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Hey guys-

So here is my situation.

Waitlisted-
Yale
NU
Mich

Accepted-
Duke
GULC $
UIllinois $$$ Full-ride
GW $$

I am URM, GPA of 3.85 and LSAT of 167. I applied right at the deadlines for all these schools. I wonder if I should wait one more year and reapply EARLY next fall? Should I retake the LSAT? Does waiting ever hurt your chances? Waitlisted at Yale and NU? How does that even make sense?

I liked UIlli a lot, but I worry I am capable of getting into a better school.

If you can wait a year, do it! You applied way too late. Next year you should see much better results.

copperuptown wrote:Hey guys-

So here is my situation.

Waitlisted-
Yale
NU
Mich

Accepted-
Duke
GULC $
UIllinois $$$ Full-ride
GW $$

I am URM, GPA of 3.85 and LSAT of 167. I applied right at the deadlines for all these schools. I wonder if I should wait one more year and reapply EARLY next fall? Should I retake the LSAT? Does waiting ever hurt your chances? Waitlisted at Yale and NU? How does that even make sense?

I liked UIlli a lot, but I worry I am capable of getting into a better school.

A friend of mine had the exact same stats and got into Harvard. Definitely wait and apply early.

URM 3.85/167? Reapply and enjoy CCN.

Why would anyone say reapply but don't retake? If you are going to wait why not take the LSAT again? It can only help

enron123 wrote:Why would anyone say reapply but don't retake? If you are going to wait why not take the LSAT again? It can only help

Well, OP didn't really say whether he thought he could improve his score, and I believe a significantly lower second score could hurt his chances significantly at high-end schools. OP, if you think you can improve your score I definitely recommend it.

Bildungsroman wrote:

enron123 wrote:Why would anyone say reapply but don't retake? If you are going to wait why not take the LSAT again? It can only help

Well, OP didn't really say whether he thought he could improve his score, and I believe a significantly lower second score could hurt his chances significantly at high-end schools. OP, if you think you can improve your score I definitely recommend it.

There's a chance I could do better, I doubt I would get significantly worse. I did not study too much for it and perhaps with some more effort, I could improve a few points.

Would slightly lower, 166 or something, hurt my chances?

I am nervous to change anything, simply because I feel I have received pretty positive results this cycle and by changing my application timing next year, that might be enough on its own to improve my chances at T14/T6.

Only re-apply early next year if you have enough going on to write a new ps and look like a more attractive candidate. just applying again but earlier won't help you.

copperuptown wrote:

Bildungsroman wrote:

enron123 wrote:Why would anyone say reapply but don't retake? If you are going to wait why not take the LSAT again? It can only help

Well, OP didn't really say whether he thought he could improve his score, and I believe a significantly lower second score could hurt his chances significantly at high-end schools. OP, if you think you can improve your score I definitely recommend it.

There's a chance I could do better, I doubt I would get significantly worse. I did not study too much for it and perhaps with some more effort, I could improve a few points.

Would slightly lower, 166 or something, hurt my chances?

I am nervous to change anything, simply because I feel I have received pretty positive results this cycle and by changing my application timing next year, that might be enough on its own to improve my chances at T14/T6.

If you think you can improve with some studying then I definitely recommend retaking the LSAT. I don't think another score around 167 would hurt you, I'm talking like if you scored a 155 on the retake then you might be in trouble.

Late application + WL at Yale = Schools want you, but don't have room.

Wait, reapply early next cycle, and you'll do far better. I don't think retaking is even necessary; if you can make the Yale WL, you're already in good enough shape. Just make sure you're applying to all the top schools (Harvard, Stanford, CCN) so you don't miss out on any opportunities.

Don't just resign yourself to reapplying next year I think. Ride the Yale waitlist and hope you get it.

Englander742 wrote:Don't just resign yourself to reapplying next year I think. Ride the Yale waitlist and hope you get it.

Oh heck ya, I am going to ride out that waitlist til Sept. 1st.

But it would be nothing short of irresponsible to come up with a Plan B. I mean let's be real here, I am grossly underqualified as of right now [for Yale]. It would be a freak accident, a file mix-up, if I were accepted off WL.

copperuptown wrote:But it would be nothing short of irresponsible to come up with a Plan B. I mean let's be real here, I am grossly underqualified as of right now [for Yale]. It would be a freak accident, a file mix-up, if I were accepted off WL.

