when to apply/improving lsat score? Forum

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ldd29

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when to apply/improving lsat score?

Post by ldd29 » Mon Oct 26, 2015 3:00 am

I'm really in need of some good advice.

I'm trying to decide whether to apply during this application cycle or next. I've taken the LSAT all 3 times (for the 2 years allotted), with my most recent retake this past October. I graduated last May and the plan was to take a gap year and increase my LSAT score and get a high score this past October but well.... obviously that hasn't exactly worked out.

GPA is a 3.82 and LSAT is a 164.

The next time I can retake is this coming June... but then I'd end up taking 2 gap years off instead of one (because I'd have to apply next cycle.)

My current goal is Cornell (my alma mater) or Georgetown.

I feel like people are going to tell me to wait and retake, which introduces another problem. When I took the LSAT the first two times (161 and 163), I self-studied (with the bibles), didn't do as well as I had hoped, and decided to take a prep course. I took the prep course this past summer (with Powerscore), felt I had learned a lot, improved a lot in terms of practice tests (was scoring consistently between 169-171), and ended up increasing my LSAT score by only one point. Not to mention, this dropping 6ish points between practice and the real test wasn't a one time thing; it happened all three times and quite frankly, I don't know why. I know it's normal for your real score to be lower than your practice, but to score ~170 for a month leading up to the LSAT on multiple tests and then have it drop to a 164 on test day? I've been a wreck since scores were released. I want to say it was nerves (I do get very nervous taking tests like this), which really comes down to: is that even fixable???? I can spend the next 10 months practicing my ass off, but if I'm just going to blow it on nerves...

Basically, I don't know what to do now. If I take another year off to study, I'm dubious as to whether it will help (get my practice score up the mid 170's and then have it drop to a 169? This does not seem worth it to me.) and considering I already took a course, which only increased my score by 1 point, I don't know what to do. I'm very frustrated and it feels hopeless.

I feel this post might not have been that well organized and sound rather rant-y/ramble-y, and I apologize; I just really need advice considering the pros/cons of waiting. If getting into Cornell or Georgetown this year is possible (not a stretch?? worth trying????) then I would really, really, really prefer to just do that, but I honestly need some other opinions, because I can't tell if I'm being optimistic or pessimistic or what. Being a splitter is no fun, and I feel very alone in this whole process :( Any thoughts would really help.

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mornincounselor

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PJam1989

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AReasonableMan

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Re: when to apply/improving lsat score?

Post by AReasonableMan » Mon Oct 26, 2015 7:49 am

Even a 169 will make a world of difference from a 164. With a 169 you will definitely get into Cornell, likely with some scholarship $, and with a 164 you probably won't get in.

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