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I realize that most of the time when you're asking this question, the answer is almost always yes. I feel that my circumstances are a little different so I'm looking for insight. Please try and keep it positive as I'm looking for genuine advice, and to everyone I know (I have plenty of friends that went to law shitty schools) I have a good LSAT score.

Background/Circumstances

I'm 25.

I've taken the test three times. I scored a 151 (ugh), the second time I cancelled, the third time I got a 162. The part most frustrating about my 162 is I completely bombed the games section which I have REALLY struggle with about half of the time. I would routinely get the RC section perfect, miss 1 or 2 out of each LR section, and the games were a crapshoot. I also never took studying THAT seriously, but I was consistently pratice testing around 169 so I feel that I could break a 170 somewhat easily this final go-around.

My LSDS GPA is a 3.01 (ugh).

I'm in a relationship that is moving towards marriage, which I'm happy about. However, we're starting to worry about starting real careers and starting a family as well. We, of course, want to be financial able and responsible to start a family, which means getting set in careers. We don't want to have our first kid at 35. I'm getting a ton of pressure to get moving so we can get stable.

My significant other wants to stay in the south, whereas I don't really care. I live in Atlanta and fucking hate it, and we went to school in South Carolina where my significant other is from and I hate it there too. I'm from Florida and I hate it there too. If we had to stay in the south I could live with being in Virginia or further towards DC.

My cycle went about as I expected it to, getting into some good regional T2's with some money, and one in a desirable location out west that I am considering and am visiting shortly. However, with the job market being what it is everywhere, I'm apprehensive, and I certainly don't want to bank of being in the top 10%, because that's retarded.

For what it's worth, I'm not a biglaw or bust type, and to be honest I'm not sure what I really want to end up doing. I understand the nature of the work and know what I'm getting into, so I'm not going to law school to delay the inevitable, I'm going because I've decided it is the right path for me.

In the meantime, I work for a biglaw firm here in Atlanta. The experience is great and has been valuable, but the hours are demanding so I'm concerned if I decided to retake I wouldn't be able to devote as much time as I need to for LSAT prep. I also don't want to delay my matriculation another year for nothing if I score similarly.

There are just a lot of factors at play here, and I'm looking for any kind of advice or words of wisdom. Please spare me the standard retake or don't go stuff.

Thanks for reading.

Edit: I forgot to add that it's really annoying me that I know I can do better, I also just don't want to feel like I settled.

Second edit: I'm actally unsure if I am out of the two year window. I took it for the first time in Feb 10.

tfleming09 wrote:I realize that most of the time when you're asking this question, the answer is almost always yes. I feel that my circumstances are a little different so I'm looking for insight. Please try and keep it positive as I'm looking for genuine advice, and to everyone I know (I have plenty of friends that went to law shitty schools) I have a good LSAT score.

Background/Circumstances

I'm 25.

I've taken the test three times. I scored a 151 (ugh), the second time I cancelled, the third time I got a 162. The part most frustrating about my 162 is I completely bombed the games section which I have REALLY struggle with about half of the time. I would routinely get the RC section perfect, miss 1 or 2 out of each LR section, and the games were a crapshoot. I also never took studying THAT seriously, but I was consistently pratice testing around 169 so I feel that I could break a 170 somewhat easily this final go-around. .

Stopped reading there. Retake

*JK I read the rest too, but if you retake and score 170+ you have a good shot at ED UVA which is perfect for your situation and goals. Also you may have to explain to your family that going to a T2 is more likely to end in you being unstable (debt + bad job prospects).

In your position I would retake for a 172+, move to VA, and ED to UVA.

You're 25 and you sound like you have real goals and a timeline planned.

What schools did you apply to? How much money are they offering? I think this is useful information for us to consider to really gauge your situation.

Is it worth it to wait another and hope you get that 170? What happens when you wait and you bomb the games section again? How disappointed will you be in not only wasting another year, but also not improving? I chose the word "waste" because I feel thats how you would perceive taking that additional year IF you don't score significantly better. (I am in a similar boat and I'm looking at the worst case scenario. Sorry to be a downer). Aside from studying for the LSAT, what would you be doing during this additional year that you are waiting?

If you wait, you'll be 26 next year. You'll be 29 by the time you finish law school. Factor in the time to get settled into a job (2-3 years) and its still 3-4 years before baby-making time. Does that mess up your timeline? Not so much. Is it worth a shot? Maybe.

Retake, if you get a 166 you have a decent shot at Emory

john1990 wrote:Retake, if you get a 166 you have a decent shot at Emory

Yeah and then if this happens he should retake again and go to just about anywhere other than Emory...

tfleming09 wrote:I live in Atlanta and fucking hate it, and we went to school in South Carolina where my significant other is from and I hate it there too. I'm from Florida and I hate it there too.

Well, you sound like a doll.

InGoodFaith wrote:

tfleming09 wrote:I live in Atlanta and fucking hate it, and we went to school in South Carolina where my significant other is from and I hate it there too. I'm from Florida and I hate it there too.

Well, you sound like a doll.

Sorry, I have strong opinions after living in the south for a large portion of my life. Can't wait to leave.

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Keep in mind that once you go to law school you will as a practical matter no longer be eligible to do the kind of work you're doing now (admin or paralegal at a law firm), since law firms won't hire lawyers for non-lawyer jobs.

Also keep in mind that if you don't go to a T-14 there's a very good chance you either won't be able to get a job as a lawyer at all, or will only be able to get a lawyer job that pays about as much as the one you have now, but pays much less per hour and is much more stressful. Plus you will have a huge amount of debt.

Don't go to law school unless you can get that 170 (I'm not saying you should go if you do, but I'm saying you shouldn't if you don't).