Apply now, wait for next year, or both?
Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:46 am
TLS, I have a bit of a dilemma on my hands. I so wish I had found this website six months ago. I could have avoided so many mistakes. Anyway, here goes:
I have a 3.36 LSDAS GPA. Not great obviously. I have an upward trend (degree GPA is ~3.8 ) but probably not enough to make a huge difference. So with my weak GPA, the LSAT is particularly important. I got a 168 on the October test and was initially pleased with that, but now I'm not so sure. I am increasingly convinced that I want a T14, and I think my chances of getting that (especially this late in the cycle) are slim to none with my current numbers.
The thing is, I am confident that I can raise my LSAT score if I retake in June. I know, everybody says that. Please hear me out. My diagnostic test was 166 and I only beat that by 2 points. I truly believe I have room for improvement. Logic Games are my weakness. I don't know why, but RC and LR have always come easy to me; I typically score -0 or -1 on each section. My average LG is around -10. I didn't put enough time into LG study leading up to October (a mistake, I now realize), but the limited time I spent with the PowerScore bible did help me somewhat, which leads me to believe that I can do significantly better if I study LG intensively this Spring and take the June test.
As a side benefit, I will have all of my materials complete and submitted to LSDAS well ahead of time, so I will be able to send out applications on day one of the next cycle (maybe even ED somewhere, depending on circumstances) and increase my chances that way even if I can't raise my LSAT score.
My questions to you are these:
1. Now that I have almost definitely decided that I will be retaking in June and applying next Fall, should I just skip this cycle and focus on the next one?
2. Should I apply this year knowing that I am likely to withdraw from schools that accept me, but hoping for some amazing offer from a T25-ish school that might change my mind?
3. If I do the above, will it hurt me in the next cycle? Will schools think less of me knowing that I applied the year before and withdrew every acceptance?
4. Part of me says I should be happy with the 168, and no amount of studying will get me past 170. Should I just forget about retaking the LSAT and take what I can get this cycle?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I have a 3.36 LSDAS GPA. Not great obviously. I have an upward trend (degree GPA is ~3.8 ) but probably not enough to make a huge difference. So with my weak GPA, the LSAT is particularly important. I got a 168 on the October test and was initially pleased with that, but now I'm not so sure. I am increasingly convinced that I want a T14, and I think my chances of getting that (especially this late in the cycle) are slim to none with my current numbers.
The thing is, I am confident that I can raise my LSAT score if I retake in June. I know, everybody says that. Please hear me out. My diagnostic test was 166 and I only beat that by 2 points. I truly believe I have room for improvement. Logic Games are my weakness. I don't know why, but RC and LR have always come easy to me; I typically score -0 or -1 on each section. My average LG is around -10. I didn't put enough time into LG study leading up to October (a mistake, I now realize), but the limited time I spent with the PowerScore bible did help me somewhat, which leads me to believe that I can do significantly better if I study LG intensively this Spring and take the June test.
As a side benefit, I will have all of my materials complete and submitted to LSDAS well ahead of time, so I will be able to send out applications on day one of the next cycle (maybe even ED somewhere, depending on circumstances) and increase my chances that way even if I can't raise my LSAT score.
My questions to you are these:
1. Now that I have almost definitely decided that I will be retaking in June and applying next Fall, should I just skip this cycle and focus on the next one?
2. Should I apply this year knowing that I am likely to withdraw from schools that accept me, but hoping for some amazing offer from a T25-ish school that might change my mind?
3. If I do the above, will it hurt me in the next cycle? Will schools think less of me knowing that I applied the year before and withdrew every acceptance?
4. Part of me says I should be happy with the 168, and no amount of studying will get me past 170. Should I just forget about retaking the LSAT and take what I can get this cycle?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.