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So last June I took the LSAT and did not prepare enough and I am thinking I could do much better. I have a 3.7 GPA from NYU and I feel like applying with a 160 is a waste. However, if I retake and do well (say around low 170s) will my first score hinder my application to schools like Columbia, NYU or Harvard? I am worried that a retake would just barely help me since I know I really want to stay in NY only and wouldn't settle for any other schools.

I would really appreciate any advice on retaking or any success stories about people who retook with a low 160 LSAT.

Thanks!

You should retake - if your second score is higher than the first, no one will care about your first one. Your GPA is solid, so a low 170s (or even a high 160s) will put you in a pretty good position for the T14 schools in New York. Harvard is obviously going to be tougher - you'd want a mid-high 170s there.

That being said - if you retake in, say, February, you'll be a fairly late applicant for this cycle. Are you willing to wait another year?

Are you a URM? Even if you are, Columbia/NYU are a stretch with a 160. Your first score won't hurt you if you retake and do better. I'd definitely retake if Columbia/NYU is the goal. And even more so if H is the goal.

Thanks everyone! I'm thinking taking a year off might be to my advantage. I'm just worried that a jump from 160 to, say, 174 might be unrealistic for the June 2017 LSAT....do LSAT courses help that much or could I self-study to improve that much?

I went low 160s to high 170s from the december test to the june test. You could hypothetically do it, but it requires a lot. Definitely retake and take a year off regardless, the experience is nothing but helpful.

I jumped like 8 points from the low 160s, it's definitely doable to get to 170+

For those of you who have jumped from low 160s to high 160s or even higher, what have been some of your specific strategies. I.e. what types of drills, methods, routines, etc. did you have?