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Anyone have any idea what kind of numbers are needed to be competitive for BU's binding early decision program?

Also, I saw that the number of LSAT takers has started to spike - does anyone have any info regarding how this group scored? Are scores still trending downward overall? I read an article about how "the wrong applicants have stopped applying to law school" (ie those with high lsat scores); is this still the case?

Here is the breakdown of scorers from 2014-2015, taken from Spivey's blog.:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from June's LSAT, taken from Spivey's blog:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

Does this say that every score band outside of 140-149 decrease in % of how many people scored in that score band?? Or am I reading that incorrectly like an idiot?

gnomgnomuch wrote:

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from June's LSAT, taken from Spivey's blog:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

Does this say that every score band outside of 140-149 decrease in % of how many people scored in that score band?? Or am I reading that incorrectly like an idiot?

The June numbers may have changed a bit.

KMart wrote:

gnomgnomuch wrote:

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from June's LSAT, taken from Spivey's blog:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

Does this say that every score band outside of 140-149 decrease in % of how many people scored in that score band?? Or am I reading that incorrectly like an idiot?

From Spivey's blog it appears so. Although that might be the entire applicant cycle from last year and not exclusively June. So the June numbers may have changed a bit.

Thanks! Though, that's really disconcerting. Even if it isn't for June, that just shifts the entire curve to the left...I mean, people aren't even hitting the AVERAGE on this.

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from June's LSAT, taken from Spivey's blog:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

I don't see where you got these particular numbers from. Please provide link.

Post removed.

Ron Howard wrote:I don't see where you got these particular numbers from. Please provide link.

Source.

KMart wrote:

Ron Howard wrote:I don't see where you got these particular numbers from. Please provide link.

Source.

I don't think those numbers are from the June '15 test, but from the 2014-2015 cycle through 7/03/2015.

doublehoohopeful wrote:

KMart wrote:

Ron Howard wrote:I don't see where you got these particular numbers from. Please provide link.

Source.

I don't think those numbers are from the June '15 test, but from the 2014-2015 cycle through 7/03/2015.

It's the best I could find, but you're right. The June 15 test could look different.

KMart wrote:

doublehoohopeful wrote:

KMart wrote:

Ron Howard wrote:I don't see where you got these particular numbers from. Please provide link.

Source.

I don't think those numbers are from the June '15 test, but from the 2014-2015 cycle through 7/03/2015.

They reflect the June 15 numbers and it's the best I could find, but you're right. The June 15 test could look different.

Right. Here's to hoping the trend holds.

doublehoohopeful wrote:Right. Here's to hoping the trend holds.

Best of luck in your upcoming cycle.

Ron Howard wrote:The numbers provided in this thread do NOT represent the score distribution for the June 2015 LSAT, which saw an increase in the number of LSAT takers; rather the numbers show the distribution of scores for the 2014-2015 application year.

When I can more adequately answer the question (i.e. whenever Spivey shares the data breakdown), I will update. It's the best information I could find to reflect the question asked.

KMart wrote:

Ron Howard wrote:The numbers provided in this thread do NOT represent the score distribution for the June 2015 LSAT, which saw an increase in the number of LSAT takers; rather the numbers show the distribution of scores for the 2014-2015 application year.

When I can more adequately answer the question (i.e. whenever Spivey shares the data breakdown), I will update. It's the best information I could find to reflect the question asked.

You are right to use these numbers, and I think they have a lot of value. But you originally presented them as being from the June 2015 LSAT, which they are not. Because this may lead some applicants to believe that there was an additional drop in LSAT scores, like we saw last year, I though it might be misleading if not properly clarified.

Ron Howard wrote:

KMart wrote:

Ron Howard wrote:The numbers provided in this thread do NOT represent the score distribution for the June 2015 LSAT, which saw an increase in the number of LSAT takers; rather the numbers show the distribution of scores for the 2014-2015 application year.

When I can more adequately answer the question (i.e. whenever Spivey shares the data breakdown), I will update. It's the best information I could find to reflect the question asked.

You are right to use these numbers, and I think they have a lot of value. But you originally presented them as being from the June 2015 LSAT, which they are not. Because this may lead some applicants to believe that there was an additional drop in LSAT scores, like we saw last year, I though it might be misleading if not properly clarified.

Thank you and I edited all of my original posts. Keep up the good work, Ron.

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from 2014-2015, taken from Spivey's blog.:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

So you need basically what would be required for a full scholarship anyway? in other words, the binding early decision doesn't really lower the bar much?

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from 2014-2015, taken from Spivey's blog.:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

these numbers are actually quite frightening. i am having a hard timing believing they are accurate.

approximately19,000 test takers didn't crack 150 last year? over 36% of test takes scored a 149 or lower?

and over 4500 test takers scored 139 or lower? how is that even possible?

180orRetake wrote:Anyone have any idea what kind of numbers are needed to be competitive for BU's binding early decision program?

Also, I saw that the number of LSAT takers has started to spike - does anyone have any info regarding how this group scored? Are scores still trending downward overall? I read an article about how "the wrong applicants have stopped applying to law school" (ie those with high lsat scores); is this still the case?

You need to be over both 75 percentiles. But more realistically, it looks like 3.75+/167+ at the very minimum.

180orRetake wrote:

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from 2014-2015, taken from Spivey's blog.:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

these numbers are actually quite frightening. i am having a hard timing believing they are accurate.

approximately19,000 test takers didn't crack 150 last year? over 36% of test takes scored a 149 or lower?

and over 4500 test takers scored 139 or lower? how is that even possible?

50th percentile is ~151. Do the math

Why don't these percentages add up to 100? They don't even come close. What am I missing?

Clemenceau wrote:

180orRetake wrote:

KMart wrote:Here is the breakdown of scorers from 2014-2015, taken from Spivey's blog.:
< 140 4,523 6.4%

140–144 5,860 7.2%

145–149 8,349 3.3%

150–154 10,218 -1.1%

155–159 9,501 -2.3%

160–164 6,799 -5.1%

165–169 4,141 -12.3%

170–174 1,981 -8.9%

175–180 490 -16.8%

To answer your other question, you're going to want to be over both 75th percentiles (3.74/165) to likely be competitive for a full scholarship.

these numbers are actually quite frightening. i am having a hard timing believing they are accurate.

approximately19,000 test takers didn't crack 150 last year? over 36% of test takes scored a 149 or lower?

and over 4500 test takers scored 139 or lower? how is that even possible?

50th percentile is ~151. Do the math

that math is irrelevant to my point. i thought 50th percentile was closer to like 153 (it must be closer to 152 than 151, at least) and i thought there'd be a LOT more in the 150-153 range i guess.

or maybe im just most disturbed by how many people scored <145. i'd like to know what the bar passage rate is for individuals scoring this low.

stasg wrote:Why don't these percentages add up to 100? They don't even come close. What am I missing?

not sure if srs

180orRetake wrote:

stasg wrote:Why don't these percentages add up to 100? They don't even come close. What am I missing?

not sure if srs

I'm probably an idiot and overlooking something obvious but I was serious. What do those percentages mean? Percentage increase/decrease since last cycle?

The binding early decision raises the bar because of the full scholarship attached. Why do you want to go to BU?