Should I convince my friend to reapply? Forum
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Should I convince my friend to reapply?
Hello ladies and gentlemen,
So my buddy with whom I went through the LSAT process ended up with a 166/3.6x.
However, he didn't apply until January, and has subsequently been rejected/wait listed at almost all the schools to which he applied.
At this point his best option is Loyola Marymount (LA) with a 90k scholarship over three years.
I am considering trying to convince him to work for a year and reapply next cycle, as I believe that with a year of WE and sending out applications in September could yield better results.
Thoughts?
So my buddy with whom I went through the LSAT process ended up with a 166/3.6x.
However, he didn't apply until January, and has subsequently been rejected/wait listed at almost all the schools to which he applied.
At this point his best option is Loyola Marymount (LA) with a 90k scholarship over three years.
I am considering trying to convince him to work for a year and reapply next cycle, as I believe that with a year of WE and sending out applications in September could yield better results.
Thoughts?
- moonman157
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
Yes, and while you're at him tell him to retake as well.
- DoveBodyWash
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
WTF!?Bob-Loblaw 1 wrote:Hello ladies and gentlemen,
So my buddy with whom I went through the LSAT process ended up with a 166/3.6x.
However, he didn't apply until January, and has subsequently been rejected/wait listed at almost all the schools to which he applied.
At this point his best option is Loyola Marymount (LA) with a 90k scholarship over three years.
I am considering trying to convince him to work for a year and reapply next cycle, as I believe that with a year of WE and sending out applications in September could yield better results.
Thoughts?
Loyola with a 166/3.6X is a HUGE waste. Even if he didn't re-take and just sat on his ass for a year he would get better results by re-applying. But yes. He needs to re-take and re-apply. WE is sort of irrelevant other than for NU and whatever experience he might personally gain from it. (Maybe he'll decide to not go to law school or something)
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
I was actually thinking of doing that as well. However when we studied (and we took a course) he never broke 170.Yes, and while you're at him tell him to retake as well.
I'm not sure, honestly, if he would do much better than 166.
- DoveBodyWash
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
Even if he doesn't improve he would still be better off by re-applying.Bob-Loblaw 1 wrote:I was actually thinking of doing that as well. However when we studied (and we took a course) he never broke 170.Yes, and while you're at him tell him to retake as well.
I'm not sure, honestly, if he would do much better than 166.
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
The answer is yes, but try and be tactful about it. Telling people they're making a huge mistake can be tricky. And definitely try and tell him to retake as well.
- moonman157
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
If he's taking a year off, it doesn't hurt at all. I'll be the first one to say that TLS on a whole overestimates the ease with which one can score a 170+ on the actual test, but there's no sense in not spending more time studying and retaking a 166.Bob-Loblaw 1 wrote:I was actually thinking of doing that as well. However when we studied (and we took a course) he never broke 170.Yes, and while you're at him tell him to retake as well.
I'm not sure, honestly, if he would do much better than 166.
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
Yeah I'm kind of nervous about how to approach this, as I'll be going to a t-10 this fall and I don't want it to seem like I am being elitist or mean or anything (especially since we went through the whole process together). At the end of the day, I simply don't want him to fuck himself over and drown in a sea of debt.The answer is yes, but try and be tactful about it. Telling people they're making a huge mistake can be tricky. And definitely try and tell him to retake as well.
- DoveBodyWash
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
This. Honestly there might be some resentment on his part, but he needs to understand that you're doing it out of genuine concern and not cuz you're being pretentious or anything. If he follows through, he'll thank you down the road.Bob-Loblaw 1 wrote:Yeah I'm kind of nervous about how to approach this, as I'll be going to a t-10 this fall and I don't want it to seem like I am being elitist or mean or anything (especially since we went through the whole process together). At the end of the day, I simply don't want him to fuck himself over and drown in a sea of debt.The answer is yes, but try and be tactful about it. Telling people they're making a huge mistake can be tricky. And definitely try and tell him to retake as well.
