Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do? Forum

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PunjabiLower

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Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by PunjabiLower » Tue May 04, 2010 2:49 am

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Last edited by PunjabiLower on Fri Jul 16, 2010 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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lebob

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by lebob » Tue May 04, 2010 2:52 am

LORS, essays, all that other stuff play only a minimal role

low 160s just isn't going to cut it anymore, hate to say it, but it's your lsat score not the other stuff

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Kilpatrick

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by Kilpatrick » Tue May 04, 2010 3:02 am

[strike]When did you apply? That also might have something to do with it.[/strike]

edit: RC fail
Last edited by Kilpatrick on Tue May 04, 2010 3:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

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traehekat

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by traehekat » Tue May 04, 2010 3:04 am

I don't think the LORs or CC classes did you in. I'm pretty sure it was your LSAT, which explains pretty much all of your results except for Loyola. Did you apply late?

I will say, however, that being only 19 years old may have also played a contributing factor. I have heard of very qualified applicants having horrible cycles, seemingly because of their age (18-19 years old). Truth be told, law school has a lot of older, mature people in it. There are people who are married, have kids, come from different careers, etc. While it may not be fair to pass judgment on someone's maturity level solely based on their age, I think law schools commonly prefer to shy away from admitting younger applicants.

What did you major in? Is there anything you could do between now and retaking the LSAT? Maybe just apply again next year (early!) and see what happens?

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KingJames6

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by KingJames6 » Tue May 04, 2010 3:10 am

Teach for America, Americorps, Lawyers w/out Borders, etc.

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PunjabiLower

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by PunjabiLower » Tue May 04, 2010 3:10 am

traehekat wrote:I don't think the LORs or CC classes did you in. I'm pretty sure it was your LSAT, which explains pretty much all of your results except for Loyola. Did you apply late?

I will say, however, that being only 19 years old may have also played a contributing factor. I have heard of very qualified applicants having horrible cycles, seemingly because of their age (18-19 years old). Truth be told, law school has a lot of older, mature people in it. There are people who are married, have kids, come from different careers, etc. While it may not be fair to pass judgment on someone's maturity level solely based on their age, I think law schools commonly prefer to shy away from admitting younger applicants.

What did you major in? Is there anything you could do between now and retaking the LSAT? Maybe just apply again next year (early!) and see what happens?
Yeah other people with 3.8, low 160's got 84 grand at Loyola...I don't understand. I applied early to mid January. And Davis? I heard applying late to Davis isn't at detrimental. I got wailisted today and it was my last hope.

So in other words, it isn't completely a numbers game. LSP put me as an admit for Loyola, a strong consider for Davis, and an admit for fordham PT. I think applicants should take this calculator with a grain of salt.

majored in poli sci.

LateNight

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by LateNight » Tue May 04, 2010 3:44 am

A pretty good guide for what you should do!


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General Tso

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by General Tso » Tue May 04, 2010 3:51 am

I don't fault you for being aggressive, but it looks like you were TOO aggressive. I disagree with those saying your LSAT is no good. 162 isn't good enough for Loyola?...please

It's pretty clear that schools are probably put off by your young age, and there's something to that. Someone posted some kind of medical journal article on TLS a while back that basically said older students do better in LS b/c their brains are more developed for that kind of material.

If you are sure you want to go ahead with LS right now, you should probably write some kind of LOCI's talking about how you know what the legal field is like and how you know that's what you want in your career. Otherwise you should probably take a year off and get some work or volunteer experience. You have been a bit too aggressive with the Boalts, UCLAs etc. Unless you retake you are looking AT BEST at something like a BU or WUSTL. You need to apply to as many schools in the 20-50 range that interest you, and you may have to look outside CA.

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Kilpatrick

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by Kilpatrick » Tue May 04, 2010 3:52 am

The SA chart is handy but it's not the answer for everything. In this case OP has already taken the LSAT three times and there's no guarantee that he will do any better if he waits another two years and takes it again. 162 is already, what, 89th percentile?

I say ride out the waitlists. If you don't get into any of them take the summer to think about why you are going to law school and if you really want to be a lawyer. If you do, then don't settle for Miami. Reapply first thing next year. Maybe include some more lower T1 safeties. Do something productive while you wait.

