Is there any point in applying to Berkeley this late? Forum

[zephyr36]

4.0/166

After looking at LSN, it looks like everyone with my numbers were rejected this late in the cycle. Can we expect the same thing this year? Should I save the $80?

[fastforward]

Here's an excerpt from the TLS interview with Dean Tom. The bolded emphasis is mine.


http://www.top-law-schools.com/tom-interview.html

TLS: [T]he concluding question: any additional advice that you’d like to offer applicants when they apply for the next academic year?

Dean Tom: “Yes. You must apply early. Even though we don’t have an early decision program, the early bird does catch the worm here. And by early I’m talking about October, mid-November at the latest. Even if you’re taking the December LSAT, you should send in your application to us ahead of time. Use the Law Services electronic application that’s available now. It’s a great product and it works very, very well. You can just apply online through them. Our application is available on our website in PDF form too. But if you use the Law Services version everything comes to us in a bundle: your LSAT score, your letters of recommendation, your personal statement, and it expedites things for the candidate.

A lot of people make the mistake of filling out their applications over the Christmas holidays. But I start reading applications in late October, and I start making offers at that time. Because we have a finite number of offers to make, not only are there fewer spots available later in the process, the competition for those spots increases.”

TLS: What percent would you say get their applications in by mid-November or earlier?

Dean Tom: “Well, it’s increasing now because we’ve been getting the word out to do this. I think that we probably get now at least half of our applications by mid-November.”

A more important question is: Why are you squandering a golden GPA with a 166 LSAT? There will be few, if any, life-altering events over which you will have more control than your LSAT score. If it is at all possible, wait a cycle and do justice to your potential by carefully analyzing exactly what you need to do to increase your score significantly. We recently started a blog and I wrote one of my first posts about this.--LinkRemoved--

Hope all of this helps. Best wishes with whatever path you choose.

[Bildungsroman]

I just submitted my Berkeley app a few days ago with a 168/4.0, so I hope it's not too late. The interview quoted earlier is a good argument for submitting early, but it's not a compelling argument for just not submitting at all once you get to a certain point in the year. It would have been better to have submitted earlier, but isn't it worth $80 to not be left wondering "what if"?

[zephyr36]

I read that interview with Dean Tom. I signed up to retake the LSAT in December, but I had a bad sinus infection in the weeks leading up to it. I went in with pretty shaky confidence, and decided to cancel my score. I think I'll end up submitting, so I don't beat myself up over "what if." I guess I'm just really disappointed in myself for not doing well in December.

[zephyr36]

A more important question is: Why are you squandering a golden GPA with a 166 LSAT? There will be few, if any, life-altering events over which you will have more control than your LSAT score. If it is at all possible, wait a cycle and do justice to your potential by carefully analyzing exactly what you need to do to increase your score significantly. We recently started a blog and I wrote one of my first posts about this.--LinkRemoved--

Hope all of this helps. Best wishes with whatever path you choose.

I'm applying for a couple more options for next year, including TFA and a Fulbright. If either of those work out I'll take those before going to law school (and it's not just a way of buying more time, this was the "plan" all along). If another job offer that I feel will help me develop crops up then I would consider waiting a cycle. However, I'm not going to wait tables for a year. People have differing opinions on this, but I feel that it would be taking a step back.

[09042014]

Do something for a year and retake.

[fastforward]

Do something for a year and retake.

^^This. Nothing like a 10-point increase to wipe away the what-ifs

On the other hand, if you are grimly determined to apply this cycle, then by all means apply to Boalt and every other school you find appealing.

All the best.

[benedict.assnold]

OP:

Retake
Increase score by 4 points
Apply to H
Profit

[Ludacrispat26]

OP:

Retake
Increase score by 4 points
Apply to H
Profit

or OP could

Retake
Decrease score by 4 points
Get rejected from T14
Less Profit

Retake does not mean increase. Some people hit their apex the first time around.

[Xnegd]

My friend applied much later in the cycle and got in with 167 / 3.23. So there is definitely hope.

Keep it in mind though that he was an URM, wait listed and wasn't admitted until the first day of orientation for Berkeley. He also had a pretty good back story, coming from Iran and telling a story of growing up constantly afraid of death due to persecution there because he refused to chant "Death to America."

[r6_philly]

My friend applied much later in the cycle and got in with 167 / 3.23. So there is definitely hope.

Keep it in mind though that he was an URM, wait listed and wasn't admitted until the first day of orientation for Berkeley. He also had a pretty good back story, coming from Iran and telling a story of growing up constantly afraid of death due to persecution there because he refused to chant "Death to America."

Iranian is not URM.

Great to see that he got in!