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
You can tell your friend about my story! I had similar numbers at the beginning of the cycle (167/3.6x) and applied ED to UVA but was wait listed. I retook in December and raised my score to a 173 and actually ended up turning down my UVA offer (with $75k) to attend Columbia with money (and currently on Harvard wait list). Retaking is absolutely the best option here.Bob-Loblaw 1 wrote:I was actually thinking of doing that as well. However when we studied (and we took a course) he never broke 170.Yes, and while you're at him tell him to retake as well.
I'm not sure, honestly, if he would do much better than 166.
As far as having already taken an LSAT prep course, that doesn't really mean anything. Courses are pointless (in my experience). I couldn't break a 163 after my Kaplan course and had many sleepless nights thinking I was a complete idiot. Until your friend self-studies for a couple of months using Powerscore and Manhattan, I doubt he's reached his maximum potential. Feel free to PM me with any questions

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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
TLS should have a testimonials section, would make it easier to persuade naive and gullible 0Ls into making the right choices.Hi! In 2011 I was staring down the barrel of going to Temple and/or riding out a bunch of waitlists or reapplying.
Now, I'm trying to decide between Duke & Michigan. Or maybe Northwestern or Penn if I get lucky off of holds/waitlists. Guess how fucking happy I am that I found TLS and people talked to me about waiting a few years?! SO FUCKING HAPPY!
Please feel free to PM me, but seriously, that's an enormous waste, as others have said. I've been in those exact shoes and waiting was 1000% the right decision. I don't have enough good things to say about reapplying.
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
THISdissonance1848 wrote:TLS should have a testimonials section, would make it easier to persuade naive and gullible 0Ls into making the right choices.Hi! In 2011 I was staring down the barrel of going to Temple and/or riding out a bunch of waitlists or reapplying.
Now, I'm trying to decide between Duke & Michigan. Or maybe Northwestern or Penn if I get lucky off of holds/waitlists. Guess how fucking happy I am that I found TLS and people talked to me about waiting a few years?! SO FUCKING HAPPY!
Please feel free to PM me, but seriously, that's an enormous waste, as others have said. I've been in those exact shoes and waiting was 1000% the right decision. I don't have enough good things to say about reapplying.
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- ManoftheHour
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
That scholarship comes with a 50% stip. Definitely tell him to retake. Or at the very least, put down a deposit at LMU and then retake June. If he does well, reapply. If he bombs it, then go to LMU.Bob-Loblaw 1 wrote:Hello ladies and gentlemen,
So my buddy with whom I went through the LSAT process ended up with a 166/3.6x.
However, he didn't apply until January, and has subsequently been rejected/wait listed at almost all the schools to which he applied.
At this point his best option is Loyola Marymount (LA) with a 90k scholarship over three years.
I am considering trying to convince him to work for a year and reapply next cycle, as I believe that with a year of WE and sending out applications in September could yield better results.
Thoughts?
Although in his situation, even if he did nothing and reapplied earlier, he should have a much better cycle next year.
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
I would like to add that I'm already on track to re-apply next cycle while gearing up for a retake in June.
I got into UCLA which is not horrible by any means. In fact, I'm actually from LA and went there for undergrad so it would be the easiest school to transition into. But I have spent the last two years studying for the LSAT and know full well that I underperformed in December when I got a 168. I know that I could do better and have already pinpointed all the reasons why I failed to get a much higher score (lesson learned -- never talking to anyone during the break, otherwise, i would have owned the games section, but i'm over it, sorta). I'm retaking in June as I said, and it's my last shot. If I get the score I want, I'm re-applying no question. If I don't, I'll take UCLA and make the best out of it.
In other words, YES TELL YOUR FRIEND TO RE-APPLY. And when I have more time to chit chat after the June LSAT, I want to talk to you, CaptainLeela, because your story is amazing!
