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I have a 3.76 from Berkeley and just got a 160 on the December LSAT. Before everyone tells me to retake (my PT scores were significantly higher but whatever) I just want to find out where I can reasonably get in. I have pretty good softs--lots of work experience (Department of Justice, California State Capitol) and volunteer experience.

Do I have a chance at any of these places-
UC Davis
UC Hastings
ASU
George Washington University
Emory University
Washington University
Boston College
Washington & Lee University
William and Mary

Vanilla applicant

Mylsn.info

Really good shot at ASU.

good shot at Davis/Hastings. (youll probably get 1/2)

Outside shot everywhere else. (<25%)

Nova wrote:Really good shot at ASU.

good shot at Davis/Hastings. (youll probably get 1/2)

Outside shot everywhere else. (<25%)

But is it still worth applying?? I have fee waivers to a few anyway. Will it hurt my chances if I apply again next year?

Or should I just retake? It will be my third time (159, 160). I don't know what happens to me when I take this test--I get my PT's up to the 170s and then this.

I had similar softs and 162/3.74. Below was my cycle for the same schools.

GW - waitlist
W&L - waitlist
William & Mary - waitlist
Wash U - waitlist
Hastings - In
BC - Out

I ended up going to another T1 and am now gainfully employed so things can work out with a 160. Best of luck!

cbarlow1016 wrote:

Nova wrote:Really good shot at ASU.

good shot at Davis/Hastings. (youll probably get 1/2)

Outside shot everywhere else. (<25%)

But is it still worth applying?? I have fee waivers to a few anyway. Will it hurt my chances if I apply again next year?

Or should I just retake? It will be my third time (159, 160). I don't know what happens to me when I take this test--I get my PT's up to the 170s and then this.

Well, you would have a better cycle if you applied next august even if you didnt improve your LSAT. If you really want to see what would happen this cycle, and you dont mind spending the money, I think its worth applying for the sake of piece of mind. Reapplying next year wont look bad.

Whether you apply or wait, retaking in Feb/June (whenever your ready and confident you can perform) would put you in the best position to know whether to sit out the cycle or attend one of the schools you listed at probably near sticker price.

Nova wrote:

cbarlow1016 wrote:

Nova wrote:Really good shot at ASU.

good shot at Davis/Hastings. (youll probably get 1/2)

Outside shot everywhere else. (<25%)

But is it still worth applying?? I have fee waivers to a few anyway. Will it hurt my chances if I apply again next year?

Or should I just retake? It will be my third time (159, 160). I don't know what happens to me when I take this test--I get my PT's up to the 170s and then this.

Well, you would have a better cycle if you applied next august even if you didnt improve your LSAT. If you really want to see what would happen this cycle, and you dont mind spending the money, I think its worth applying for the sake of piece of mind. Reapplying next year wont look bad.

Whether you apply or wait, retaking in Feb/June (whenever your ready and confident you can perform) would put you in the best position to know whether to sit out the cycle or attend one of the schools you listed at probably near sticker price.

Alright, thanks. Are there any other decent schools I could potentially get into this cycle? Honestly I just want to go to the best school I can get into. I'll probably retake but I want to see if I can potentially get in this cycle.

Will you be taking out loans?

justonemoregame wrote:Will you be taking out loans?

No, I won't. How does that make a difference?

Good shot at Iowa/Florida/FL ST/Utah/Houston/Baylor

Decent shot at SMU and Colorado

Youre also looking at big scholarships at the schools you are above both medians... but that doesnt matter since you want to go to the best school you get into.

Alright thank you. so there's absolutely no point in applying to the others? I am bilingual, wrote an honors thesis, and had a lot of internships and jobs in college. I also had a lot of personal issues my first few years of college and maintained a good GPA. That makes no difference?

Each school likely accepts a few just above median GPAs + 5-7 points below LSAT median applicants per year. They are most likely URMs and early applicants though.

Still, If you blanketed every school from 19-30, i wouldnt be suprised if you got an acceptance or two because of your above median GPA.

For softs, you havent really done anything amazing (cured cancer/won a gold medal) that would dramatically overcome your numbers... but you come off as likeable, so I think that will help.

You should absolutely retake. Do not waste your good GPA with a 160, especially if you were PTing higher. Why settle for Davis when you can get Berkeley with a little more work?

Doorkeeper wrote:You should absolutely retake. Do not waste your good GPA with a 160, especially if you were PTing higher. Why settle for Davis when you can get Berkeley with a little more work?

But I'm concerned that I'm incapable of scoring higher because I got a 159 in October, and again had a higher PT average (168ish). I'm willing to retake, I just don't know if it will make a difference.

There really shouldnt be a real difference between PTs and the real deal besides nerves.

Think about it, youre capable of scoring in the 96th+ percentile. It would seriously be a travesty to enroll with an 80th percentile score.

Even if you cant completely match your PT average, a 164-167 would still change your cycle dramatically for the better.

Hitting median at the schools in your OP would likely mean admission + some scholarship

Nova wrote:There really shouldnt be a real difference between PTs and the real deal besides nerves.

