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What schools do I currently have a good shot at and which schools are a reach, and what sort of GPA barrier would I need to break to up my odds at schools that would be reaches with my current scores?

Also, since my 173, I've been tutoring at The Princeton Review, which I would consider to be more intensive than having taken a Princeton Review course to help LSAT scores (teaching it obviously requires completely thorough familiarity with the material being taught), so I'm relatively confident that I could break 176 and maybe even get close to 180 (I prepped roughly 2 weeks on the 173, so teaching a few classes is 100fold any preparation I've done previously), so would a retake also help my chances come application time?

asoularisen wrote:What schools do I currently have a good shot at and which schools are a reach, and what sort of GPA barrier would I need to break to up my odds at schools that would be reaches with my current scores?

Also, since my 173, I've been tutoring at The Princeton Review, which I would consider to be more intensive than having taken a Princeton Review course to help LSAT scores (teaching it obviously requires completely thorough familiarity with the material being taught), so I'm relatively confident that I could break 176 and maybe even get close to 180 (I prepped roughly 2 weeks on the 173, so teaching a few classes is 100fold any preparation I've done previously), so would a retake also help my chances come application time?

I'm confused...are you going to be retaking a 173?

If you really think you could bring your score up to 176+ then yes, retake. That said, a 173 is a GREAT score that most people would kill for.

Unless you can bring your GPA up though, then you're probably not going to crack CCN either way. A 173 is above the 75th percentile at every school other than HYSCCN, so there's not too much point in trying to bring it higher unless you really want CCN.

you took the lsat and received your score two semesters before you even apply?

I guess my advice would just be to get straight As and get your GPA up, if you can improve your lsat thats great. But the barrier to entry for some t14s will be your gpa and you have time to improve it, so do that.

Yeah, I took the LSAT the summer after my freshman year. The only reason I'm considering a retake is that I did minimal preparation and since then, for work at TPR, I've been forced to learn the test like the back of my hand (and I was PT'ing around 176 before I took my 173, so after another year of teaching LSAT, I'm sure I can do better than 173)...

As for CCN, I'm not hell bent on it (I'd be happy with UVA), but was just curious as to what GPA barrier I need to break before CCN could at least be on the table. Unfortunately being 2 years in with a 3.3, I calculate with straight A's I'd crack a 3.55 by the end of Junior year, and am not sure if that'd be enough for CCN.

And since it is the school I have my mind most set on, if I were to still be around a 3.3 and not retake the 173, how would my odds at UVA RD be?

asoularisen wrote:Yeah, I took the LSAT the summer after my freshman year. The only reason I'm considering a retake is that I did minimal preparation and since then, for work at TPR, I've been forced to learn the test like the back of my hand (and I was PT'ing around 176 before I took my 173, so after another year of teaching LSAT, I'm sure I can do better than 173)...

As for CCN, I'm not hell bent on it (I'd be happy with UVA), but was just curious as to what GPA barrier I need to break before CCN could at least be on the table. Unfortunately being 2 years in with a 3.3, I calculate with straight A's I'd crack a 3.55 by the end of Junior year, and am not sure if that'd be enough for CCN.

And since it is the school I have my mind most set on, if I were to still be around a 3.3 and not retake the 173, how would my odds at UVA RD be?

3.55 with a better LSAT will crack CCN. And would at least get you some money at Michigan.

Retaking with a 3.3 probably isn't the greatest idea. You have a tiny shot at NYU with a better LSAT, but not much.

So, smartest thing to do would be to lock down and aim for straight A's junior year, and if I manage that, retake the following summer?

asoularisen wrote:So, smartest thing to do would be to lock down and aim for straight A's junior year, and if I manage that, retake the following summer?

Yea. That's what I'd do. Taking a year or two off from school is a good idea.

Hmm it seems that for schools under the CCN tier a 173 will be basically the same as any higher LSAT score so, as others have said, only retake if you can get your gpa up. Also at the 99% it comes down to a bit of luck to improve... For example I retook a 173 and got more questions right but got exactly a 173 again (with 1 question being the difference b/w 173 and 175).

Na_Swatch wrote:Hmm it seems that for schools under the CCN tier a 173 will be basically the same as any higher LSAT score so, as others have said, only retake if you can get your gpa up. Also at the 99% it comes down to a bit of luck to improve... For example I retook a 173 and got more questions right but got exactly a 173 again (with 1 question being the difference b/w 173 and 175).

I agree that over a 173 there is a lot of luck involved, but if he can practice in the 175+ range consistently he should be able to pull it off. And since he's teaching it, he is already spending time practicing it.

For the rando person, I'd probably say forget about it. But he has a better than average chance.

So, assuming, I don't bring up my GPA or retake, what are my best bets in T14? Could I make UVA RD or would I have to go ED to have a good shot?

For what it's worth, I was flat out rejected from UVa RD with a 3.4x 173. Then again, I am out of state and I didn't write any UVa supplemental essays. Unless you're a VA resident, I believe (at least, it has always been my impression) that RD admissions can be a bit of a crapshoot.

I did, however, get into UChi ED with my #'s.

You have a good lsat, that is the hard part. Now focus on getting good grades

Muenchen wrote:

asoularisen wrote:What schools do I currently have a good shot at and which schools are a reach, and what sort of GPA barrier would I need to break to up my odds at schools that would be reaches with my current scores?

Also, since my 173, I've been tutoring at The Princeton Review, which I would consider to be more intensive than having taken a Princeton Review course to help LSAT scores (teaching it obviously requires completely thorough familiarity with the material being taught), so I'm relatively confident that I could break 176 and maybe even get close to 180 (I prepped roughly 2 weeks on the 173, so teaching a few classes is 100fold any preparation I've done previously), so would a retake also help my chances come application time?

I'm confused...are you going to be retaking a 173?

I wish I'd retaken my 173. Sadly I didn't find TLS until September, so I didn't realize it was a bad score...