150 LSAT am I too dumb for Law School? Forum

[Craplicant150]

I hear there might be some crappy law schools that would actually take this awful score.

I'm happy with my score.... I was scoring 145-148 on the practice tests... I stepped it up on gameday....

[Adjudicator]

Honestly, if you are not able to do better than that, then I'm sorry to tell you that you will not be able to get in to a school that is worth attending.

[99.9luft]

I hear there might be some crappy law schools that would actually take this awful score.

I'm happy with my score.... I was scoring 145-148 on the practice tests... I stepped it up on gameday....

please retake. please.

[Adjudicator]

Didn't notice the user name until now. Flame.

[sundance95]

Flame.

[DeeCee]

Flame.

and IBTL

[well-hello-there]

the answer is a conclusive "maybe not"

oh, and ibtL

[You Gotta Have Faith]

That username is just amazing, Craplicant... haha.

[09042014]

Yes.

[joebloe]

ibpcl

also ibtl

On a more serious note, and in case this is an honest question, a 150 is going to make things tough, regardless of your GPA. If you have a great GPA, however, the distance you have to go on a retake is a lot less.

[TTH]

Don't worry, son, the InfiLaw Corporation is ready to make your BigLaw dreams come true.

[BruceWayne]

So since TLS posters have infinite wisdom on what predicts the ability of one to be "smart" enough for law school, and "smart" enough to be a competent lawyer, what's the min LSAT score to be competent to practice as a lawyer? Particularly to be competent to practice biglaw or fed government legal positions?

[TTH]

So since TLS posters have infinite wisdom on what predicts the ability of one to be "smart" enough for law school, and "smart" enough to be a competent lawyer, what's the min LSAT score to be competent to practice as a lawyer? Particularly to be competent to practice biglaw or fed government legal positions?

A 150 LSAT score reflects one of two things: (1) an utter lack of preparation, which is especially bad given that all law school and legal practice is about is extensive drilling of knowledge into one's brain (not facts, knowledge); or (2) the inability to do better than 150 on the LSAT after preparation, in which case one has to question whether someone has the analytic ability to practice.

[taxguy]

TTH notes,:"A 150 LSAT score reflects one of two things: (1) an utter lack of preparation, which is especially bad given that all law school and legal practice is about is extensive drilling of knowledge into one's brain (not facts, knowledge); or (2) the inability to do better than 150 on the LSAT after preparation, in which case one has to question whether someone has the analytic ability to practice."

Response:This is such CRAP. Agreed that a low LSAT will limit your choices to lower ranked law schools and probably eliminate the chance for a top firm right out of law school. However, being unable to score over 150 regardless of preparation is NOT INDICATIVE of analytic ability to practice law. I know dozens of folks who did NOT score well on the LSAT, despite a lot of practice for the LSAT, but did very well in law school and in practice. Admittedly, however, most of these had strong GPAs.

Don't let anyone tell you that if you don't do well on the LSAT , you won't do well in law school. That just isn't necessarily true.

By the way, I am sure some folks will cite all the studies showing corelative effects between law school performance and LSATs.However, I taught continuing education to lawyers. I know and have met MANY lawyers. I can say ,without any hesitation, that I know many lawyers whose LSAT scores didn't predict correctly their performance. A severely timed test,which is indicative of the LSAT, won't be a good indicator even if they had relevant questions.

Bottom line: Don't let a low LSAT score make you feel that you won't do well in law scool. However, it will hurt your chances in getting into a top school.

[Jack Smirks]

Ignore all of the data available that shows the LSAT is predictive of law school performance because I taught continuing education to lawyers.

Great point.

[taxguy]

Naterj, all I can tell you is what many accountants know: Liers figure and figures lie.

I have met with dozens of law school deans who have privately noted that they know a lot of kids who were admitted with lower LSAT scores and yet become valedictorians or graduated in the top 10%. Yet they also see in every class top scoring kids who did badly in law school. It is a real conundrum.

My experience has been the same after meeting literally thousands of lawyers as a result of my continuing education lectures.

[Patriot1208]

The lsat isn't that predictive of how well you will do, but getting a 150 after actual preparation does indicate general stupidity

[TTH]

TTH notes,:"A 150 LSAT score reflects one of two things: (1) an utter lack of preparation, which is especially bad given that all law school and legal practice is about is extensive drilling of knowledge into one's brain (not facts, knowledge); or (2) the inability to do better than 150 on the LSAT after preparation, in which case one has to question whether someone has the analytic ability to practice."

Response:This is such CRAP. Agreed that a low LSAT will limit your choices to lower ranked law schools and probably eliminate the chance for a top firm right out of law school. However, being unable to score over 150 regardless of preparation is NOT INDICATIVE of analytic ability to practice law.

That's not at all what I said. I said scoring a 150 after preparation for the LSAT would cause me to question the test-taker's analytic ability, not summarily judge it lacking. Also, it's fine if you want to dispute academic studies on the LSAT as a predictive measure of first-year success, but do it with more than anecdotes. I actually agree the LSAT is a crappy predictor, but it's a better predictor than anything else. Yeah, the LSAT is a timed test, which is entirely unlike anything you'll find in practice, but so are most law school exams.

No one should go to law school on the strength of a 150 LSAT score. It's below median (and in some cases, sub 25th percentile) at most, if not all, T4s. I'm not willing to tell someone they are a special snowflake so they can take their shit LSAT score, plunk down sticker at Florida Coastal, and clog up the workforce with their worthless JD while subjecting themselves to soul-crushing, non-dischargeable debt.

[Fred_McGriff]

A 150 will probably get you into far flung Universities that do well in their respective States. If you're cool living in some of those places, especially if you have connections to one of those places, getting stuck at 150 after your max re-takes might not be the end of the world depending on your GPA...

Think Ole Miss (152 is their 25th), North Dakota (149 is their 25th), University of Wyoming (150 is their 25th), University of Montana (150 is their 25th), University of South Dakota (151 is their 25th), University of Idaho (151 is their 25th).



USNWR bullshit aside, I wouldn't necessarily consider any of those schools a bad choice if you want to work in the state, especially if your GPA can get you some $$. Going to any school that would take 150 in a crowded market is probably a really bad idea.

[Fred_McGriff]

Wow. Just did a bit of research, and I'm kind of bummed I've got no connections to Montana. The idea of moving there for a year to get in state residency ($10k a year), ski a bunch, go to school completely debt free in one of the most beautiful places in America, then work in an isolated insular market with a solid economy and a small population doesn't sound all that bad.

[Patriot1208]

Wow. Just did a bit of research, and I'm kind of bummed I've got no connections to Montana. The idea of moving there for a year to get in state residency ($10k a year), ski a bunch, go to school completely debt free in one of the most beautiful places in America, then work in an isolated insular market with a solid economy and a small population doesn't sound all that bad.

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[Craplicant150]

Damb..... you guys are brutal... I was hoping for a pick me up...

I can't imagine how the people who scored lower than me feel. According to LSAC nearly half of all test takers did

[Fred_McGriff]

--ImageRemoved--

Every boy's got a dream... Mine just happens to be lonely cowboy law.

[TTH]

Damb..... you guys are brutal... I was hoping for a pick me up...

I can't imagine how the people who scored lower than me feel. According to LSAC nearly half of all test takers did

[Craplicant150]

I should also note that my dad is rich. Any law school I go to will be free

Anyway...

I have a job. Actually I have two...

I was just hoping to get into University of Baltimore's part-time evening program from the start, as I dont want to turn my life upside down.

Problem is my GPA is worse than my LSAT score.