Wake or Retake? Forum
- SherlockHolmes
- Posts: 327
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:47 pm
Wake or Retake?
So my cycle has finally come to a close, and the best option that I am left with is Wake Forest with a $15,000 per year scholarship, no stipulations. Total COA will probably come out to approximately $70,000 thank to the cheap living of Winston Salem. Numbers are 3.45 gpa, 161 LSAT from December after PTing at 165, and 1/4 NA although with weak cultural ties so I'm not sure how much it actually helps. I'm interested in human rights, public policy, and possible government work. While big law isn't my ultimate goal, if giving the opportunity, I would certainly take it. Dream markets are NY and DC, but I would be happy with anywhere along the East Coast.
Wake Forest
Pros: Scholly with no stipulations, cheap COA, small class size, strong reputation in NC
Cons: It's in Winston-Salem, not a large city, worried about how "southern" the area is.
Waitlisted
Cornell (LOCI)
Columbia (LOCI)
Michigan (LOCI)
Minnesota
Fordham
OF the schools that I've been waitlisted at, Columbia and Cornell are the ones that I'm most interested in, but I don't have a lot of hope for getting accepted off the waitlist.
Sooooo, is Wake a good option? I'm thinking of possibly sitting out the year, retaking and reapplying, but ideally I would like to start this fall. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Wake Forest
Pros: Scholly with no stipulations, cheap COA, small class size, strong reputation in NC
Cons: It's in Winston-Salem, not a large city, worried about how "southern" the area is.
Waitlisted
Cornell (LOCI)
Columbia (LOCI)
Michigan (LOCI)
Minnesota
Fordham
OF the schools that I've been waitlisted at, Columbia and Cornell are the ones that I'm most interested in, but I don't have a lot of hope for getting accepted off the waitlist.
Sooooo, is Wake a good option? I'm thinking of possibly sitting out the year, retaking and reapplying, but ideally I would like to start this fall. Any help is greatly appreciated.
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- Posts: 135
- Joined: Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:43 am
Re: Wake or Retake?
As a guy going to wake, I would say retake if you got wait listed at those top school. If you can get it up to 165-168 I think you have a good shot at one of those schools.
- gwuorbust
- Posts: 2086
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:37 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
1. find out about NA status immediately. If that is basically the equivalent of being a full URM then you should probably retake and reapply. If that is the case you may only be like 2/3 points away from getting into t-13.
if you find out it is not the % of NA but your weak cultural ties, you may want to "rediscover your roots." It is something that I think more people should do regardless. And if you take a year off, get a higher LSAT score, visit distant relatives, and save money while working..that sounds like a productive year to me.
2. If it turns out you don't get a URM boost, since you are not sure where you want to go, it really comes down to if you think you can actually get higher on the LSAT. To get a better offer on the East coast I think you'd need either like a schly to GW or admission to t-13.
if you find out it is not the % of NA but your weak cultural ties, you may want to "rediscover your roots." It is something that I think more people should do regardless. And if you take a year off, get a higher LSAT score, visit distant relatives, and save money while working..that sounds like a productive year to me.
2. If it turns out you don't get a URM boost, since you are not sure where you want to go, it really comes down to if you think you can actually get higher on the LSAT. To get a better offer on the East coast I think you'd need either like a schly to GW or admission to t-13.
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- Posts: 642
- Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 1:17 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
I am a big fan of retake, but I think you got a decent deal here. To me, a lot depends on what you are going to do while you wait and retake. If you have a decent job and income, then wait and retake. But if you are going to be unemployed or work at Starbucks, then go to Wake.
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- Posts: 1003
- Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 4:28 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
Def retake and get about 5 more points. Your NA status has helped you for sure so far. You have good numbers but they're not to par for a scholly that size at Wake. Most people with your numbers wouldn't even be WL at some of the schools you mentioned.
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- Posts: 684
- Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 8:40 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
+1scammedhard wrote:I am a big fan of retake, but I think you got a decent deal here. To me, a lot depends on what you are going to do while you wait and retake. If you have a decent job and income, then wait and retake. But if you are going to be unemployed or work at Starbucks, then go to Wake.
- SherlockHolmes
- Posts: 327
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:47 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
If I would sit out the year and reapply, I definitely would be looking for a full-time position somewhere, opposed to my current part-time position.
- red_alertz
- Posts: 435
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:42 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
you have solid stats and NA status, i 'd say 3-4 more points and early apps will be worth perhaps as much as 80k over a 3 year periodSherlockHolmes wrote:If I would sit out the year and reapply, I definitely would be looking for a full-time position somewhere, opposed to my current part-time position.
- DeeCee
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:09 am
Re: Wake or Retake?
Wake, I think. Wake is a good regional school. However, make sure you check out the school first before you make your final decision; I'm from NC and not a fan of W-S.
- gwuorbust
- Posts: 2086
- Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:37 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
John Kerry is that you?!?!?!red_alertz wrote:you have solid stats and NA status, i 'd say 3-4 more points and early apps will be worth perhaps as much as 80k over a 3 year periodSherlockHolmes wrote:If I would sit out the year and reapply, I definitely would be looking for a full-time position somewhere, opposed to my current part-time position.
You keep flip-flopping from troll to reasonable poster. pick one man!
if you didn't catch it, this was an instance of a reasonable post.
- red_alertz
- Posts: 435
- Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:42 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
what's wrong with W-S?DeeCee wrote:Wake, I think. Wake is a good regional school. However, make sure you check out the school first before you make your final decision; I'm from NC and not a fan of W-S.
- DeeCee
- Posts: 1352
- Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:09 am
Re: Wake or Retake?
I don't like it that much, and I didn't like Wake itself when I checked it out for undergrad. I was dead-set on going to Wake for UG, but I found it too stuffy and like a bubble for my tastes. LS is probably different though.red_alertz wrote:what's wrong with W-S?DeeCee wrote:Wake, I think. Wake is a good regional school. However, make sure you check out the school first before you make your final decision; I'm from NC and not a fan of W-S.
- arvcondor
- Posts: 371
- Joined: Sun Oct 03, 2010 11:33 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
This is probably the most valuable and realistic "retake" advice I've seen on TLS so far. Well done.scammedhard wrote:I am a big fan of retake, but I think you got a decent deal here. To me, a lot depends on what you are going to do while you wait and retake. If you have a decent job and income, then wait and retake. But if you are going to be unemployed or work at Starbucks, then go to Wake.
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- Posts: 2005
- Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:36 am
Re: Wake or Retake?
Dude, OP has a 161/3.4 and is waitlisted at Columbia- are you seriously wondering whether he is getting a NA URM boost?gwuorbust wrote: 2. If it turns out you don't get a URM boost, since you are not sure where you want to go, it really comes down to if you think you can actually get higher on the LSAT. To get a better offer on the East coast I think you'd need either like a schly to GW or admission to t-13.
OP- retake.
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- Posts: 732
- Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:29 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
Take a 1 year deferral at Wake, retake the LSAT, reapply everywhere under the sun,and if you don't get in any where better then you still have Wake.
- SherlockHolmes
- Posts: 327
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:47 pm
Re: Wake or Retake?
Decisions, decisions. I'm leaning towards reapplying next cycle. I'm fairly certain I could get closer to my PT average if I retook the LSAT. I had finals the week of in December so I was splitting time between studying.
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