170, 3.9. Should I retake based on my specific case? Forum

[Mal Reynolds]

I have the same scores as you OP, marginally higher GPA. I didn't study for my retake enough so I scored a 167 after my 170. I was enjoying sumer too much so lol at me.

Anyway, I didn't apply ED to Northwestern and still snagged the full ride. I actually didn't even do my interview and they still admitted me. Then I filled out like 300 words for their scholarship application-I remember people freaking out about those. I also got a half ride to a CCN after negotiating. I'm not sure how likely another full ride to NU will be after this year without ED, but I just wanted to let you know one data point.

[paglababa]

I have the same scores as you OP, marginally higher GPA. I didn't study for my retake enough so I scored a 167 after my 170. I was enjoying sumer too much so lol at me.

Anyway, I didn't apply ED to Northwestern and still snagged the full ride. I actually didn't even do my interview and they still admitted me. Then I filled out like 300 words for their scholarship application-I remember people freaking out about those. I also got a half ride to a CCN after negotiating. I'm not sure how likely another full ride to NU will be after this year without ED, but I just wanted to let you know one data point.

I'm VERY interested in this anecdote. Was this 2012-2013 cycle that just passed? Or was it 2011-2012? So to clarify, you never signed up for the on-campus interview? And your admission didn't come with a flat $$$ offer...you had to fill out a subsequent scholarship application? Where did you end up going?

[Kikero]

Northwestern is still doing their 1 year deferral + full ride scholarships as well, and those don't require ED either.

[Mal Reynolds]

I have the same scores as you OP, marginally higher GPA. I didn't study for my retake enough so I scored a 167 after my 170. I was enjoying sumer too much so lol at me.

Anyway, I didn't apply ED to Northwestern and still snagged the full ride. I actually didn't even do my interview and they still admitted me. Then I filled out like 300 words for their scholarship application-I remember people freaking out about those. I also got a half ride to a CCN after negotiating. I'm not sure how likely another full ride to NU will be after this year without ED, but I just wanted to let you know one data point.

I'm VERY interested in this anecdote. Was this 2012-2013 cycle that just passed? Or was it 2011-2012? So to clarify, you never signed up for the on-campus interview? And your admission didn't come with a flat $$$ offer...you had to fill out a subsequent scholarship application? Where did you end up going?

It was for this cycle. I just blew off the interview because at that point I had it in my mind I was going somewhere else. Everyone has to fill out a little questionnaire for scholarship money. I wrote like one generic paragraph when people in the admits thread were writing novels. I got admitted then offered the $150k with the first wave of those offers.

I ended up picking the CCN with half scholarship. I have some personal savings that made it more than a half scholarship and I just felt more comfortable choosing where I did. Although I had a blast at the NU ASW and it still might end up being a dumb decision not to have gone there.

[NoodleyOne]

OP here. Took the valuable advice provided here and I've decided to sign up for the Oct LSAT. Jeffort, thanks for the words of caution, and rightfully so. I agree that scoring below a 170 on a retake may nontrivially hurt my chances at even ED at NU. I'm going to see if I can PT consistently over 170, and if not, I'll withdraw from the test. I'll probably revive this thread once I have a new score in hand to poll whether I should ED at NU or not. Thanks everyone!

Your app will not be hurt by a score below 170 but will be helped immensely if your score 172+. Even if you don't score consistently above 170 take the test regardless -- you've already shown you can get 90-92 right -- only one or two questions going your way or even the same amount of questions right and a more lenient scale could get you into the school of your dreams or a lower T14 with a full-ride...as every1 above has already said, do this & enjoy HYS.

Reread the whole thread, you missed the issue. OP would rather T14 full ride over HYS, as stated by him in the original message. You're right that a lowerscore may not affect his chances at admission and that a higher score will only help, but that is not the issue at hand. A lower score may affect his chances at meritmoney and no way to prove or disprove this. Merit decisions are a BLACKBOX. Looking at an applicant with a 170 and then a 168 could give even the slightest of reasons for an adcom to go "nah lets just give him 50k not 150k."

edit: But bottom line, I agree you should retake OP if you are PTing over 170 consistently before the exam. Your gpa warrants a retake. You could end up at a better school than North Western with a close to full ride.

