Need some help with this decision Forum

[TheZoid]

Really torn on this decision. Looking for some good old-fashioned TLS wisdom. I'm in at WUSTL with 18k/year (I know, I know, I'd be crazy to attend at this price). They upped me from 16k/year, but it's seems as though others have gotten 20, 22, and up to 28k with similar numbers (sub 3 GPA, 168). Basically I'm looking for some more bread. I know some people in similar scenarios have suggested withdrawing to see if they come back with more $$. I think given all the waitlist movement and the fact that apps are down and schools are presumably struggling to maintain medians, this isn't a horrible idea. The problem is, I've withdrawn all my other offers, and wasn't that interested in any of them anyway frankly. However, I'm not totally opposed to sitting the cycle out, retaking the LSAT and reapplying next year. Not really the ideal scenario, but I could live with it. So do I:

1) Roll the dice, withdraw and hope to get some extra funds
2) Sit out either way, retake the LSAT, reapply to T-14 (UVA, NU?)
3) Just live with current scholly, your GPA sucks

ETA: some of the WUSTL scholly increases were unsolicited, according to fellow TLSers, and I asked for mine.

[TheZoid]

Nothing? Someone's gotta have an opinion out there.

[Samara]

Sounds like a great retake and reapply situation. Any particular reason you don't want to do that?

[soj]

2

[TheZoid]

Sounds like a great retake and reapply situation. Any particular reason you don't want to do that?

Yea, in my gut I kind of agree with you. I've taken it three times, first and third didn't really give my best effort tbh. Second time I studied pretty hard for the 168, not entirely sure I'd crack 170 even with another retake. Also, not really wild about my current job. Doesn't really provide much intellectual stimulation, and having been out for three years, I'm kinda ready to make a move. Having said that, I'd rather make the right decision than rush into it. Thanks for your input.

[Samara]

Sounds like a great retake and reapply situation. Any particular reason you don't want to do that?

Yea, in my gut I kind of agree with you. I've taken it three times, first and third didn't really give my best effort tbh. Second time I studied pretty hard for the 168, not entirely sure I'd crack 170 even with another retake. Also, not really wild about my current job. Doesn't really provide much intellectual stimulation, and having been out for three years, I'm kinda ready to make a move. Having said that, I'd rather make the right decision than rush into it. Thanks for your input.

I feel you, man. I'm in a pretty unstimulating job, four years out from undergrad. In today's legal market, it's worth it to put yourself in the best circumstances for success that you can. Hang in there and good luck with the retake!

[TheZoid]

Sounds like a great retake and reapply situation. Any particular reason you don't want to do that?

Yea, in my gut I kind of agree with you. I've taken it three times, first and third didn't really give my best effort tbh. Second time I studied pretty hard for the 168, not entirely sure I'd crack 170 even with another retake. Also, not really wild about my current job. Doesn't really provide much intellectual stimulation, and having been out for three years, I'm kinda ready to make a move. Having said that, I'd rather make the right decision than rush into it. Thanks for your input.

I feel you, man. I'm in a pretty unstimulating job, four years out from undergrad. In today's legal market, it's worth it to put yourself in the best circumstances for success that you can. Hang in there and good luck with the retake!

Thanks bro. Maybe I'll look for something different to do in the meantime, and start studying for a retake. I think your right though, a year of time matters a lot less than ending up at the right school.

[Br3v]

2

[TheZoid]

Guess there's not too much debate on this one. So it looks like I'll need 172+ to have a decent shot at NU. UVA seems pretty unwilling to dip below three for GPA. So retake and ED to NU it is?

[Samara]

Guess there's not too much debate on this one. So it looks like I'll need 172+ to have a decent shot at NU. UVA seems pretty unwilling to dip below three for GPA. So retake and ED to NU it is?

Assuming you like UVa as much as NU and NU does their ED full-ride again, I'd give UVa ED a shot. They do take some sub-3.0s. If you do the interview and the essays and stuff, applying ED to NU doesn't provide a ton of benefit.

