softs unique? retake LSAT? Forum

[pacifica]

[edited]

Thanks so much!

[vulpixie]

Holy crap, that is an impressive GPA. I'm astonished you aren't scoring in the mid/high 170s on the LSAT. How much have you been studying?

[bdubs]

Stanford would consider you if you are planning to finish your PhD before going to school. I know someone with similar credentials and a similar LSAT that got in.

Berkeley would probably admit you and you would have decent chances at the mid-lower T14.

[Bodhi_mind]

Stanford/Berkeley are good options, and those are some impressive softs damn

[LawSchoolGuru]

retake.

[094320]

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[JamMasterJ]

Holy crap, that is an impressive GPA. I'm astonished you aren't scoring in the mid/high 170s on the LSAT. How much have you been studying?

false

[rgndvo]

Holy crap, that is an impressive GPA. I'm astonished you aren't scoring in the mid/high 170s on the LSAT. How much have you been studying?

Clever man that OP clearly is, scores of high (and even mid) 170's are exquisitely rare. That is higher than the vast majority of people at the T14, and even H and Y. He can very likely be admitted into Stanford even if he scored in the high 160's. Should he crack 170's, we are talking full rides to many lower T14. 173+ would net him a full ride to a T6, I predict, with a viable chance at $$$ to Columbia.

So in response to your question, OP, definitely retake a sub-170 score. We are talking a guaranteed admission to the T-3, a certain full ride to many T-14, and a likely full ride to the T-6 if you break 172.

[pacifica]

[edited]

thanks again for all the encouraging comments!

[jpal13]

You are a very strong candidate, but I think the lack of work experience will hurt you. You seem to be a professional student, tutoring is just an extension of academia. I think there is no doubt you will get into somewhere in the T14 and you are a very strong candidate, kudos. But I think many schools may hesitate. You have to show you can accomplish something in the "real world" especially a few years out of undergrad. Is there anything you can use to highlight that, like your work on patents? If so be sure to include that somewhere on your app, preferably in your personal statement.

[bdubs]

You are a very strong candidate, but I think the lack of work experience will hurt you. You seem to be a professional student, tutoring is just an extension of academia. I think there is no doubt you will get into somewhere in the T14 and you are a very strong candidate, kudos. But I think many schools may hesitate. You have to show you can accomplish something in the "real world" especially a few years out of undergrad. Is there anything you can use to highlight that, like your work on patents? If so be sure to include that somewhere on your app, preferably in your personal statement.

This is false. Most professors at top schools, especially the older ones, are professional academics who have little to no real world experience. Schools will look down upon an applicant that seems to be a "professional student" with no particular aim, but OP seems to have been working toward the same goals from day 1 or close to it.

[Lisi]

You are a very strong candidate, but I think the lack of work experience will hurt you. You seem to be a professional student, tutoring is just an extension of academia. I think there is no doubt you will get into somewhere in the T14 and you are a very strong candidate, kudos. But I think many schools may hesitate. You have to show you can accomplish something in the "real world" especially a few years out of undergrad. Is there anything you can use to highlight that, like your work on patents? If so be sure to include that somewhere on your app, preferably in your personal statement.

I think comment is a little silly. I'm pretty sure my PhD helped my application. Many people who go to law school come right out of undergrad. And a PhD is work experience - it trains people in many skills that have crossover value in the professional world. When you write up your resume, it will be clear just how many skills you've developed that will be an asset to you going forward.

As to the OP's question, I would retake the LSAT. Many people take it more than once because the first time can be really stressful (I wish I had taken it more than once!). Your application is awesome, so I think an LSAT in the 170s would do a lot to assuage your nerves. Additionally, if your first score is around a 168, it is certainly possible to score in the 170s with some additional preparation.

[094320]

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[jpal13]

You are right many people go straight from undergrad, but this is coming from graduate school to another graduate school. This guy is so accomplished that I would not really worry about it, but I would make my personal statement focus on accomplishments outside academia to fill this hole.

[jpal13]

Oh and I would def retake if under 170 (but maybe you did better than you think?), I was determined to take it in June even though I had little time, I scored a 165 in June after a little under a month of study and was sooo disappointed, BUT I studied from July-Oct 1 and consistently started scoring above 170 very early in August and so hopefully I did that well in Oct because I left feeling as good or better than I did during practice.

I think there is a point where you flatline on score increases during practice before you start shooting up again.