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Hey all; first time, long time.

I'm planning to apply for JD programs in Fall 2018 (class of 2022) but I'm going to start studying for the LSAT next month so I have plenty of time to prep for the February test. I also plan to get a tutor. I'm pretty dead set on doing a JD program in NYC (though I would maybe want to practice elsewhere down the road) and I'm hoping to do public interest law, either in the fields of labor law or consumer financial protection.

At this point I'm confident that I'll be applying to the following schools, ranked in order of preference:

1. Columbia University
2. NYU
3. Fordham
4. CUNY

In any case, I'm trying to do some numbers to see what LSAT score I'd need to maximize my chances of *some* funding from Columbia/NYU. My goal is to get at least a half-scholarship from either of those schools. I know it won't be easy. My UGGPA is 3.62, so while I'm just a hair above 25th percentile for CLS and at/around 25th percentile at NYU, and I know I'll need a good LSAT score just to be admitted, and a crazy good score if I want to make myself competitive for, say, a Butler at CLS. (With 3.62, I think I can forget something like a Hamilton scholarship.) In a semi-perfect world, I'd get a half-scholarship to CLS and pay down the loans under their LRAP program, but I before I start solidifying any admissions targets for myself, I want to have a realistic idea of what my application will need to look like.

In short: Does anyone have any thoughts on what kind of LSAT score I'd need to be relatively competitive for half-scholarships from CLS or NYU? Or can someone point me to some resources? Again, I have an UGGPA of 3.62. I also have some decent softs: a Masters from Columbia, a year of teaching, loads of nonprofit and editorial work, and labor organizing.

Any and all advice would be much appreciated!

You should be shooting for 172+ to be competitive for scholarships at those schools. And you should also be searching outside of NYC when looking at T13 schools. You can go to Michigan and end up with much better NYC options than you would from Fordham.

Why not Cornell?

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cavalier1138 wrote:You should be shooting for 172+ to be competitive for scholarships at those schools.

Awesome, thank you!

cavalier1138 wrote:And you should also be searching outside of NYC when looking at T13 schools. You can go to Michigan and end up with much better NYC options than you would from Fordham.

For sure, and I totally get that, but I'm married, and the wife's got a life/good career here in NYC so I'd like to stay in town if possible. That said, maybe we'll be more open to moving in a year's time, or maybe we could swing a long-distance thing for a sec. Who knows!

OakBrook2021 wrote:Why not Cornell?

See above!

Platopus wrote:I think Cav gave you a solid response to your question, but I want to caution you against putting a number in your head. It's important to know the relative score band you need to be competitive, but there's a real danger in setting your goal at a hard 172. Your goal when studying should simply be to do your absolute best on the test. You shouldn't be chasing a score, you should be working on the fundamentals, improving weaknesses, managing stress, etc. The score will take care of itself if you study right.

If you haven't found this already, MyLSN is a self-reported database of students who have previously applied to law school. Play around and see where you need to be at:

That's great advice, thanks!