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3.94/low 160s/URM

I guess the question here is what would you do given the following circumstances:

Accepted to OSU Moritz w/ about half tuition on the table
Loyola Chicago with a small amount
Fordham without knowledge of scholarship as of yet

Waitlisted at UChicago
Held at Columbia
Haven't heard back from NYU

After reading TLS for the past few weeks, you all might think I'm crazy for having applied to any T14s with these stats, but I only applied to those that I either received emails from encouraging me to apply, or fee waivers.

These seem like random school choices, but let me first state that I want to be in one of these three cities: New York, Chicago, or Columbus. OSU is a good school and I'll probably commit there and just sink my deposit if I get off the waitlist anywhere. In-state tuition is nothing, I have some scholarship $, and cost of living is very low here. A degree from OSU would be great if I intend on staying in the Midwest after school. Chicago is a great Midwest city, but Loyola is hard to justify given the cost vs rank in comparison to OSU. And I can't decide much about Fordham except that it sits around OSU rank-wise, but NYC is where the opportunity is. Also, I would be willing to attend any T14 at sticker.

So, the dilemma is that part of me just feels like I'm leaving a lot of opportunity on the table. I'm basically assuming denial from the T14s until I hear otherwise, but sometimes I feel like I'm wasting a GPA that could've gotten me in anywhere because I got a poor LSAT score under a variety of bad conditions. I took the test during a stressful time of my life, and to top it had a negative experience with the proctor and testing conditions. I was offered a cancellation and free retake from LSAC (before I knew my score) but received some questionable advice to decline and apply in light of the rolling admissions process at the majority of schools to which I applied. The rest of the story: got my score back, freaked out, applied and played the waiting game.

So here I stand, waitlisted at T14s, deposit deadlines looming, unable to decide if I can justify Fordham over OSU on a cost-benefit basis, and almost wondering if I should take a year off, get work experience, and retake the LSAT. Am I being taken over by an irrational T14-or-bust attitude? Would working toward the top of my class at OSU be a fine decision? Or are there other options I'm not considering? Just looking for an outside perspective because most of my personal "consultants" have some type of bias.

I apologize for the scatterbrained post, but it pretty much summarizes the nature of my decisions right now.

Unless you really want to stay around Columbus, the near universal advice on TLS will be to retake if possibly. With that GPA and an improved LSAT, you have a good shot at T14 or big money at a T1.

retake
165+
T6
Dont fail out
Profit

If this is for real, Fordham, loans will cover you well enough which is merited by your job prospects, and your job will cover the loans. And if Chicago comes knocking, ditch the deposit and jump ships. Whatever your deposit is worth, its nothing compared to the debt that you will rack up during law school, and with Chicago that debt is not as big a deal.

Edit: But this is only if retaking and waiting a year really isn't something that you are able to do.

Please take a year off and retake. Even if you can only get into the low 160's, your options should be significantly different. If you get 165+ you are in a whole new world of options. Don't sell yourself short.

mthomps07 wrote:I want to be in one of these three cities: New York, Chicago, or Columbus.

When you're walking among the skyscrapers of any of those three cities, it's honestly hard to tell them apart sometimes.

mthomps07 wrote:I got a poor LSAT score under a variety of bad conditions. I took the test during a stressful time of my life, and to top it had a negative experience with the proctor and testing conditions.

Oh my god RETAKE REAPPY. Seriously, assuming you don't hear back from the T14, you owe it to yourself. Do you have anything worthwhile that you could do with yourself for a year or so?

Also, don't give up on CCN just yet, at least until after deposits are due and it's clear that you aren't coming off the waitlists.

Thanks for the input thus far. Sometimes you just need a complete stranger to shake you by the shoulders.

I will admit that part of the problem is finding something productive to do with myself for a year. I've been so consumed in school all my life that it's hard to imagine, and I don't have too many personal connections (perhaps a couple) to land any low-level legal experience. I'll have to have a long conversation with my support (aka parent aka the reason I could ever afford law school) to make her realize why getting away from school for a while would be a wise decision to help me get in at the next level, because she's already having a hard time understanding the whole law school application process in the first place.

And I haven't completely bailed on hopes for CCN. I'm actually a little optimistic about Chicago. I submitted a great LOCI, and I have an updated transcript and resume to send in with some improvements. My original LORs were also great. But at this point I think it would be most realistic and beneficial to assume those options aren't there until they actually present themselves.

mthomps07 wrote:Thanks for the input thus far. Sometimes you just need a complete stranger to shake you by the shoulders.

I will admit that part of the problem is finding something productive to do with myself for a year. I've been so consumed in school all my life that it's hard to imagine, and I don't have too many personal connections (perhaps a couple) to land any low-level legal experience. I'll have to have a long conversation with my support (aka parent aka the reason I could ever afford law school) to make her realize why getting away from school for a while would be a wise decision to help me get in at the next level, because she's already having a hard time understanding the whole law school application process in the first place.

And I haven't completely bailed on hopes for CCN. I'm actually a little optimistic about Chicago. I submitted a great LOCI, and I have an updated transcript and resume to send in with some improvements. My original LORs were also great. But at this point I think it would be most realistic and beneficial to assume those options aren't there until they actually present themselves.

Please, for yourself and others vying for your GPA, retake the LSAT. Stay at home for a year if you have to so you can study. This may sound terrible, but look long term and put it into perspective. Give yourself a few months to study alone, and get a 170 + and get $$$ T1. This is absolutely real for you, and it would be more than a shame to see you leave that on the table simply because of an understanding parent or impatience on your part. I am telling you, retake the LSAT. You will score high.

Again, I appreciate the advice.

So I guess my issue now is: do I keep "trying" to get into the T14s with LOCIs and the whole nine yards? Because no matter what, those potential acceptances are going to be at sticker. I'll have the funds to do them at sticker, but like others have pointed out, I could probably take the year off, hopefully get some WE, up my LSAT, and come back looking for a full ride at OSU or good money from T14s. And even if I'm not persistent with the T14s and I manage to somehow slide into one, do I take it? It would feel unimaginably strange to say "thanks but no thanks" to UChicago for example, regardless of the fact that I would have a plan to reload and come back with better credentials next cycle.

Work at home depot and apply next September with a retake, get into the T14 with $, come back to TLS and let others know the beauty of retaking and how they are ridiculous for not retaking.

i'll give you advice in a few months when it's too late

mthomps07 wrote:Again, I appreciate the advice.

So I guess my issue now is: do I keep "trying" to get into the T14s with LOCIs and the whole nine yards? Because no matter what, those potential acceptances are going to be at sticker. I'll have the funds to do them at sticker, but like others have pointed out, I could probably take the year off, hopefully get some WE, up my LSAT, and come back looking for a full ride at OSU or good money from T14s. And even if I'm not persistent with the T14s and I manage to somehow slide into one, do I take it? It would feel unimaginably strange to say "thanks but no thanks" to UChicago for example, regardless of the fact that I would have a plan to reload and come back with better credentials next cycle.

There is a big chance that Chicago isn't going to come knocking again. So if it does, take it and enjoy the ride. Getting a scholly at a school like that would take a hell of an LSAT anyway, and getting out a year early will allow you to start paying back your loans a year earlier too. I wouldn't say "thanks but no thanks" to UChi.