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I currently intend to apply right after September LSAT scores are released. Is the early application advantage worth it if my GPA can be ~0.05 higher by the end of fall semester?

Applying early is always helpful, but it's not as simple as truly rolling admissions. Applying in Mid-October probably won't make a significant difference over applying Mid-November, but it will likely help over Mid-January.

Unless your GPA goes from below median to above median at your target school, waiting won't do you any good. Apply early, and offer to provide updated transcripts when they become available. If that increase will get you over the edge, great! If not, no material difference existed to begin with in that GPA bump.

berkeleygoogles wrote:I currently intend to apply right after September LSAT scores are released. Is the early application advantage worth it if my GPA can be ~0.05 higher by the end of fall semester?

I think you definitely should apply before mid-November. I applied in mid February this cycle, and I believe that has really hurt my chances. I have been waitlisted at almost every single T13, and only got into my safeties so far. The 0.05 difference is probably not as important as the time difference.

What will your GPA be in September?

I would apply first thing and just update them come January. Not worth waiting imo.

I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

Yes. I applied January last year, got waitlisted almost everywhere.

Applied in October/November this year with the same LSAt score and got into a bunch of schools that waitlisted me last year.

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

e: on second thought I've seen some pretty absurd reverse splitters in at places like UVA. They probably applied early, but it's such a long shot that I wouldn't bet on it.

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

thanks that's what I assumed Rigo, my gpa also went from just below 75th at a lot of those schools to above as that semester ended,so figured it did not really hurt too much.

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

Yes. I applied January last year, got waitlisted almost everywhere.

Applied in October/November this year with the same LSAt score and got into a bunch of schools that waitlisted me last year.

do you mind PM'ing me the schools, I know one for you was VANDY, you also used spivey tho this cycle right, which you didn't do before? Just curious about your process and what else changed.

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

e: on second thought I've seen some pretty absurd reverse splitters in at places like UVA. They probably applied early, but it's such a long shot that I wouldn't bet on it.

that's interesting from at least this board, it seems most of the reverse splitters were held tho and got in recently, I'm sure LSN would provide better info on that though.

baseballfan660 wrote:

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

thanks that's what I assumed Rigo, my gpa also went from just below 75th at a lot of those schools to above as that semester ended,so figured it did not really hurt too much.

Yeah the apply early thing is more for people with generally competitive numbers. Median applicants generally do better applying in October than applying in January.

I'm more skeptical that it would have made any difference for you, so rest easy. If you do decide to applying next year instead, retake the LSAT. That will be how you really change your outcomes.

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

thanks that's what I assumed Rigo, my gpa also went from just below 75th at a lot of those schools to above as that semester ended,so figured it did not really hurt too much.

Yeah the apply early thing is more for people with generally competitive numbers. Median applicants generally do better applying in October than applying in January.

I'm more skeptical that it would have made any difference for you, so rest easy. If you do decide to applying next year instead, retake the LSAT. That will be how you really change your outcomes.

I completely agree with Rego. I think the early apps would only matter if you have medianish numbers.

baseballfan660 wrote:

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

e: on second thought I've seen some pretty absurd reverse splitters in at places like UVA. They probably applied early, but it's such a long shot that I wouldn't bet on it.

that's interesting from at least this board, it seems most of the reverse splitters were held tho and got in recently, I'm sure LSN would provide better info on that though.

I am really bad at looking at LSN so I miss overall trends I'm sure.
There have just been some white 162/3.95 type admits to UVA that I've seen in choosing threads recently and I'm like "wow really?" It's almost like these schools know the admit won't have any comparable options so might as well snatch the reverse splitter.
I have a theory that some schools in the T14 prefer 161/3.9's to 166/3.9's, but haven't actually looked into the data on that.

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

e: on second thought I've seen some pretty absurd reverse splitters in at places like UVA. They probably applied early, but it's such a long shot that I wouldn't bet on it.

that's interesting from at least this board, it seems most of the reverse splitters were held tho and got in recently, I'm sure LSN would provide better info on that though.

I am really bad at looking at LSN so I miss overall trends I'm sure.
There have just been some white 162/3.95 type admits to UVA that I've seen in choosing threads recently and I'm like "wow really?" It's almost like these schools know the admit won't have any comparable options so might as well snatch the reverse splitter.
I have a theory that some schools in the T14 prefer 161/3.9's to 166/3.9's, but haven't actually looked into the data on that.

too bad my GPA is high but under 3.9 haha, do you think you're gonna end up at SC, i might end up out there too?

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Rigo wrote:

baseballfan660 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:I think applying early gives you a boost that outweighs the .05 GPA increase. You really don't want to apply in December or later PLUS you don't want to miss out on interviews.

do you think sending in your apps first week of January is a big deal as far as making a difference? I am wait listed at 5 t14, applied right after December scores came out. I know a friend who has same gpa as me and better lsat than me by 3 points got into all those schools and applied same exact time (first week of January), His lsat was median at each mine is 3 points-4 points below median.

That far below median will always be below median, so no I don't think reapplying super early will make that much difference for you. Those are the numbers that are held for months.

thanks that's what I assumed Rigo, my gpa also went from just below 75th at a lot of those schools to above as that semester ended,so figured it did not really hurt too much.

Yeah the apply early thing is more for people with generally competitive numbers. Median applicants generally do better applying in October than applying in January.

I'm more skeptical that it would have made any difference for you, so rest easy. If you do decide to applying next year instead, retake the LSAT. That will be how you really change your outcomes.

I completely agree with Rego. I think the early apps would only matter if you have medianish numbers.

thanks makes sense !

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@Rigo can i ask why so many TLS'ers want to stay anonymous? I just don't get why they don't want other TLS'ers knowing them IRL. Obviously I understand why to not tell an admissions person however.

I mean a lot of my good friends I met through TLS and I have relationships off-site that started here, so it's not than I have a phobia of being outed. I just don't really see any reason or benefit to having random ASW people I will probably never see again know who I am. No detriment either, I guess.

Rigo wrote:I mean a lot of my good friends I met through TLS and I have relationships off-site that started here, so it's not than I have a phobia of being outed. I just don't really see any reason or benefit to having random ASW people I will probably never see again know who I am. No detriment either, I guess.

word I feel you!