Top Law Schools

Options: Cornell $165k COA vs. USC $90k COA (schollies are $105k and full, respectively)

Numbers: 168/3.9x/1 take

Ties (in order of strength): PNW > Midwest > LA

Goals: Biglaw >>> small law

Geography: Dream is to snag PNW large firm work, which I know is ultra-competitive; LA or NYC would be acceptable, if not preferable.

Funding: Loans. For days.

The sitch: I'm registered for a June retake. I'm also riding waitlists at NYU, Penn, UVA, Duke, Berk, and Mich (not a single ding, wtf). I'm fairly certain my late app hurt me this cycle. If I retake and improve significantly, I'm willing to sit out and reapply. If I retake and improve modestly, I think some WL action would be in play, as would increased $ leverage at Cornell if I deposit there. If I retake and fail, are either of the above options justified? I'd like to deposit somewhere to have a fallback spot.

I should also note that I'm nontrad, and while I'm willing to sit out, I really wouldn't like it. My job has tended towards soul-sucking of late.

Questions, comments, concerns? Should I deposit somewhere?

You must retake. Every additional LSAT point is worth 10s of thousands at this point. Don't settle for these options with that GPA and one LSAT attempt.

Deposit somewhere just so you have the option, because your June LSAT could open up a bigger scholarship there as well as getting off the waitlist elsewhere

The Dark Shepard wrote:Deposit somewhere just so you have the option, because your June LSAT could open up a bigger scholarship there as well as getting off the waitlist elsewhere

His scholarship can't get any bigger at USC, so that only leaves Cornell. And if he scored well enough to get a large increase there, it's incredibly likely that he'd have better options next cycle anyway.

Is a June retake credited? I've read instances on TLS of waitlists opening up + $$ with notable improvement in June, but how likely is that? Obviously LSAT is the game-changer here, b/c my GPA isn't going anywhere.

cron1834 wrote:Is a June retake credited? I've read instances on TLS of waitlists opening up + $$ with notable improvement in June, but how likely is that? Obviously LSAT is the game-changer here, b/c my GPA isn't going anywhere.

I would only do a June retake if you can really bust your ass for the next 6 weeks or whatever til the test. I definitely think a lot of your WL could become acceptances with $$ with a 170+ but I wouldn't take in June unless you're pretty confident in breaking 170.

Since I have 2 retakes left, is there any harm in a June retake?

LSAT context: I had a fucking make-up LSAT, so it was undisclosed. Frustrating. But, I was very consistently -2ish on LR and RC, for months. LG is my bugaboo, which is probably more receptive to improvement than the others.

cron1834 wrote:Since I have 2 retakes left, is there any harm in a June retake?

LSAT context: I had a fucking make-up LSAT, so it was undisclosed. Frustrating. But, I was very consistently -2ish on LR and RC, for months. LG is my bugaboo, which is probably more receptive to improvement than the others.

I mean, definitely retake no matter what. But if LG is your problem and you crush the other sections? Dude.

Harvard is within reach bro. How did you study last time?

cron1834 wrote:Since I have 2 retakes left, is there any harm in a June retake?

LSAT context: I had a fucking make-up LSAT, so it was undisclosed. Frustrating. But, I was very consistently -2ish on LR and RC, for months. LG is my bugaboo, which is probably more receptive to improvement than the others.

Ehh, I guess not if you can get that LG under control. It's definitely by far the easiest section to improve. Drill that shit for 6 weeks and kill it in June.

My hope exactly. Thanks duder.

1) Did you take the December LSAT in Salem like I did, fellow PDXer?

2) I'm surprised you didn't get better results as a non-trad with a 3.9 and a 168. Might need to rethink your PS if you end up reapplying next year.

3) If LG are your weakness, check out 7Sage. Someone here recommended them to me after I mentioned being horrible at LG, and I went from 164 to 171 after doing the basic course.

BigZuck wrote:

cron1834 wrote:Since I have 2 retakes left, is there any harm in a June retake?

LSAT context: I had a fucking make-up LSAT, so it was undisclosed. Frustrating. But, I was very consistently -2ish on LR and RC, for months. LG is my bugaboo, which is probably more receptive to improvement than the others.

I mean, definitely retake no matter what. But if LG is your problem and you crush the other sections? Dude.

Harvard is within reach bro. How did you study last time?

