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[jets4life]

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[abc12345675]

I am entering my senior year at Indiana University, a honors student triple majoring in finance, accounting, and legal studies and minoring in psychology. I have just taken one practice LSAT and scored a 155. I know if I want to be considered at the t14 I must score at least a 165.

I am not a good standardized test taker and a 160 may be the best I can do. Do I have any shot of getting into a top 25 school? If so, which ones tend to favor higher GPAs? Also, which schools should I consider applying early decision?

Take a class. Go balls to the wall prepping for the LSAT, get yourself a nice 166 or so and enjoy Berkeley. It may be true that you're not a good test taker and therefore won't be able to get to 175ish. But you can get 10 points off your practice I guarantee.

[IHeartPhilly]

I think, first, you should add another major. Then you should take more practice tests. A 155 diagnostic is pretty decent, and a 10+ point increase is a reasonable expectation.

[twenty]

You may suck at standardized tests, but the LSAT is easily the most learnable test in the world. There's like, 25 different LR question types, 10 or so variations on two types of games, and reading passages... well, just don't be bad at reading.

After going from a 148 diag to PTing no lower than 165, I'm a firm believer that anyone can "train" on the LSAT up to around 170.

[Nova]

[mattviphky]

this is my story. I went from 155 to a 164 on real lsats, although I went from 153-173 on prep tests. Go to the lsat prep forum, and figure out a steady plan. The lsat is seriously learnable, ESPECIALLY Logic Games. But 155 is a great launching pad, you can certainly improve 10+ with some diligent self-study.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=149790

[mattviphky]

not helpful, nova.

[Nova]

not helpful, nova.

OPs chances are undetermined. We have no idea how much OP will improve. Everything depends on a real score from Oct/Dec. They could score 176 and waltz into Harvard. They could score 161, and not get any T14 bites.

Here OP, check this thread out for some good strategies to help you get closer to your ceiling, http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... ?f=6&t=396

HTH

[facile princeps]

Take a look at this. If i'm not mistaken, the lower the number is in the 'LSAT/GPA Ratio' column, the more weight a school gives to GPA.

[dowu]

RETAKE.


Where's Grizz when you need him....


Oh, wait.

[goldenflash19]

An initial score of 155 isn't bad. A lot of people jump at least 10 points from their diagnostic. Just put forth the effort, and you feasibly could get into the high 160s if not 170. If you improve your diagnostic even 8 points, you could get into T14 with an ED app to UVA.

[Easy-E]

I am not a good standardized test taker and a 160 may be the best I can do.

Get out of this mindset now. It's not like any test you've ever taken. Study your balls off.

[dpk711]

OP, you have 4.0 GPA, please please retake and don't waste that GPA on anything less than a 165+

[Nova]

OP, you have 4.0 GPA, please please retake and don't waste that GPA on anything less than a 165+

I have just taken one practice LSAT and scored a 155.

Dont worry, its a hypo.

[Tom Joad]

I think, first, you should add another major.

wat?

155 is a great starting point. The LSAT is hard and it is unlike any test you have taken before. It seems totally foreign at first but it is very learnable. Shoot for a mid 170 score and if you study hard and get a little lower, you still could have good prospects. People with high LSAT scores and high GPAs are great candidates for good scholarship offers, so if you work hard you could graduate law school with very little debt.

[thelawschoolproject]

RETAKE.


Where's Grizz when you need him....


Oh, wait.

Okay OP. Do not ask for predictions off of a "fake" one-time practice test LSAT score. There is no way for anyone to give you valuable advice off of that. If a 155 is like a diagnostic for you, chances are with proper studying you could go way up. But, maybe the 155 was a fluke and your chances will go way down. We don't know. It's not advantageous for you to receive advice and then base your choices off of a hypothetical.

go here --> http://www.lawschoolpredictor.com ...Plug in your hypothetical numbers and see how drastically your LS options change between 155/160/165

Then, go here --> http://www.lawschoolnumbers.com ...and see what happened to actual applicants with those numbers


Oh and to those hating on Nova for the flow chart . . . it may be a little sarcastic, but it's the truth. I would have posted it if he/she didn't beat me to it.

[RedBirds2011]

I think, first, you should add another major.

wat?

155 is a great starting point. The LSAT is hard and it is unlike any test you have taken before. It seems totally foreign at first but it is very learnable. Shoot for a mid 170 score and if you study hard and get a little lower, you still could have good prospects. People with high LSAT scores and high GPAs are great candidates for good scholarship offers, so if you work hard you could graduate law school with very little debt.

I think he was being sarcastic seeing as OP is a triple major lol

[TheZoid]

I am not a good standardized test taker and a 160 may be the best I can do.

Get out of this mindset now. It's not like any test you've ever taken. Study your balls off.

Yea, this. A 155 is pretty solid for a first time cold ever. I started at 151 and ended up PTing in the low-mid 170's. Only hit 168 on test day, but you'd definitely snag some good schools with 4.0/168. A lot of people would give up a nut (left or right, probably) for your GPA, just put in the work and the results will come. But don't limit yourself by telling yourself you're "not a good standardized test taker." GL to you, I'm sure you'll get there with some diligence and the help of smart people on this board who've come before you.

[1776]

I scored 18 points higher on the real test than my cold diagnostic

edit: with 3 months of studying and taking 15-20 practice tests.

[Nova]

I scored 18 points higher on the real test than my cold diagnostic

Same here

(after 4 months and about 50 PTs)

[JCFindley]

OK, so you suck at standardized tests, there are alternatives.... Use that 4.0 cranium of yours to get a Pulitzer or Nobel Prize. Train hard and get a silver or gold medal at the London Olympics. Become a Navy SEAL and win the Medal of Honor on a mission you can't even tell anyone about.... Any of those will make up for a bad LSAT score.....

In all seriousness though, you are obviously very smart AND have a great work ethic so take those skills and bust hump studying for the LSAT like your life depends on it.... You may still "bomb" the LSAT but my guess is if you put in the work bombing the LSAT will mean you get a 170-175 instead of a 180...... Then, enjoy your pick of any LS you want.....

[RedBirds2011]

OK, so you suck at standardized tests, there are alternatives.... Use that 4.0 cranium of yours to get a Pulitzer or Nobel Prize. Train hard and get a silver or gold medal at the London Olympics. Become a Navy SEAL and win the Medal of Honor on a mission you can't even tell anyone about.... Any of those will make up for a bad LSAT score.....

In all seriousness though, you are obviously very smart AND have a great work ethic so take those skills and bust hump studying for the LSAT like your life depends on it.... You may still "bomb" the LSAT but my guess is if you put in the work bombing the LSAT will mean you get a 170-175 instead of a 180...... Then, enjoy your pick of any LS you want.....

His life DOES depend on it lol OP, dont act like it like it does. Just realize that your life does in fact depend on it.

[1776]

I scored 18 points higher on the real test than my cold diagnostic

Same here

(after 4 months and about 50 PTs)

Congrats! My diagnostic was obviously wretched haha.