Top Law Schools

I was looking through mylsn numbers and I was wondering why sometimes a higher lsat score will apparently reduce your chances of admission? In this case it's Yale's chances decreasing from a 33% to a 25% when the lsat range is increased from a 174-176 to a 176-178. I understand that due to the small sample size there's bound to be fluctuation but compounded with the (fairly significantly) higher lsat score, I don't quite understand the discrepancy.

http://myLSN.info/dbzex5_1-14.jpg

http://myLSN.info/awlk2a_1-14.jpg

P.S. Sorry about the links, I guess I'm allowed to post images yet

The only answer is Yale admissions are trippy, yo.

because it''s based on the people in that range, and when you have like 10 people to compare, you're gonna get funny results, especially with Y

as others have noted, its a product of 1) basic statistics, increasing sample size at Yale = more rejections
2) Yield Protection at UVA and down

Sample size is tiny. The discrepancy is well within the margin of error for any school, much less Yale, where admissions might as well be done with a magic 8-ball.

As mentioned, the only possible way a higher LSAT lowers your chance of being accepted is when you're being YPed, but that only happens on a large scale at MVP.

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:Sample size is tiny. The discrepancy is well within the margin of error for any school, much less Yale, where admissions might as well be done with a magic 8-ball.

As mentioned, the only possible way a higher LSAT lowers your chance of being accepted is when you're being YPed, but that only happens on a large scale at MVP.

How do you combat the YP? Write a good why Penn or why UVA essay? Or do you need to apply ED to make it if you are borderline (median lsat, below median gpa)?

mvonh001 wrote:

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:Sample size is tiny. The discrepancy is well within the margin of error for any school, much less Yale, where admissions might as well be done with a magic 8-ball.

As mentioned, the only possible way a higher LSAT lowers your chance of being accepted is when you're being YPed, but that only happens on a large scale at MVP.

How do you combat the YP? Write a good why Penn or why UVA essay? Or do you need to apply ED to make it if you are borderline (median lsat, below median gpa)?

I didn't get YP'd anywhere and I was well within YP range. I wrote why essays for UVA, UPenn, Duke, and Michigan, and was proactive with the admissions people at times (for example, I hadn't heard from Penn for like 4 months and I sent an email re-expressing interest and got in within a couple days after that).

bernaldiaz wrote:

mvonh001 wrote:

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:Sample size is tiny. The discrepancy is well within the margin of error for any school, much less Yale, where admissions might as well be done with a magic 8-ball.

As mentioned, the only possible way a higher LSAT lowers your chance of being accepted is when you're being YPed, but that only happens on a large scale at MVP.

How do you combat the YP? Write a good why Penn or why UVA essay? Or do you need to apply ED to make it if you are borderline (median lsat, below median gpa)?

I didn't get YP'd anywhere and I was well within YP range. I wrote why essays for UVA, UPenn, Duke, and Michigan, and was proactive with the admissions people at times (for example, I hadn't heard from Penn for like 4 months and I sent an email re-expressing interest and got in within a couple days after that).

Great but what about people who are at median LSAT and below median GPA? would you just recommend sending the why letters as opposed to ED?

mvonh001 wrote:

bernaldiaz wrote:

mvonh001 wrote:

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:Sample size is tiny. The discrepancy is well within the margin of error for any school, much less Yale, where admissions might as well be done with a magic 8-ball.

As mentioned, the only possible way a higher LSAT lowers your chance of being accepted is when you're being YPed, but that only happens on a large scale at MVP.

How do you combat the YP? Write a good why Penn or why UVA essay? Or do you need to apply ED to make it if you are borderline (median lsat, below median gpa)?

I didn't get YP'd anywhere and I was well within YP range. I wrote why essays for UVA, UPenn, Duke, and Michigan, and was proactive with the admissions people at times (for example, I hadn't heard from Penn for like 4 months and I sent an email re-expressing interest and got in within a couple days after that).

Great but what about people who are at median LSAT and below median 25% GPA? would you just recommend sending the why letters as opposed to ED?

