experience, though that could
also include some young college students who took paralegal work for
the summer; their LSAT ranges between 159-167 to 166-170 and GPAs
between 3.5 - 3.8; the average age of the students is 25, with an age
range of 21-38. You can write to their diversity officer for more
info ? they have one, which is a good sign -
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/minorityaffairs/ ; advice: go for it!
? you?re theoretically passing the entrance requirements and they seem
like a diversity school.
8. Cornell University (NY) ? < http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/ > The
age range of the students is 20-35, and ?In recent years, the median
LSAT of the entering class was 165 and the GPA was 3.5, but remember,
these are medians. The range is actually very broad, reflecting the
fact that we look at everything, not just the numbers.? (SOURCE: Uncle
Ezra, < http://ezra.cornell.edu/>), See also their help page for older
students < http://www.rso.cornell.edu/maturestudents>
9. University of California?Berkeley - http://www.law.berkeley.edu/
- ? For the past several years the median GPA and LSAT score of
admitted applicants have ranged from 3.7-3.8 and 167-169,
respectively. The ranges are broad. The school's admission policy
gives consideration to a variety of factors in addition to numerical
indicators. These include graduate work, special academic
distinctions, life experiences, difficulty of the academic program,
work experience, history of overcoming educational or socioeconomic
disadvantage, and significant achievement in nonacademic activities or
public service.? (SOURCE: JD FAQ <
http://www.law.berkeley.edu/prospectives/admissions/jddegree/faq.html>).
10. Georgetown University (DC) : - http://www.law.georgetown.edu/ -
?For the entering class of 2003, the median LSAT 169, GPA 3.64?. The
school has a diversity policy, but not much is divulged.
11. University of Texas?Austin ? < http://www.utexas.edu/law/> the
LSAT Median score was 165 (with some having 160); the GPA median was
3.68; They take into consideration your work experience and age .
I hope this answers your question. In my opinion, if you need a
recommendation, go for all of those that *could* admit you. It seems
to me that there is a chance in all of them, even in Columbia, but
that you should concentrate your efforts in Northwestern. Please
contact me if you need any clarification on this answer before you
rate it.
My search terms:
For each university ? searched for their admission statistics;
In addition, searched for policies and ?rumours? using this search pattern:
"non traditional students" OR "older students" law [name of institution] |
