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There is a passage that states that whether admission deans admit it or not, minority applicants score on avg lower than their non minority counterparts. The passage specifically says that African Americans typically score 10 points, hispanics 5 points lower, and American Indians 3-5 points lower.

However, according to LSAC data, Puerto Ricans have the lowest avg LSAT Scores. Would that then mean that PR's should get the implied "10 point boost" as well? And while average scores might differ significantly, isn't it possible that this difference fades out in the higher percentiles? (Perhaps URM score distributions differ significantly from a bell curve?)

Does anyone have any opinions on the matter or know where to find thorough data to back these claims.

MichelFoucault wrote:There is a passage that states that whether admission deans admit it or not, minority applicants score on avg lower than their non minority counterparts. The passage specifically says that African Americans typically score 10 points, hispanics 5 points lower, and American Indians 3-5 points lower.

However, according to LSAC data, Puerto Ricans have the lowest avg LSAT Scores. Would that then mean that PR's should get the implied "10 point boost" as well? And while average scores might differ significantly, isn't it possible that this difference fades out in the higher percentiles? (Perhaps URM score distributions differ significantly from a bell curve?)

Does anyone have any opinions on the matter or know where to find thorough data to back these claims.

Who cares though?

Not being mean but trying to compete with the lowest common denominator in mind is a sure way to undershoot your potential.

Look at the schools 75th percentile range and try to get that or better. Can shoot for a few points under the 75th if your gpa is out of this world.

That's how I'm doing it. I'm not going by what the black kids are scoring on a whole, because first of all the black data doesn't apply to certain segments of blacks, namely foreign ones.

I wanted a 170 before I got here. Now I see how high people are scoring on here I want a 175. Aim for the sky, you might hit the treetops, but aim for the treetops, or branch near it, you just might hit the ground or not take off at all.

I do not see where the OP is competing with the lowest common denominator. If anything the OP is wondering why one group is the lowest denominator and the other is not. I don't think its necessary to cover your ears and close your eyes when it comes to looking at the LSAT data for minority groups. Yes, scoring in the lower 160's as a black person will put you in the 95th percentile. I don't think knowing that fact will make a black person aim lower or not try as hard on the LSAT. If it does its their fault for being a retard

Doritos wrote:I do not see where the OP is competing with the lowest common denominator. If anything the OP is wondering why one group is the lowest denominator and the other is not. I don't think its necessary to cover your ears and close your eyes when it comes to looking at the LSAT data for minority groups. Yes, scoring in the lower 160's as a black person will put you in the 95th percentile. I don't think knowing that fact will make a black person aim lower or not try as hard on the LSAT. If it does its their fault for being a retard

Exactly, if nothing else I think it serves at motivation to break the stereotypes that are far too common on these boards.

You have to keep in mind that all of that is an average or composite. What schools are doing is trying to increase URM enrollment to a certain level; if they've reached that level they will stop boosting people. So if it takes boosting PR applicants 10 points, they'll probably consider doing that.

Plus, when doing URM admissions, none of these "boosts" are automatic. They still look to the rest of the application to determine whether or not to admit the applicant. I know this is true because I've seen URM applicants with 170+ LSATs that have gotten rejected from HYS. These schools still have strong standards when it comes to GPA, personal experience, and writing ability, and if an applicant isn't bringing all of those, no amount of LSAT boost will save them.

Doritos wrote:I do not see where the OP is competing with the lowest common denominator. If anything the OP is wondering why one group is the lowest denominator and the other is not. I don't think its necessary to cover your ears and close your eyes when it comes to looking at the LSAT data for minority groups. Yes, scoring in the lower 160's as a black person will put you in the 95th percentile. I don't think knowing that fact will make a black person aim lower or not try as hard on the LSAT. If it does its their fault for being a retard

160+ is more like 98%. Even a 157 puts you above 95% or something close to that. And 154 supposedly puts you above 90%.