Apply Now with mehhh LSAT or apply with Dec Retake? Forum

[NV53A]

I could use some constructive advice here. I am torn between applying with a mid 160s LSAT or apply with Dec LSAT.
My mid 160 is due to some drama in the testing room and it's on par with the lowest pt score I've gotten.

My PS, DS, LORs, Transcripts, and Addendums are all good to go.

If I apply now, I know that I have the huge advantage of getting ahead of the pile. However, I know that they won't be seeing my sure-short retake.
If I apply now, but note in my file that I am retaking Dec, law schools won't read my files anyway until the score release.
If I apply later, I am at a disadvantage with rest of the pre-Christmas masses, but I will have a better LSAT score to show for.

What say you?

[JJDancer]

It really depends on what you are PTing and what your long term goals are. And what your gpa is.

Let's say right now you have a 165/3.7 and you want biglaw.. I would say retake and maybe apply next cycle because you are looking at schools like Emory, BC, Fordham and down the rest of the T1.
If you want to be in a specific region and your score is good enough then applying later won't be an issue.

If you are trying to go from a 164 to 169/170 then I'd say applying later won't hurt you unless you are going to apply to reach school based on a 167 avg score.

If you have a lower GPA then applying later will hurt u more, but so will a lower LSAT.

If you have a decent gpa/lsat and wouldn't mind using the higher LSAT to get a scholly rather than T14 acceptances then applying now+telling them abt dec / applyng after score will be FINE for you.

[NV53A]

It really depends on what you are PTing and what your long term goals are. And what your gpa is.

Let's say right now you have a 165/3.7 and you want biglaw.. I would say retake and maybe apply next cycle because you are looking at schools like Emory, BC, Fordham and down the rest of the T1.
If you want to be in a specific region and your score is good enough then applying later won't be an issue.

If you are trying to go from a 164 to 169/170 then I'd say applying later won't hurt you unless you are going to apply to reach school based on a 167 avg score.

If you have a lower GPA then applying later will hurt u more, but so will a lower LSAT.

If you have a decent gpa/lsat and wouldn't mind using the higher LSAT to get a scholly rather than T14 acceptances then applying now+telling them abt dec / applyng after score will be FINE for you.

165/3.5 - want to be in cali. no need biglaw.

[2014]

You are out at UCLA and USC, probably in at Davis and Hastings on down, and god only knows at UCI.

So if you want one of the first two, you should do better on the LSAT and wait, if you are content with one of the later however many, then you could justifiably apply now though you might leave some scholarship money on the table.