174 - retake? (No joke!) Forum

[Clearly]

Don't retake, get a job, sit a year and reapply. applying late is what killed you, or other things, but NOT a 174.

[MisterT]

There is (almost) no such thing as YP for foreign students. You could very well get into Harvard but get dinged at Penn/Virginia but that's because they don't like foreign students.

Okay, then maybe it's because of the lateness of my application.. Or maybe I accidentally wrote an offensive PS.

[MisterT]

This is my outcome so far:

HLS: reject
Columbia: interview then hold (february hold wave)
Berkeley: reject (said they wouldnt accept a 3 year undergrad program)
Chicago,M,D,P: WL - hoping some of these are YPs

I got into Berkeley with a 3 year undergrad.

It possibly is worth taking the LSAT again, as you're not above all 75ths. You need to stand out, and a really good LSAT is a way to do that.

It's not just about the length, it's about it stating on my LSAC foreign credetials evaluation that my undergraduate degree is 'not equivalent' to a US undergrad degree. Berkeley specifically told me they wouldn't accept me if that was written.. But it definately seems that other schools are open to seeing that differently if they havea t least waitlisted me.

[MisterT]

It seems I'm getting mixed advice - which is basically reflecting my own mixed thoughts. Assuming then that I would reapply next cycle AND take the September LSAT if I see that a significant gain is to be made, and also assuming that my three year undergrad isn't a problem except for a small proportion of schools, should I

1. search for the best job I can (have a polisci degree)

2. do the 1 year MSc International Political Economy at LSE that I got accepted to (would be done before law school started)

What would help me best? Am relatively indifferent between the two options, meaning I would be equally thrilled to do them.

Thanks so much!

[kartelite]

1/29 complete is reaaallly late. Reapply.

Are you sure? I applied late January to all my schools and had no idea it was out of the ordinary...got significant aid offers at most (half to full tuition), so I would focus on your essays/recommendations/get some work experience for next year (and applying earlier couldn't hurt I guess, but I doubt that's the only reason).

Either LSE or the work experience should help, and if you can get 175+ that would probably help most with Columbia and Harvard.