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Basically, I was a double retaker of the LSAT, but ended up jumping from a 168 to a 176. I've got a 3.65 as my GPA, and UVA is my top choice. After reading a bunch of stuff on here though it seems like I could get waitlisted, and wanted to see how to avoid that if I can. I did write a Why UVA and submitted three recs.

dabears24 wrote:Basically, I was a double retaker of the LSAT, but ended up jumping from a 168 to a 176. I've got a 3.65 as my GPA, and UVA is my top choice. After reading a bunch of stuff on here though it seems like I could get waitlisted, and wanted to see how to avoid that if I can. I did write a Why UVA and submitted three recs.

Only real way to avoid it is ED, which you absolutely should not be doing.

So all you can do is pray.

and one other quick question - someone suggested just calling them and saying that i'd commit if accepted, but b/c of scholarship stuff i figured that was a bad idea? I also don't wanna get caught in a situation where I also can't get into a higher ranked school like NYU b/c they I've heard they average your LSAT scores. sorry my thoughts are kinda scattered all over, but any help much appreciated!

dabears24 wrote:and one other quick question - someone suggested just calling them and saying that i'd commit if accepted, but b/c of scholarship stuff i figured that was a bad idea? I also don't wanna get caught in a situation where I also can't get into a higher ranked school like NYU b/c they I've heard they average your LSAT scores. sorry my thoughts are kinda scattered all over, but any help much appreciated!

Nobody averages. Don't harass the admissions officers with phone calls - send a LOCI if you get waitlisted. You've already written a Why UVA?

Sit back and relax there is nothing you can do at this point. It is out of your hands. You are competitive for CCN on down and will get into better schools than UVA.

You're a lock at NYU, and you're very nearly one at Columbia as well. You have a small but non-zero chance at Harvard. Don't worry too much about UVA.

UVA seems to be YP'ing much less this cycle -- lots of people with great numbers have just been straight accepted with full-rides instead of being waitlisted. Then again, I was above both 75ths and seemed destined for a WL (applied in September and hadn't heard anything) until I withdrew a week or two ago.

You have no control over it at this point. If you get WL'd, write a strong LOCI and they should accept you.

Why is UVA your top choice? You are a lock for CCN and down. I'd definitely still apply to Harvard. No shot at YS.

dabears24 wrote:and one other quick question - someone suggested just calling them and saying that i'd commit if accepted, but b/c of scholarship stuff i figured that was a bad idea? I also don't wanna get caught in a situation where I also can't get into a higher ranked school like NYU b/c they I've heard they average your LSAT scores. sorry my thoughts are kinda scattered all over, but any help much appreciated!

No way they actually average. I got in within 2 weeks of going complete. My LSAT was a 175, but my 'average' was a 170. People with my GPA and the same LSAT (170) have been sitting under review for months. I'm positive my LSAT is what put me over. I know it's hard to believe when you're the one benefitting, but everyone can basically assure you that NYU doesn't actually average.

NYU doesn't average.

Calling them and saying you'd commit if accepted seems like a bad idea. There's a formal way to do that, it's called EDing. Just write a sincere, well-researched LOCI and try to visit so that you can show you're serious and it's very likely they'll get you right off that waitlist.