Defer UM or ND vs retake LSAT Forum

[UMich11]

I'm on the waitlist for both ND and UMich (few other T20s) but these are my top two schools. I currently work and have some compelling reasons to defer until next year . My plan would be to work and save some more money while i take care of the other things going on in my life (my reasons for a deferral = Family + work). Would it be wise to defer or just retake the LSAT? I'm sitting on a 163/3.4 - work in consulting/ibanking with an entrepreneurship background. I'm only 2 years our of UG.

Assuming i get off the waitlist at one or both and can get a deferral, what are the opinions on this vs retaking the LSAT and reapplying?

I think i could score much higher LSAT, but i also don't want to risk not getting into a top school, otherwise i wont go to LS - too high risk IMHO. I'm thinking of retaking even if i defer just to try and score a bit higher scholarship although this isn't a guarantee.

I have very good softs (varsity athlete at top public, startup experience in school, currently coach in free-time, etc) and great recommendations from work (boss and clients) as well as a few personal/educational ones which are very strong.

[jbagelboy]

definitely retake.

also how did you get an ibanking job with a 3.4 UGPA

[UMich11]

definitely retake.

also how did you get an ibanking job with a 3.4 UGPA

I ask myself that all the time. I think a mixture of my resume and somehow doing a decent job of selling myself during the interview (especially since i wasn't a business major).

[NanaP]

definitely retake.

also how did you get an ibanking job with a 3.4 UGPA

Probably hard to believe, but most companies have a GPA cutoff around 3.0-3.2

[dr123]

retake and reapply, even if you do get in off the waitlist. Upping that LSAT would do wonders.

[jbagelboy]

definitely retake.

also how did you get an ibanking job with a 3.4 UGPA

Probably hard to believe, but most companies have a GPA cutoff around 3.0-3.2

Lol not V20 ones, except maybe from MIT. Many big banks and consulting firms won't look at you lower than 3.7 & summer intern experience -- or personal/family connections, of course. Mckinsey draws only 3.9s from a selection of like 8 schools. Getting one of these gigs with a 3.4 is impressive to me

[UMich11]

definitely retake.

also how did you get an ibanking job with a 3.4 UGPA

Probably hard to believe, but most companies have a GPA cutoff around 3.0-3.2

Lol not V20 ones, except maybe from MIT. Many big banks and consulting firms won't look at you lower than 3.7 & summer intern experience -- or personal/family connections, of course. Mckinsey draws only 3.9s from a selection of like 8 schools. Getting one of these gigs with a 3.4 is impressive to me

Like i said, i think i just got lucky. Entrepreneurial experience with starting a number of my own businesses in UG plus other softs while in school, and my ability to sell myself during the interview all helped.

[dstars823]

smaller ibanks in smaller markets just have a 3.0 cutoff, know plenty of guys out of my undergrad bschool with 3.3-3.6 in small shops around the southeast/atlanta region