<p>I was reading through admissions information on the Columbia University website, and they state that:</p>
<p>“While the Admissions Committee assigns no weights or relative levels of importance to any specific criteria for admission, one factor in assessing an applicant’s undergraduate transcript is the reputation of the school. Strong grades in challenging courses in a competitive program are factors that can be quite compelling, but they are not isolated factors. The Committee also considers the other factors as reflected in your file from the information submitted very carefully.”</p>
<p>Quite frankly, this is scaring me. I can’t really tell what they mean by this, but I read it as meaning that because I go to Georgia State University (and may have to stay because of financial trouble) that I am screwed. For awhile, I was feeling that if I keep up my 3.9 GPA and get a REALLY good LSAT score (say, 170 or something like that, maybe?), I might have a shot at getting into a top law school. Reading stuff like this makes me not so sure anymore…</p>
<p>No offense, but 170 isn’t a really good score if you’re aiming for Columbia Law. Their quartile numbers for Fall 2005 were 3.50-3.67-3.80 GPA and 168-171-173, so a 170 is below their median. Just concentrate on getting high numbers and your school won’t matter as much.</p>
<p>Simply means that a 4.0 from Chico State doesn’t guarantee you admission. It’s easier to be at the top of your class at a mediocre school than the middle of your class at a great school, and Columbia uses that as one factor. </p>
<p>Georgia State isn’t a bad school. Your 3.9 will just be assessed differently than a 3.9 from MIT.</p>
<p>im_blue - I guess I was figuring that since they listed the mean as a 170 that it may be good enough for them, but I guess I need to look at much more than that…so I’m guessing maybe a 172-73?</p>
<p>Thanks for the insight everyone. I guess now that I’ve finally figured out what I want to do in life I just wouldn’t want going to a state school to hold be back from doing it.I’ll probably be going to school this summer and graduating a year early so that I can get an extra year of work in before I go off to graduate school, so I’m really starting to think about my testing and scores, etc.</p>
<p>A 3.9/170 would give you a pretty good chance at Columbia. But of course, there’s no point in speculating until you actually have a score. In any event, they’re probably not going to care that you go to Georgia State.</p>