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afghan007 wrote:I’d appreciate some input on my decision to either sit out until next cycle or attend USC this Fall:

My cycle..
3.52; 159; Black male; applied late January everywhere; overly naïve about application process

USC Accepted w/18k per year
UConn Accepted 5k
Brooklyn Accepted 8.5k per year
St Johns Accepted tuition
Seton Hall Accepted 25k per year
Michigan Rejected
Fordham Pending
Cornell Pending
Cardozo Pending

I’m from CT, and am hesitant about leaving my family/friends/contacts for the West Coast. I’m not too sure about what type of legal career I want to get into. Therefore, I’m looking to go to the best school that I can get into to maximize my options.

So, I’m thinking about coming back stronger next cycle. My GPA is up to 3.65 after my senior year grades. I’d re-take the LSAT - looking for significant improvement, seeing as I had taken no full length practice tests prior to the test date.

With a 3.65, marginal improvement on my LSAT, and apps sent in first week of November put me on track for Columbia, NYU, UVA? Does this justify the risk I stand in passing up at least USC w/ $??

Thanks

Mr. Matlock wrote:This is a slam-dunk decision. Take an LSAT class..... breath it, live it, then DO IT!! 7 or more points and it's a whole new ballgame for you. Take it in October and have ALL of your applications out before Thanksgiving. You'll be surprised at how fast the time will fly.

Good luck!!

Edit: Waiting a year is NO GAMBLE! Worse case scenario is you end up exactly where you started.

afghan007 wrote:Thanks for the input thus far. The balance of favor is tipping...

Mr. Matlock wrote:This is a slam-dunk decision. Take an LSAT class..... breath it, live it, then DO IT!! 7 or more points and it's a whole new ballgame for you. Take it in October and have ALL of your applications out before Thanksgiving. You'll be surprised at how fast the time will fly.

Good luck!!

Edit: Waiting a year is NO GAMBLE! Worse case scenario is you end up exactly where you started.

Class over personal study recommended? My LSAT prep exclusively consisted of coasting through the Powerscore bibles. I didn't finish any of the books, and once again I took no full length practice tests. I was thinking about just getting into as many practice tests as possible on my own rather than a class. But given what I did, or failed to do, last time around.. class may do me well.

afghan007 wrote:Thanks for the input thus far. The balance of favor is tipping...

Mr. Matlock wrote:This is a slam-dunk decision. Take an LSAT class..... breath it, live it, then DO IT!! 7 or more points and it's a whole new ballgame for you. Take it in October and have ALL of your applications out before Thanksgiving. You'll be surprised at how fast the time will fly.

Good luck!!

Edit: Waiting a year is NO GAMBLE! Worse case scenario is you end up exactly where you started.

Class over personal study recommended? My LSAT prep exclusively consisted of coasting through the Powerscore bibles. I didn't finish any of the books, and once again I took no full length practice tests. I was thinking about just getting into as many practice tests as possible on my own rather than a class. But given what I did, or failed to do, last time around.. class may do me well.

c0rpusdelicti wrote:And whatever you do, don't go to Cornell ffs!

jks289 wrote:

c0rpusdelicti wrote:And whatever you do, don't go to Cornell ffs!

I don't like anti-Cornell trolling. But the advice holds for anywhere you get in this year. If you increase numbers you'll get into the same schools with more money or better schools.

c0rpusdelicti wrote:

jks289 wrote:

c0rpusdelicti wrote:And whatever you do, don't go to Cornell ffs!

I don't like anti-Cornell trolling. But the advice holds for anywhere you get in this year. If you increase numbers you'll get into the same schools with more money or better schools.

don't blame me, blame this guy:

newyorker88 wrote:You're chances at Cornell are very low. Cornelly had a ridiculous jump in apps this cycle 55% and a 100% increase in black applicants.

mbw wrote:

newyorker88 wrote:You're chances at Cornell are very low. Cornelly had a ridiculous jump in apps this cycle 55% and a 100% increase in black applicants.

This is true, but AA admittees also have to want to attend over other schools. There was a lot of ambivalence expressed at the April ASW. Cornell has set a goal of increasing diversity -- they'll keeping accepting students until September, to make that goal a reality. The OPs numbers are well within last year's range -- .

newyorker88 wrote:

mbw wrote:

newyorker88 wrote:You're chances at Cornell are very low. Cornelly had a ridiculous jump in apps this cycle 55% and a 100% increase in black applicants.

This is true, but AA admittees also have to want to attend over other schools. There was a lot of ambivalence expressed at the April ASW. Cornell has set a goal of increasing diversity -- they'll keeping accepting students until September, to make that goal a reality. The OPs numbers are well within last year's range -- .

Last year they didn't have a 100% increase in black applicants. Comparing last year's acceptance practices regarding blacks to this one doesn't really make sense. I get what you're saying but basing it off of want happened last year is not logical. OP may have had a good chance of getting in last year with those numbers and that late but this year it is slim to none.

mbw wrote:

newyorker88 wrote:

mbw wrote:

newyorker88 wrote:You're chances at Cornell are very low. Cornelly had a ridiculous jump in apps this cycle 55% and a 100% increase in black applicants.

This is true, but AA admittees also have to want to attend over other schools. There was a lot of ambivalence expressed at the April ASW. Cornell has set a goal of increasing diversity -- they'll keeping accepting students until September, to make that goal a reality. The OPs numbers are well within last year's range -- .

Last year they didn't have a 100% increase in black applicants. Comparing last year's acceptance practices regarding blacks to this one doesn't really make sense. I get what you're saying but basing it off of want happened last year is not logical. OP may have had a good chance of getting in last year with those numbers and that late but this year it is slim to none.

A 100% increase in applicants doesn't equate to a 100% increase in AAs who have the OPs numbers -- the number of applicants taking the LSAT did not increase exponentially, hence, the massive increase in some schools is just people putting in more apps -- but they can still only attend one school. When the dust settles, the OPs numbers will still be in Cornell's range.

newyorker88 wrote: You don't know what Cornell's range will be for this year. You're basing everything off of what they've accepted in previous years despite the fact that this has been a pretty unique year for them. Anything's possible but with an app that late to a school that is extremely backed up and competitive this year chances are slim to none. Just being honest with OP so he can make the best decision for himself.

mbw wrote:

newyorker88 wrote: You don't know what Cornell's range will be for this year. You're basing everything off of what they've accepted in previous years despite the fact that this has been a pretty unique year for them. Anything's possible but with an app that late to a school that is extremely backed up and competitive this year chances are slim to none. Just being honest with OP so he can make the best decision for himself.

You're telling him his chances are slim to none. However, as a URM at Cornell, knowing both how the process has worked in the past and having some first-hand insight as to how it is working now, I strongly disagree. URM admissions run on a different timetable than non-URM admissions -- URMs as a group tend to apply later, and adcoms take this into account. It is still my position that the OP will be offered a spot in the class of 2013. .