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Hi, all. Hoping for a little guidance.

I took the October LSAT and got a 164, 3 points below my average practice test scores. I have a 4.0 UGPA from a decent state university, not a URM.

I'm not gunning for HYS - my top choice is Vanderbilt. 164 is the bottom 25% of what Vandy accepted last cycle, but with applications in a downward trend I'm wondering if it's worth a shot to apply with my current LSAT/GPA or if I should retake in December. I work full-time, which would limit my available studying time a bit, and I'm worried that 4 weeks might not be enough time to feel confident for my second round.

Any advice is appreciated. I know the battle cry around here is "retake!"...

You have a shot now. But you should still retake to maximize the money you would get from Vanderbilt.

Any specific reason for wanting Vandy so bad? A 170+ with a 4.0 would put you in play pretty much everywhere.

Personal reasons for Vandy - significant other is a musician and wants to pursue some dreams in Nashville. Luckily, I have really fallen in love with Vandy and would be thrilled to attend.

ImNoScar wrote:You have a shot now. But you should still retake to maximize the money you would get from Vanderbilt.

I dont see any way you don't retake. Ya you'll get in to Vandy with that gpa, but they wont throw alot of money at you. Why not retake and get a few more points. Every additional point might seriously mean an additional 10k. There's nothing to.lose.

Motivator9 wrote:

ImNoScar wrote:You have a shot now. But you should still retake to maximize the money you would get from Vanderbilt.

I dont see any way you don't retake. Ya you'll get in to Vandy with that gpa, but they wont throw alot of money at you. Why not retake and get a few more points. Every additional point might seriously mean an additional 10k. There's nothing to.lose.

I totally agree. Since you're already above the 75th GPA, you will likely get huge money if you can get a median/above median LSAT.