Top Law Schools

Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

The benefit comes with the multiple opportunities to take the exam as well as some possible benefit of applying early though that can be hit or miss as well. If ED is a thing for you (you are independently wealthy, have some other extenuating way to pay for law school) that can be a benefit from taking it early as well.

AJordan wrote:The benefit comes with the multiple opportunities to take the exam as well as some possible benefit of applying early though that can be hit or miss as well. If ED is a thing for you (you are independently wealthy, have some other extenuating way to pay for law school) that can be a benefit from taking it early as well.

Hey, thanks. Definitely not wealthy/have a way to pay for school. I have nothing, lol.

So ED is only offered or of value if you have a means to pay? Because if you get better scholarship offers from other schools after you accept ED, you can't change your mind, right?

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

hushpuppy wrote:

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

I'd say it's generally better to be one and done, only really bc it's stressful and it's nice to be done with it. But you see people with multiple takes, who improved on the second take, performing roughly equal to their higher second score.


Just avoid taking it 5 times

hushpuppy wrote:

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

Who the hell is telling you to only take the LSAT once?? Schools only look at your highest score so if you take it once or three times your best score is the one thats going to count.

Take the test in September, apply to schools by November, take the test again in December and hopefully show improvement.
Id even recommend taking the test again in February if you continue to study and improve

Who the hell is telling you to only take the LSAT once??

You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard this. "My lawyer friend said..." "My son goes to (a TTT) law school and he said...." "I took it 30 years ago and...."

There's so much misinformation about the entire application process from start to finish that its not even funny. Sad thing is so many students just believe this and don't do the actual research.

As other have said, take September and then December so if you don't do as well you still have a realistic fall back

MercW07 wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

Who the hell is telling you to only take the LSAT once?? Schools only look at your highest score so if you take it once or three times your best score is the one thats going to count.

Take the test in September, apply to schools by November, take the test again in December and hopefully show improvement.
Id even recommend taking the test again in February if you continue to study and improve

The first time I heard that you SHOULD only take it once was in like 2013 at a law school admissions panel at UCLA. They were from Cornell, Georgetown, UCLA, etc. I low key was traumatized when they all highly discouraged taking the test more than once. It's been ingrained in my mind since, honestly.

Not trying to be annoying, but don't some schools average all the scores from every attempt? I've also heard they sometimes take the highest score, but for sure look at EVERY score to "look for improvement." ... and that it all "just depends."

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

I'd say it's generally better to be one and done, only really bc it's stressful and it's nice to be done with it. But you see people with multiple takes, who improved on the second take, performing roughly equal to their higher second score.


Just avoid taking it 5 times

lmao 5

hushpuppy wrote:

MercW07 wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

Who the hell is telling you to only take the LSAT once?? Schools only look at your highest score so if you take it once or three times your best score is the one thats going to count.

Take the test in September, apply to schools by November, take the test again in December and hopefully show improvement.
Id even recommend taking the test again in February if you continue to study and improve

The first time I heard that you SHOULD only take it once was in like 2013 at a law school admissions panel at UCLA. They were from Cornell, Georgetown, UCLA, etc. I low key was traumatized when they all highly discouraged taking the test more than once. It's been ingrained in my mind since, honestly.

Not trying to be annoying, but don't some schools average all the scores from every attempt? I've also heard they sometimes take the highest score, but for sure look at EVERY score to "look for improvement." ... and that it all "just depends."

Understandable that's been ingrained in your mind. That's terrible advice and just flat-out wrong. I can't imagine what their motivation for saying that could have been.

Schools take the highest score. That's what they have to report, so that's what they care about. They say they look at every score, everything depends, etc. just like they say they evaluate your application "holistically" and no numbers guarantee acceptance or denial, etc. when the process is, in reality, extremely numbers driven. What schools/adcomms say regarding this sort of thing has to be taken with a grain or two of salt sometimes.

Even if you don't retake, take the September LSAT for the admissions boost of applying early (/to avoid being hurt by applying late). You have more than enough time between now and September to get a solid score.

Alexandros wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:

MercW07 wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

Who the hell is telling you to only take the LSAT once?? Schools only look at your highest score so if you take it once or three times your best score is the one thats going to count.

Take the test in September, apply to schools by November, take the test again in December and hopefully show improvement.
Id even recommend taking the test again in February if you continue to study and improve

The first time I heard that you SHOULD only take it once was in like 2013 at a law school admissions panel at UCLA. They were from Cornell, Georgetown, UCLA, etc. I low key was traumatized when they all highly discouraged taking the test more than once. It's been ingrained in my mind since, honestly.

