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Retake and Possibly Wait Another Cycle?

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:16 am
by buckythebadger
Alright, so I'm looking for a little advice as to whether I should try to retake the LSAT and what score I would need to aim for it to be worth it. To date, I've taken it twice and scored 163 then a 168 (3.56GPA). I know for certain that I never reached my full potential. I ended up getting 11 of my 15 wrong on RC alone. I don't think it would take me too much studying to get back into LG and LR form and if I can somehow find a way to master RC I could score much better. I've already applied to schools this cycle and so far this is how its gone:
In at:
UW-Madison (Wisconsin Resident currently)
Iowa
WUSTL
Minnesota with half tuition scholly
Rejected:
Michigan
Waiting on:
BU
Cornell
I'm pretty open about where I could find a job. Preferably I'd like to stay in the Midwest. I think I have pretty decent options provided that I get some good money from schools like Madison and Iowa. I'm also not completely sure as to the field I would want to get into. If my grades were good enough, I probably would accept a biglaw offer for a few years.

I should also add that I have an LSAC fee waiver and could use it on one more LSAT. So the test would be free, would just have to spend the $150-200 on materials again to study for. So would it be worth going through all the troubles that come with the LSAT again and if so, what kind of score would I need for it to be worth waiting out another cycle?

Re: Retake and Possibly Wait Another Cycle?

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:31 am
by Jaeger
Those are good scores and better than most people get. If you really think you can do better than a 168, I would say go for it. But I would be sure you think you can do better than 168. Remember, you can only take it 3 times. That said, if you're interested in the midwest, UMN (do you get reciprocity in WI?) and the likes will take care of you. UW didn't give you a scholly?

Re: Retake and Possibly Wait Another Cycle?

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2012 3:40 am
by buckythebadger
Jaeger wrote:Those are good scores and better than most people get. If you really think you can do better than a 168, I would say go for it. But I would be sure you think you can do better than 168. Remember, you can only take it 3 times. That said, if you're interested in the midwest, UMN (do you get reciprocity in WI?) and the likes will take care of you. UW didn't give you a scholly?
I did get reciprocity for UMN. So after the scholly (2.5 stip), tuition would be around 19k a year. UW hasn't offered any schollys yet, but being 4 points above the 75th for the LSAT, I would imagine I would get some money. They are not known to be very generous when it comes to that however.

Re: Retake and Possibly Wait Another Cycle?

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:06 am
by Tiago Splitter
You only get one chance to go to law school and the decision impacts the rest of your life. Retake and do it right. If you score lower, your options will look the same.

Re: Retake and Possibly Wait Another Cycle?

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:54 pm
by bp shinners
Tiago Splitter wrote:If you score lower, your options will look the same.
Exactly.

Also, while many people feel that RC is the hardest to learn, if you only got 4 wrong on the rest of the test, I'm pretty sure you can get that RC down from -11. Read up on the strategy articles around here, as getting that many wrong (with so few wrong on the rest of the test) suggests you're approaching that section in a fundamentally wrong way.

Re: Retake and Possibly Wait Another Cycle?

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 12:56 pm
by 20130312
OP, I got 12 wrong on the Oct. LSAT. 9 were from RC :oops: I am retaking in June and reapplying next year because it will significantly increase my chances of getting into better schools (thus increasing my jerb prospects). You should join me on this journey.