Help! Should I still apply? 3.62/169
Posted: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:53 am
Hey guys, I need some advice.
I just got back my November LSAT score this morning and I received a 169. I'm pretty disappointed with this score since I know I could have done better and my aspirations are T14. I expected a 170+ on the exam, but of course, it's normal to underperform on the actual thing. So here's my predicament:
I'm currently a senior in undergrad and my 3.62 is pretty much set in stone. Given my GPA, the lower T14s are a reach with a 169 and I definitely won't be getting much $$. The issue is, I need a substantial amount of aid to attend law school; I won't be attending any school at sticker. Since I'm aiming for T14, it seems like reaching my goal is fairly unlikely for this cycle.
I am not opposed to taking a year off between undergrad and law school, although my preference is to go to law school sooner rather than later. However, my numbers aren't awful, and a part of me knows that it's not a bad idea to shoot my shot and see what I can get. I don't want to waste money on application fees though, and I feel like even if I get decent offers I'll always be wondering how much more I could have gotten if I just waited a year. I also know that this cycle is not looking to be much better than last year's.
Should I even bother applying for law schools this year given my T14 goals, or should I take an extra year to prepare and boost my LSAT/apps before applying?
Here's some other info/stats that might be relevant:
Majors: BS in Aerospace Engineering, BA in Philosophy (w/honors)
GPA: 3.62 (cum), 3.95 (non-engineering)
Notable Softs: Military (4 years in Marine Reserves, still serving), interesting story about overcoming mental illness, extensive engineering research experience, a lot of volunteering/service positions
My applications were definitely rushed this year, and juggling my finals with my app essays will definitely detract from both if I go through with applying. My prep time in the month before the LSAT was also less than ideal; again, I KNOW I can get a significantly better score if I have another year. If I try and apply this year, I'll probably submit my applications shortly before Christmas. There are a few different employment options that I have if I choose to take the year off.
I just got back my November LSAT score this morning and I received a 169. I'm pretty disappointed with this score since I know I could have done better and my aspirations are T14. I expected a 170+ on the exam, but of course, it's normal to underperform on the actual thing. So here's my predicament:
I'm currently a senior in undergrad and my 3.62 is pretty much set in stone. Given my GPA, the lower T14s are a reach with a 169 and I definitely won't be getting much $$. The issue is, I need a substantial amount of aid to attend law school; I won't be attending any school at sticker. Since I'm aiming for T14, it seems like reaching my goal is fairly unlikely for this cycle.
I am not opposed to taking a year off between undergrad and law school, although my preference is to go to law school sooner rather than later. However, my numbers aren't awful, and a part of me knows that it's not a bad idea to shoot my shot and see what I can get. I don't want to waste money on application fees though, and I feel like even if I get decent offers I'll always be wondering how much more I could have gotten if I just waited a year. I also know that this cycle is not looking to be much better than last year's.
Should I even bother applying for law schools this year given my T14 goals, or should I take an extra year to prepare and boost my LSAT/apps before applying?
Here's some other info/stats that might be relevant:
Majors: BS in Aerospace Engineering, BA in Philosophy (w/honors)
GPA: 3.62 (cum), 3.95 (non-engineering)
Notable Softs: Military (4 years in Marine Reserves, still serving), interesting story about overcoming mental illness, extensive engineering research experience, a lot of volunteering/service positions
My applications were definitely rushed this year, and juggling my finals with my app essays will definitely detract from both if I go through with applying. My prep time in the month before the LSAT was also less than ideal; again, I KNOW I can get a significantly better score if I have another year. If I try and apply this year, I'll probably submit my applications shortly before Christmas. There are a few different employment options that I have if I choose to take the year off.