4th time? Forum

[elong1988]

I'm trying to decide if I should contact a school for permission to take for a 4th time

1st- 157
2nd- self cancel
3rd- 163

My GPA is pretty solid 3.78 and I feel like if I can improve just a few points and get to that 165 mark it would open up a lot more options.
I do PT in the 165-168 range so I feel like improving is a definite possibility.
But does four scores, or I guess three and a cancel in this case, look really bad?

Thanks for any advice

[99.9luft]

you know what i think. good luck

[joebloe]

I say go for it. It seems unlikely that you'd drop substantially, and you can definitely cancel... though regardless I think you're going to be in LSAT addendum country.

Also, my understanding is getting that waiver is as easy as asking with many schools. So just ask, sign up, and get your prep on.

[polevaulter]

Depends on where you want to go to school. I would personally leave it alone--163 is still a good score--it may not be 180, but its still good.

[zreinhar]

I took it 4 times, 155, 162, 165, 167

I just got the 167, but it hasn't seemed as though the number of times I have taken the test mattered. If you were shooting for top-10 then it might have an effect on your apps. But if you're shooting for 165-168, most of those schools don't care. Unless URM, then the top 10 with those numbers is possible.

[elong1988]

haha thanks 99.9luft I appreciate the advice, you're all over these forums

zreinhar- how did you go about getting the 4th time exception, just contact LSAC and one of the schools you planned to apply to and ask? Where did you or are you going to apply? and no I'm not URM, I kissed top 10 goodbye a long time ago

I feel like since I already sat three times and will be having to attach an addendum I might as well go one more time and try to get the best score possible. Even if its just a couple points and doesn't get me top 20, at least there could be some scholarship money at the lower schools.

[polevaulter]

haha thanks 99.9luft I appreciate the advice, you're all over these forums

zreinhar- how did you go about getting the 4th time exception, just contact LSAC and one of the schools you planned to apply to and ask? Where did you or are you going to apply? and no I'm not URM, I kissed top 10 goodbye a long time ago

I feel like since I already sat three times and will be having to attach an addendum I might as well go one more time and try to get the best score possible. Even if its just a couple points and doesn't get me top 20, at least there could be some scholarship money at the lower schools.

You might be able to get a free ride to a T3 or T4.

[bartleby]

Take it five times. I'm being serious, too. You can basically keep appealing as long as you make a good enough reason and cast a wide enough net.

[joebloe]

haha thanks 99.9luft I appreciate the advice, you're all over these forums

zreinhar- how did you go about getting the 4th time exception, just contact LSAC and one of the schools you planned to apply to and ask? Where did you or are you going to apply? and no I'm not URM, I kissed top 10 goodbye a long time ago

I feel like since I already sat three times and will be having to attach an addendum I might as well go one more time and try to get the best score possible. Even if its just a couple points and doesn't get me top 20, at least there could be some scholarship money at the lower schools.

You might be able to get a free ride to a T3 or T4.

Watch the stipulations if you consider any of these. Lots of schools are downright brutal with schollys.

[elong1988]

joebloe I'm not sure I know what you mean, what stipulations are you referring to?

and bartleby lets hope it doesn't have to come down to a fifth time, I might go crazy haha

I'm pretty set on going to a top 40, hopefully top 20 if I retake and do well, I don't really want to go to a T3 or T4, not trying to sounds snobby or anything though, I just feel like the going to a better school will prob pay off in the long run even if I don't get the scholly money I'm looking for.

[joebloe]

Stipulations that commonly accompany scholarships have to do with minimum class rank or GPA to retain your scholarship. And while maintaining a 3.0 or 3.3 may seem easy, if the school places you in the same section as all the other gunner scholarship recipients, and curves to a 2.75 or 2.5, you might fast find your scholarship disappearing.

There are a bunch of good questions to ask before accepting a scholarship, though I don't have the thread handy. Basically you need to make sure of everything the school is going to do to take away your scholarship in the end.

[zreinhar]

Sorry it took so long to reply, my bad. Given that I had taken it three times already and each time it was a higher score, I just mentioned that in my request for support for a fourth time. I went through W&L because I had good interations with the admissions department there. FWIW I got a $$$ there with numbers that didn't really warrant it. I think telling them I was willing to take it again to increase chances at money might have helped. (also reqesting the nomination from a school you've already gotten in to may help, it only makes them look better ifyour score goes up, if not, they've already accepted you and you've got nothing to lose.)

[sighsigh]

Nobody cares except HYSCC, and anybody else who says they care can't afford to care and thus is lying. Retake.