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Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:32 pm
by lobeca
I over applied to law school. 53 applications because I had a fee waiver and lots of crs fee waivers. So now I have a problem. I either didn't get enough money or didn't get in to any of my faves. I currently am reaping what I sowed in the teaching program from haedes. So I'm hesitant to take on anymore debt, which I have from getting a degree I did not know I had to get. The program did give me direction though and I want to be a advocate for children with disabilities and other persons who are disabled. Yea. Anyways everyday I change my mind because of an acceptance. I'm literally being pulled in four directions. So please vote in my poll so that I can have some anonymous advice.
This is my info:
urm
3.7
excellent softs
153
want to work and live in dc Cali or east coast except Delaware, r.I, Maine, and Vermont
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:35 pm
by scribelaw
You got $75,000 from WUSTL with a 153 LSAT?
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:36 pm
by captainculpepper
Is there anyway to get your 153 up?
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:43 pm
by lobeca
I kid you not. I was shocked as well. I got waitlisted at schools I thought should reject me. But yes that is what was written in my email.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:53 pm
by soonergirl
I wouldn't go to any of those schools if you want to go disability advocacy on the east or west coast. Pay to defer at one of those schools (to cover your bases). Study and retake the LSAT this summer and reapply to two or three schools.
What kind of kids do you work with? mild/moderate? ASD? low-incidence?
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:54 pm
by portena
soonergirl wrote:I wouldn't go to any of those schools if you want to go disability advocacy on the east or west coast. Pay to defer at one of those schools (to cover your bases). Study and retake the LSAT this summer and reapply to two or three schools.
What kind of kids do you work with? mild/moderate? ASD? low-incidence?
Don't you usually have to sign an agreement saying you won't apply elsewhere if you choose to defer?
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:02 pm
by thedogship
portena wrote:soonergirl wrote:I wouldn't go to any of those schools if you want to go disability advocacy on the east or west coast. Pay to defer at one of those schools (to cover your bases). Study and retake the LSAT this summer and reapply to two or three schools.
What kind of kids do you work with? mild/moderate? ASD? low-incidence?
Don't you usually have to sign an agreement saying you won't apply elsewhere if you choose to defer?
Yes, you usually can't defer and reapply to other schools. It's one or the other.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:07 pm
by lobeca
captainculpepper wrote:Is there anyway to get your 153 up?
I can't retake because of the three in two rule but u conn said I could retake. So maybe I can ask them to write to lsac so I can get permission to retake maybe but it would have to be September. I'm in the middle of finals, Iep season and spring testing.
For the person who asked what my student population is, I have the pleasure of working with intellectually and learning disabled.
Thanks for the help please ask your friends to weigh in.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:12 pm
by BigA
With your LSAT it seems crazy to give up 75k at a top 20 and reapply next year, unless you think you can score a lot higher. Why do you think it's hurting you that you applied to many schools? I couldn't quite understand that
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:17 pm
by r6_philly
I think your GPA is high enough that if you could gain 10 points you are looking at a whole new world of possibilities. I know you took 3 already, so you need an honest assessment as accurately as possible. Is there anyway you can change your prep strategy to improve your score. If you can, then it is worth it at least to consider taking off an extra year (or 2) to retake. Of course there is a possiblity that you hit your ceiling after 3 tries. But in case you have not, if you could improve how you prepare by taking the right classes or more, 10 more points is going to do you wonders. It would mean more opportunities after graduation, better diploma and perhaps a whole lot less debt. You would appciate the ability to move freely after school (in region and in career) without debt and with a better diploma.
This advice applies to everyone, but it is hard to suggest people to plan 10-20 years in the future. Most people just want to get on with law school and on with their lives. Of course, if you turn 30 and think about if you could replan your life, you would probably come up with these hindsight like suggestions
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:20 pm
by romothesavior
soonergirl wrote:I wouldn't go to any of those schools if you want to go disability advocacy on the east or west coast. Pay to defer at one of those schools (to cover your bases). Study and retake the LSAT this summer and reapply to two or three schools.
What kind of kids do you work with? mild/moderate? ASD? low-incidence?
This is terrible advice, because you'd have to take
another year off if you defer (in addition to the deferral year). You can't just defer and then reapply and keep a school in your back pocket just in case. You'd have to sit out the 2011-2012 school year as well.
I am blown away that you got so much money from WUSTL. Although it is far from a guarantee that you'll get to CA, D.C., or the east coast by going to WashU, it is still very possile (especially as a URM). The odds of you making it to one of those markets at WUSTL is far higher than the odds of making it from Cincy or Loyola, and I see no point in waiting a year and reapplying if you cannot take the LSAT again. You got a big scholarship from WUSTL (same one I got and my LSAT is 15 points higher), so you should take the money and run. Hell, you may find that you actually like the midwest and maybe you'll decide to end up in Chicago or St. Louis or something.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:23 pm
by FunkyJD
I'm known on these boards for being hella debt averse, but geez ... WUSTL, dude.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:38 pm
by pugalicious
I'm in a similar situation, in that I had to take on some debt for my teaching credential program as well, and am now going to law school. My main question for you is, do you LIKE teaching? Because I HATE my job passionately, and frankly, I would take on ANY DEBT at ANY school just to get out of it.
