Law School Admissions For a Felon | 160 LSAT | 2.7 GPA
These were my results of applying to 24 schools with a 160 LSAT with a 2.7 GPA as a convicted felon.
What Were My Credentials for Applying to Law School?
I applied at the end of 2024 for the Fall 2025 start date. These results are, what I can only assume, primarily weighed on by a felony conviction from 2018. I’m 31, have 10+ years of management experience (at the time of writing), 2+ years of Intellectual Property experience, and start-up experience. On paper, usually, I’m a great choice for many businesses.
On paper sent in for law school admissions, I’m not a great choice. On top of my felony, I have a 2.7 GPA due to not being serious in college when I went and didn’t finish earlier in life (2014-2017). In 2022 I went back and finished a business degree online within two years. Prior to that I had three years of a biology bachelors finished before I dropped out due to my arrest.
All of that being said, at this point in my life I’m very ready for the seriousness of law school, the gravity of what being an attorney entails, and the challenges that will arise from the journey. I’ve come a long way since my 2017 arrest, and I intend on proving it to myself, Shirley, and all of the schools that rejected me. Spite isn’t the only motivator – in fact, it’s the smallest of all of my motivators, but I like to cast a wide net of things to keep me going.
Cast a Wide Net
When I applied to all of these schools, I did it with the intention of playing the schools that accepted me against each other for the best scholarship. As the rejections rolled in, I realized that my ego pointed me in the right direction, but for the wrong reasons.
I’m glad I applied 24 schools due to the fact that I only got accepted to 1 school and waitlisted to 1 school.
Had I just chosen a few that I really liked, I would have been up paddle creek without a shit. My wide net approach came in handy even if I threw it while my head was big.
The first school to send me an acceptance was Cooley in Michigan. Then I got waitlisted at DePaul in Chicago a couple of weeks later. I didn’t know of Cooley’s reputation when I applied, and boy was that a humbling experience. “Worst Law School in America.” Period. Not a question mark. After a ton of reading forums, articles, etc., my take is this – the schooling isn’t bad, the admissions is. They accept everyone which means their Bar Passage rates are extremely low. It’s not the school, it’s the student.
Cooley, The Worst Law School in America
I talked to a few current students and got their take, and they confirmed this. If you’re a high-achiever or just “able” – you’ll be fine. The professors are experts, and the school will help you succeed. If you’re someone that academically shouldn’t be accepted into any other law school, then you’re going to have problems. I’m fine with this. I just hope Cooley stays in business for three more years. I am very thankful for them offering me a spot at their school. They will get my full loyalty and gratitude for taking a chance on me.
Why Am I Going to Law School?
There’s a few reasons.
- Justice
- Creative Problem Solving
- Intellectual Property
- Offer High Value Help for Free
Primarily, I love right and wrong. If I’m right, I will ensure you know it and know why I’m right. I love proving a point. I love beating a dead horse. So much of being an attorney is making your case and making it as palatable as possible while staying in the confines of the rules. It’s being creative and finding solutions. I love what the mental challenges will bring. Additionally, I love the intellectual property field and want to litigate against IP infringers. I have second-hand experience in this due to my profession at the time of writing this. Peoples’ creations, inventions, and original thought deserve to be protected.
You know that feeling when you’re with a group of friends and you toss out a funny line, but no one hears it? Then someone else that heard it says what you just said louder, and then everyone laughs at “their” joke? I want to legally crush that person.
Finally, the legal world is so incredibly complex that the average person just cannot know how to navigate it.
If you’re in legal trouble, and you don’t have money – you’re essentially fu***d.
I want to provide information about complex topics in simple terms for free. I don’t think you should have to pay $100k in tuition to know how to navigate laws, the legal system, contracts, etc. You should be able to have a source of information to get a good understanding to make better decisions for yourself.
Conclusion
So – that was a bit about my background, my law school admissions results and why I’m going to law school. This is going to grow and grow over the next 3-4 years with information that I learn in my schooling. My goal is to provide those interested in law school topics with information broken down into understandable summaries. My focus will be intellectual property: patents, trademarks, copyright, etc., but I will still focus on all topics in depth.
Thanks,
Brad