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question:
I have a 3.32 and 175 on the lsats. I'm a lit major, non URM, graduated in June, and working full time at a firm


Last year I had a terrible application cycle, I feel that I've seriously overestimated my odds

I applied out around late December to the t14 + UCLA, USC

and I was waitlisted and eventually dinged at:
Columbia
Northwestern
GULC
UPenn
UMich
Cornell

I've been dinged from the rest.


Was I kidding myself by not applying out to lower ranked schools??
Would it help my applications to the t14 now that I have some work experience or if it ED?? Or do I need to just lower my expectations and apply out to lower ranked schools??

You're a splitter, so your cycle was bound to be unpredictable. Still, you underperformed your numbers.

Now that you have WE you should consider EDing to either UVA or NW. Otherwise, I would target some more schools in your home market.

pwkadfaea wrote:question:
I have a 3.32 and 175 on the lsats. I'm a lit major, non URM, graduated in June, and working full time at a firm


Last year I had a terrible application cycle, I feel that I've seriously overestimated my odds

I applied out around late December to the t14 + UCLA, USC

and I was waitlisted and eventually dinged at:
Columbia
Northwestern
GULC
UPenn
UMich
Cornell

I've been dinged from the rest.


Was I kidding myself by not applying out to lower ranked schools??
Would it help my applications to the t14 now that I have some work experience or if it ED?? Or do I need to just lower my expectations and apply out to lower ranked schools??

THAR SHE BLOWS

Apply early (i.e., now) this cycle and you should perform MUCH better.

I'm graduating next June with a GPA around that ballpark and am studying for the LSAT right now. Personally, if I scored a 175 (VERY impressive, congrats!), I'd use the ED for NYU or UPenn for the extra boost. Good luck to you this cycle!

All of those schools should be within your reach, though your cycle is going to be unpredictable. If there was one lesson you should have taken from last year it was to apply super early, September! Get your apps in asap, especially to the schools that WL'd you last year. Those additional 2.5 to 3 months in advance (you applied in Late December last year) should make a difference.

alrite thanks guys

Check LSN. Almost all applicants with your numbers were dinged at CCNMVP.
However, check the ED apps. I think many applicants within the 171-177 range with a 3.1-3.3 GPA were accepted at CCNMVP with ED (though there were barely any applicants with these numbers).

UCLA, USC, Cornell dinged because of the low GPA

I suggest ED next time to your favorite CCNMVP (seems like you would have the greatest chance at NYU or Penn), apply to NU with more WE, and or ED UCLA, USC if you are dead set.

Well that's what I got from LSN, anyway.

Was there something specific about your application that could have been a red flag? This thread is pretty scary.

You'd think that somebody wants to boost their LSAT median enough to take the GPA hit. Early ED?

Take this with a grain of salt, since I'm currently applying, but I have very similar stats and I'm applying to a similar set of schools (minus the california schools, plus a few more east coast safeties). From the research I've done, it seems like EDing or getting in your applications early really makes a critical difference.