What is a reach? a safety? a target? Forum

[lalalawya]

What is considered a "reach?"
There are a couple of schools where I am slightly above the 25%, but LSACs ABA-predictor has my chance for admittance between 44-54%. Is this a reach? The chance for admissions seems a little high for it to be a true reach, but I am below both medians so I don't know...

Safety?
I am above 75% for LSAT and at median for GPA. ABA predictor has my chance for admissions as 90%

Target?
A school that I am at the median for LSAT but below median for GPA has the prediction of about 65-73%...a chance of 65% seems a little low for it to be a "true" target...

Thoughts?

Thank ya!

[whymeohgodno]

Below both medians = Reach

Hit both medians = Target

Hit both 75th = Safety

[Barbie]

I've been accepted to my targets, which had my only at 55% or so for acceptance. I don't read much into LSP though. If you're @ the medians it's a target. If you're below one median its a reach, if you're below both medians (or way below one) its a huge reach, and if you're above both medians, then I would call it a safety.

[lalalawya]

I've been accepted to my targets, which had my only at 55% or so for acceptance. I don't read much into LSP though. If you're @ the medians it's a target. If you're below one median its a reach, if you're below both medians (or way below one) its a huge reach, and if you're above both medians, then I would call it a safety.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. The predictor through LSAC confused me though, which is why I was wanting to hear opinions. I was confused as to why they had me at a 50% chance for a school I am below both medians for. Thanks for your input!

[Grizz]

I've been accepted to my targets, which had my only at 55% or so for acceptance. I don't read much into LSP though. If you're @ the medians it's a target. If you're below one median its a reach, if you're below both medians (or way below one) its a huge reach, and if you're above both medians, then I would call it a safety.

This.

[whymeohgodno]

I've been accepted to my targets, which had my only at 55% or so for acceptance. I don't read much into LSP though. If you're @ the medians it's a target. If you're below one median its a reach, if you're below both medians (or way below one) its a huge reach, and if you're above both medians, then I would call it a safety.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. The predictor through LSAC confused me though, which is why I was wanting to hear opinions. I was confused as to why they had me at a 50% chance for a school I am below both medians for. Thanks for your input!

ABA predictor hasn't updated its medians.

[dissonance1848]

If you are above the LSAT 75% and below the 25% GPA of a school, is that like being around both of the school's medians?

[whymeohgodno]

If you are above the LSAT 75% and below the 25% GPA of a school, is that like being around both of the school's medians?

No, it means you are a splitter and depending on the school it could mean you stand a good shot or you should expect an auto reject.

[glitter178]

If you are above the LSAT 75% and below the 25% GPA of a school, is that like being around both of the school's medians?

no. that makes you a splitter. some schools like splitters and others don't.

[beachbum]

If you are above the LSAT 75% and below the 25% GPA of a school, is that like being around both of the school's medians?

Depends on the school. For splitters, use LSN to determine reaches/targets/safeties. For example, I'm way below WUSTL's GPA median, but I still consider it a (relative) safety.

Lots of green around your numbers = safety
Mix of green/yellow = target
Mostly yellow/red = reach

[dissonance1848]

I guess then that the schools I am applying to are targets/reaches.

[Gotti]

this sucks. i'm a reverse splitter (3.95/164) and all my schools are reaches. fail.

[Grizz]

this sucks. i'm a reverse splitter (3.95/164) and all my schools are reaches. fail.

For reverse splitters, TCR is almost always retake.

[Ragged]

Below both medians = Reach

Hit both medians = Target

Hit both 75th = Safety

That's a good rule of thumb.

Also, for being above/below its somewhere between a target and a reach. It depends on what and by how much. Seems like schools put more weight on the LSAT so being below LSAT median is tougher to overcome (more of a reach) than being below GPA (more of a target).

[Gotti]

this sucks. i'm a reverse splitter (3.95/164) and all my schools are reaches. fail.

For reverse splitters, TCR is almost always retake.

that's my 2nd retake from 163

PS what's TCR?

[Ragged]

this sucks. i'm a reverse splitter (3.95/164) and all my schools are reaches. fail.

For reverse splitters, TCR is almost always retake.

that's my 2nd retake from 163

PS what's TCR?

The Credited Response. Its often preceeded by This Is, so you might also see TITCR.

[Grizz]

this sucks. i'm a reverse splitter (3.95/164) and all my schools are reaches. fail.

For reverse splitters, TCR is almost always retake.

that's my 2nd retake from 163

PS what's TCR?

The correct response.

Retake again or ED to UVA yesterday.

[egeffin]

What would being below the median but above the 25% in GPA and at or above the 75% in LSAT?

[Ragged]

What would being below the median but above the 25% in GPA and at or above the 75% in LSAT?

Target.

[JJDancer]

This might be silly but how precisely does one need to hit the median for targets?

Ex: LS's median is 3.67. Is having a 3.6x "hitting the median" or does it literally need to be 3.67 or higher?

[edubs003]

The Kaplan book I have says "reach is below 40% chance, target is 40-80%, and safety is 80%" chance of admission. I'm guessing that they're getting those from the applicant profiles.

[Ragged]

This might be silly but how precisely does one need to hit the median for targets?

Ex: LS's median is 3.67. Is having a 3.6x "hitting the median" or does it literally need to be 3.67 or higher?

Its the latter.

[whymeohgodno]

This might be silly but how precisely does one need to hit the median for targets?

Ex: LS's median is 3.67. Is having a 3.6x "hitting the median" or does it literally need to be 3.67 or higher?

You need to hit it.