[Scotty.]

Well, my school's GPA mean is 3.08 according to my Academic Summary Report on LSAC. The whole GPA system is pretty unfamiliar to me, as we work with percentages instead usually. So this fact works in my favor?

Also, I will be getting a 4.0 in all likelihood this final year (I only have 3 courses/9 credits per semester left to graduate). Any way I can take advantage of this as schools probably won't be viewing my final grades.

As for the Cornell/someplace warm thing, that is a result of a guest speaker today. He was actually speaking for my entrepreneurship class, but he was an NYU masters of law graduate, so he knew a fair bit about all that. I got to speak with him briefly after class. My original plan was to just accept a decent scholarship to a nice place like San Diego or Arizona State or something, and consider somewhere like USC or Berkeley if I happened to get in. He convinced me that I really should be going to the best possible school I can get into. I know its just one guy's opinion, but what he was telling me made a lot of sense.

So basically, yea now I'm looking into applying to a lot more of the top schools instead of just a couple in nice areas that I might luck into.

Also, reading around some of those links you guys posted, I read some more about the personal statements. From what I have read, it actually seems extremely important for someone in my position. There are a ton of candidates in the same area as me of 3.6/165 or so. It is that essay that can set me apart. Does this seem accurate, or is this more just because these sites are trying to sell me editing packages?