Really need some friendly advice. =/ Forum

[Rats]

So I will try to make this brief. Basically, I really want to go to law school. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison with a B.A. in English last May and a GPA of 3.2 (much higher within my major). I took the LSAT last October with minimal studying and got a 162. I applied to a few schools (Loyola, Kent, UW) and was accepted to all but wait listed at my target school UW. I ultimately decided, due to financial reasons, that I would take a year off to work and really study to try and boost my LSAT score in order to hopefully get better scholarship offers.

Today I got my score back and I got a 156. I don't know if it was due to being sick the week of the test, nerves, or just time issues but I am pretty disappointed in myself.

I'm not ready to give up on applying to law school, and I still have my original score of 162. I just feel like I need to change my game plan. I need advice on what schools to apply for with a 162 LSAT score and a 3.2 GPA. Because of my financial situation, I really need to go to a school that will cover a decent portion of tuition. Based on what I've read on this site, it's not really viable to go into huge amounts of debt to go to law school in this job market. I can go anywhere in the country, I really don't care where I live. I'm sorry for the long, rambling story I'm just kind of freaking out after getting my score today. Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for any advice offered. Feel free to be brutally honest.

Edit: Sorry if this is in the wrong forum, wasn't sure where to post it.

[law4vus]

How did you change up your study technique?

To be brutally honest, the odds are against you of being a lawyer if you go to a school that will give you a sizable scholarship with a 3.2 and a 162, and paying sticker at a school that will take you with those numbers is also a very bad idea.

You really need to consider taking it a third time. I was in the same boat as you. I had a 3.3, got a 162 the first time and took a year off. I ended up with a 167 but I pretty much studied for a few months and made a disciplined study plan that I followed. I also took, either in pieces or all together, every practice test that was available to me. Do you think you put in that much time during your year off? Not criticizing, just wondering. Were your practice tests in the high 160s or were you pretty much stagnant?

[Rats]

Thanks for the response and for your honesty!

I studied using the guide I found on here with the "Bible" series of books. My practice tests were always pretty much lower 160s. To be honest I really don't think taking the LSAT a third time will greatly improve my score, if it will improve at all...So basically you don't think its really worth it for me to apply to law school at all with the numbers I have?

[CanadianWolf]

Although your GPA is low, Michigan State may offer a substantial scholarship.

[AntipodeanPhil]

Please retake.

You need to work out why you are getting questions wrong, and fix whatever problems you have. If you can't do that yourself, take a course or hire a tutor. If you got 162 with minimal studying, you can do better. Almost anyone can get a perfect score on logic games with the right technique and enough practice.

If you can get the resident rate, UW would be worth attending, but don't go to any of the other schools you mention unless they offer you a free ride.

[shock259]

Retake. You need to do a lot better to have a chance at getting decent $ at a decent school.

[Rats]

I wish I could retake for a third time, but it just really isn't a good option for me. I would have to take another year off and would be unable to defer my loans if I am not in school. I have a small amount of money saved for the rest of this year, but working my current menial job as a cashier I can't afford to live and pay loans, so I was really hoping to go back to school before that happens. I understand that retake a third time is the best course of action in general, but i guess i was just looking to hear something other than retake. Thanks for the advice, I know its probably right even if its not what I was hoping to hear. =/

[freestallion]

Get an "actual" full-time job in a field you're interested in (and not ideally in a paralegal-type job because you will feel stuck in the legal field then). That way you can save up money, get work experience, and have enough time to study more for the LSAT, retake, and apply next fall instead. Also, that way if law school doesn't work out you have some other potential career path to consider.

[sumner]

Thanks for the response and for your honesty!

I studied using the guide I found on here with the "Bible" series of books. My practice tests were always pretty much lower 160s. To be honest I really don't think taking the LSAT a third time will greatly improve my score, if it will improve at all...So basically you don't think its really worth it for me to apply to law school at all with the numbers I have?

I know they are incredibly expensive but sometimes prep courses help certain people. I know that I learn better in a classroom environment rather than trying to teach myself strategies out of a book. It might be worth the $1000 investment to take a course.