You need to reapply. Like first day apps come out. You will have better outcomes then. Also retaking is a good idea. Getting a few more points will make a big difference for $$$. Get a 174, looking at some good money.
Edit: I reread your post. Getting 90k from Duke/UVA is big considering your scores. I actually take back my advice and say you probably wont get much more unless its a 174+. I change my advice and say pick one of Duke/UVA and enjoy.
What is your GPA? As was said, there is a huge difference between a 3.0 and a 3.45. If you are higher on the GPA scale, I agree with grades that applying next year early and retaking are good options. If you are closer to a 3.0 then you didn’t underperform at all and probably won’t get much more money even with a higher LSAT. Do you want to do IP? What kind of career do you want?
I’d say right now Michigan because it is the cheapest and will likely give you a good outcome. Also, agree that based on what you are describing what you want in a law school, NU would probably be a good fit. But COA should be the most important factor along with getting your goals for after law school
If you want academia, you need to retake, get a 175+, go to Harvard, work your ass off and try to get law review/clerkships/etc. Otherwise, it is essentially impossible.
The only place where becoming a professor is a realistic possibility is Yale (to the point that it can be realistic goal). After that it is possible from all the t13, but you need to be at the very top of your class and get published, make good connections and luck. I don’t know if any of your options right now would be right for that.
Maybe OP will get lucky with the phd as a great soft, but I don’t think Harvard is going to happen. That GPA is just too low to withdraw over, retake, and bet it all on Harvard imo.
But I get your point about academia being amazingly hard to crack.
If you are a true academic type, I don’t see biglaw as a place for you other than maybe some niche field. I’ve only known one academically minded person who managed biglaw but she did pro bono high level (Supreme Court level) cases. She started in DOJ but moved to NYC because of her husband.
Law schools aren’t hiring much and the competition is intense for the few jobs that exist.
You should clarify your goals. Why all of a sudden do you want law after a PhD in engineering?
Yes, random is the important idea here. You want academia but you don’t seem to understand how unlikely it is and how unhappy you might be in other careers.
Getting into Harvard doesn’t equal academia as you well know and you weren’t an auto admit there. You will be competing against auto admits at Yale.
Look at The Faculty Lounge and other law prof blogs for more insight or PM Paul Campos here and ask him about the difficulties in academic hiring even with an over abundance of law schools.
Yea, Unfortunatley i really don’t know what to tell you. You have some very solid options, if you wanted to do IP, or something like that, but academia is really, really hard to get and none of these schools, maybe no schools period, give you much of a realistic chance.
I’d choose with govt/regulatory work in mind, since academia wis so unlikely. Set yourself up for Plan B is the way to go. I feel like you overperformed money-wise so that’s good.
If you want federal or state government non-clerking, then CLS is the best option. With your GPA you might have a chance,with a 173+ LSAT (CLS 75% percentile LSAT score). This also includes applying ED, with an excellent addendum explaining your GPA and LOR’s. In conjunction with professional work experience,to separate your self from your GPA.