You're 3.85/167/URM, right? You're in the neighborhood of acceptances at all of the T6 schools. You could probably get $$$ at CCN if you reapply early, and I'm sure you'd get into either Harvard or Stanford if not both. There's no accident about it, your application sounds like genuine T6 material.

If you're Black, if you apply earlier next cycle you will get at least one of Harvard, Yale, Stanford. Columbia on down are safeties.

vanwinkle wrote:Late application + WL at Yale = Schools want you, but don't have room.

Wait, reapply early next cycle, and you'll do far better. I don't think retaking is even necessary; if you can make the Yale WL, you're already in good enough shape. Just make sure you're applying to all the top schools (Harvard, Stanford, CCN) so you don't miss out on any opportunities.

I know a URM who had the exact same cycle last year as OP this year, he re-applied early and is having almost the exact same cycle this year. I think that re-applying early is TCR but make sure you do some substantive stuff in between now and then.

BruceWayne wrote:If you're Black, if you apply earlier next cycle you will get at least one of Harvard, Yale, Stanford. Columbia on down are safeties.

Cuban.

copperuptown wrote:

BruceWayne wrote:If you're Black, if you apply earlier next cycle you will get at least one of Harvard, Yale, Stanford. Columbia on down are safeties.

Cuban.

IBShitstorm

Bildungsroman wrote:

copperuptown wrote:

BruceWayne wrote:If you're Black, if you apply earlier next cycle you will get at least one of Harvard, Yale, Stanford. Columbia on down are safeties.

Cuban.

IBShitstorm

I'm sorry, what?

copperuptown wrote:

Bildungsroman wrote:

copperuptown wrote:

BruceWayne wrote:If you're Black, if you apply earlier next cycle you will get at least one of Harvard, Yale, Stanford. Columbia on down are safeties.

Cuban.

IBShitstorm

I'm sorry, what?

Sorry, should clarify: A lot of people on these boards claim that Cubans and other hispanics/latino/a groups, with the exception of Mexicans and Puerto Ricans, are not given a substantial (aka URM) boost by schools.

copperuptown wrote:Hey guys-

So here is my situation.

Waitlisted-
Yale
NU
Mich

Accepted-
Duke
GULC $
UIllinois $$$ Full-ride
GW $$

I am URM, GPA of 3.85 and LSAT of 167. I applied right at the deadlines for all these schools. I wonder if I should wait one more year and reapply EARLY next fall? Should I retake the LSAT? Does waiting ever hurt your chances? Waitlisted at Yale and NU? How does that even make sense?

I liked UIlli a lot, but I worry I am capable of getting into a better school.

Reapply...

This thread now needs someone with specific knowledge of Cuban URM status.

Also- for the schools I am waitlisted on, what should I write in my LOCI? Does anything go in those letters beyond just a restatement of interest? And should I include any new supplemental docs or LORs?

I really want to go to law school this fall. I don't want to wait again until next year and hope for a better shot if I can help it.

Total Litigator wrote:This thread now needs someone with specific knowledge of Cuban URM status.

Okay, seriously, what more do you need than a WL at Yale with a 167 LSAT?

OP needs to blanket the T14 next cycle and do it early. It's obvious that at least some schools will regard him/her as URM.

OP: How much work experience do you have?

vanwinkle wrote:

Total Litigator wrote:This thread now needs someone with specific knowledge of Cuban URM status.

Okay, seriously, what more do you need than a WL at Yale with a 167 LSAT?

OP needs to blanket the T14 next cycle and do it early. It's obvious that at least some schools will regard him/her as URM.

OP: How much work experience do you have?

One year out of school, working in a reputable mid-sized law firm as a Legal Asst./Paralegal.

vanwinkle wrote:

Total Litigator wrote:This thread now needs someone with specific knowledge of Cuban URM status.

Okay, seriously, what more do you need than a WL at Yale with a 167 LSAT?

OP needs to blanket the T14 next cycle and do it early. It's obvious that at least some schools will regard him/her as URM.

OP: How much work experience do you have?

Well, I happen to know a white guy that currently attends Yale after being waitlisted. He had a 168. So... let's not make huge assumptions about OP receiving a boost. Maybe he had a killer app.