Top Law Schools

So, I am seriously considering retaking the LSAT. I applied to 14 schools this cycle and have heard back from 8. I was rejected by my super-reaches (Harvard, Michigan, Berkeley) and accepted by Hofstra, Vermont, Seton Hall, and Case Western. (WL by Northeastern) Still haven't heard back from Buffalo, PSU, UConn, Madison, W&L, or BC.

I have an extremely low 3.x cum GPA and mid 150s. I would absolutely LOVE to go to a t14 school. Is it worth it to take a year off and re-take the LSAT? Say I was to hit high 160s, would that put me in the running for NYU/Columbia/Michigan/Chicago???

LMAO. No.
Columbia/NYU/Chicago would never take you unless you are a URM and won the Rhodes.
U need 170s at least. At Mich the median is 168 -- and you need higher to offset your bad GPA.
Try for Cornell, if anything.
Good luck.

Why did you waste $97 applying to Harvard? You would need to be a military veteran URM who did Teach for America, won a Rhodes scholarship and cured cancer to get in at Harvard with those numbers. (And I doubt even such a person would get in.)

Columbia, Chicago and NYU will never take you unless you get well into the 170s--like a 175, at least. Michigan might take you with a 172 or so. Cornell or Georgetown might be a more realistic goal, but you're probably better off just trying to get into the 15-30 range with an LSAT in the high 160s, although none of the schools in that range is guaranteed short of a 170 if your GPA is around a 3.1 or so. You applied to BC--make that your goal. They will reject you with your current numbers, but a vastly improved LSAT would give you a shot next cycle.

BenJ wrote:Why did you waste $97 applying to Harvard? You would need to be a military veteran URM who did Teach for America, won a Rhodes scholarship and cured cancer to get in at Harvard with those numbers. (And I doubt even such a person would get in.)

Columbia, Chicago and NYU will never take you unless you get well into the 170s--like a 175, at least. Michigan might take you with a 172 or so. Cornell or Georgetown might be a more realistic goal, but you're probably better off just trying to get into the 15-30 range with an LSAT in the high 160s, although none of the schools in that range is guaranteed short of a 170 if your GPA is around a 3.1 or so. You applied to BC--make that your goal. They will reject you with your current numbers, but a vastly improved LSAT would give you a shot next cycle.

thank you for the constructive advice. I am in the MI corps of the military right now with a combat tour and 3 foreign languages......no Rhodes scholarship though:(

If you want any shot at a T14, you need to get a 170 and apply to UVA ED next year. You'd also need a 170+ for any other T14, and if your GPA is less than 3.3, you'd have zero chance at Columbia/NYU regardless of LSAT. In conclusion: retake.

Thanks for all of the advice. I am really not sure how possible it is for me to get a 170+ so just going with what I've got may be the best bet. I mean it I possible but I will still be working full time so a 170 may be pining it on only 6 hours a week or so.

if your gpa is below 3.6, harvard is pretty much out even with a 174+ unless you are an URM. other than that, if you score in the low to mid 170s, you will get into some T14s for sure. a score in the 150s - 160s is hard to work with though with your gpa.

stripedbanana10 wrote:LMAO. No.
Columbia/NYU/Chicago would never take you unless you are a URM and won the Rhodes.
U need 170s at least. At Mich the median is 168 -- and you need higher to offset your bad GPA.
Try for Cornell, if anything.
Good luck.

The median at Mich is actually a 169 (25th is 167). The median at Boalt is a 168 (25th is a 165 though). You pretty much need mid 170s to have a shot.

stoicjustice wrote:Thanks for all of the advice. I am really not sure how possible it is for me to get a 170+ so just going with what I've got may be the best bet. I mean it I possible but I will still be working full time so a 170 may be pining it on only 6 hours a week or so.

If you do not think 170+ is possible, I'd say try to hit a 168 and then try for GWU, BU, BC, Emory, etc.

stoicjustice wrote:So, I am seriously considering retaking the LSAT. I applied to 14 schools this cycle and have heard back from 8. I was rejected by my super-reaches (Harvard, Michigan, Berkeley) and accepted by Hofstra, Vermont, Seton Hall, and Case Western. (WL by Northeastern) Still haven't heard back from Buffalo, PSU, UConn, Madison, W&L, or BC.

I have an extremely low 3.x cum GPA and mid 150s. I would absolutely LOVE to go to a t14 school. Is it worth it to take a year off and re-take the LSAT? Say I was to hit high 160s, would that put me in the running for NYU/Columbia/Michigan/Chicago???

I was in the same position as you but I had a higher GPA. I waited a year and studied my ass off for the LSAT. It was worth it, since last year I would have only had shots at T50, but this year i have already broke into the top 10. Never sell yourself short.