Thanks, Zuck. I put in three months of 20ish hours/week. Initial diag was 158. My PTs varied from mid 160s to low 170s (if I had a good run of games). I don't know exactly how the section scoring broke down on the exam, but obviously it probably went the way of my PTs.

gma221 wrote:1) Did you take the December LSAT in Salem like I did, fellow PDXer?

2) I'm surprised you didn't get better results as a non-trad with a 3.9 and a 168. Might need to rethink your PS if you end up reapplying next year.

3) If LG are your weakness, check out 7Sage. Someone here recommended them to me after I mentioned being horrible at LG, and I went from 164 to 171 after doing the basic course.

1) Exactly! I don't know if we were in the same room, but the ladies running my room were TTT

2) That could be? I am largely hunching that it was the late app, though. Got to most of those places in mid- to late-January. Mich was the only genuine surprise; I'm below LSAT median elsewhere, except for Black Box Berk

3) I plan to! I've switched from PowerScore to Manhattan for my games prep ... will using 7Sage as a supplement conflict in any way? I mean, will they work at cross-purposes in terms of setup, etc?

I feel like a 168 and 3.9 w/ work experience should be getting money from some of the schools that waitlisted you. I almost wonder if you've just been really unlucky and should try again next year.

Retake in June, and if you improve on your score and are able to wrangle more money from your deposited school, decide on your next course of action from there.

I don't know how much you care about getting into the highest-ranked school possible; I would guess this would be more likely if you sat out a cycle.

Nomo wrote:I feel like a 168 and 3.9 w/ work experience should be getting money from some of the schools that waitlisted you. I almost wonder if you've just been really unlucky and should try again next year.

There's no question that this was the case at Mich and Berk, and even some folks with my numbers got in at Duke and UVA. I think an October (as opposed to late Jan) application would make a huge difference, though literally a point or two on the LSAT would also be huge.

cron1834 wrote:
1) Exactly! I don't know if we were in the same room, but the ladies running my room were TTT

2) That could be? I am largely hunching that it was the late app, though. Got to most of those places in mid- to late-January. Mich was the only genuine surprise; I'm below LSAT median elsewhere, except for Black Box Berk

3) I plan to! I've switched from PowerScore to Manhattan for my games prep ... will using 7Sage as a supplement conflict in any way? I mean, will they work at cross-purposes in terms of setup, etc?

Haha, yeah, there were some problems in my room, too, so it's entirely possible. BTW, that was my third take, and IMO it was a wacky-ass test. The games section was one of the worst I've ever seen, and I took pretty much every PT from 20 on.

Re: #3, I'm afraid I can't speak to that. I used the Powerscore Bibles and 7Sage exclusively. If you want to get a sense of the 7Sage method for logic games, there are basic explanations for every single PT on the website (under "Resources" I believe).

Best of luck!

gma221 wrote:

cron1834 wrote:
1) Exactly! I don't know if we were in the same room, but the ladies running my room were TTT

2) That could be? I am largely hunching that it was the late app, though. Got to most of those places in mid- to late-January. Mich was the only genuine surprise; I'm below LSAT median elsewhere, except for Black Box Berk

3) I plan to! I've switched from PowerScore to Manhattan for my games prep ... will using 7Sage as a supplement conflict in any way? I mean, will they work at cross-purposes in terms of setup, etc?

Haha, yeah, there were some problems in my room, too, so it's entirely possible. BTW, that was my third take, and IMO it was a wacky-ass test. The games section was one of the worst I've ever seen, and I took pretty much every PT from 20 on.

Re: #3, I'm afraid I can't speak to that. I used the Powerscore Bibles and 7Sage exclusively. If you want to get a sense of the 7Sage method for logic games, there are basic explanations for every single PT on the website (under "Resources" I believe).

Best of luck!

There was one tall blonde girl in my room that I overheard say she was shooting for a 170. That stood out for me b/c the room was, by and large, filled with schlubs who were aiming for in-state schools. You? Either way, thx!

Yea All Right wrote:Retake in June, and if you improve on your score and are able to wrangle more money from your deposited school, decide on your next course of action from there.

I don't know how much you care about getting into the highest-ranked school possible; I would guess this would be more likely if you sat out a cycle.

My thoughts as well. I think Cornell has to be the deposit, even if I'm unsure about attending. Thanks, duder.

Re-take & or get more money

...

cron1834 wrote:There was one tall blonde girl in my room that I overheard say she was shooting for a 170. That stood out for me b/c the room was, by and large, filled with schlubs who were aiming for in-state schools. You? Either way, thx!

Nope, short brunette here.