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I got a 169 on the October LSAT and applied with my 3.3 GPA. I applied rather late (early January), and I am currently looking at these options:

Vandy - no response
UCLA - no response
WUSTL - $75k
GW - WL
UIUC - $90k
BU -WL
IUB - $120k
Hastings - Accepted, haven't heard about money

I want to work in California and not excited about going to school in the Midwest, especially without much money.
Right now I'm thinking I should retake the LSAT, get 1 or 2 more points, and reapply with ED to NU or Cornell (T14 so it will carry to Cali right?), as well as USC, UCLA again. If I don't get in, I expect WUSTL will give me more money.
Big question if I go the retake route - how do I study for the LSAT again after seeing all the practice tests? It was self study the first time, are there classes for people testing 165+?
Also, what can I do during the year to improve my chances at Cornell and NU? (volunteer with Americorps? Find a job? <--I'm a philosophy major, keep that in mind).

I would give both of my nuts to be in your position.

I'm 170/3.6 and got WL'd at Vandy as did someone else with the exact same numbers that I'm in touch with. Unless you're URM I wouldn't count on that coming back positive, if this information affects your decision at all.

IHaveLawyers wrote:I would give both of my nuts to be in your position.

Agreed, I probably should retake too... ah well. I would say Illinois.

Texas 26.65%
Fordham 25.68%
GW 24.76%
Notre Dame 23.84%
Emory 21.18%
WUSTL 18.96%
Illinois 17.85%
SMU 16.22%
W&M 15.42%
UC-Davis 15.38%

Solved - maybe not for CA job prospects, but for cash money prospects. And after all, isn't that what's really important. :>

I wouldnt put all your eggs into being able to score 170/171 next cycle and have it really improve your outcomes. Up to you though.

Where in Cali?

retake and apply earlier this coming cycle

RockyIII wrote:Where in Cali?

SF Bay, SD, or LA, It's all good

not sure what to do here. i do not know the relevant info to tell you what the right decision is here. but i do know of some questions whose answers may help.

1. Are there other regional schools in Cali that place just as well as these midwest schools? (i.e. USD, pepperdine, UC-H, UC-I, etc.)? If these place even near to as well as your midwest options, then take a year off and reapply to these and try to get some $$ from them and reapply to the ones you've already got money from this cycle to use as leverage (this does not necessarily mean you need to retake --- you want to avoid a retake that ends up worse at all costs given that gpa -- but maybe i'm wrong in that regard).

This also makes sense if you REALLY want to live in Cali since you will be there during your law school years, too.

2. Assume that your options aren't good for cali; is it possible to work in the best job you can get out of one of your law schools and then lateral to a firm somewhere in cali? If so, then grab one of your money options and run with it (WUSTL, UIUC, IUB). But this is assuming you can stand to be away from Cali for 5-7ish years.

These two options are not meant to look like exhaustive alternatives but just suggestions. Perhaps they are both not onto something; but, from just reasoning from my armchair, these seem like they could be helpful considerations - depending on the empirical data.

Whatever turns out to be the case though, congratulations on some great options!

adt231 wrote:not sure what to do here. i do not know the relevant info to tell you what the right decision is here. but i do know of some questions whose answers may help.

1. Are there other regional schools in Cali that place just as well as these midwest schools? (i.e. USD, pepperdine, UC-H, UC-I, etc.)? If these place even near to as well as your midwest options, then take a year off and reapply to these and try to get some $$ from them and reapply to the ones you've already got money from this cycle to use as leverage (this does not necessarily mean you need to retake --- you want to avoid a retake that ends up worse at all costs given that gpa -- but maybe i'm wrong in that regard).

This also makes sense if you REALLY want to live in Cali since you will be there during your law school years, too.

2. Assume that your options aren't good for cali; is it possible to work in the best job you can get out of one of your law schools and then lateral to a firm somewhere in cali? If so, then grab one of your money options and run with it (WUSTL, UIUC, IUB). But this is assuming you can stand to be away from Cali for 5-7ish years.

These two options are not meant to look like exhaustive alternatives but just suggestions. Perhaps they are both not onto something; but, from just reasoning from my armchair, these seem like they could be helpful considerations - depending on the empirical data.

Whatever turns out to be the case though, congratulations on some great options!

I agree with point 2 particularly. I callously posted some NLJ250 stats and settled on UIUC. You're very luck to be in the position you're in (at least if you wanted to stay in the midwest - it's hard to feel sorry for you simply because you want to be in Cali). Are we really getting the full picture here? If you seriously want to be in Cali, apply to schools there. These other schools are a smoke screen. Granted, in my opinion, you crazy for not going to Illinois or WUSTL, but I'm sure you've got your reasons.

First rule of TLS: if it's not top 14, don't assume you can travel.

incase2011 wrote:

adt231 wrote:not sure what to do here. i do not know the relevant info to tell you what the right decision is here. but i do know of some questions whose answers may help.

1. Are there other regional schools in Cali that place just as well as these midwest schools? (i.e. USD, pepperdine, UC-H, UC-I, etc.)? If these place even near to as well as your midwest options, then take a year off and reapply to these and try to get some $$ from them and reapply to the ones you've already got money from this cycle to use as leverage (this does not necessarily mean you need to retake --- you want to avoid a retake that ends up worse at all costs given that gpa -- but maybe i'm wrong in that regard).

This also makes sense if you REALLY want to live in Cali since you will be there during your law school years, too.

2. Assume that your options aren't good for cali; is it possible to work in the best job you can get out of one of your law schools and then lateral to a firm somewhere in cali? If so, then grab one of your money options and run with it (WUSTL, UIUC, IUB). But this is assuming you can stand to be away from Cali for 5-7ish years.

These two options are not meant to look like exhaustive alternatives but just suggestions. Perhaps they are both not onto something; but, from just reasoning from my armchair, these seem like they could be helpful considerations - depending on the empirical data.

Whatever turns out to be the case though, congratulations on some great options!

I agree with point 2 particularly. I callously posted some NLJ250 stats and settled on UIUC. You're very luck to be in the position you're in (at least if you wanted to stay in the midwest - it's hard to feel sorry for you simply because you want to be in Cali). Are we really getting the full picture here? If you seriously want to be in Cali, apply to schools there. These other schools are a smoke screen. Granted, in my opinion, you crazy for not going to Illinois or WUSTL, but I'm sure you've got your reasons.

First rule of TLS: if it's not top 14, don't assume you can travel.

I agree with point 2 as well. Re-evaluate what you want. Why didn't you apply to UCLA/USC/Davis or Hasting if you want CA so badly?

IMO if you don't have a 175 and you've only taken once the answer is always retake. LSAT points are worth tens of thousands of dollars. That's free money if you can improve (and most people can).

IMO take in June and apply first thing next cycle.

Big question if I go the retake route - how do I study for the LSAT again after seeing all the practice tests?

I self-studied for the LSAT, took it in June, then retook in October. While I was definitely familiar with some of the questions, it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be. Additionally, when retaking you can focus your studying on the question types that gave you the most trouble. I'd recommend the Grouped By books for this: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... by&x=0&y=0

If you need a job in the interim, try getting a job as a paralegal somewhere. It won't pay very well since you don't have any experience, but it looks good on apps.