Top Law Schools

Right to business. 170 LSAT, ~3.35 GPA, currently working since my Dec. 09 graduation. I don't want to apply ED anywhere. I would like BigLaw, but there is certainly room for other creative avenues (particularly if I get into one of the schools where I have a solid networking base).

My target sticker schools:
Michigan (big reach, I know)
G'town
UCLA

My target scholly schools are less specific (various schools between 17-30), although Notre Dame would be my preference out of all of them.

A little about my preparation: I studied the Logic Games Bible for about 2 hours a day, weekdays, for a month. Took my first preptest after I finished the book and got a 170. Took another and got a 172. I did next to nothing to prepare for the Logic section, and literally nothing to prepare for the Reading Comprehension (though I don't know how much you can really practice for RC). Over the next couple weeks I took 5 practice tests, averaging a 170. At this point, I had some things go awry in my life, and I didn't pick up a book for another 6 weeks. I began prepping again a little less than 3 weeks before test day. I used this time to only take preptests, where I averaged just below a 170 (6-7 tests).

I am now in a much better frame of mind. I ideally would like to bump that score up to 172+ in October, to improve my chances at my sticker school targets and also for better scholarship offers at lower ranked schools. However, I am definitely concerned that I will really hurt myself if I score a 168-169 or even if I decide to cancel my score. I honestly am as close to 50/50 as I can be about a decision. My pre-law advisor was of no help. I'm counting on the knowledgeable, helpful and abnormally sexy TLS population for some good advice. Thanks a lot in advance; I really appreciate any and all help/suggestions.

If you can devote the necessary time to study your ass off before October, and actually study each section this time, then retake. But you have to study your ass off and not let your life go awry

Thanks for the response. I guess a better question would be: Is the reward of 2 additional points worth the risk of losing 2? Or should I stand pat?

Upton Sinclair wrote:Thanks for the response. I guess a better question would be: Is the reward of 2 additional points worth the risk of losing 2? Or should I stand pat?

I'm under the impression that most T-14 schools consider your highest score, so a 168 after a 170 wouldn't kill you. It would suck, but as far as I can tell it won't be a major issue. Go for 170+ if you're confident.

most schools say that 2-3 pt diff wouldnt matter either way... if you were consistently scoring at like a 178 i would say go for it but otherwise, a 170 is pretty good, no need to mess w/ it

Yeah, I know that a score within the score band doesn't make much of a difference, but since these schools report your highest LSAT score to USNWR, I was thinking that maybe a 172 could mean the difference between a denial/WL and an acceptance (particularly at G'town and UCLA). Maybe that's wishful thinking?

If anyone else could weigh in on this I would really appreciate it. Thanks again.

i am dealing with this same issue, although i got a 169 with a lower gpa so my decision is pretty much made. i've always just assumed it would be awful if i scored lower, but is that actually not the case? what is the main deterrent for taking it twice then (besides it being a huge pain in the ass)? like what is the downside for going at it again if you think you can do better?