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PunjabiLower

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by PunjabiLower » Tue May 04, 2010 4:09 am

Kilpatrick wrote:The SA chart is handy but it's not the answer for everything. In this case OP has already taken the LSAT three times and there's no guarantee that he will do any better if he waits another two years and takes it again. 162 is already, what, 89th percentile?

I say ride out the waitlists. If you don't get into any of them take the summer to think about why you are going to law school and if you really want to be a lawyer. If you do, then don't settle for Miami. Reapply first thing next year. Maybe include some more lower T1 safeties. Do something productive while you wait.
I took testmasters and did the majority of the tests. However, I took the LSAT 3 times and each time I was also enrolled in school. HUGE MISTAKE. Maybe there is a chance I can improve the fourth time. But taking the test four times..really? I'm going to try blueprint now.

See what really is irritating is that my gpa has dropped this past year because I have focused 90 percent of my energy on the LSAT and about 10 percent on my school work. The LSAT hindered my ability to perform well in school and vice versa. My cumulative is expected to go from 3.84 to 3.69. So what really can change with a 3.69,162? An acceptance at Davis?

Waiver to take the LSAT before 2 years are up? Process? My family isn't exactly that supportive of me waiting 2 years solely to take an exam.
Last edited by PunjabiLower on Tue May 04, 2010 4:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

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KingJames6

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by KingJames6 » Tue May 04, 2010 4:10 am

LateNight wrote:A pretty good guide for what you should do!


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Derrex

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by Derrex » Tue May 04, 2010 4:18 am

I think the fact that you are that young isn't a positive. Also, if you admit to inflating your GPA with CC grades, you have to back up the doubts with a strong LSAT score. If you add up everything you say, it really paints the picture that the only place you did well was in CC which isn't the picture you want them to have. I would suggest studying for the LSAT and retaking if you can, get some world experience, I would not recommend teach for america at your age, probably Americorps or just get some work/volunteer experience. I realize your parents may not be supportive but at the end of the day, the LSAT is what counts in your case because your academic record can raise suspicion.

PunjabiLower

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by PunjabiLower » Tue May 04, 2010 4:21 am

Applicants to Davis with 3.75-4.33 GPA range and 162-167 LSAT range:

172 of them applied and 167 got in. Ouch.

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bluebonnet21

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by bluebonnet21 » Tue May 04, 2010 4:25 am

Would you be willing to apply binding ED to Gtown PT next year? If you applied in September you would have a chance.

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by PunjabiLower » Tue May 04, 2010 4:33 am

bluebonnet21 wrote:Would you be willing to apply binding ED to Gtown PT next year? If you applied in September you would have a chance.
That's the rejection that hurt the most this year. I applied ED this year with a 3.84,162 and I thought I had a decent shot. I was put on hold..then rejected.

Now I can apply ED on Sept 1st AGAIN..but with a 3.69 and a 162. I don't think that's gonna work out. That 3.84 really helped me and put me above their 75th percentile.

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bluebonnet21

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by bluebonnet21 » Tue May 04, 2010 4:38 am

PunjabiLower wrote:
bluebonnet21 wrote:Would you be willing to apply binding ED to Gtown PT next year? If you applied in September you would have a chance.
That's the rejection that hurt the most this year. I applied ED this year with a 3.84,162 and I thought I had a decent shot. I was put on hold..then rejected.

Now I can apply ED on Sept 1st AGAIN..but with a 3.69 and a 162. I don't think that's gonna work out. That 3.84 really helped me and put me above their 75th percentile.
yeah I didn't realize you had already applied ED, and to be honest I wasn't sure how good your chances would be. I did see you had an almost numbers twin on LSN who got into GT PT so i though maybe.

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by LateNight » Tue May 04, 2010 4:44 am

PunjabiLower wrote:Now I am just irritated because there are several factors which could have weakened my application.
- I'm 19 years old and graduated college early
- I inflated my GPA with CC classes
- Maybe LORs?

The irony is I have a 3.96 at my four year and managed to sneak out of my community college with a 3.56...
What will they think of that? I basically found CC to be harder than my 4-year. 2 of my teachers were Northwestern professors who taught at my CC as charity.... It did not help my GPA.

