Two questions for TLS veterans Forum

[We'reAllGonnaMakeIt]

Does applying Early Decision help chances?




Does applying earlier in the REGULAR DECISION help?




Thanks in advance.

[sinfiery]

sometimes yes/yes but neither are in the same realm of importance as improving your LSAT score/GPA even one point/.05 points respectively

ED locks your chances of getting substantial scholarship money down dramatically and is generally not advised

[hephaestus]

ED generally only helps if you're at one median. For example, a 3.6/165 isn't getting UVA ED. But a 3.3/170 could. It helps in the margins but won't save you unless you're somewhat competitive to beging with.

[romothesavior]

sometimes yes/yes but neither are in the same realm of importance as improving your LSAT score/GPA even one point/.05 points respectively

ED locks your chances of getting substantial scholarship money down dramatically and is generally not advised

Pretty much this.

[We'reAllGonnaMakeIt]

Thank you all so much for your answers.

Any more imput on this? HYSCCN?

[elterrible78]

Thank you all so much for your answers.

Any more imput on this? HYSCCN?

It depends a lot on the school. Although not exact science, based on LSN data:

Harvard: ED- N/A
Each earlier month: 35.8% increase in your chances of acceptance vs. rejection

Yale: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: Nothing

Stanford: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: 21.7%

Chicago: ED - 208.5 % increase vs. RD
Each month earlier - 78.8%

Columbia: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 27.0%

NYU: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 18.8%

[gaud]

sometimes yes/yes but neither are in the same realm of importance as improving your LSAT score/GPA even one point/.05 points respectively

ED locks your chances of getting substantial scholarship money down dramatically and is generally not advised

Pretty much this.

Yup

[We'reAllGonnaMakeIt]

Thank you all so much for your answers.

Any more imput on this? HYSCCN?

It depends a lot on the school. Although not exact science, based on LSN data:

Harvard: ED- N/A
Each earlier month: 35.8% increase in your chances of acceptance vs. rejection

Yale: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: Nothing

Stanford: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: 21.7%

Chicago: ED - 208.5 % increase vs. RD
Each month earlier - 78.8%

Columbia: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 27.0%

NYU: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 18.8%

So if I take the December LSAT to apply this year, I'm already at a disadvantage?

[dowu]

sometimes yes/yes but neither are in the same realm of importance as improving your LSAT score/GPA even one point/.05 points respectively

ED locks your chances of getting substantial scholarship money down dramatically and is generally not advised

Pretty much this.

Yup

[elterrible78]

Thank you all so much for your answers.

Any more imput on this? HYSCCN?

It depends a lot on the school. Although not exact science, based on LSN data:

Harvard: ED- N/A
Each earlier month: 35.8% increase in your chances of acceptance vs. rejection

Yale: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: Nothing

Stanford: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: 21.7%

Chicago: ED - 208.5 % increase vs. RD
Each month earlier - 78.8%

Columbia: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 27.0%

NYU: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 18.8%

So if I take the December LSAT to apply this year, I'm already at a disadvantage?

Compared to someone who applies with your same numbers on the first day of September? Yep. Compared to yourself if you increase your LSAT by even a point because you took/re-took in December? Nope.

[ManoftheHour]

Compared to someone who applies with your same numbers on the first day of September? Yep. Compared to yourself if you increase your LSAT by even a point because you took/re-took in December? Nope.

Do your chances of getting $$$ increase if you apply early on as well?

Just wondering because I feel like schools get desperate at the end and start showering people on the fence with money.

[elterrible78]

Compared to someone who applies with your same numbers on the first day of September? Yep. Compared to yourself if you increase your LSAT by even a point because you took/re-took in December? Nope.

Do your chances of getting $$$ increase if you apply early on as well?

Just wondering because I feel like schools get desperate at the end and start showering people on the fence with money.

Because of the LSN data, it's really tough to say. Just eyeballing it, though, it doesn't seem to make any difference at all.

[We'reAllGonnaMakeIt]

Thank you all so much for your answers.

Any more imput on this? HYSCCN?

It depends a lot on the school. Although not exact science, based on LSN data:

Harvard: ED- N/A
Each earlier month: 35.8% increase in your chances of acceptance vs. rejection

Yale: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: Nothing

Stanford: ED - N/A
Each earlier month: 21.7%

Chicago: ED - 208.5 % increase vs. RD
Each month earlier - 78.8%

Columbia: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 27.0%

NYU: ED - Nothing
Each month earlier - 18.8%

So if I take the December LSAT to apply this year, I'm already at a disadvantage?

Compared to someone who applies with your same numbers on the first day of September? Yep. Compared to yourself if you increase your LSAT by even a point because you took/re-took in December? Nope.

Is there a curve on the LSAT. Like is it easier in October than December?

[Balthy]

Is there a curve on the LSAT. Like is it easier in October than December?

This would defeat the purpose of a standardized admissions test.

[JazzyMac]

Is there a curve on the LSAT. Like is it easier in October than December?

This would defeat the purpose of a standardized admissions test.

[malleus discentium]

Is there a curve on the LSAT. Like is it easier in October than December?

This would defeat the purpose of a standardized admissions test.

Incorrect. Any given LSAT may indeed be more difficult than another. That's why raw scores equate (technical term) to different scaled scores on different exams.

To answer the OP's question, if any exam is easier than another, it will be remedied by the curve (so yes there's a curve). For example, PrepTest 23 had a curve of -16 (maximum # of questions you could miss to get a 170) while PrepTest 24 had a curve of -14. So PrepTest 23 was more difficult than PrepTest 24.