Critique my plans Forum

[playmaker093]

Hello,

I have a 3.92-3.94 LSAC GPA and just recently got a 168 on my first LSAT attempt. My plans right now are to begin applying to schools in the 8-18 range and then retake in February for potential scholarship renegotiation. If I pulled out a 171+ I would withdraw and sit out a cycle. I am looking into transactional law but really have no overwhelming desire to end up on the east coast. I'm from the midwest and honestly Wash U or Vandy would be fine with me but I understand my GPA gives me a good shot at higher ranked schools.

How does this plan sound? I know people are going to say retake in December but that would be fairly difficult due to this semester being my last hard semester and my baby sister has cancer so I'm traveling every weekend. February would give me christmas break as well as an easy semester next semester.

[Rigo]

Sounds alright.
Definitely hit Cornell. They should be at least a half ride for you.
I expect Northwestern and Georgetown will also be fairly generous.
You look very solid for WashU.
I'd apply to T15-20. That will be where the real $$$ will come in for you. USC will likely be the max $157,500 scholarship (apply for the full ride scholly if you have a business background). UT at least $90k plus an in-state tuition waiver.

[Keilz]

I'm sorry to hear about your sister, and I'm sending best wishes to you and your family. Since you're traveling every weekend, I would really take a second look into making sure that going to law school right after undergrad is the right time for you.

There's definitely no rush in going to school, and getting work experience is beneficial in tons of ways. Plus, it would allow you more flexibility to be with your family and save some money. You would also be able to avoid applying with the 168 if you think you can score higher in February, and apply with your best LSAT score the first time.

I'm a 1L, and I never really considered what people here say about law school itself, just the admissions process, but it really is intense. There is no flexibility - you have a constant stream of reading and work to do, and having to travel every weekend might induce a ton of stress and impact your first year. My family lives 30 min - 1hr away from where I go to school, which I liked because I thought that I would be able to go home fairly often. Instead, I've only gone home once, and I spent the entire weekend doing work. YMMV, but it's definitely a consideration to keep in mind. I think you could apply to higher schools than just number 8, but there are definite benefits to being close your home at WashU, which you have a really shot at serious money there.

[playmaker093]

Thank you Keilz

I'll pull all my applications immediately if my family needs it but for now our prognosis is good as it was an acute type of blood cancer and we should hopefully be back to normal by March. Hopefully it wouldn't affect my 1L year at all but would affect me retaking in December. I think I could get a few points higher but probably nothing extensively higher. I got my LG down to -0/-1 on most tests but from my diagnostic to now I never really got consistent in LR. Sometimes I miss 1/2 sometimes I miss 6. I missed 9 total in LR, 3 in RC and 1 in LG for the september test.