174/3.4 Retake or sit? Forum

[togoornottogo]

June 2015 LSAT take, I know this post may be genuinely irritating to people who are really unsatisfied with their score but I am sincerely asking for help. My low GPA puts me in a tough spot for T-14 so a stellar LSAT is absolutely necessary. My target schools are NYU/Columbia in order to be with my S/O in NYC. I consider Penn a reasonable alternative. Not just looking for acceptance, hoping to try and negotiate scholarship if above every school's 75% LSAT. I checked out mylsn.info and it seems 175 seems to unlock schollys for NYU/Columbia.

I studied for about 4 months, working full time and studied roughly 30 hours a week. My score increase was incremental, from 166->170->173. The week before the test I felt like I got to a new level of understanding in my Drilling and Test Review and I scored a 180. I believe that it wasn't a fluke and that it was due to my increased familiarity with the test. I did a little more Games practice and Comparative RC in the days before the test. So the question follows: should I retake in October before applying for Fall 2016? Alternatively should I send in Apps in August, because I think my score will get me in, and then retake to help me negotiate scholarships?

Also not K-JD fwiw.

Thank you in advance.

[FuturePanhandler]

No reason not to retake in October

ETA: But I wouldn't wait another year to go, unless you're unsure about wanting to be a lawyer. You'd have to get substantially more scholly money the next year to make up for the lost year of income. Plus medians/25ths/75ths may be going back up before too long.

[PoopNpants]

No reason not to retake in October

[Lawdood]

No reason not to retake in October

[TetrisBlock]

Does applying NW for ED still get you a 150k scholarship if they accept you? If so, you should definitely do that and apply to the rest of the t14 too. If you think you need a 175 and that you can get it then there isn't any harm in retaking, but focus more on your applications now. You have good numbers. Don't sit out a year.

[togoornottogo]

FuturePh:

I am definitely swayed towards retaking and I certainly won't be sitting out a cycle. Thanks for the advice.


TetrisBlock:

NW still offers the 150K, I am set on NYC/Philly though atm, thanks for reminding me of that though. Will definitely start crafting a PS and pulling together rec letters though.