[TheZoid]

Guess there's not too much debate on this one. So it looks like I'll need 172+ to have a decent shot at NU. UVA seems pretty unwilling to dip below three for GPA. So retake and ED to NU it is?

Assuming you like UVa as much as NU and NU does their ED full-ride again, I'd give UVa ED a shot. They do take some sub-3.0s. If you do the interview and the essays and stuff, applying ED to NU doesn't provide a ton of benefit.

Appreciate the input. So the NU ED now accepts people at a full ride? Don't see that one happening for me. So assuming they deferred me to RD, would the fact that I ED'd provide a boost in the RD process? Maybe UVA ED is the way to go though. Also, would an October retake put me at a disadvantage in the ED process?

[Samara]

Guess there's not too much debate on this one. So it looks like I'll need 172+ to have a decent shot at NU. UVA seems pretty unwilling to dip below three for GPA. So retake and ED to NU it is?

Assuming you like UVa as much as NU and NU does their ED full-ride again, I'd give UVa ED a shot. They do take some sub-3.0s. If you do the interview and the essays and stuff, applying ED to NU doesn't provide a ton of benefit.

Appreciate the input. So the NU ED now accepts people at a full ride? Don't see that one happening for me. So assuming they deferred me to RD, would the fact that I ED'd provide a boost in the RD process? Maybe UVA ED is the way to go though. Also, would an October retake put me at a disadvantage in the ED process?

Yes, you do get a boost at NU for applying ED and getting deferred to RD, on a "tiebreaker"-type basis. Judging by what happened to me and my cohorts this cycle, it would probably mean getting accepted in Jan/Feb rather than April/May. So, if NU is the preferred choice, it's worth it.

No, an October retake would not put you at a disadvantage, as long as your app is ready to submit as soon as your score is released. It's still plenty early for UVa ED and NU didn't even start looking at their ED apps until late November, IIRC.

[TheZoid]

Guess there's not too much debate on this one. So it looks like I'll need 172+ to have a decent shot at NU. UVA seems pretty unwilling to dip below three for GPA. So retake and ED to NU it is?

Assuming you like UVa as much as NU and NU does their ED full-ride again, I'd give UVa ED a shot. They do take some sub-3.0s. If you do the interview and the essays and stuff, applying ED to NU doesn't provide a ton of benefit.

Appreciate the input. So the NU ED now accepts people at a full ride? Don't see that one happening for me. So assuming they deferred me to RD, would the fact that I ED'd provide a boost in the RD process? Maybe UVA ED is the way to go though. Also, would an October retake put me at a disadvantage in the ED process?

Yes, you do get a boost at NU for applying ED and getting deferred to RD, on a "tiebreaker"-type basis. Judging by what happened to me and my cohorts this cycle, it would probably mean getting accepted in Jan/Feb rather than April/May. So, if NU is the preferred choice, it's worth it.

No, an October retake would not put you at a disadvantage, as long as your app is ready to submit as soon as your score is released. It's still plenty early for UVa ED and NU didn't even start looking at their ED apps until late November, IIRC.

Good deal. Appreciate all your help. I've read that UVA turns a decision around pretty quickly typically. Would it make any sense to ED UVA right after I get my score, and then ED to NU barring a deferral or a rejection? Does either school prohibit that? Would an ED to NU be less of a boost that way?

[Samara]

Good deal. Appreciate all your help. I've read that UVA turns a decision around pretty quickly typically. Would it make any sense to ED UVA right after I get my score, and then ED to NU barring a deferral or a rejection? Does either school prohibit that? Would an ED to NU be less of a boost that way?

NU doesn't let you do that. You could try applying ED to UVa after you get deferred from the NU ED, but that doesn't happen until January. I don't know if that would affect the NU ED boost or not.

[TheZoid]

I guess what it boils down to is the cost of making the wrong decision. If I retake/reapply and it doesn't work out any better, I've lost a year. Not really a big deal. If I go forward and it doesn't work out (i.e. no jerb/bad jerb), I'm in a mountain of debt with no real way out of it. Pretty big deal. Kind of a no-brainer when I put it in that perspective. Thanks again for the input.