Need Advice Forum

[puzzledlawstudent]

Hello, all.

Here's my situation: I got into an upper-20s school. The program was an interesting program where I did not take the LSAT. They gave me a decent, but not near a full ride scholarship.

My GPA is 3.9x (probably going to be a .1-.2 by the end of the semester).

I did more research and I saw that people were getting more money than I was with lower GPAs, but with highLSATs. I'm not sure how well I'll do on the LSAT, in fact, I'm not even sure what's on it. Part of the reason why I did this program was to avoid all that stress. In fact, before I saw the program I wasn't even interested in law.

Here's my dilemma, then. Should I take a year off and take the LSAT (possibly the GRE), in hopes of getting either more money from that same university or to break into the T20 schools? From cursory research, my GPA seems to be around or above the median for most school.

[Patriot1208]

I am really confused

[buckilaw]

1. First stop and ask yourself if you want to work in law. Regardless of where you go you will incur a non-trivial amount of debt, so you need to determine if practicing law is important to you.

2. Employment options vary greatly from school to school. Typically, as you go higher in the US News Rankings employment prospects improve. There is much more to it than this but US news gives you a decent idea.

3. Take a practice LSAT and see how you do, compare your score to the median score of schools that interest you. Don't be discouraged if you score low, the test is incredibly learnable; for instance, I improved around 30 scaled points from my first practice test.

4. Take a look at the fine print regarding the program you have been accepted to. Most programs that take undergrads without LSAT's do so in part to boost GPA medians because applicants don't have an LSAT. If you take the LSAT and do poorly you might jeopardize what you already have.

[puzzledlawstudent]

I will definitely jeopardize what I have - therein lies the dilemma. If I take the LSAT, I won't get the scholly. End of story. Thanks for your advice!

[bhan87]

Here's my dilemma, then. Should I take a year off and take the LSAT (possibly the GRE), in hopes of getting either more money from that same university or to break into the T20 schools? From cursory research, my GPA seems to be around or above the median for most school.

For most schools? How about all schools except HYS.

I think you're shortchanging yourself by going to a T-20 with that GPA without having TRIED an LSAT.

[neonx]

My advice is: take a gap year. Study hard.

Take the test in June or October. Retake in December if necessary.

Score above 168+ go to a T14 school with that 3.91 or 3.92.

[DubPoker]

Hello, all.

Here's my situation: I got into an upper-20s school. The program was an interesting program where I did not take the LSAT. They gave me a decent, but not near a full ride scholarship.

My GPA is 3.9x (probably going to be a .1-.2 by the end of the semester).

I did more research and I saw that people were getting more money than I was with lower GPAs, but with highLSATs. I'm not sure how well I'll do on the LSAT, in fact, I'm not even sure what's on it. Part of the reason why I did this program was to avoid all that stress. In fact, before I saw the program I wasn't even interested in law.

Here's my dilemma, then. Should I take a year off and take the LSAT (possibly the GRE), in hopes of getting either more money from that same university or to break into the T20 schools? From cursory research, my GPA seems to be around or above the median for most school.

Take a few practice LSAT's and gauge what your actual abilities are. Some people have a lot of trouble with the LSAT. If you can master the LSAT any school is possible, but it sounds like you shoot yourself in the foot if your not a good test taker.

I still can't believe the LSAT isn't a 100% requirement for all schools.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

In fact, before I saw the program I wasn't even interested in law.

I would make sure you really want to be a lawyer before going to law school.

[puzzledlawstudent]

Yeah, I know. It's something that I have thought about before, but just never got into. The program basically allowed me to be comfortable my senior year, as I had no idea what I wanted to do after. I'm not passionate about law, but I'm not disinterested in it either.

Thanks for your advice everyone, I'd appreciate more! The biggest fear I have is completely being decimated by the LSAT and then ending up worse than I started off. That said, I'd imagine that I'd regret not shooting for something higher down the line.

[puzzledlawstudent]

Okay, I took a diagnostic LSAT and received a 163. How much could that improve with studying? Should I consider taking a year off? Thanks!

[TheOcho]

I'm not passionate about law, but I'm not disinterested in it either.

Don't go to law school.

[Shloime]

Okay, I took a diagnostic LSAT and received a 163. How much could that improve with studying? Should I consider taking a year off? Thanks!

With a diagnostic like that, the sky is the limit for both your LSAT score and then law school acceptances. With some practice, you shouldn't have a problem scoring high enough for T14, possibly with nice schollys. I don't think a score that will get you HYS is out of your potential range. If you're serious about law, take a year off. You'll get yourself into a much better school, and you'll have much better scholly options.

[keg411]

OP would have a chance at Berkeley just with the diagnostic score (especially with a GPA over 4.0).

Take a year or so off and try to work at a law firm (as a paralegal, receptionist, etc). See if you like law and study for the LSAT (if you don't like law or don't get a high LSAT score, find something else). I'm pretty sure I know what T20-ish school you are talking about.

[Richie Tenenbaum]

Okay, I took a diagnostic LSAT and received a 163. How much could that improve with studying? Should I consider taking a year off? Thanks!

If that diagnostic was timed, you should not be satisfied until you get your practice scores consistently into the 170s. With a score in the 170s, you are competitive for better schools and better scholarships than your current position. Start studying and wait a year.

[DubPoker]

Okay, I took a diagnostic LSAT and received a 163. How much could that improve with studying? Should I consider taking a year off? Thanks!

If that was a legitimate timed (not giving yourself any breaks) diagnostic the sky is your limit. I cold took it and got a 149, I ended up with a 167. Seems like you have what it takes.

[puzzledlawstudent]

Thanks, all. I clearly have a big decision ahead of me, haha.

[puzzledlawstudent]

Took an actual timed one today and got a 162. The first one was offered through some random website and only contained fifteen minute sections. My weakest portions are in LR/LG, and, from what I understand, those are very improvable.

[DubPoker]

Took an actual timed one today and got a 162. The first one was offered through some random website and only contained fifteen minute sections. My weakest portions are in LR/LG, and, from what I understand, those are very improvable.

Yes, if you take every LG section ever, you will hardy miss questions if any by the end. They are super learn-able, first read the Powerscore LG Bible, than take some stuff from Atlas like for their pure sequential games.