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sven wrote:Hahah. Even if I don't think I can hit above a 173 or so, and all the schools that I would be aiming to increase my chances at average multiple scores?

im_blue wrote:With a 3.9+, you should aim for a 170 to be safe for NYU and a 171 for Columbia. NYU has taken 3.9+/168 applicants with good softs, so it's not impossible if you don't retake, either.

sven wrote:

im_blue wrote:With a 3.9+, you should aim for a 170 to be safe for NYU and a 171 for Columbia. NYU has taken 3.9+/168 applicants with good softs, so it's not impossible if you don't retake, either.

Would my softs be considered good? I'm particulalry referring to the fulbright.. all my friends seem to think that's all i need to overcome my sub-25th percentile LSAT.

edit: Also, do you mean I should aim for a 170 on a retake, or a 172 due to averaging?

dresden doll wrote:RETAKE./end thread.

thisguy456 wrote:I am in almost exactly the same situation as the OP, and conventional wisdom is obviously RETAKE. What are the risks though of getting a lower score? Say you've taken all the PTs, and your LSAT score was maybe 1-2 points below your PT average. Should you get back in gear and spend another 5-6 months studying and then retake?

hitmon33 wrote:Do schools discriminate if one retakes and scores lower than the original score?

Say OP retakes, scores a 166. Would that hurt him or have little effect?

Desert Fox wrote:

thisguy456 wrote:I am in almost exactly the same situation as the OP, and conventional wisdom is obviously RETAKE. What are the risks though of getting a lower score? Say you've taken all the PTs, and your LSAT score was maybe 1-2 points below your PT average. Should you get back in gear and spend another 5-6 months studying and then retake?

You'll need to give specifics. If you were averaging 174 and got a 172 then no. If you were averaging 170 and got a 168 then probably but don't take it in 5-6 months. Take it in June.

sven wrote:Hahah. Even if I don't think I can hit above a 173 or so, and all the schools that I would be aiming to increase my chances at average multiple scores?

ogman05 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

thisguy456 wrote:I am in almost exactly the same situation as the OP, and conventional wisdom is obviously RETAKE. What are the risks though of getting a lower score? Say you've taken all the PTs, and your LSAT score was maybe 1-2 points below your PT average. Should you get back in gear and spend another 5-6 months studying and then retake?

You'll need to give specifics. If you were averaging 174 and got a 172 then no. If you were averaging 170 and got a 168 then probably but don't take it in 5-6 months. Take it in June.

Wouldnt 5-6 months be June?

Desert Fox wrote:

ogman05 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

thisguy456 wrote:I am in almost exactly the same situation as the OP, and conventional wisdom is obviously RETAKE. What are the risks though of getting a lower score? Say you've taken all the PTs, and your LSAT score was maybe 1-2 points below your PT average. Should you get back in gear and spend another 5-6 months studying and then retake?

You'll need to give specifics. If you were averaging 174 and got a 172 then no. If you were averaging 170 and got a 168 then probably but don't take it in 5-6 months. Take it in June.

Wouldnt 5-6 months be June?

More like 4.5 months.

Desert Fox wrote:

thisguy456 wrote:I am in almost exactly the same situation as the OP, and conventional wisdom is obviously RETAKE. What are the risks though of getting a lower score? Say you've taken all the PTs, and your LSAT score was maybe 1-2 points below your PT average. Should you get back in gear and spend another 5-6 months studying and then retake?

You'll need to give specifics. If you were averaging 174 and got a 172 then no. If you were averaging 170 and got a 168 then probably but don't take it in 5-6 months. Take it in June.

thisguy456 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:

thisguy456 wrote:I am in almost exactly the same situation as the OP, and conventional wisdom is obviously RETAKE. What are the risks though of getting a lower score? Say you've taken all the PTs, and your LSAT score was maybe 1-2 points below your PT average. Should you get back in gear and spend another 5-6 months studying and then retake?

You'll need to give specifics. If you were averaging 174 and got a 172 then no. If you were averaging 170 and got a 168 then probably but don't take it in 5-6 months. Take it in June.

Not meant to hijack original post, but like the OP I have a 168, 3.9. My average was maybe a 169-170, with not too much deviation from the average. So it's not retake AND score better, it's retake and MAYBE score 1-2 points higher. It's also retake and MAYBE score 1-2 points lower.

I'm abroad now, which will make it a little difficult to study and put as much effort into it as I did the first time.

sven wrote:OP here. So I actually took the test last June, so while I'm not starting from scratch, I do have to start studying again to get back into the swing of things. I had mostly been preptesting at a pretty consistent 170-172 and never really got below a 169 except for one or two preptests. This means that I can't expect to do too much better than I had already done, but I don't expect to do worse. I mean, I'll just cancel if I feel unsure about it.

Regarding my softs, though, would they be considered strong enough to get me a serious shot at HYSC even if I only improve to from my 168 to a 170?

redhead77 wrote:

sven wrote:OP here. So I actually took the test last June, so while I'm not starting from scratch, I do have to start studying again to get back into the swing of things. I had mostly been preptesting at a pretty consistent 170-172 and never really got below a 169 except for one or two preptests. This means that I can't expect to do too much better than I had already done, but I don't expect to do worse. I mean, I'll just cancel if I feel unsure about it.

Regarding my softs, though, would they be considered strong enough to get me a serious shot at HYSC even if I only improve to from my 168 to a 170?

Just FYI: Last June's test was an anomaly. Everyone I know who took in June (myself included) ended up with scores _way_ lower than they were practicing at and went up about 7-10 points when they re-took in September. It's normal to go up a little bit when you retake, but not that much. So unless next June's test is crazy like last June's, you should do well.

sven wrote:Regarding my softs, though, would they be considered strong enough to get me a serious shot at HYSC even if I only improve to from my 168 to a 170?

sven wrote:

redhead77 wrote:

sven wrote:OP here. So I actually took the test last June, so while I'm not starting from scratch, I do have to start studying again to get back into the swing of things. I had mostly been preptesting at a pretty consistent 170-172 and never really got below a 169 except for one or two preptests. This means that I can't expect to do too much better than I had already done, but I don't expect to do worse. I mean, I'll just cancel if I feel unsure about it.

Regarding my softs, though, would they be considered strong enough to get me a serious shot at HYSC even if I only improve to from my 168 to a 170?

Just FYI: Last June's test was an anomaly. Everyone I know who took in June (myself included) ended up with scores _way_ lower than they were practicing at and went up about 7-10 points when they re-took in September. It's normal to go up a little bit when you retake, but not that much. So unless next June's test is crazy like last June's, you should do well.

I'm just afraid that the normal slight-bump on a retake is due to taking the test again soon after you had taken it the first time. In my case, I'm a year removed from my first sitting (which I had prepped for with a class) and I'm abroad now so I'm not exactly going to be living and breathing the LSAT until June...

Anyway, can someone address this:

sven wrote:Regarding my softs, though, would they be considered strong enough to get me a serious shot at HYSC even if I only improve to from my 168 to a 170?