Merit decisions aren't that much of a black box, in my opinion. There are some outliers, but generally you can guess within 15k how much a person will get based on numbers. The one exception is the Hamilton, but that's because it's meant to drag people away from HYS, so it only goes to the tippy-top candidates.

[Humbert Humbert]

OP here. Took the valuable advice provided here and I've decided to sign up for the Oct LSAT. Jeffort, thanks for the words of caution, and rightfully so. I agree that scoring below a 170 on a retake may nontrivially hurt my chances at even ED at NU. I'm going to see if I can PT consistently over 170, and if not, I'll withdraw from the test. I'll probably revive this thread once I have a new score in hand to poll whether I should ED at NU or not. Thanks everyone!

Your app will not be hurt by a score below 170 but will be helped immensely if your score 172+. Even if you don't score consistently above 170 take the test regardless -- you've already shown you can get 90-92 right -- only one or two questions going your way or even the same amount of questions right and a more lenient scale could get you into the school of your dreams or a lower T14 with a full-ride...as every1 above has already said, do this & enjoy HYS.

Reread the whole thread, you missed the issue. OP would rather T14 full ride over HYS, as stated by him in the original message. You're right that a lowerscore may not affect his chances at admission and that a higher score will only help, but that is not the issue at hand. A lower score may affect his chances at meritmoney and no way to prove or disprove this. Merit decisions are a BLACKBOX. Looking at an applicant with a 170 and then a 168 could give even the slightest of reasons for an adcom to go "nah lets just give him 50k not 150k."

edit: But bottom line, I agree you should retake OP if you are PTing over 170 consistently before the exam. Your gpa warrants a retake. You could end up at a better school than North Western with a close to full ride.

Merit decisions aren't that much of a black box, in my opinion. There are some outliers, but generally you can guess within 15k how much a person will get based on numbers. The one exception is the Hamilton, but that's because it's meant to drag people away from HYS, so it only goes to the tippy-top candidates.

3.83
172

Any money at CLS or NYU?

[NoodleyOne]

I'd guess you'd get paid at NYU, and maybe 45-60k at Columbia. It's not a perfect science (I got way more from NYU than I expected), but I've generally had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get at each place I applied to (was wrong by 15k in the right direction for UVA, 15k in the wrong direction for Michigan, and nailed NU).

[Humbert Humbert]

I'd guess you'd get paid at NYU, and maybe 45-60k at Columbia. It's not a perfect science (I got way more from NYU than I expected), but I've generally had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get at each place I applied to (was wrong by 15k in the right direction for UVA, 15k in the wrong direction for Michigan, and nailed NU).

Cool - thanks. I appreciate the insights.

[paglababa]

I'd guess you'd get paid at NYU, and maybe 45-60k at Columbia. It's not a perfect science (I got way more from NYU than I expected), but I've generally had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get at each place I applied to (was wrong by 15k in the right direction for UVA, 15k in the wrong direction for Michigan, and nailed NU).

What's OP's current chances at $ without retake?

[NoodleyOne]

I'd guess you'd get paid at NYU, and maybe 45-60k at Columbia. It's not a perfect science (I got way more from NYU than I expected), but I've generally had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get at each place I applied to (was wrong by 15k in the right direction for UVA, 15k in the wrong direction for Michigan, and nailed NU).

What's OP's current chances at $ without retake?

He'd get some decent money at the lower T-14, and be in contention for some 6-figure schollys and maybe a Darrow from Michigan or whatever they call a full ride at Duke. He's at one median for the bottom half of the T-14 (if not over) and probably over the GPA median, so he could hit pretty big. Still, a retake and a few extra points could guarantee him full rides and make it possible to snag a Hammy/HYS.