Columbia/NYU/Duke Forum

[TheJanitor]

I have been thinking about where I would like to go to law school and as for now I have a list of Columbia U (NY), New York University, and Duke. I graduated from Davidson (3.67 GPA) and scored 169 on the LSAT (took the test once), and have registered to take the test again in October 2012. I have been told that I already have Duke numbers (can't be sure of that), and am currently outside of the Columbia/NYU LSAT scores. How does Columbia/NYU/Duke view more than one LSAT score? Will taking the test more than once hurt my chances at Columbia/NYU/Duke? Has anyone had any experience with Columbia/NYU/Duke? The most important thing for me is landing a good job after graduating and I think Columbia/NYU/Duke can deliver that, if you have any thoughts chime right in!

[bk1]

They take your best LSAT. Having more than 1 LSAT score won't hurt you.

There's also plenty of other schools that can deliver similar chances of getting a job to CLS/NYU/Duke (11 more in fact).

[Tadatsune]

Retake, get a 173+, go to your choice of schools.

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....aaaaand, 180. I can stop posting now!

[fakehunter]

I have almost exact numbers - same LSAT and very very slightly lower GPA. FWIW, I got in via waitlist at Duke, waitlisted still at Columbia, and reject at NYU. But if you can retake and get better, go for it!

[nailglue]

3.63, 171 - I got in via waitlist at Duke with half tuition and still waitlisted at Columbia/NYU. I also applied in late January, but I do count as MA URM (1/4 Mexican), so I'm sure that's been beneficial to me as well.

[CanadianWolf]

lawschoolnumbers.com may be a useful resource for you.

[smokeylarue]

Pretty much same GPA as you this cycle. Get a 172 and you're in @ NYU and maybe like a 20% chance at Columbia. 173 will probably give you a good shot at Columbia.

[dixiecupdrinking]

You should:

1. Follow through on the retake. 3.67/169 should get you in somewhere decent but if you get that up five points your options will be massively improved.
2. Read up on other law schools, on this site and elsewhere on the internet, and apply to more places. There's no reason I can imagine to restrict your list to NYU, Columbia and Duke. At a minimum you should be considering Chicago, Penn, Northwestern (other very strong northern urban schools a la Columbia/NYU) and UVA (very strong southern school a la Duke). Honestly, you should probably apply to all the T14 schools, maybe down to the top 20 if you think you might prefer a scholarship at a slightly lower ranked but still strong school like Vanderbilt or Texas.

[izy223]

They take your best LSAT. Having more than 1 LSAT score won't hurt you.

(11 more in fact).

not true i took the lsat twice had a 3.87 GPS and 162 on first 176 on second- my cycle proves taking it twice hurt me (didnt get into HYC)

i would still retake but if you dont get higher then a 172 173 and your deadset on CN i would apply ED

[whitman]

They take your best LSAT. Having more than 1 LSAT score won't hurt you.

(11 more in fact).

not true i took the lsat twice had a 3.87 GPS and 162 on first 176 on second- my cycle proves taking it twice hurt me (didnt get into HYC)

i would still retake but if you dont get higher then a 172 173 and your deadset on CN i would apply ED

You got a 176 and you're still saying things like this?

[Nelson]

They take your best LSAT. Having more than 1 LSAT score won't hurt you.

(11 more in fact).

not true i took the lsat twice had a 3.87 GPS and 162 on first 176 on second- my cycle proves taking it twice hurt me (didnt get into HYC)

i would still retake but if you dont get higher then a 172 173 and your deadset on CN i would apply ED

Your cycle doesn't prove the retake was the problem with your app.

[izy223]

They take your best LSAT. Having more than 1 LSAT score won't hurt you.

(11 more in fact).

not true i took the lsat twice had a 3.87 GPS and 162 on first 176 on second- my cycle proves taking it twice hurt me (didnt get into HYC)

i would still retake but if you dont get higher then a 172 173 and your deadset on CN i would apply ED

Your cycle doesn't prove the retake was the problem with your app.

fair doesnt prove but it it also shows that they may not only look at your top lsat score

[Nelson]

fair doesnt prove but it it also shows that they may not only look at your top lsat score

It just shows you underperformed your numbers. That happens all the time for any number of reasons. Your anecdote is offset by all the anecdotes of retakers who do get into HYS.

[Yeshia90]

They take your best LSAT. Having more than 1 LSAT score won't hurt you.

(11 more in fact).

not true i took the lsat twice had a 3.87 GPS and 162 on first 176 on second- my cycle proves taking it twice hurt me (didnt get into HYC)

i would still retake but if you dont get higher then a 172 173 and your deadset on CN i would apply ED

You got a 176 and you're still saying things like this?

You'd think after scoring at that level, someone would understand the difference between sufficient and necessary.

[rickgrimes69]

I had similar numbers to you, slightly higher GPA and I got in off the waitlist at Duke with money. Still waiting on NYU, and you can probably kiss Columbia goodbye.