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Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:46 pm
by buffalo_
Lifting this from my post on another thread. Here is what you should do based on no information provided by you (because the advice you are going to get probably doesn't depend all that much on it).
Situation1: You taken the LSAT less than 3 times. Your best score is below 175.
TCR: Wait a year. Retake.
Situation 2: You absolutely cannot retake the LSAT (if you simply strongly do not wish to retake, please refer to Situation 1). You were accepted to a T14 school.
TCR: Go to the top regional school with a full scholarship. T14 is not worth sticker.
Situation 3: You were accepted to CCN.
TCR: Congratulations, go to a "lower" T14 with a scholarship. Preferably UVA/UMich or if you have WE you must go to Northwestern. CCN are not worth sticker.
Situation 4: You were accepted to Harvard/Stanford.
TCR: Yay, go to CCN with a scholarship. Harvard and Stanford are not worth sticker.
Situation 5: You were accepted to Yale.
TCR: Holy moly that's great! You should go to Harvard or Stanford with a scholarship. Yale isn't worth sticker.
Situation 6: You were accepted to Yale and you received a substantial scholarship.
TCR: You may go to law school wherever you wish (T14 only please).
Situation 7: You have family assets that will cover all or most of your cost of attending law school.
TCR: You may go to law school wherever you wish (T14 only please).
Situation 8: None of the above situations describes you. Are you sure about Situation 1? Okay, well if you really can't retake again then I guess...
TCR: Don't go to law school.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:48 pm
by Pneumonia
5 doesn't really work because HYS are all need-based only for $$ and tend to give equivalent amounts.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:50 pm
by buffalo_
Pneumonia wrote:5 doesn't really work because HYS are all need-based only for $$ and tend to give equivalent amounts.
Sounds like you're really in 4, 6, or 8 then.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:53 pm
by Pneumonia
Just pointing out that no one ever has "Y no money" vs. "H/S money."
Also, what to you mean by "substantial" scholarship?
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:56 pm
by Kimikho
Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:56 pm
by francesfarmer
scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:57 pm
by aboutmydaylight
Yea, 5 makes no sense. Also, 175 is pushing it.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 3:58 pm
by t-14orbust
Below 175. Was told not to retake. Am glad I didn't.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:00 pm
by Kimikho
francesfarmer wrote:scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Yeah sorry I meant since when is a 175 the "do not retake" score.
If you have above like a 3.8 (from what I've noticed), marginal returns sets in at a 174 since that is above H's median. If you have above a 3.9, a 172 seems to be fine. 3.95+/172 does better at Harvard than a 3.8-3.85/173, and LSN reports them getting more money, too.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:01 pm
by njdevils2626
francesfarmer wrote:scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Was going to comment exactly this
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:02 pm
by buffalo_
francesfarmer wrote:scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Like all good analysis and advice this is all made up and has no supporting data. 175 just seemed like a good arbitrarily high number to use. It's nicer sounding than 172 or 173 and while someone might retake a 170-172, I have never actually seen someone on this board retake a 175 (I am sure there is such a user, that isn't the point).
Plus 175 is what, 99.8 percentile? You're talking about ~150 people in the country total who scored better than that on a given exam. I don't think anyone on TLS would argue retaking a 175 is a good idea. I could maybe see someone say retake a 172 or 3 or 4 if you were crushing 177s on your practice tests.
ETA: It is obviously meant to be a very high score because 95% of people should end up filtering right down to #8.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:03 pm
by Kimikho
buffalo_ wrote:francesfarmer wrote:scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Like all good analysis and advice this is all made up and has no supporting data. 175 just seemed like a good arbitrarily high number to use. It's nicer sounding than 172 or 173 and while someone might retake a 170-172, I have never actually seen someone on this board retake a 175 (I am sure there is such a user, that isn't the point).
Plus 175 is what, 99.8 percentile? You're talking about ~150 people in the country total who scored better than that on a given exam. I don't think anyone on TLS would argue retaking a 175 is a good idea. I could maybe see someone say retake a 172 or 3 or 4 if you were crushing 177s on your practice tests.
So this thread is just a passive-aggressive way to say "fuck you all I'm happy with WUSTL at sticker?"
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:04 pm
by whippersnappery
Pneumonia wrote:Just pointing out that no one ever has "Y no money" vs. "H/S money."
Also, what to you mean by "substantial" scholarship?
Not true. I can't speak to Y, but I know that H and S calculated my aid WAY different to the point that one would have cost 200,000 more than the other.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:07 pm
by francesfarmer
There should be many caveats for splitters. I feel left out of this "conventional" TLS wisdom. For example, the highest ranked school I got into gave me the most aid out of the T-13 (note: I am guilty of egregious anti-GULC trolling). Shit's unpredictable!!!
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:07 pm
by njdevils2626
buffalo_ wrote:francesfarmer wrote:scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Like all good analysis and advice this is all made up and has no supporting data. 175 just seemed like a good arbitrarily high number to use. It's nicer sounding than 172 or 173 and while someone might retake a 170-172, I have never actually seen someone on this board retake a 175 (I am sure there is such a user, that isn't the point).
Plus 175 is what, 99.8 percentile? You're talking about ~150 people in the country total who scored better than that on a given exam. I don't think anyone on TLS would argue retaking a 175 is a good idea. I could maybe see someone say retake a 172 or 3 or 4 if you were crushing 177s on your practice tests.
ETA: It is obviously meant to be a very high score because 95% of people should end up filtering right down to #8.
Looking now, can't find the source yet, but in case you're wondering, Spivey (I'm almost 100% sure) said that someone re-took a 180 in February. Not quite sure why they did, but they did so...