Not trying to be annoying, but don't some schools average all the scores from every attempt? I've also heard they sometimes take the highest score, but for sure look at EVERY score to "look for improvement." ... and that it all "just depends."

Understandable that's been ingrained in your mind. That's terrible advice and just flat-out wrong. I can't imagine what their motivation for saying that could have been.

Schools take the highest score. That's what they have to report, so that's what they care about. They say they look at every score, everything depends, etc. just like they say they evaluate your application "holistically" and no numbers guarantee acceptance or denial, etc. when the process is, in reality, extremely numbers driven. What schools/adcomms say regarding this sort of thing has to be taken with a grain or two of salt sometimes.

Even if you don't retake, take the September LSAT for the admissions boost of applying early (/to avoid being hurt by applying late). You have more than enough time between now and September to get a solid score.

Thank you so much for all the feedback.

Right ... because it's in the schools best interest to have, and thus report, the highest scores ... so why the hell would they average them?! Omg I feel so dumb now for never quite realizing that they just take the highest.

Platopus wrote:As other have said, take September and then December so if you don't do as well you still have a realistic fall back

Yeah, definitely. Thank you.

Slippin' Jimmy wrote:

Who the hell is telling you to only take the LSAT once??

You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard this. "My lawyer friend said..." "My son goes to (a TTT) law school and he said...." "I took it 30 years ago and...."

There's so much misinformation about the entire application process from start to finish that its not even funny. Sad thing is so many students just believe this and don't do the actual research.

Wow. Definitely grateful for the Internet so forums like this can exist and educate people!

hushpuppy wrote:

Alexandros wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:

MercW07 wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:

Mint-Berry_Crunch wrote:

hushpuppy wrote:Right now my plan is to apply to all the top law schools in Fall 2017.

My undergrad UCLA GPA is 3.8, so I'm shooting for the highest LSAT score possible to make me a competitive applicant.

Considering my studying "officially" began yesterday (4 mos from Sep 2017 LSAT), I'm now wondering if I'd be better off taking the Dec 2017 LSAT versus the Sep 2017 LSAT.

I took a Kaplan (lol) prep course last Spring but didn't take it seriously. So I'm sort of familiar with general concepts of the LSAT, but that's it.

I just quit my full time legal job and paid of all my CC debt to study full time from here on out.

I'm leaning towards taking the Sep 2017 LSAT, because I've heard it's way better to get your apps in (with your score) ASAP.

But would two months of studying be worth more than an earlier submission of apps?

What do you all think? Thanks!

Take both apply with sept score and hope for increase in dec score. With 4 mo you should be where you want to be but if you increase with dec take it will be considered in application. This way you get in early and benefit from high scores.


This is assuming you're getting high scores, if you're not where you want to be don't take sept.

I see what you're saying, thanks.

So I guess the myth that I once heard, "avoid taking the LSAT multiple times," is, in fact, just a myth? I have it embedded in my head that I should and can only take the LSAT once to better my chances of admission.

Who the hell is telling you to only take the LSAT once?? Schools only look at your highest score so if you take it once or three times your best score is the one thats going to count.

Take the test in September, apply to schools by November, take the test again in December and hopefully show improvement.
Id even recommend taking the test again in February if you continue to study and improve

The first time I heard that you SHOULD only take it once was in like 2013 at a law school admissions panel at UCLA. They were from Cornell, Georgetown, UCLA, etc. I low key was traumatized when they all highly discouraged taking the test more than once. It's been ingrained in my mind since, honestly.

Not trying to be annoying, but don't some schools average all the scores from every attempt? I've also heard they sometimes take the highest score, but for sure look at EVERY score to "look for improvement." ... and that it all "just depends."

Understandable that's been ingrained in your mind. That's terrible advice and just flat-out wrong. I can't imagine what their motivation for saying that could have been.

Schools take the highest score. That's what they have to report, so that's what they care about. They say they look at every score, everything depends, etc. just like they say they evaluate your application "holistically" and no numbers guarantee acceptance or denial, etc. when the process is, in reality, extremely numbers driven. What schools/adcomms say regarding this sort of thing has to be taken with a grain or two of salt sometimes.

Even if you don't retake, take the September LSAT for the admissions boost of applying early (/to avoid being hurt by applying late). You have more than enough time between now and September to get a solid score.

Thank you so much for all the feedback.

Right ... because it's in the schools best interest to have, and thus report, the highest scores ... so why the hell would they average them?! Omg I feel so dumb now for never quite realizing that they just take the highest.

There's a lot of jumbled and contradictory information out there. I was very confused about that point at first as well. But you'll be fine!