So if you DON'T hate it, if you are willing to teach for another year, why don't you look into working in the school district as a special ed coordinator? I've taught in both CA and AZ, and while AZ definitely has better special ed programs, both had positions either on-site or at the district level that involved advocating for the education of special-ed students. If your goal is to advocate for children, why take on additional debt when you are already in a position to more effectively do that, while working much closer with the students themselves?
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:43 pm
by MrKappus
Is no one else worried that if OP wants a WUSTL degree to travel, he/she is going to have to do decently, and 153 predicts he/she will get crucified at a school w/ with an LSAT IQR that's 10-15 pts higher?
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:49 pm
by nightlight
FunkyJD wrote:Everyone on these boards is known for being hella debt averse, but geez ... WUSTL, dude.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:49 pm
by pugalicious
MrKappus wrote:Is no one else worried that if OP wants a WUSTL degree to travel, he/she is going to have to do decently, and 153 predicts he/she will get crucified at a school w/ with an LSAT IQR that's 10-15 pts higher?
Is advocacy for the disabled really that saturated a market? (I wouldn't know, 3 years teaching high school has killed every ounce of altruism and optimism for humanity I ever had : ). I think OP really just wants to help people, but can't do that if loan payments>paycheck-cost of living ...
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:53 pm
by rockstar4488
153? urm or not, take wash u and run with it!
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:55 pm
by romothesavior
MrKappus wrote:Is no one else worried that if OP wants a WUSTL degree to travel, he/she is going to have to do decently, and 153 predicts he/she will get crucified at a school w/ with an LSAT IQR that's 10-15 pts higher?
This is somewhat of a valid point. I know the conventional wisdom is that you should go to the best school you can, and a difference of a few LSAT points is mostly meaningless (in other words, a 165 at WUSTL shouldn't be freaking out that they aren't up to par). Still, a 153 is WAY below median and I would be very, very worried about being able to keep up with the rest of the class.
On the other hand, URMs are usually going to be sought after by firms and they have more room for error with respect to the median than your average white guy.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 10:58 pm
by MrKappus
romothesavior wrote:MrKappus wrote:Is no one else worried that if OP wants a WUSTL degree to travel, he/she is going to have to do decently, and 153 predicts he/she will get crucified at a school w/ with an LSAT IQR that's 10-15 pts higher?
This is somewhat of a valid point. I know the conventional wisdom is that you should go to the best school you can, and a difference of a few LSAT points is mostly meaningless (in other words, a 165 at WUSTL shouldn't be freaking out that they aren't up to par). Still, a 153 is WAY below median and I would be very, very worried about being able to keep up with the rest of the class.
On the other hand, URMs are usually going to be sought after by firms and they have more room for error with respect to the median than your average white guy.
These are good points, and I didn't meant to come off as insensitive (i.e., "crucified" was the wrong word). I only meant that OP seemed very intent on the portability of his/her degree, and I think a WUSTL degree's (even though it's a great, T20 school) portability could be affected if OP can't at least be in the top half/third. Even if your focus is advocacy for the disabled, you have to always keep in mind that there are plenty of people going to regional/T14 schools that are also interested.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:12 pm
by Always Credited
no no, crucified was exactly the right word. it describes perfectly what will happen to the OP at WUSTL if he puts as much work into the law as he put into his LSAT.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:17 pm
by rockstar4488
In this instance, I disagree somewhat with rationalizing OP's potential class rank from their LSAT score. OP has shown that they have work ethic, patience, and a goal that they are passionate about. I would assume these are more important (albeit impossible to _actually_ gauge) to law school success than 10 or 15 pts on the LSAT. I agree with the above poster in that if you are going to blow off studying.. don't go. Though, I think this applies equally to most law schools, not just Wash U
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:17 pm
by lobeca
I don't particularly care for teaching. In many districts you are really advocating for the school districts piggy bank not any kids. Plus when you say advocate the schools jumps when you say jump because they never win.
Not concerned about how I would preform at wustl. I'm slightly offended that you think I would be less than successful there. I'm phi beta kappa had a 4.0 in my major and a 3.96 in grad school while working full time. I think my score reflects studying for the test while being in the teaching program from haedes, grad school, a stessful work environment and being cheated on two days before the test. But maybe, all that will happen while in law school. Who knows? Do you know of others that have been accepted below the mean that have bombed 1L due to thier low LSAT score. Thank you for your concern. I appreciate your advice everyone. This is not sarcasm I really want to know if people are really underpreforming because they were accepted below the median.
Also urm + debt= renting until it gets paid off. Jk kinda...
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:19 pm
by rockstar4488
There's statistics that correlate LSAT scores to 1L success.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:21 pm
by lobeca
Oh yea, overapplying was bad because I ended up with to many offers to handle. I only got 8 rejects so far out of the 53. I was waitlisted at about half and accepted at the other. I also shouldn't have referred to wustl as settling. It is not. It is a blessing with that amount of secure scholarship.
Re: Should I settle or reapply
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:27 pm
by Luis Gomez
lobeca wrote:Oh yea, overapplying was bad because I ended up with to many offers to handle. I only got 8 rejects so far out of the 53. I was waitlisted at about half and accepted at the other. I also shouldn't have referred to wustl as settling. It is not. It is a blessing with that amount of secure scholarship.
The hell it is.