I know it's going to suck telling my friends and family and having to "explain myself." But fuck that. Rewards, like an offer to your dream school, are worth taking risks, being patient, and working harder when others have already given up.
EDIT: Also, just like your friend, I applied last minute, literally day it was due for most of the top 20 schools. And I can honestly say my application overall was at my 70% best. Not only did I get into UCLA but got WL'ed at Penn, Virginia, and Georgetown.
NOW IMAGINE IF I ACTUALLY TRIED MY BEST AND APPLIED ON DAY ONE ... that's what I'm telling myself. To be honest, I didn't even want to apply this year and only did it in response to mounting pressure from family and friends. They think I'm getting old (I'm 24). I figured I was going to get rejected across the board and viewed all my apps as hail mary's. Look what happened. But that's not the end goal, the end goal for your friend is doing his best and taking all that advantages that he has available to him such as re-taking and re-applying but early.
I got into UCLA which is not horrible by any means. In fact, I'm actually from LA and went there for undergrad so it would be the easiest school to transition into. But I have spent the last two years studying for the LSAT and know full well that I underperformed in December when I got a 168. I know that I could do better and have already pinpointed all the reasons why I failed to get a much higher score (lesson learned -- never talking to anyone during the break, otherwise, i would have owned the games section, but i'm over it, sorta). I'm retaking in June as I said, and it's my last shot. If I get the score I want, I'm re-applying no question. If I don't, I'll take UCLA and make the best out of it.
In other words, YES TELL YOUR FRIEND TO RE-APPLY. And when I have more time to chit chat after the June LSAT, I want to talk to you, CaptainLeela, because your story is amazing!
I know it's going to suck telling my friends and family and having to "explain myself." But fuck that. Rewards, like an offer to your dream school, are worth taking risks, being patient, and working harder when others have already given up.
EDIT: Also, just like your friend, I applied last minute, literally day it was due for most of the top 20 schools. And I can honestly say my application overall was at my 70% best. Not only did I get into UCLA but got WL'ed at Penn, Virginia, and Georgetown.
NOW IMAGINE IF I ACTUALLY TRIED MY BEST AND APPLIED ON DAY ONE ... that's what I'm telling myself. To be honest, I didn't even want to apply this year and only did it in response to mounting pressure from family and friends. They think I'm getting old (I'm 24). I figured I was going to get rejected across the board and viewed all my apps as hail mary's. Look what happened. But that's not the end goal, the end goal for your friend is doing his best and taking all that advantages that he has available to him such as re-taking and re-applying but early.
Last edited by annjel on Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Tekrul
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
Direct him to this thread and let him hear it from strangers in addition to your words as a caring friend. Retake reapply is absolutely the right choice.
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
Nice I went to UCLA for undergrad and almost decided to stay for law school too!I got into UCLA which is not horrible by any means. In fact, I'm actually from LA and went there for undergrad so it would be the easiest school to transition into.
But it seems we have a consensus. Time to figure out how to start this conversation haha...
- jbagelboy
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
First part of this is true.cusenation wrote: He needs to re-take and re-apply.
WE is sort of irrelevant other than for NU and whatever experience he might personally gain from it. (Maybe he'll decide to not go to law school or something)
Second part is not. Northwestern has a stated emphasis on work experience, but all top law schools will want to see that you have spent your time productively unless you are at both 75ths. You do not want to have long gaps in your work history, undergrad summers wasted, ect. at T14 if you can avoid it. You can see this all the time when people who are working part time or just studying for the lsat aren't performing with median numbers. Saving money will also help bring down your debt load when you finish by helping cover CoL.
Also, your friend won't want to hear that they should do "nothing" instead of law school.
- Snowboarder1588
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Re: Should I convince my friend to reapply?
I would like to thank you all for convincing me to retake and reapply. I have a couple ok offers, but I applied early February. I started studying again and plan on retaking in June. I've realized that everyone suggests applying early is key and you know, learning from others is better than failing (not saying any of you failed) and having to learn from your own mistake.
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