3.92, 153 Forum

[Gov2408]

Longtime reader, first time poster.

My LSAT score is 153 with a 3.92 LSAC gpa (3.94 Degree). I have great softs and am a resident of Iowa. What are my chances of being accepted to Drake? (Yes I took prep classes and tests; but suck at standardized tests)

Their 25th % LSAT is 153 and I far exceed their 75th % GPA which is 3.64.

Thanks!

[CanadianWolf]

You should be accepted.

[law4vus]

Please don't waste that GPA on Drake. If you got that close to a 4.0, you can break 160 on the LSAT at the very least.

How exactly did you study?

[llachans]

I'd be really surprised if you didn't get into Drake.

However, be prepared that everyone will tell you to retake the LSAT. You have way too good of a gpa to not retake. If you retook and even got a 160, you'd probably get good scholarship money from much higher ranked schools than Drake.

[CanadianWolf]

OP noted that he took a prep course & practice tests in addition to being a longtime reader of TLS.

OP you can get accepted to much higher ranked law schools with your current numbers. Last cycle about two dozen students matriculated at #22 Illinois with LSATs varying from 146 to 153 (and all received partial scholarships from #22 Illinois). I know several students put on reserve and/or waitlist at a T-14 last cycle with LSATs in the mid-150s. Some were URMs, some were socio-economically diverse. This cycle should be easier since applications are expected to be down. Another T-14, Northwestern, accepted a non-URM with a 153 & a 3.7 (I believe) who had Teach For America experience.

[law4vus]

OP noted that he took a prep course & practice tests in addition to being a longtime reader of TLS.

OP you can get accepted to much higher ranked law schools with your current numbers. Last cycle about two dozen students matriculated at #22 Illinois with LSATs varying from 146 to 153. I know several students put on reserve and/or waitlist at a T-14 last cycle with LSATs in the mid-150s. This cycle should be easier since applications are expected to be down.

Only very few prep courses are helpful and we don't know whether he took 5 practice tests or 25. Only when the OP tells us how he studied will we know whether he/she can get a higher score.

I still stand by what I said that someone who can get that close to a 4.0 can score over 160.

[CanadianWolf]

Maybe. I recall one poster with a 4.0 GPA who took the LSAT twice with her highest score being a 146 after taking a prep course. Regardless, OP wrote that he is a poor standardized test-taker.

P.S. At many colleges & universities among the nation's 3,000, high GPAs require little more than doing the assigned work. A recent TLS poster, for example, at the University of Alabama's Honors College had an LSAC GPA of 4.02 took LSAT prep courses & sat for the LSAT three times earning a 151 for each sitting. Even so, if OP is willing to put in the necessary effort, retaking is worthwhile.

[emkay625]

OP noted that he took a prep course & practice tests in addition to being a longtime reader of TLS.

OP you can get accepted to much higher ranked law schools with your current numbers. Last cycle about two dozen students matriculated at #22 Illinois with LSATs varying from 146 to 153 (and all received partial scholarships from #22 Illinois). I know several students put on reserve and/or waitlist at a T-14 last cycle with LSATs in the mid-150s. Some were URMs, some were socio-economically diverse. This cycle should be easier since applications are expected to be down. Another T-14, Northwestern, accepted a non-URM with a 153 & a 3.7 (I believe) who had Teach For America experience.

Really?! As a TFA corps member this makes me hopeful. Was there anything else special about him/her?

[Gov2408]

I took a Kaplan course last spring and the on-line version this fall. I definitely feel like I hit my peak this summer and slowly my PT's began dropping. My highest PT was a 160, however that occurred once. I was pretty much planning on attending Drake regardless, unless I scored significantly higher than my PT's (like over 165).

Thanks for the feedback!

[ScrabbleChamp]

I took a Kaplan course last spring and the on-line version this fall. I definitely feel like I hit my peak this summer and slowly my PT's began dropping. My highest PT was a 160, however that occurred once. I was pretty much planning on attending Drake regardless, unless I scored significantly higher than my PT's (like over 165).

Thanks for the feedback!

That's your problem.

[law4vus]

I took a Kaplan course last spring and the on-line version this fall. I definitely feel like I hit my peak this summer and slowly my PT's began dropping. My highest PT was a 160, however that occurred once. I was pretty much planning on attending Drake regardless, unless I scored significantly higher than my PT's (like over 165).

Thanks for the feedback!

Kaplan is garbage.

I understand you would have attended Drake anyway, but the legal market is tough and you need to secure yourself a better school or at least a full ride to Drake. I'd strongly urge you to retake because Kaplan isnt going to prepare you.

[CanadianWolf]

@emkay: She received an unsolicited fee waiver from Northwestern. Two years with TFA. She expressed surprise when accepted.

[JamMasterJ]

OP noted that he took a prep course & practice tests in addition to being a longtime reader of TLS.

OP you can get accepted to much higher ranked law schools with your current numbers. Last cycle about two dozen students matriculated at #22 Illinois with LSATs varying from 146 to 153. I know several students put on reserve and/or waitlist at a T-14 last cycle with LSATs in the mid-150s. This cycle should be easier since applications are expected to be down.

Only very few prep courses are helpful and we don't know whether he took 5 practice tests or 25. Only when the OP tells us how he studied will we know whether he/she can get a higher score.

I still stand by what I said that someone who can get that close to a 4.0 can score over 160.

while the logic is flawed in this statement, the sentiment is true. you need to retake (unless you studied intensely and properly for about 6 months)

[Kess]

I have very similar numbers- 155/4.0

I took Testmasters, did all of their homework, and did over 25 full PTs after they were over, going over all of them carefully. The highest I ever score on a PT was a 164 and that was only once. Standardized tests are not everyone's cup of tea.

Also, I received an unsolicited fee waiver from Northwestern. Are they that desperate for people to reject?

[CanadianWolf]

Since you're a non-URM, straight out of undergraduate school & only have an LSAT score of 155 without Teach For America experience, I think that they may be attracted to your 4.0 GPA. But it's worth a shot since you don't have to pay the $100 application fee.

[Kess]

Haha okay, I guess I'll waste the $16 then.