The Official February 2015 Study Group Forum

[m27]

I'm the underachiever ITT. Now I feel like the loser.

ETA: crying

We have the same goal RR don't worry *heart*

[m27]

I took nine preptests in December with a median of 179 and four 180s, and nineteen tests in January with a median of 178 and six 180s. My January numbers dropped slightly because I did almost half of those tests with 30 minute sections and no breaks. I have a 180, 176, and 177 so far in February and I'm not real happy about it. I'll retake for sure if I score 176 or lower on Saturday, but I don't know yet if I would retake a 177 or 178.

brb crying

[Shemp]

Sorry, and please believe that I don't mean to be arrogant or condescending. I almost wish that it wasn't like this, because I know that this test is going to force me into some tough decisions.

[Dr. Nefario]

I'm the underachiever ITT. Now I feel like the loser.

ETA: crying

We have the same goal RR don't worry *heart*

Raider if I really were an overachiever, I'd postpone to June and apply next cycle. As it is I'm staying in this cycle and retaking for dem $$$.

<3 you guys.
Anyways back to LSAT. I wanna take PT 70 & 71 before Saturday. Does anyone have opinions on if I should take them both times or if I should do one as just sections? And which one should I do in sections if that's the smarter option?

[Dr. Nefario]

Sorry, and please believe that I don't mean to be arrogant or condescending. I almost wish that it wasn't like this, because I know that this test is going to force me into some tough decisions.

Don't worry no one will be offended! It's awesome that you can consistently score so high. And to your earlier argument with your friend, my uncle owns a tile company and believes his job requires much more intelligence than many law jobs will and I agree with him cause it takes a different kind of intelligence that can't be taught in those fields.

[TheProdigal]

PT58

LR1: -4 (-3)
RC: -7 (-4) Passage three was... not good.
LG: -1 (-0)
LR2: -0 (-0)

169 (173)

Started at 8:30PM, with 5 hours of sleep, after 8 hours at work, and a 1.5 hour lecture. I'll take it.

[gamerish]

Post removed...

[CambrianExplosives]

I'm the underachiever ITT. Now I feel like the loser.

ETA: crying

Pft. Some of us went to schools without grades. You think you're an underachiever? Try selling a hippy education to adcoms.

Also remember that goals are meaningless until we get the numbers. I can say I want a 175 all I want, but I may as well say I want a 180 until the number comes in.

[ticklemesilly]

I took nine preptests in December with a median of 179 and four 180s, and nineteen tests in January with a median of 178 and six 180s. My January numbers dropped slightly because I did almost half of those tests with 30 minute sections and no breaks. I have a 180, 176, and 177 so far in February and I'm not real happy about it. I'll retake for sure if I score 176 or lower on Saturday, but I don't know yet if I would retake a 177 or 178.

Sure a 180 jumps out at you from the page but if you have a strong GPA I don't think there will be any difference between a 178/179 and a 180. Even at Yale. I think it wouldn't be worth the extra effort of studying and re-taking (plus the $).

[CambrianExplosives]

I took nine preptests in December with a median of 179 and four 180s, and nineteen tests in January with a median of 178 and six 180s. My January numbers dropped slightly because I did almost half of those tests with 30 minute sections and no breaks. I have a 180, 176, and 177 so far in February and I'm not real happy about it. I'll retake for sure if I score 176 or lower on Saturday, but I don't know yet if I would retake a 177 or 178.

Sure a 180 jumps out at you from the page but if you have a strong GPA I don't think there will be any difference between a 178/179 and a 180. Even at Yale. I think it wouldn't be worth the extra effort of studying and re-taking (plus the $).

The way I read it, he wants to teach LSAT. Having a 180 on an LSAT can be a great credential for that.

[ticklemesilly]

I'm the underachiever ITT. Now I feel like the loser.

ETA: crying

Pft. Some of us went to schools without grades. You think you're an underachiever? Try selling a hippy education to adcoms.

Also remember that goals are meaningless until we get the numbers. I can say I want a 175 all I want, but I may as well say I want a 180 until the number comes in.

UC Santa Cruz? Lol, you don't have to say if you're afraid of being identified but that's the only UG school I can think of that does this. Who would think that's a good idea to implement that kind of policy? What do all the alumni do when they want to go to grad school? It seems so unfair...

[CambrianExplosives]

I'm the underachiever ITT. Now I feel like the loser.

ETA: crying

Pft. Some of us went to schools without grades. You think you're an underachiever? Try selling a hippy education to adcoms.

Also remember that goals are meaningless until we get the numbers. I can say I want a 175 all I want, but I may as well say I want a 180 until the number comes in.

UC Santa Cruz? Lol, you don't have to say if you're afraid of being identified but that's the only UG school I can think of that does this. Who would think that's a good idea to implement that kind of policy? What do all the alumni do when they want to go to grad school? It seems so unfair...

We get by. Honestly, I agree with the policy in a general education sense. I think that grades are a relatively simplistic tool and don't do a great job at giving people an idea of where they are. I personally loved the narrative evaluations I got at my school. Although I know that I will have to deal with grades and what they entail in law school.

However, my personal beliefs don't match up with the reality of the rest of the country. It is definitely more difficult to sell yourself in a lot of places coming from a college where you can't give a GPA. I knew that when I chose to go there and I would do it again honestly. However, it's meant that I've had to prove myself through work experience, club leadership and now LSAT in order to get a package that I hope will show that I'm serious.

[nlee10]

*deceived*

[ticklemesilly]

I'm the underachiever ITT. Now I feel like the loser.

ETA: crying

Pft. Some of us went to schools without grades. You think you're an underachiever? Try selling a hippy education to adcoms.

Also remember that goals are meaningless until we get the numbers. I can say I want a 175 all I want, but I may as well say I want a 180 until the number comes in.