Think about it, youre capable of scoring in the 96th+ percentile. It would seriously be a travesty to enroll with an 80th percentile score.

Even if you cant completely match your PT average, a 164-167 would still change your cycle dramatically for the better.

Hitting median at the schools in your OP would likely mean admission + some scholarship

Yeah, I think the issue was anxiety--both times. I'm just concerned that it won't be any different the next time if it's happened to me twice. I guess it's always worth a shot. I'm leaning towards applying to some schools now, retaking in June (either for $ where I get in or to reapply), and then applying next cycle if I'm unhappy.

Doorkeeper wrote:You should absolutely retake. Do not waste your good GPA with a 160, especially if you were PTing higher. Why settle for Davis when you can get Berkeley with a little more work?

+1

Suralin wrote:

Doorkeeper wrote:You should absolutely retake. Do not waste your good GPA with a 160, especially if you were PTing higher. Why settle for Davis when you can get Berkeley with a little more work?

+1

If you guys absolutely believe I can get a better score, I will most certainly retake. I'm just not sure if that's a possibility. Like I said, I got a 159 in October. I have really bad test anxiety.

cbarlow1016 wrote:

Suralin wrote:

Doorkeeper wrote:You should absolutely retake. Do not waste your good GPA with a 160, especially if you were PTing higher. Why settle for Davis when you can get Berkeley with a little more work?

+1

If you guys absolutely believe I can get a better score, I will most certainly retake. I'm just not sure if that's a possibility. Like I said, I got a 159 in October. I have really bad test anxiety.

I've seen multiple other people improve from 150s to high-160s/low-170s. It's certainly possible. You just need to work on your test anxiety issues. Perhaps a tutor or psychologist would be able to help.

cbarlow1016 wrote:

justonemoregame wrote:Will you be taking out loans?

No, I won't. How does that make a difference?

Because otherwise you should feel like a POS for going to the 'best school you get into' and burdening the public with your debt.

cbarlow1016 wrote:Yeah, I think the issue was anxiety--both times. I'm just concerned that it won't be any different the next time if it's happened to me twice. I guess it's always worth a shot. I'm leaning towards applying to some schools now, retaking in June (either for $ where I get in or to reapply), and then applying next cycle if I'm unhappy.

Good strategy

Doorkeeper wrote:

cbarlow1016 wrote:

Suralin wrote:

Doorkeeper wrote:You should absolutely retake. Do not waste your good GPA with a 160, especially if you were PTing higher. Why settle for Davis when you can get Berkeley with a little more work?

+1

If you guys absolutely believe I can get a better score, I will most certainly retake. I'm just not sure if that's a possibility. Like I said, I got a 159 in October. I have really bad test anxiety.

I've seen multiple other people improve from 150s to high-160s/low-170s. It's certainly possible. You just need to work on your test anxiety issues. Perhaps a tutor or psychologist would be able to help.

Alright, thank you. Do you have any recommendations as to tutors? I know I could potentially get into a few top schools, but I was kind of set on the T14...I have not killed myself all through college to settle. I'm willing to work my ass off to get my score up.

cbarlow1016 wrote:Alright, thank you. Do you have any recommendations as to tutors? I know I could potentially get into a few top schools, but I was kind of set on the T14...I have not killed myself all through college to settle. I'm willing to work my ass off to get my score up.

I would take the question of tutors over to the LSAT subforum. My friends mostly used Testmasters private tutors, and almost all of them had good things to say about them. This being said, your problem is very specific (test anxiety), so maybe other posters have better suggestions on how to go about dealing with it.

Doorkeeper wrote:

cbarlow1016 wrote:Alright, thank you. Do you have any recommendations as to tutors? I know I could potentially get into a few top schools, but I was kind of set on the T14...I have not killed myself all through college to settle. I'm willing to work my ass off to get my score up.

I would take the question of tutors over to the LSAT subforum. My friends mostly used Testmasters private tutors, and almost all of them had good things to say about them. This being said, your problem is very specific (test anxiety), so maybe other posters have better suggestions on how to go about dealing with it.

Ok, thanks. That being said, do you think it's worth it to submit a few applications now? I know I'm not a URM or anything but I do have very strong softs and excellent LORs. I think I might potentially have a chance at a few of the schools I'd be comfortable going to.

cbarlow1016 wrote:Ok, thanks. That being said, do you think it's worth it to submit a few applications now? I know I'm not a URM or anything but I do have very strong softs and excellent LORs. I think I might potentially have a chance at a few of the schools I'd be comfortable going to.

Any school that you get into now will be inherently settling compared to the schools you could get into with a 6-7 point LSAT bump. In all honesty, if you were PTing at a much higher score and you're willing to work on your anxiety issues, I would not even apply this cycle. You do have better than average softs, and I'm sure you have good LORs, but there's only so much they can overcome in the test score department. You've been out of school and it sounds like you've held good jobs, what's one more year when you can drastically benefit your future during that time?