Advice?

DinnerAtSix

Y'all,

I have a 3.49 gpa at the end of my junior year due to a very rough sophomore year, and am thinking of applying to law schools in the fall. Will law schools wonder why I don't just sit out this admissions cycle and apply next year, since my grades show a nice upward trend? The real reason I am insistent on applying this cycle is because I am an international student and finding a job within the 90 days after graduation as stipulated by my F-1 visa will be hard with a mere Psych degree.

My question is: should I just apply to schools that are within my reach [T25 - T40] this cycle, or should I (to the great consternation of my quintessential South Asian parents) return home for a year and apply next year with a ~ 3.65?

I haven't taken the LSAT yet, but with the few practice tests I've done, I'm averaging a 167 and really want to bring it up to a 170.

Thank you!

Alex

@DinnerAtSix

First, let me congratulate you on an awesome LSAT PT scores!

Second, you never really mention your goals...
Do you want to attend a T25-T50? Or are you looking to break into the T14?
I know parents can be overbearing, but you need to understand that ultimately this is your life and you have to do what is best for you. I was raised by my grandparents who were 100% against me being a lawyer. They thought lawyers were all scam artists and whatnot... I still am doing what is best for me! I'm going to be the one living my life; not them, so I need to operate and make decisions as such.

I think you should first figure out your long term goals and make a plan to achieve them. I'm not sure why, but I get a feeling from your post that your heart doesn't seem in this. At least not applying with your GPA as it is now... If I'm off base I apologize.

So I guess it is hard to give further advice since we don't really know your goals. If you want to get into a T14 take the LSAT when you have studied until you have truly reached your potential. With only taking a few PTs and averaging a 167, I'd venture you could nail a 175+ on game day with enough prep. If you are aiming for a T25 and up, I'd still recommend you prep until you hit your potential. Even at a T50 you'll appreciate a full ride

Hope this helps a bit... Good luck

Cant Get Right

You don't have to get a job in your field or anything. Just wait tables or something. Stick around, apply with the better GPA, and have plenty of time to max out your LSAT score and really polish your application. If applying to higher ranked schools is what you really want, do what you need to do to make it happen! It's a very insignificant amount of time when compared to the opportunities a better school will provide you.

Kateryna

@"Cant Get Right" international students are required to get job only in their field. they cannot take a gap year to work as a waitresses.

Cant Get Right

Wow, that sucks.