My school (a T1, probably lower T1) grades on a B median for classes over a certain size, basically all first year courses. I honestly have no idea where my GPA will put me in my class, but I think I'm doing ok. It will be a nice set up, because next semester is going to be insane.

Congrats on being top 25% of your class, that's awesome.

Yes, I am a freak, but I really enjoyed CivPro quite a bit. My professor was outstanding, which helped.

How long did you all wait between undergrad and law school (that is, if you waited at all)?

I am looking at law schools right now, particularly in the south (UVA, Vandy, Emory, William and Mary)-- high hopes, I know. I've read what their websites and brochures say about grades and LSAT scores, but anyone have actual experience with applying to these schools? Any advice?

I didn't wait at all, but I wish that I would have. It'll be nice to graduate at 24 but I don't know why I couldn't have waited another year. I mostly applied to northern schools so I can't tell you anything about those other than that William and Mary was the only school my boyfriend applied to that he didn't get into - but that was 7 years ago. ;)

Get it over with ASAP.

I waited 4 years between undergrad and law school. I wasn't in a position financially to go right after college, and the four years allowed me to be able to afford it. I'm in an evening program, but I'll still graduate before my 30th birthday, which was my goal.

As to those schools, I have no experience, but I know they're all great schools. The only Southern school I applied to was George Mason, the rest were Northern schools or in DC. Good luck.

I waited a year between undergrad and law school. I was waitlisted to a few schools, and accepted to a T4 school and just decided to wait to reapply in hopes of getting accepted into a higher ranked school. (I'll be a 1L this fall) I spent the year working but wishing I had gone straight to school because I am unhappy at my current job. But I was able to save up a bit of money which helped with tuition deposits, and other expenses I have to cover on my own.

Going straight through (4 UG, 3 LS), I'd rather not put it off. However, if you're trying for higher schools, WE can help.

B is top 25? Thats nuts. I wish that was the case here. Also, what is the universal breakdown for LS tiers? T1=?

I went straight through. Looking back, I wish I had done something I'd never have the chance to do again (travel, work somewhere interesting) for a year in between.

Good luck!

I don't know if there is a universal breakdown, but maybe people are referring to the US News & World Report rankings and treating the Top 100 as Tier 1 (1-50) and Tier 2 (51-100).

Thats what I figure. However, the higher you go the more discriminating the perceptions seem to be.

I'm with you on the B thing - I have a B average and I think I'm just barely in the top half of my class, not that I'd know for sure since my class rank is grossly overdue.

That's what I was using - my school is somewhere in the 40s, so that's the breakdown I used. I agree though that the schools at the top (the Ivies, U of Chicago, etc.) would probably laugh if I referred to my school as Tier 1 in front of them.

I went to a T4 not because I suck, but because of the location. It's literally 2 miles from my father's law office. I elected to work there in the day so as to become familiar with his client base (and get them familiar with me) and then go to school at night. Prestige of degree, etc. are really meaningless to me since I'll have a really good job when I graduate, and within 10 years or so, I'll take over a pretty profitable firm.

At any rate, T4's are probably all similar in that they suffer a lot of attrition in their classes due to exorbitant tuition cost differentials between our schools and public, higher ranked schools. To discourage that, they deflate the grades.. So with my B average, I may be top 25% at my school, but if I take that GPA to say... OU, where I'd have no problem getting in, I'd be near the bottom of my class. Also, were I top 50% instead of top 25%, I probably couldn't find a school that'd take me with that low a GPA. In sum, it's all about the money.

It doesn't really tick me off that badly. No client is ever going to ask me my GPA, and none will care where I went to school.

True. The reality is that, unless you're up for a SCOTUS appointment, three years out of law school nobody cares what your grades or your class rank were anymore. They really only matter for that first job -- maybe the second job, too, if you clerk out of law school. Maybe.

Orientation begins in less than 2 weeks...

Two more questions... Any recommendations for a good bag that will hold books and my laptop? Also, I'm inclined to use Word for note-taking, but a lot of people have been gushing about Microsoft OneNote-- any thoughts?

Thanks again, everyone!

Almost a 1L :) Go Gators!!!