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BagelBiter

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Post by BagelBiter » Sun Dec 24, 2017 6:18 pm

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Last edited by BagelBiter on Thu Jan 04, 2018 2:56 pm, edited 3 times in total.

acr

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by acr » Sun Dec 24, 2017 6:32 pm

BagelBiter wrote:
UChicago is my dream school and it seemed within my grasp...until now. I'd also be very satisfied with NU, Duke, or Vandy. After extensive research into the programs of pretty much all of the top 25, I honestly don't think I would be happy anywhere other than these 4 schools (I would also obviously be fine with HYS, but I've heard they are actually a negative factor for employment in my area due to reverse elitism from TTT-grad hiring partners). I'm unwilling to compromise on the quality of my legal education, since I specifically went to in-state public undergrad so that I could afford an elite graduate school (was on the fence between med school and law school until senior year). Haven't put in my apps yet, but I'm about to.

Should I go after this opportunity, since I may be competitive and it seems to provide a decent shot at the outcome I want, or should I retake in Feb./June. and ride out the probable waitlist at my dream schools with the risk of striking out and being forced to apply again next cycle? Also, is applying ED to WUSTL this cycle but withdrawing from the offer if I'm accepted but significantly improve my LSAT, then reapplying to other schools next cycle a viable option? Or would this result in my being effectively blacklisted when/if I reapply to other schools the following cycle?

TL;DR: Shoot for WUSTL ED with gauranteed full ride, or ride out likely waitlists, retake Feb./June, and risk reapplying?
Err...what (referring to the bolded). Why would you only be happy at U Chicago, NU, Duke, or Vandy? Why these four schools in particular? You wouldn't be happy at Michigan, or Berkeley, or Cornell? There are lots of schools other than these four that would help you accomplish your goals. It's kind of a strange list and doesn't seem to have any legitimate basis IMO.

Anyway, as someone who applied and accepted WUSTL ED a few years ago, I would recommend a retake in your situation. WUSTL is a decent enough school with good placement and "quality legal education," but I wouldn't waste your 3.95 LSAC GPA on WUSTL. A 165 at least demonstrates that you're capable of performing well on the LSAT, and you should be able to achieve a 170 with a few more months of hard work and preparation. A 170 will dramatically improve your outcomes.

To answer your question about getting "blacklisted": When I applied, they told me I didn't have to attend the following year. I think it only binds you during the current application cycle. But this is something you should contact the school about. If it only binds you for the current cycle, I don't think there's any reason not to apply ED and see what happens.

BagelBiter

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by BagelBiter » Sun Dec 24, 2017 6:51 pm

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Last edited by BagelBiter on Tue Dec 26, 2017 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Mullens

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by Mullens » Sun Dec 24, 2017 7:05 pm

Retake. WUSTL would make sense on a full-ride if you want to stay in St. Louis but it sounds like you’re describing a different city (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indy). A better school will make you far more employable in those markets. You’ll have to hustle and prove your desire to be in your city but that’s much easier to do imo than have to fight with kids from schools that the firms view as peer schools to local schools.

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cavalier1138

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by cavalier1138 » Sun Dec 24, 2017 7:28 pm

I'm not quite understanding your reasoning, especially since curricular/clinical offerings (especially the former) play almost no role in post-graduation hiring. In terms of proximity: I get that it's important, but you can't afford to have such a narrow playing field. It's 3 years, and since you're evidently willing to trade proximity to one set of family members for proximity to another, it sounds like you're willing to tough it out for a job. And as for your market preferring certain grads: I just have a hard time thinking of a market that pulls from Duke and Vanderbilt, but not from UVA, Michigan, or Cornell. I'm having an even harder time thinking of a market that would take from Chicago and not Northwestern.

In short, beggars can't be choosers, and you're not in a position to be picky with your current LSAT. If you can pull that score up, maybe you can afford to be picky, but you'd still be leaving money on the table.
Last edited by cavalier1138 on Tue Dec 26, 2017 7:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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BagelBiter

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by BagelBiter » Sun Dec 24, 2017 8:11 pm

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Last edited by BagelBiter on Tue Dec 26, 2017 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Rigo

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by Rigo » Sun Dec 24, 2017 9:39 pm

Doubt you’d get the WUSTL fully anyways so the question is kinda moot.
You should retake February for a late shot at Chicago if that’s what you want.

goingnutslawschool

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by goingnutslawschool » Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:41 am

The median GPA is 3.74 and the median LSAT is 168 for WUSTL Law School. You are below their median LSAT so I’m not sure that you’d be a sure thing for their ED full scholarship. I’d take some more time to really focus on getting a higher LSAT.

BagelBiter

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Re: Retake or apply to WUSTL ED (binding, full ride)?

Post by BagelBiter » Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:58 am

I didn't mean to give the impression that I'm overconfident on my chances. I know I'd be lucky to get
the ED acceptance at WUSTL! Since my GPA is way above their 75th and my LSAT is still quite a bit above their 25th I figure I'd at least have a shot at being competitive for the ED scholarship. I don't think I'm a sure-in by any means, I just figured that it would be my best chance at a significant scholarship with my current score.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

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