How Many Schools Should You Apply To? Forum

[dodgerboy86]

Okay, so I have a 165 LSAT and a 3.98 GPA. I'm currently working on applications with 8 top 20 schools plus Notre Dame and UC Davis, as backups.

Does anyone have any advice or comments as to how many law schools someone should apply to? Obviously, I'm not made of money at this point in my life and I think that 10 applications should be sufficient

[oldhippie]

there seems to be a huge range of number of apps....i'm only applying to 5 schools but i am also limiting myself geographically....
and there are plenty of folks woth 10+ apps....but as long as you have a few safeties,10 seems more than adequate IMO....

[D. H2Oman]

Unless you've already taken three shots at the LSAT, absolutely no excuse for not retaking.

[r6_philly]

Unless you've already taken three shots at the LSAT, absolutely no excuse for not retaking.

advice ++

[JJDancer]

between 6-12 schools is a good range.

[vegenator]

I may be an odd ball out here, but I think more is better.
When I applied to grad school, I did the usual 2 reaches, 2 targets, 2 safeties. I ended up being accepted to my two targets with no money, and my 2 safeties with money. I was able to negotiate with my safeties and ended up attending the better safety with full-ride plus stipend. Looking back, I wish I would have applied to more targets and reaches, because it only takes ONE of them to accept you to be at a great school. Even if you pay $75 to ten reach/upper targets you normally wouldn't apply to, that's a solid $750 investment in your future. That $750 investment could net you not only great job prospects by getting into a better school, but also greatly increases your odds of scholarships.

Definitely apply to every school you get a fee waiver from that is remotely in your range of schools. Do so even if you're not planning on attending the school. You never know what will happen down the line, you may need to fall back on one of those schools, and for the $12 LSAC fee, I personally like having many back-ups. Plus, if one of the schools you'd like to attend views that school as a peer, you can use their offers for scholarship negotiations.

I originally thought I'd be applying to 15 schools. But when I started getting fee waivers, that number rose to 25. I know others may think I'm going overboard, but I'm actually paying less to apply to 25 law schools and take the LSAT once than I did when I took the GRE twice and applied to 6 grad schools (overnight shipping to grad schools wasn't cheap either).

With your split in GPA LSAT (if you absolutely can't retake the LSAT), I think it'll be hard to predict who'll accept you. Therefore, maximize your odds and apply to as many schools as you can afford.

[Sandro]

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[rayiner]

Retake.