SMU 2011 Forum

[sneijder]

thanks bro!! GO ORANJE!! yea they're def my favorite international team (barring the USA of course) and sneijder is pure class! But I hope he doesnt end up at MAN U like people are saying.... but it seems like inter is going to sale him--for 35million Euros

I wouldn't put too much stock in transfer rumors. I don't think it's very likely that Inter lets him go. He's on contract for 3 more seasons with them.

very true, but when Sir Ferg and Man U are involved I don't rule anything out

[lawboy22]

Pony tracks now says to check back after July 8th for financial aid; looks like they just keep pushing the date back more and more.

[kalvano]

Stan Eddy is a useless SOB.

[swilson215]

Pony tracks now says to check back after July 8th for financial aid; looks like they just keep pushing the date back more and more.

Last time it went from June 15 to July 5, right? At least they're pushing it back in smaller increments now...maybe that means they're actually closer?

(Yeah, I know, I'm pulling at straws).

[Billy Batts]

Pony tracks now says to check back after July 8th for financial aid; looks like they just keep pushing the date back more and more.

Last time it went from June 15 to July 5, right? At least they're pushing it back in smaller increments now...maybe that means they're actually closer?

(Yeah, I know, I'm pulling at straws).

What are y'all trying to figure out about financial aid?

[bebe]

do you think there is still chance for the waitlisters at this point...my application page is still active...are there others whose pages are still active and they r still hopeful?

[swilson215]

Pony tracks now says to check back after July 8th for financial aid; looks like they just keep pushing the date back more and more.

Last time it went from June 15 to July 5, right? At least they're pushing it back in smaller increments now...maybe that means they're actually closer?

(Yeah, I know, I'm pulling at straws).

What are y'all trying to figure out about financial aid?

Just waiting for award notifications.

[thewarflamingo]

do you think there is still chance for the waitlisters at this point...my application page is still active...are there others whose pages are still active and they r still hopeful?

I'm still hopeful, but we'll see...

Are you FT or PT? I'm FT.

[renee88]

do you think there is still chance for the waitlisters at this point...my application page is still active...are there others whose pages are still active and they r still hopeful?

I think there's a decent chance people will still be accepted. I doubt I will go regardless of what happens, but if you're willing to wait until August, I wouldn't lose hope.

[bebe]

thanks renee for reassuring post... what makes you think we have a decent chance?
flamingo ..i am both ft and pt

[renee88]

thanks renee for reassuring post... what makes you think we have a decent chance?
flamingo ..i am both ft and pt

Well, when I called SMU they said they could accept people all the way up until the first day of classes. I don't know if they've done that in years past, but I know a lot of other schools do. I'm guessing they'll keep that option open for themselves until then because people may change their minds at the last minute. I'm sure there will be at least a few openings as currently admitted students get offered places at better schools or just change their minds about attending.

[Thirteen]

thanks renee for reassuring post... what makes you think we have a decent chance?
flamingo ..i am both ft and pt

Well, when I called SMU they said they could accept people all the way up until the first day of classes. I don't know if they've done that in years past, but I know a lot of other schools do. I'm guessing they'll keep that option open for themselves until then because people may change their minds at the last minute. I'm sure there will be at least a few openings as currently admitted students get offered places at better schools or just change their minds about attending.

I know of a girl that was admitted in mid-July, and another one that was admitted some time in August. Keep the faith!

[nouseforaname123]

There was a student in my PT class who was acccepted the week classes started (I think it might have been the day before classes started).

[asunshinee]

I plan on applying with a 3.55 (probably will be a 3.58 or 3.6 by the time I actually apply) and a 163. I thought this was solid for SMU but apparently not? Should I retake or should I just take my chances?

Retake, retake, retake. Both your GPA and LSAT are under SMU medians, so unless you're a URM, you need to retake. I had a lower GPA and a 166 and got 76k.

My major GPA is a 3.9 if that makes any difference.

All that matters is your LSAC GPA

I've heard that if you don't think you can raise your LSAT score by 5 points.. then it looks bad. I would need to get a 168, which I've never gotten on a practice test before. Is that worth the risk of taking it and doing the same / a couple points better?

[Thirteen]

I plan on applying with a 3.55 (probably will be a 3.58 or 3.6 by the time I actually apply) and a 163. I thought this was solid for SMU but apparently not? Should I retake or should I just take my chances?

Retake, retake, retake. Both your GPA and LSAT are under SMU medians, so unless you're a URM, you need to retake. I had a lower GPA and a 166 and got 76k.

My major GPA is a 3.9 if that makes any difference.

All that matters is your LSAC GPA

I've heard that if you don't think you can raise your LSAT score by 5 points.. then it looks bad. I would need to get a 168, which I've never gotten on a practice test before. Is that worth the risk of taking it and doing the same / a couple points better?

