Hi everyone, so I'm wondering whether i have a good chance to get into a T14 law school. I'm specifically aiming for either NYU, Columbia, or Georgetown but I'm ok with others such as Upenn or Berkeley.

My LL.B is from a top 3 university in Indonesia (not saying much, i know) and i graduated with a 3.53 which places me in the top 10% of my class. Other than that, I also did the Jessup and went to the international round in Washington, D.C. I also did an internship in a top tier national law firm. Recently got accepted by a silver circle firm but due to Covid-19 they postponed the training contract until further notice.

What are my chances of getting into the school that i want and should i get some work experience first?

Thanks

[Edited by Wongwongwong on May 24, 2020]

Based on your description, I think being in the top 10% of your class definitely qualifies you for T14 law schools -- you should try for NYU, Georgetown and Berkeley. I'm not sure about UPenn. For Columbia, they require applicants to have at least 2 years of work experience. You can go through the admissions websites of the schools to check which ones require work experience. Also keep in mind that due to covid, a lot of applicants this year have deferred to 2021-2022 instead, so competition will definitely be tougher. If you can find a job, it might be a better idea to gain some experience first before you apply as having prior work experience will be helpful in any event. 

[Edited by mk203llm on May 25, 2020]

Can't say for sure. I was graduated from a top-five Indonesian law school, and got accepted to Berkeley and Cornell. I was a so-so student, My GPA barely 3, and I was not even that active during my undergraduate. I did not join any extracurricular activities, never attended any competitions, and almost expelled from campus in my freshman year. But I have a strong working resume.

Dengan credentials yang lo punya, Jessup dll, T-14 harusnya bisa dapet.Tinggal belajar nulis essay aja dan moga2 bisa dapet tambahan pengalaman di tempat kerja buat mempercantik CV. Goodluck.

[Edited by knup on Jun 03, 2020]

Based on your description, I think being in the top 10% of your class definitely qualifies you for T14 law schools -- you should try for NYU, Georgetown and Berkeley. I'm not sure about UPenn. For Columbia, they require applicants to have at least 2 years of work experience. You can go through the admissions websites of the schools to check which ones require work experience. Also keep in mind that due to covid, a lot of applicants this year have deferred to 2021-2022 instead, so competition will definitely be tougher. If you can find a job, it might be a better idea to gain some experience first before you apply as having prior work experience will be helpful in any event. 

Can't say for sure. I was graduated from a top-five Indonesian law school, and got accepted to Berkeley and Cornell. I was a so-so student, My GPA barely 3, and I was not even that active during my undergraduate. I did not join any extracurricular activities, never attended any competitions, and almost expelled from campus in my freshman year. But I have a strong working resume.

Dengan credentials yang lo punya, Jessup dll, T-14 harusnya bisa dapet.Tinggal belajar nulis essay aja dan moga2 bisa dapet tambahan pengalaman di tempat kerja buat mempercantik CV. Goodluck.

Hi wongwongwong, I concur with knup here that you do have a chance to those t14s.

 Gue sendiri jebolan salah satu PTN, IPK nyaris 3, gak pernah ikut lomba pas di kampus & gak pernah lawyering di kantor gede, yet I got into northwestern :) apalagi lo yg pernah ikutan jessup. 

US schools are unique because they see your application holistically, so you should start crafting your story in the personal statement, polish your CV, & go shoot your shot to those t14s. Good luck!