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Took the October LSAT..not looking good for a 170. But I have to decide whether to retake or not for december, and that will be depending on my score. And I have to decide now to at least start studying before I decide whether to pay or not.

My goal is UCLA or USC. Yes, I know i don't have my score yet, but I've decided I am only not retaking if I have at least a 168 (UCLA median is 168, USC is 167). So i'm assuming I get a 168. Do I have any shot being below the GPA median, yet right on the spot of the median? My problem is that I want to gain an early advantage, but i'm not sure if I would stand a better chance applying with a 168 in early November or waiting until early January with (hopefully) a score above 170.

Help please? (another consideration is that I need good money, and I realize with a median LSAT i'm pretty much shooting myself in the foot)

Tough to get money at USC/UCLA with a 3.5, regardless of LSAT. Any reason you have to be in LA?

got 15k/year at UCLA with 3.5/176 after leveraging a larger offer from Vandy.

You'll get good money from Washu and Emory. Not sure if it's worth it.

I want to work in LA (and I live on the opposite coast) so a school in the area is of high appeal to me. Yes I suppose unless I get a good lsat (like 176) with my gpa im not looking at money anyway. That said I should probably not wait to apply until my retake unless I'm sure i'm getting a high score like that.

I won't know until I get my score breakdown though..does anyone know if they post our answer sheets and stuff on lsac when they email out scores or is that after?

mcs268 wrote:I want to work in LA (and I live on the opposite coast)

That's very unfortunate. California's legal market is noticeably worse than the east coast, wherever you are (I'm thinking even DC is better than LA). With no ties to CA, you're going to be in big trouble come hiring time.

Better plan: either,

1) ED to Boston University (assuming you have ties to Boston area) for the full ride scholarship, piddle around in law for a few years until the west coast economy picks up, and maybe move out there.

2) Retake and blanket T14, work in NYC for a few years, and then go for California biglaw/in-house.