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General Tso

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by General Tso » Tue May 04, 2010 4:55 am

PunjabiLower wrote:
bluebonnet21 wrote:Would you be willing to apply binding ED to Gtown PT next year? If you applied in September you would have a chance.
That's the rejection that hurt the most this year. I applied ED this year with a 3.84,162 and I thought I had a decent shot. I was put on hold..then rejected.

Now I can apply ED on Sept 1st AGAIN..but with a 3.69 and a 162. I don't think that's gonna work out. That 3.84 really helped me and put me above their 75th percentile.
I'm actually not surprised at all you got dinged for PT programs. They seem to favor older applicants with work experience...If you had 3 more points on your LSAT you would've probably had a better chance at GULC PT, but with your numbers they are probably looking for some significant work experience. PT programs are less numbers based than FT admissions.

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TTH

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by TTH » Tue May 04, 2010 9:33 am

I'm going to tell you the same thing everyone told you six months ago.

SLOW DOWN

Go get a crappy job, smoke some pot, drink, get laid, travel. Live some life. Law school will still be there in two years.

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gymboree

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by gymboree » Tue May 04, 2010 9:49 am

take the LSAT again. All you need to take it again before the 3-times-is-up deadline is a sponsor (in the form of an LSAC approved school). Really, any school would give this to you. Right now send a note to Loyola (or, one at a time, go down your list and send it to all of your waitlist schools) and say this:

Dear Admissions,

I am sincere in my interest in Loyola Law School and I'm currently on your waitlist. I'm considering waiting until next year and re-applying. To do this, I would like to improve my LSAT score but need a sponsor for an additional take. If Loyola admissions would consider giving their approval, I would appreciate your efforts on my behalf.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to be a member of the Class of 2014.

Regards,
4th time Taker

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nygrrrl

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by nygrrrl » Tue May 04, 2010 9:57 am

TipTravHoot wrote:I'm going to tell you the same thing everyone told you six months ago.

SLOW DOWN

Go get a crappy job, smoke some pot, drink, get laid, travel. Live some life. Law school will still be there in two years.
I have to weigh in with TTH on this: I've been following your cycle (you were part of the Fordham thread, in and out!) and I truly believe that your age is the mitigating factor in all of this. I'm sorry that your dad is going to give you flack about it, but if I were you I would get a job, live life, get some time away from school... then retake the LSAT and kill it (!), apply in 2 years. You'll have a better idea of what you want/where you want to be and I think you'll have much better luck, with admissions. Best of luck!

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Columbia Law

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by Columbia Law » Tue May 04, 2010 10:06 am

Hey, all due respect, you had no chance at Fordham PT. My brother got waitlisted with a 164/3.9.

mhernton

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by mhernton » Tue May 04, 2010 10:23 am

You didn't really get screwed. You have no softs outside of your age, which is interesting but that's it. Your LSAT is at the bottom end of good, and you applied fairly late in the cycle. You should have applied by the end of Sept or Oct. My advice is that you join the military as an officer. You get two cool softs out of that (Work Experience, Mil Vet) and you get the new G.I. Bill which will cover a lot of Law SChool costs. It only 4 years. Go drive a ship for a little while, or do some airforce gig. He you could join the Army as well and take a non combat gig. Mil Service also sets you up for Federal Gigs after law school. Just some advice. TAke it or leave it.

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PhantaManta

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by PhantaManta » Tue May 04, 2010 10:30 am

You had like no chance at most the schools you applied to, I suggest re-applying next year to a more realistic list of schools (mostly bottom of Tier 2) and try and get some scholarship monies.

Edit: Or you can just go to Miami if you want to work and Florida (but I personally wouldn't recommend this unless they gave you a substantial scholarship).
Last edited by PhantaManta on Tue May 04, 2010 10:34 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Hm. Did I get screwed this cycle? What should I do?

Post by hubtubrub » Tue May 04, 2010 10:32 am

i see a couple of options
1. Take a year off and reapply.... with work experience
2. Take the lsat again... which I highly doubt will do you any good as it seems like you tried your best.
3. Find something else to do that isn't law related if you don't feeling like doing anything
4. going to the school you got into and getting the best out of it.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

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