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:08 pm
by drawstring
whippersnappery wrote:Pneumonia wrote:Just pointing out that no one ever has "Y no money" vs. "H/S money."
Also, what to you mean by "substantial" scholarship?
Not true. I can't speak to Y, but I know that H and S calculated my aid WAY different to the point that one would have cost 200,000 more than the other.
damn
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:08 pm
by francesfarmer
njdevils2626 wrote:buffalo_ wrote:francesfarmer wrote:scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Like all good analysis and advice this is all made up and has no supporting data. 175 just seemed like a good arbitrarily high number to use. It's nicer sounding than 172 or 173 and while someone might retake a 170-172, I have never actually seen someone on this board retake a 175 (I am sure there is such a user, that isn't the point).
Plus 175 is what, 99.8 percentile? You're talking about ~150 people in the country total who scored better than that on a given exam. I don't think anyone on TLS would argue retaking a 175 is a good idea. I could maybe see someone say retake a 172 or 3 or 4 if you were crushing 177s on your practice tests.
ETA: It is obviously meant to be a very high score because 95% of people should end up filtering right down to #8.
Looking now, can't find the source yet, but in case you're wondering, Spivey (I'm almost 100% sure) said that someone re-took a 180 in February. Not quite sure why they did, but they did so...
Obviously it was a masochistic standardized test fetishist
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:09 pm
by ph14
This should be in the form of a choose your adventure book. Please revise and resubmit.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:10 pm
by t-14orbust
francesfarmer wrote:njdevils2626 wrote:
Looking now, can't find the source yet, but in case you're wondering, Spivey (I'm almost 100% sure) said that someone re-took a 180 in February. Not quite sure why they did, but they did so...
Obviously it was a masochistic standardized test fetishist
Maybe they want to start an LSAT prep company
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:11 pm
by buffalo_
njdevils2626 wrote:buffalo_ wrote:francesfarmer wrote:scoobers wrote:Since when is a 175 everyone's goal score?
Well, 180 should be everyone's goal score, but I'm confused at the notion that as a splitter I should retake my 172 (already retook a 170).
Like all good analysis and advice this is all made up and has no supporting data. 175 just seemed like a good arbitrarily high number to use. It's nicer sounding than 172 or 173 and while someone might retake a 170-172, I have never actually seen someone on this board retake a 175
(I am sure there is such a user, that isn't the point).
Plus 175 is what, 99.8 percentile? You're talking about ~150 people in the country total who scored better than that on a given exam. I don't think anyone on TLS would argue retaking a 175 is a good idea. I could maybe see someone say retake a 172 or 3 or 4 if you were crushing 177s on your practice tests.
ETA: It is obviously meant to be a very high score because 95% of people should end up filtering right down to #8.
Looking now, can't find the source yet, but in case you're wondering, Spivey (I'm almost 100% sure) said that someone re-took a 180 in February. Not quite sure why they did, but they did so...
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:12 pm
by francesfarmer
t-14orbust wrote:francesfarmer wrote:njdevils2626 wrote:
Looking now, can't find the source yet, but in case you're wondering, Spivey (I'm almost 100% sure) said that someone re-took a 180 in February. Not quite sure why they did, but they did so...
Obviously it was a masochistic standardized test fetishist
Maybe they want to start an LSAT prep company
I would think getting a 180 once would suffice. My LSAT tutor topped out at a 179 and he was doing pretty deece
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:12 pm
by aboutmydaylight
whippersnappery wrote:Pneumonia wrote:Just pointing out that no one ever has "Y no money" vs. "H/S money."
Also, what to you mean by "substantial" scholarship?
Not true. I can't speak to Y, but I know that H and S calculated my aid WAY different to the point that one would have cost 200,000 more than the other.
Are you sure you didn't just fuck up Harvard's forms somewhere?
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:13 pm
by buffalo_
francesfarmer wrote:There should be many caveats for splitters. I feel left out of this "conventional" TLS wisdom. For example, the highest ranked school I got into gave me the most aid out of the T-13 (note: I am guilty of egregious anti-GULC trolling). Shit's unpredictable!!!
A caveat? What? No. This is the TLS conventional wisdom cheatsheet. It gives you the advice you will get if you do the whole "choices, COA, goals, score, number of retakes, etc..." thing. There is no special splitter advice. You probably just end up at number 8.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:15 pm
by francesfarmer
buffalo_ wrote:francesfarmer wrote:There should be many caveats for splitters. I feel left out of this "conventional" TLS wisdom. For example, the highest ranked school I got into gave me the most aid out of the T-13 (note: I am guilty of egregious anti-GULC trolling). Shit's unpredictable!!!
A caveat? What? No. This is the TLS conventional wisdom cheatsheet. It gives you the advice you will get if you do the whole "choices, COA, goals, score, number of retakes, etc..." thing. There is no special splitter advice. You probably just end up at number 8.
Ugh as helpful as this website is to the world at large sometimes I really hate it around here. I think I'm going back to boycotting TLS. See y'all next time I get really bored.
xoxo totally not paying sticker don't worry.
Re: Advice Cheatsheet
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:17 pm
by whippersnappery
aboutmydaylight wrote:whippersnappery wrote:Pneumonia wrote:Just pointing out that no one ever has "Y no money" vs. "H/S money."
Also, what to you mean by "substantial" scholarship?
Not true. I can't speak to Y, but I know that H and S calculated my aid WAY different to the point that one would have cost 200,000 more than the other.
Are you sure you didn't just fuck up Harvard's forms somewhere?
Yep-- appealed the decision and everything. They just look at things differently.