Top Law Schools

I'm very conflicted. I want to practice entertainment law, but under performed on the LSAT on my second take. I'm signed up and studying for June, but who knows how that'll go. I got denied from my top choice (USC) and most likely my second (UCLA) but got into Loyola with 105k which is probably more than I'm assuming USC or UCLA will offer me with my 3.57 GPA.

I was leaning towards taking another year off and retaking, if I bombed the LSAT again then I at least have Loyola. buTTTTT this offer is getting more tempting as they just raised my scholarship from 96k to 105k. I know the general TLS consensus is always "retake" but I'm also considering trying to transfer to USC or UCLA. Help me what do I do?!?!?!?!?

Keep in mind I want to work in Entertainment, namely music, which is an insanely smaller market than movies or TV.

alecks wrote:I'm very conflicted. I want to practice entertainment law, but under performed on the LSAT on my second take. I'm signed up and studying for June, but who knows how that'll go. I got denied from my top choice (USC) and most likely my second (UCLA) but got into Loyola with 105k which is probably more than I'm assuming USC or UCLA will offer me with my 3.57 GPA.

I was leaning towards taking another year off and retaking, if I bombed the LSAT again then I at least have Loyola. buTTTTT this offer is getting more tempting as they just raised my scholarship from 96k to 105k. I know the general TLS consensus is always "retake" but I'm also considering trying to transfer to USC or UCLA. Help me what do I do?!?!?!?!?

Keep in mind I want to work in Entertainment, namely music, which is an insanely smaller market than movies or TV.

If you would not be happy with any other outcome, retake

If you could be satisfied with other outcomes and can keep the debt low, Godspeed at the Marymount

EDIT: To keep from getting rejected to UCLA, tell them you are taking the June LSAT. They will probably hold your app and then put it all on June

What were you PTing on the LSAT and what did you actually get? I'm probably still going to say wait but I'm curious.

logicspeaks wrote:What were you PTing on the LSAT and what did you actually get? I'm probably still going to say wait but I'm curious.

My last PT before the LSAT was a 168. I got a 161. I'm just nervous I'm going to under perform again on test day as it is technically my last retake left.

BankruptMe wrote:

alecks wrote:I'm very conflicted. I want to practice entertainment law, but under performed on the LSAT on my second take. I'm signed up and studying for June, but who knows how that'll go. I got denied from my top choice (USC) and most likely my second (UCLA) but got into Loyola with 105k which is probably more than I'm assuming USC or UCLA will offer me with my 3.57 GPA.

I was leaning towards taking another year off and retaking, if I bombed the LSAT again then I at least have Loyola. buTTTTT this offer is getting more tempting as they just raised my scholarship from 96k to 105k. I know the general TLS consensus is always "retake" but I'm also considering trying to transfer to USC or UCLA. Help me what do I do?!?!?!?!?

Keep in mind I want to work in Entertainment, namely music, which is an insanely smaller market than movies or TV.

If you would not be happy with any other outcome, retake

If you could be satisfied with other outcomes and can keep the debt low, Godspeed at the Marymount

EDIT: To keep from getting rejected to UCLA, tell them you are taking the June LSAT. They will probably hold your app and then put it all on June

that's a good idea, I just emailed them. whatever, the worst they can say is go kick rocks, which is what I figured they'd do anyway

alecks wrote:

logicspeaks wrote:What were you PTing on the LSAT and what did you actually get? I'm probably still going to say wait but I'm curious.

My last PT before the LSAT was a 168. I got a 161. I'm just nervous I'm going to under perform again on test day as it is technically my last retake left.

Retake because that 7 point difference is HUGE. IIRC you applied late too right? I know how tempting it is to attend this Fall at all costs, but it is not worth it. Study hard and take your next test with as much confidence as you can because nerves will kill you too.

Retake and wait. even if you score a point or two higher, it would be worth it. Plus, if you applied late this cycle, applying earlier may help you.

I would only consider the scholarship if it was guaranteed ( no stipulations). If it is not, then do you think you would regret going to the school if you lost that scholarship?

alecks wrote:

logicspeaks wrote:What were you PTing on the LSAT and what did you actually get? I'm probably still going to say wait but I'm curious.

My last PT before the LSAT was a 168. I got a 161. I'm just nervous I'm going to under perform again on test day as it is technically my last retake left.

Easy call to retake. That Loyola money isn't going anywhere. May I ask why USC over UCLA? UCLA has better employment prospects, generally speaking.

Also, I would like to point out that "try to transfer" isn't really an independent option. If you land in the top 5-10% at the end of 1L year, then you can "try to transfer." Never go in looking to, or even worse relying upon, the option of transferring. It is simply too remote an opportunity for most students.

Do you have experience in the music industry - the business side? If no, then absolutely don't go to law school. You need to get in and get some connections before attending any law school.

Second, you really need to get into UCLA for your goals.

Beyond that, you need a very solid backup plan. Plenty of people work in the business side of the music industry, go to T-14 schools, make good grades, join the ed board of the entertainment law journal, do internships in music law and still can't find a job. Its much easier to get a job at Cravath than the job you're shooting for.

NorCalLaw wrote:

alecks wrote:

logicspeaks wrote:What were you PTing on the LSAT and what did you actually get? I'm probably still going to say wait but I'm curious.

My last PT before the LSAT was a 168. I got a 161. I'm just nervous I'm going to under perform again on test day as it is technically my last retake left.

Easy call to retake. That Loyola money isn't going anywhere. May I ask why USC over UCLA? UCLA has better employment prospects, generally speaking.

Also, I would like to point out that "try to transfer" isn't really an independent option. If you land in the top 5-10% at the end of 1L year, then you can "try to transfer." Never go in looking to, or even worse relying upon, the option of transferring. It is simply too remote an opportunity for most students.

2 years ago you would have said USC has better employment prospects than UCLA. They're peers and essentially interchangeable, lets give it half a decade or so before we even consider that USC is falling behind.

OP- couple things. Entertainment law is exceedingly unlikely to happen. No harm in trying your best to get it, but you need to be ok with a backup. If you're lucky enough to get a legal job out of a school like Loyola that means small firm/local gov work making like 50K starting out. You cool with that? Keep in mind that if you take out loans for cost of living you'll be somewhere between 90-120K in the hole with your current scholarship. You cool with that.

Also, as someone who went from 161 to 169, let me just say that that kind of jump is totall possible.

I'm gonna retake. Thanks ya'll!!!

alecks wrote:

logicspeaks wrote:What were you PTing on the LSAT and what did you actually get? I'm probably still going to say wait but I'm curious.

My last PT before the LSAT was a 168. I got a 161. I'm just nervous I'm going to under perform again on test day as it is technically my last retake left.

I had the exact same issue. Even on my third time I froze up. I do not know why because that never happens to me (besides the LSAT). You know yourself, do what feels right.