Waiting until next cycle to apply? Forum

[cc999]

Quick question..

So here are my stats/ situation:

I have a 169 lsat and a 3.43 GPA (had mono freshman year, 3.5-3.7ish every year since) from Harvard. I'm graduating with honors, writing a thesis, have good softs (lots of community service) and letters of recommendation, but it took FOREVER for my recs to get in so I'm just applying now. I'm wondering if I should just wait to apply next cycle and take a year off to work (probably paralegal-ing) to have any shot at a T-14? Ideally I'd like to be in NYC so I'm really talking about NYU/Columbia. Does anyone have any thoughts about or experience with this?

Thanks!

[emkay625]

are you a urm? if not nyu/columbia might be tough with those stats. is a retake possible?

[20130312]

These schools have already started sending out acceptances. Throw out a few apps to schools that you really want right now (no shot at CCN, slight chance at MVPB now, probs more realistic for schools below that). If you don't get in, no big deal, there's always next year. Maybe you can even retake in that timeframe! I have almost exactly the same numbers and I'll probably be waiting til next year too, despite the apps I have out now.

[cc999]

Thanks, Yeah at this point I'm even thinking that I might apply to Cardozo and see if I get scholarship money. If not/if I hate the place I might retake the LSAT and apply next year to the higher ranked schools. I honestly don't think I want biglaw and getting out of law school with little or no debt sounds really appealing. Or that might be completely insane? bold move


Do you think that applying first thing next year with the same stats might make any difference?

[20130312]

Do you think that applying first thing next year with the same stats might make any difference?

Absolutely. The earlier, the better. I'd consider anything before Thanksgiving early. Anything before mid-December is okay at most places, but afterwards is when you're really gonna get hurt by it.

[iamrobk]

Do you think that applying first thing next year with the same stats might make any difference?

Absolutely. The earlier, the better. I'd consider anything before Thanksgiving early. Anything before mid-December is okay at most places, but afterwards is when you're really gonna get hurt by it.

Yeah, though for some schools getting your apps out in September would be even better (Duke, UVA, Michigan in particular seem to love the super early people this year). I'd really suggest a retake and applying next year, since at 169 you're so close to a 170, and there's a pretty big wall at small schools just between a 169 and a 170. But hey, you can do whatever you want, and a 169 and still a very, very good score!

[fakehunter]

You are a senior, right? I'm guessing that if you take a year off, your senior year GPA will raise your cumulative GPA more, maybe above a 3.5. Though that's still low for CCN, any increase helps so waiting a cycle certainly won't hurt. This is also a total guess, but maybe paralegal experience in NY could make you a more competitive applicant for the NY schools as well.

[cc999]

Thanks! Yes I am a senior, so if I waited to apply next year my GPA would likely be around a 3.5. Unfortunately I spent a semester abroad and have to take my thesis pass/fail for two semester, so my grades from freshman year have really stuck around. It's probably better to apply to the higher-ranked schools once rather than reapplying after a rejection, right?

[iamrobk]

Thanks! Yes I am a senior, so if I waited to apply next year my GPA would likely be around a 3.5. Unfortunately I spent a semester abroad and have to take my thesis pass/fail for two semester, so my grades from freshman year have really stuck around. It's probably better to apply to the higher-ranked schools once rather than reapplying after a rejection, right?

If there's any way to get your GPA above a 3.5 (even a 3.50), I think that'd also be a big boost, wherever you apply. But yeah, definitely better to only apply once than to reapply (AFAIK).

[Tiago Splitter]

Boost GPA to just short of 3.5 while retaking into the upper 170s. Get into NYU. WL at Mich. Profit.

[Perdevise]

Boost GPA to just short of 3.5 while retaking into the upper 170s. Get into NYU. WL at Mich. Profit.