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I have to send some more grades in and have my LSAC GPA recalculated but its most likely gonna be between 3.1 and 3.2. I got a 170 LSAT. Sending apps in for this cycle.
My goal is a T14 preference being one of the following in order of preference:
Columbia (I know I probably don't have a shot)
NYU (don't have a shot I suppose)
UPenn
Georgetown
UVA

So I guess it's between the last three.
waiting until next cycle is not an option

My questions:
1. Should I send apps now or retake in Feb and send last minute apps?
2. Where should I ED? I know Georgetown and UVA are still accepting ED. Not sure about Penn.
3. Do you know of anything else that can help boost my app? A specific type of personal statement? A specific soft? A specific type of reccomendation? Visiting the schools? Writing Why X?

UPenn is a stickler for GPA-you don't have a particularly good shot. And I don't need to tell you that CLS and NYU are not going to bite, esp this late in the cycle. I'd say go for UVa or GULC ED, whichever of the 2 schools you prefer. You should be pretty safe for either via ED. I wouldn't recommend retaking in February if you can't postpone your cycle because that's pretty late, and that + your GPA = not good. If anything, apply now and retake in Feb and send in your score as an update or something.

DEFINITELY write Why X's for Penn, UVa, and GULC.

Have you even looked at LSN yet? http://penn.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/ ... Cycle=1112 <--- Penn, last cycle. There are only 3 people even close to your stats who were accepted. 1 was ED, all of them applied in mid-November. If you look at the graph, they have a clear 3.2 cutoff for non-URMs. What this means is that yeah, it's not for sure over, but your chances do not look good.

Why is next cycle not an option? Retaking for a 170+ and then applying in early September would do WONDERS for your cycle.

I don't think NYU, Columbia or UPenn would be possibilities even if you applied early. I'd ED to UVA or Georgetown (maybe a slightly better chance at Georgetown...not 100% sure about that) but at this point in the cycle, it could be tough. Depending on which region you hope to practice in, I'd look for a healthy number of back-ups