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The University of Virginia
TexAgAaron
Alum Member
So I recently have been considering schools and careers beyond what I originally have thought of doing. I am curious aboutthe University of Virginia's Law School and would love to hear anyone's experience with them (interviews, what they're looking for in an applicant, etc.). Thanks!
Comments
Disclaimer: I don't have any experience personally applying here but my s/o is a 3L at UVA and this is just what I can remember from his application process/ our experience in C'ville.
He applied early decision because UVA was his first choice, I remember helping him edit his PS in late september but I am assuming that his application was not complete until sometime in early october because that's when he took the LSAT. He got an email wanting to schedule a short phone interview in mid november and they gave him the acceptance about 5 min into the interview (i'm assuming the interview was just a final screen). Admissions at UVA seem to value GPA a little more than many of the other t-14 schools and this held true with him (If you're curious about numbers PM me).
As far as 'culture fit' goes: The community here is very outgoing and collegial. If beer and softball is your thing then you'll be right at home. If it's not, the community as a whole is still really friendly. There's always something social to do. UVA has somewhat of a "fratty" reputation, but our friend group here has been pretty eclectic. There's a laid-back vibe that (from what i've gathered) our friends at other t-14 schools have not experienced, and many law students here genuinely have a fun 3 years together.
Job prospects: in his section, I cannot (off the top of my head) think of a single person who wanted a biglaw job who did not get one. I don't know if that's typical or not but he wasn't short on offers in the market he targeted (NYC).
Overall, I would highly recommend. Good luck!
Paging @danielznelson !
So I agree with what was said above. I think they also value Why UVA essays a lot too, kinda like Penn (glad to explain how I know over PM). Generally speaking, these are very helpful with most schools, but they are particularly helpful with Penn and UVA. Both even hint that they want you to include one in your application.
I think high GPA and median LSAT, in addition to a why essay would help with their app a lot. But be wary about scholarship money too, if that is a factor.
Hope this helps!
Just for clarification @JustDoIt, are you saying that it's possible for a GPA of 3.94 (UVA's 75 percentile GPA) to compensate for a LSAT score of 168 (UVA's median LSAT score)? Also, are there other schools that value high GPA as well other than UVA and Penn? I was just simply curious!
Hi @TimLSAT180.
Sorry if I was ambiguous! I think across the T-14, UVA has a pretty high median GPA for its rank so I was speaking more generally. Plus where there GPA band is also relatively narrow, it kinda follows that you'll need an objectively very high GPA, if it is as much numbers as others claim.
As far as their LSAT goes, this is more "soft" and subject to fluctuation, within reason of course. This is less true of their GPA numbers. So I guess I was speaking more in general terms regarding their GPA and speaking more in specific terms as to LSAT.
I got some of that info from the link below, but if you look at LSN and some other self reported (yes, it is partly unrepresentative) data, you'll see that this still holds true despite this link being kinda old.
Disclosure: I know it's aimed at URM applicants, but I think you can glean a lot about Non-URMs too.
Hope this clarifies!
@"alex.e92" @JustDoIt thanks for the responses! That helps a lot! I'm a little low on the GPA unfortunately. I went to 2 separate schools but finished just over half of my degree and graduated from Texas A&M. I'm thinking my combined GPA will probably be in the 3.5 range unfortunately. My A&M one is 3.6 cum laude.
I don't know if that plus a 170 LSAT would get me in our not. LSN seemed to vary a lot.
Based on my reading of LSN, 3.5/170 is a probable "No" at UVA. However, a 171 or 172 could open up "splitter" opportunities throughout the T14.
@"Stevie C" yeah exactly. I think that 171+ would put most applicants above 3.5 in a great splitter position considering this is around or above most schools' 75th percentile. This would be most true at ranks below 6.
What do you mean by a splitter position?
Some schools are more likely than others to accept "splitters" -- those who are below the school's typical GPA but far above the typical LSAT. For example, someone with a 3.5/174 is a splitter -- compared to other law school hopefuls, their GPA is about average, but their LSAT beats 99% of the field.
Splitters will still have difficulty with Harvard/Yale/Stanford, but they can try their luck throughout the rest of the T14.
Yup! @"Stevie C"
Ahhh ok! Well dang, looks like UVA will be a stretch for me. My goal for the LSAT was about 168-170 though its not too far away from that.
The video posted above was actually what piqued my interest for UVA.
First of all, a 3.5 GPA and 170 LSAT would put you at 50/50, at best, in my opinion. But I don't have much evidence to support that.