UC Santa Cruz? Lol, you don't have to say if you're afraid of being identified but that's the only UG school I can think of that does this. Who would think that's a good idea to implement that kind of policy? What do all the alumni do when they want to go to grad school? It seems so unfair...

We get by. Honestly, I agree with the policy in a general education sense. I think that grades are a relatively simplistic tool and don't do a great job at giving people an idea of where they are. I personally loved the narrative evaluations I got at my school. Although I know that I will have to deal with grades and what they entail in law school.

However, my personal beliefs don't match up with the reality of the rest of the country. It is definitely more difficult to sell yourself in a lot of places coming from a college where you can't give a GPA. I knew that when I chose to go there and I would do it again honestly. However, it's meant that I've had to prove myself through work experience, club leadership and now LSAT in order to get a package that I hope will show that I'm serious.

I do know that someone from a different college without grades got into Northwestern through their ED program a year or two ago. That's something I'm seriously considering since I feel not having a GPA will limit my chances at good scholarships otherwise.

Hey with a 175 and a well-rounded application I'm not sure you'll have to do much selling. I just read about an international student who got into NYU with a 172 or something like that and no reportable GPA. I'm guessing adcomms will be understanding of your situation and I'm sure you are not the first student from SC to apply and get admitted to top law schools. Best of luck.

[CambrianExplosives]

Also it was [REDACTED]. I apparently care more than I thought I did.

I'll be braver if I get into school... maybe.

[CambrianExplosives]

I didn't know ucsc did that. Haha. Glad to see another Californian ITT.

They don't any more. They used to until 2001 when they switched to a 4.0 system.

The ones I know of are:

New College
Hampshire
Evergreen
Goddard
Brown (By student choice though)

[CambrianExplosives]

Hey with a 175 and a well-rounded application I'm not sure you'll have to do much selling. I just read about an international student who got into NYU with a 172 or something like that and no reportable GPA. I'm guessing adcomms will be understanding of your situation and I'm sure you are not the first student from SC to apply and get admitted to top law schools. Best of luck.

Yeah, well let's work on getting that LSAT first . Honestly 172+ puts me in the 75th percentile of almost every school outside of HYS so as long as I fall in that range I'll probably be happy. Below that and I will consider a retake, especially with my practice scores hitting around 173-174.

[Shemp]

No gpa is probably better than my 2.7ish.

[leslieknope]

Think I'm not going to PT tomorrow, on account of how I also have a lawl school interview and I can only handle one potentially traumatizing thing a time. We'll see how I feel after the interview. That would mean today is my last PT before game day if I take Thursday instead of Friday off, though, which I don't feel great about. Meh.

[Smallville]

Don't mind me, just contributing to the earlier discussion re: sharks.

Carry on.

I mean it looks like he was the right shark.... and to make it worse, that second pic he's wearing YOLO glasses... like really? #tool

also, my school didn't have a football team either... tho we had a pretty baller **** team

[Smallville]

I became interested in the LSAT after an argument with a former ladyfriend last year when I asserted that it takes more intelligence to be a carpenter than a lawyer. I've come to realize that it's a beautiful test and I look forward to teaching it. Because of various occupational injuries, my time as a blue collar worker has to come to an end soon. I almost certainly won't be attending law school unless I get a full ride somewhere warm.

Well I guess you showed her lol

Hey, gu-

I took nine preptests in December with a median of 179 and four 180s, and nineteen tests in January with a median of 178 and six 180s. My January numbers dropped slightly because I did almost half of those tests with 30 minute sections and no breaks. I have a 180, 176, and 177 so far in February and I'm not real happy about it. I'll retake for sure if I score 176 or lower on Saturday, but I don't know yet if I would retake a 177 or 178.

brb crying

The way I read it, he wants to teach LSAT. Having a 180 on an LSAT can be a great credential for that.

don't think it'd matter really, its all about the school, once you're in the school the LSAT is in the past... tho I suppose given GPA, the diff between 178-180 might mean something

No gpa is probably better than my 2.7ish.

I can't imagine theres no crazy circumstances which was a big factor in this scoring so high (with not too much prep iirc) but either way at least you have the LSAT to make up for most of it

[PeanutsNJam]

No gpa is probably better than my 2.7ish.

You have severely diminishing marginal returns once you're above a school's 75th percentile median. And since a 3.0 is locked out of T6 (unless you're a URM), a 177 is not that much more of an advantage over a 174. If you don't believe me:

2.0-3.0, 170-175



2.0-3.0, 175-180



That said, if you want to teach LSAT, the higher the better. I think at some places you have to take it once every two years, and must score above a 177 or something.

ETA - This is not to say you shouldn't aim for a 180. As you can see, the 175+ crowd did better than 170-175 crowd. But I wouldn't retake a 176 with a sub 3.0 GPA. Shemp is also setting off my troll radar, but eh, who gives a shit anyway.

[NL2424]

..

[TheProdigal]

Halfway through PT 71, last full PT ... I feel great about my answers so far except my answer distribution is so weird. Like for the LR I chose only D or E for the first 8 choices... and for LG I chose A for 7 of the answers. I don't know, I know these things happen (I remember a PT a while back where I didn't choose A or B for like 14 straight answers or something and it turned out to be right) but it trips me up when it does, anyone else??

I find that only bubbling after finishing every two pages mutes these kinds of trends and I'm less likely to second guess myself at that point -- takes me from an "Oh, that pattern can't be right," to a "huh, weird odds of that." I'm also certain its deliberate, at times, on their part.

[Shemp]

Four of the same answer choices in a row makes me feel sick to my stomach, but I don't usually have the time to waste checking all four questions to satisfy my prejudices about what random should really look like.