Top Law Schools

So I'm a long time reader here, and I have finally decided to make an account and post, since I'm pretty much on here for 6 hours each day, whether is is obsessing over admissions statistics or just looking for a laugh.

I'm Canadian from Montreal and will be taking the LSAT for a second time in December, after a less than stellar, but respectable October score.

I was wondering what all the geniuses here on TLS think is a safe score to guarantee admission to Wisconsin.

Furthermore, coming from the province of Quebec, I am perfectly bilingual in French (and trilingual too...Hebrew), Would my extensive background in French and coming from a province where Civil Law reigns supreme give me any boost at a school in Louisiana (Tulane, LSU, and to a much lesser extent Loyola (Last Resort))?

What is your respectable LSAT score ? Medians for Wisconsin were (and may still be) 162/3.6.

My "respectable" LSAT score is 159, and my undergrad GPA is 3.4

However, I am retaking in December, what should be my target score for Wisconsin? (I want to consistently be getting on average 4 points more than my target score on PT's) I am avg 163 right now on PT's.

Sticker at Wisconsin is a risky proposition. Shoot for a 170.

I was WL'ed and then accepted last year w/ a 164/3.51. I wrote a "Why Wisc" essay w/ my initial app and then after I was WL'ed I visited and had a talk with Dean Hall. He was great and had clearly reviewed my file. When I got back I sent a thank you note and I was admitted not too long after. I doubt the note had anything to do with it but i'm sure it didn't hurt...

I ultimately didn't attend but they were very nice and the campus is great...

A 159/3.4 should be adequate to get a serious review of your application at Wisconsin, but conventional wisdom indicates that at least one number above median is the safe bet. (Thus, shoot for a 163 or higher.)

@Slimpee: When did you apply to Wisconsin ?

does that mean shoot for 174 or for 170 (so that I avg 4 more points = 166),

Also, I am a successful music producer, and circumstance led me to be born into a wealthy family (although they don't support my law school aspirations), however, needless to say, I will not be graduating with much debt, if any, from attending a school at sticker.

Anyone have any input on my Louisiana/French/Quebec boost question as well?

Pretty sure the goal is to strive for 180 and just be varying degrees of disappointed depending on how short you come up.

I know URMs & some non-URM Wisconsin residents who were admitted with LSATs in the high 150s & low 160s but they all applied early & considered Wisconsin their first choice law school.

Isn't the Median LSAT at UW 161?

Medians change every year, for all Wisconsin hopefuls, let's hope that it doesn't go up this cycle.

what would the chances be with a 3.5 (an addendum because it is really closer to 3.7) and a 158 at Wisconsin?

1L at Wisconsin here. The medians did go up this year...I think median LSAT is now 163 and 75th percentile is 164. Median GPA is 3.63.

I had a 163 with a 3.6X GPA and I got in with a small scholarship.

If you're below a 160 with a 3.4 GPA I'd say you're a reach. You should aim for a 180 and come to terms with the fact that you won't get it and try to get as high a score as you can.

The test is only so study-able...at some point you gotta realize that genetics only gave you a brain that can do so well... With a 3.4, you need a 163 to feel good (on test day...I have no idea what calculation you want to use to trick your brain into getting that on test day)

Spinozist21 wrote:what would the chances be with a 3.5 (an addendum because it is really closer to 3.7) and a 158 at Wisconsin?

I don't know what addendum you're referring to, but if your official gpa is 3.5...it's 3.5. Schools wants your GPA for their statistics and only marginally cares about what your GPA should have been if you had only managed to convince 5 of your undergrad professors that they misgraded you...or if you took classes at your community college...or if you took grad classes where everyone gets an A, or whatever.

With a 3.5 you prob need a 162/163, but maybe it's getting harder yet again this year? Hard to know!

Gelly wrote:Medians change every year, for all Wisconsin hopefuls, let's hope that it doesn't go up this cycle.

+1. If medians at UW go up any more I'm screwed.