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Hello!

I finally graduated from college (non-traditional student) and am ready to fully commit to studying for one of these two tests which I will aim to take in November. Which one should I take? The pre-law advisor at my college didn't give a clear response when I asked.

My absolute target school is USC. I'm a single mom of two kids, so being close to family is a huge benefit. I also plan to apply to UCI, UCLA, Berkeley, Stanford and others, but I would take USC over all of them. I am a URM and I have a 3.87. Is applying ED a good idea? I do want to maximize my opportunity for scholarship money, as I don't make much right now. If any of you have any advice, I would really appreciate it!

Thank you!

Take the LSAT, unless you have an advanced degree and work experience in another field. And only apply ED if USC guarantees a full ride with ED acceptance. Otherwise, a strong LSAT will put you in the running for a full ride at USC (and elsewhere).

And stop talking to your pre-law advisor. They are universally bad at giving advice on law school admissions (and anything else related to law school).

https://mylsn.info/gua5nb/

You should aim for at least a 165, but ideally 167-169 range to maximize your scholarships. It appears that with a 165 you're competitive for 3/4 rides at USC, UCLA, and UCI and probably a half-ride from Berk. If you don't get a Rothman from USC, it looks like their highest aid is a 3/4 ride. Consider also that in-state tuition at UCB is ~$10k/yr cheaper than USC. UCLA and UCI's in-state tuition is $20k/yr cheaper than USC. You can compare scholarship awards here: https://mylsn.info/interschool-scholars ... son-new/?l