When I retook, my score dropped 5 points. I don't think it negatively affected my cycle.

[ebo]

I plan on applying with a 3.55 (probably will be a 3.58 or 3.6 by the time I actually apply) and a 163. I thought this was solid for SMU but apparently not? Should I retake or should I just take my chances?

Retake, retake, retake. Both your GPA and LSAT are under SMU medians, so unless you're a URM, you need to retake. I had a lower GPA and a 166 and got 76k.

My major GPA is a 3.9 if that makes any difference.

All that matters is your LSAC GPA

I've heard that if you don't think you can raise your LSAT score by 5 points.. then it looks bad. I would need to get a 168, which I've never gotten on a practice test before. Is that worth the risk of taking it and doing the same / a couple points better?

Yes, shoot for a 165+. I think 165 was the magic number for SMU this cycle

[renee88]

I plan on applying with a 3.55 (probably will be a 3.58 or 3.6 by the time I actually apply) and a 163. I thought this was solid for SMU but apparently not? Should I retake or should I just take my chances?

Retake, retake, retake. Both your GPA and LSAT are under SMU medians, so unless you're a URM, you need to retake. I had a lower GPA and a 166 and got 76k.

My major GPA is a 3.9 if that makes any difference.

All that matters is your LSAC GPA

I've heard that if you don't think you can raise your LSAT score by 5 points.. then it looks bad. I would need to get a 168, which I've never gotten on a practice test before. Is that worth the risk of taking it and doing the same / a couple points better?

I wouldn't worry about needing to raise it 5 points. A score of, say, 166 is above their median and will help SMU raise its median- those things are what they're concerned with, in my opinion. They won't worry about the previous score, especially as it's their stated policy to only consider the highest score.

[asunshinee]

I plan on applying with a 3.55 (probably will be a 3.58 or 3.6 by the time I actually apply) and a 163. I thought this was solid for SMU but apparently not? Should I retake or should I just take my chances?

Retake, retake, retake. Both your GPA and LSAT are under SMU medians, so unless you're a URM, you need to retake. I had a lower GPA and a 166 and got 76k.

My major GPA is a 3.9 if that makes any difference.

All that matters is your LSAC GPA

I've heard that if you don't think you can raise your LSAT score by 5 points.. then it looks bad. I would need to get a 168, which I've never gotten on a practice test before. Is that worth the risk of taking it and doing the same / a couple points better?

I wouldn't worry about needing to raise it 5 points. A score of, say, 166 is above their median and will help SMU raise its median- those things are what they're concerned with, in my opinion. They won't worry about the previous score, especially as it's their stated policy to only consider the highest score.

Not to beat a dead horse or anything, but hypothetically speaking.. if I do worse on the October LSAT, would that look bad to admissions? I know they have a policy of only considering the highest score, but would it be more damaging to see a lower score than to just not retake it?

[renee88]

I really doubt it would have a significant impact. I'm not an expert by any means, but I've heard of several people (one just a few posts ago) who dropped points their second test but still did as expected in admissions based on the first score. I really think they just take the highest score regardless of whether it came from the first test or the second. I've never heard otherwise. There are a million reasons someone could drop their score (illness, bad day, etc) and I doubt they'd put a lot of thought into it.

[labeauche]

financial aid is finally out. hoozah!

[Thirteen]

Not to beat a dead horse or anything, but hypothetically speaking.. if I do worse on the October LSAT, would that look bad to admissions? I know they have a policy of only considering the highest score, but would it be more damaging to see a lower score than to just not retake it?

It won't hurt. I got a 169, then retook and got a 164. Didn't hurt with SMU (but did cause me to get autodinged at UVA, haha).

[renee88]

Not to beat a dead horse or anything, but hypothetically speaking.. if I do worse on the October LSAT, would that look bad to admissions? I know they have a policy of only considering the highest score, but would it be more damaging to see a lower score than to just not retake it?

It won't hurt. I got a 169, then retook and got a 164. Didn't hurt with SMU (but did cause me to get autodinged at UVA, haha).

Does UVA average scores?

[fathergoose]

Does UVA average scores?

UVA and other splitter friendly schools don't like splitters whose second attempt was lower than their first attempt. Your best options as a splitter are (a) kill the lsat the first time and dont retake or (b) kill it your first time and do even better the second time.

[thewarflamingo]

I wish SMU would send out updates to waitlisted people.

[Thirteen]

Does UVA average scores?

UVA and other splitter friendly schools don't like splitters whose second attempt was lower than their first attempt. Your best options as a splitter are (a) kill the lsat the first time and dont retake or (b) kill it your first time and do even better the second time.

This. Also, I didn't score above their 75% mark, so my shot at the school went up in flames. The score came out on a Saturday, and I was dinged the following Monday. Bastards.