Top Law Schools

My LSAT score is a low 155. GPA: 3.89. URM

Any shot at the top 30?

Specifically,

UPENN
Columbia
UMich
UV
Cornell
BC
BU
Illinois

Probably small chance at these schools.

Any thoughts on taking a year off and perhaps applying at other, lower-ranked schools?
(P.S. Studied for over 6 months for the LSAT. For some weird freakin reason, I simply could not perform on test day -- took it twice. However, was getting mid 160 scores during practice tests...I just don't know)

almost positive you will not get into any of those schools with a 155.
take the extra year and work on that LSAT brother. with lots of practice, the LSAT is beatable

It's either crap law school or take a gap year and hit the books.

If you bumped that to a 165, most schools would be falling all over each other to admit you. Don't apply until you give the LSAT at least more more shot.

Very little chance at those schools I hope those aren't all you applied to. If so, I would retake the LSAT maybe see about taking a prep class. and do NOT only apply to reaches.

Sean Bateman wrote:almost positive you will not get into any of those schools with a 155.
take the extra year and work on that LSAT brother. with lots of practice, the LSAT is beatable

Two years ago, I would have said aim higher in your target schools, even with the 155, but he's right. I know a guy who got into GULC with 3.9/145 (with $$$) from Morehouse and a female URM who went to UVA with 3.8/158 (with $$$).

Both of those happened in 2006.

But these days, URM's with 160's are getting waitlisted now in the top-20's (don't ask me how), and you may get waitlisted at top-30's. But with that GPA, if you get over the 160 hump (165 or so), you can apply throughout the top-30 and have some fun.

Your drop on the LSAT is pretty normal. I was scoring near 170 in my practice exams, so i just knew I would get at least 166-168. But I got the drop like you did.