UVA is my top choice and is really the only school I care about, save Michigan. I visited only those two schools and submitted "Why X" statements to only those two schools. Both admitted me relatively soon after I submitted my applications, and I haven't had the same luck with other schools. I imagine this goes for just about any school, but I definitely think a school like UVA really wants a particular "type" for their class and showing that I "fit in" to what they want out of their class seemed to be a help for me.
The student body is laid back, collegial (you'll hear that nonstop from them), and almost puzzlingly friendly.... like for real. I had several students randomly come up to me just to talk. The student body religiously supports others, especially since there are no class rankings. Basically, achieving one's best and helping others to do the same are not mutually exclusive concepts in the eyes of UVA students. If you're out for yourself at the expense of others or want a more intense, cutthroat environment, move on to another school.
In the end, the school really seems to want genuine, humble, and generous students. UVA gets a reputation for being fratty, though I'm not sure I got much of that, and I am the last person who would willingly join any frat-like-community (I don't even drink). On that note, drinking is a big part of the culture, but it was never assumed that everyone took part in it. In fact, many students would stress "if you drink, then..." It was also stressed that those who didn't drink fit in just as easily, and this was never an answer prompted from any prospective students' questions, including myself.
When I visited, there were three other prospective students. Two were clearly not into UVA, and I was glad. One showed up late and dressed waaaay down. He was also kind of a suckup. The other just gave off a vibe that he was too cool for everyone else, including the students guiding the tour. I ended up talking with a 35-year-old who was pretty quiet at first, and he and I hit it off really well. Predictably, UVA was his top choice.
Hey there; don't give up hope so quick! A 3.5-3.6 GPA doesn't put you as much of a bad spot as you think. As a matter of fact, you're right around the 25th percentile spot for schools below CCN -- so that doesn't make you a splitter. A splitter is someone with a GPA < 25th percentile and an LSAT > 75th percentile.
With your current GPA you have a decent shot with a 168-170 LSAT score at several T14 schools.
Source: http://mylsn.info/535wwy/
^ MyLSN tracks data for the last 5 cycles, and out of the 72 people who applied with your GPA and an LSAT between 168-170, 57 were accepted. You also should give Mich, NU, Duke and Cornell a look.
Also, PS: UVA and NU are known to be traditionally splitter friendly T14 schools. Several TLS and reddit threads have talked about this. The numbers on MyLSN further solidify this belief.
TL;DR -
i) you're not a splitter. Your GPA is around the 25th percentile. As a matter of fact, your GPA is above UVA's current 25th percentile (source: http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/about/factsstats.htm).
ii) Your chances aren't bad, at all - if you score a 168+ (preferably 170+) LSAT.
Good luck!
@danielznelson thank you for the insight! I really appreciate it and am encouraged! Real quick though, what is the "type" of student UVA is looking for? Also, how do employers evaluate students without rankings? GPA?
@thisissparta thank you for putting the numbers in better perspective for me! I feel a lot better about my chances now of making it if I put the work in.
I haven't really ever thought about reaching into the T-14 category. Didn't think I really had a shot. Thanks again y'all!
Good question. Mark Jefferson from Michigan's admissions told me, "If you're the kid who's willing to share the toys in the sandbox, you'll do well here. If you're the kid who wants to hog all of the toys, we're going to have a problem."
Granted, this was a statement made from a Michigan guy, but I think the same mentality holds at UVA (albeit a bit more laid back, perhaps). You simply won't fit in if you're only looking out for yourself at the expense of others. So UVA really seems to bring in people who come across as determined yet humble and generous people.
I think employers do use GPA, but I'm not sure how much. I've heard before that UVA grades are inflated (maybe more so than at other schools). But UVA seems to have a good reputation and network in general, so its grads are highly sought after.
This is all at least partially anecdotal, so take everything with a grain of salt.
I think that fits me quite well. However, I haven't had alot of opportunities to do volunteer work during undergrad because I had to work to support myself on top of school. Are they looking for volunteer work or would a great personal statement be just as effective?
I honestly don't know. And those are two entirely different things, but I personally think a fantastic PS would carry more weight than the absence of volunteer work on a resume. I could be wrong, however. It also depends on the applicant. If your job is high-demand or volunteer-like in nature, not having volunteer work wouldn't seem as significant to me. Your situation is another example of where volunteer work just isn't as feasible, so note that somehow in your application.
On another note, I'm sure they're used to seeing people join volunteer programs right around the time of applying. I imagine they see right through that. Volunteer if you want to, but don't do it just to put something on your resume.
I agree. Thanks again for the information and advice! I appreciate hearing from someone who has been there and done that.