This ^^, what are we to do?

homie1515 wrote:

mvonh001 wrote: Great but what about people who are at median LSAT and below median 25% GPA? would you just recommend sending the why letters as opposed to ED?

This ^^, what are we to do?

It's really not yield protection with those numbers.

Tiago Splitter wrote:

homie1515 wrote:

mvonh001 wrote: Great but what about people who are at median LSAT and below median 25% GPA? would you just recommend sending the why letters as opposed to ED?

This ^^, what are we to do?

It's really not yield protection with those numbers.

I know its not yield protection, but from what i understand they put a lot of borderline people on WL, do they do this just so we can confirm our interest? Or for other reasons?

ETA: Specifically UVA and Penn.

mvonh001 wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:

homie1515 wrote:

mvonh001 wrote: Great but what about people who are at median LSAT and below median 25% GPA? would you just recommend sending the why letters as opposed to ED?

This ^^, what are we to do?

It's really not yield protection with those numbers.

I know its not yield protection, but from what i understand they put a lot of borderline people on WL, do they do this just so we can confirm our interest? Or for other reasons?

ETA: Specifically UVA and Penn.

You pretty much just have to either ED or roll the dice with Why Essays. Paradoxically, retaking and improving will hurt you at those schools, especially Penn. But if you are at like a 3.4/170 you have decent odds with an RD app.

what about 3.37/170?

lol yup watch this:

http://www.mylsn.info/xacv2j

http://www.mylsn.info/96ra71

mvonh001 wrote:what about 3.37/170?

LSN says decent shot. Probably in with ED. With those numbers ED Penn is a reasonable choice.

t-14orbust wrote:lol yup watch this:

http://www.mylsn.info/xacv2j

http://www.mylsn.info/96ra71

Even better:

Tiago Splitter wrote:

mvonh001 wrote:what about 3.37/170?

LSN says decent shot. Probably in with ED. With those numbers ED Penn is a reasonable choice.

Unfortunately I WONT have that GPA until decembers grades come in and I think that is too late for Penn's ED. right now i have a 3.31

mvonh001 wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:

mvonh001 wrote:what about 3.37/170?

LSN says decent shot. Probably in with ED. With those numbers ED Penn is a reasonable choice.

Unfortunately I WONT have that GPA until decembers grades come in and I think that is too late for Penn's ED. right now i have a 3.31

Don't know if it will make much of a difference. But if it doesn't work out you can always re-apply the following year. Should be over a 3.4 by then if you keep grinding.

A 3.31/170 has a good chance of getting in to UVA if he EDs, and probably a decent chance at Penn too.

Monochromatic Oeuvre wrote:A 3.31/170 has a good chance of getting in to UVA if he EDs, and probably a decent chance at Penn too.

Thanks... good to know...

Tiago Splitter wrote:

homie1515 wrote:

mvonh001 wrote: Great but what about people who are at median LSAT and below median 25% GPA? would you just recommend sending the why letters as opposed to ED?

This ^^, what are we to do?

It's really not yield protection with those numbers.

Yeah at that point they're not trying to figure out whether you actually want them, but rather if they actually want you.

yot11 wrote:I was looking through mylsn numbers and I was wondering why sometimes a higher lsat score will apparently reduce your chances of admission? In this case it's Yale's chances decreasing from a 33% to a 25% when the lsat range is increased from a 174-176 to a 176-178. I understand that due to the small sample size there's bound to be fluctuation but compounded with the (fairly significantly) higher lsat score, I don't quite understand the discrepancy.

http://myLSN.info/dbzex5_1-14.jpg

http://myLSN.info/awlk2a_1-14.jpg

P.S. Sorry about the links, I guess I'm allowed to post images yet

That sample size is minuscule for Yale. In the latter case, just one changed outcome shifts the odds 6.25%. By the way, for YLS and SLS, you really don't need to restrict your search to the last three cycles. With their tiny class sizes, and the fact that they're at the top in desirability, the overall decline in applicants doesn't mean that much when applying to either one.