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Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:51 pm
by ConLawNerd91
Hi,
I have a 3.94 GPA in political science and history from Penn State University Park. Unfortunately, I scored a 155 on my LSAT even after taking a Kaplan prep class and studying very hard. I have taken case law classes during undergrad (constitutional law and civil liberties and due process), as well as a constitutional history class that focused mainly on Supreme Court jurisprudence. I received an A in all three classes. In constitutional law, my professor told me that I received the highest grade of anyone who's ever taken the class. Given this information, what kind of schools do you think I could get into? Any chance at tier 1 or tier 2? Thanks!
Here are some schools I think are "targets"; if someone could let me know whether this is generally correct and have any other suggestions let me know:
Catholic U of America
CUNY
Northeastern
U of Maryland
Rutgers-Newark
Villanova
Drexel
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 3:00 pm
by txdude45
If you're smart enough to get a 3.94, you're smart enough to know you can get into better schools than these.
If you're real: Retake
If you're a troll: Retake
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 3:39 pm
by jbagelboy
there's no such thing as a "reverse splitter" anymore.
it's just a guy/gal who needs to sit again for the LSAT
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 3:40 pm
by francesfarmer
The only person who can help you is you. Retake.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:25 pm
by ConLawNerd91
Thanks. After reading this site and many others I've been led to believe that if I don't score in the 160s I won't get into many law schools at all, so I've set my expectations relatively low.
I'm also not a troll.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:37 pm
by crumpetsandtea
ConLawNerd91 wrote:Thanks. After reading this site and many others I've been led to believe that if I don't score in the 160s I won't get into many law schools at all, so I've set my expectations relatively low.
I'm also not a troll.
You should be aiming for the 170s, not the 160s. Even with a 165 you'll have a hard time getting into T14s.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:39 pm
by ManoftheHour
jbagelboy wrote:there's no such thing as a "reverse splitter" anymore.
it's just a guy/gal who needs to sit again for the LSAT
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 4:42 pm
by francesfarmer
ConLawNerd91 wrote:Thanks. After reading this site and many others I've been led to believe that if I don't score in the 160s I won't get into many law schools at all, so I've set my expectations relatively low.
I'm also not a troll.
The issue is not that you won't get into law schools--the issue is that the market is saturated with shitty law schools that are unconscionably expensive for the awful employment prospects they provide.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:43 pm
by nebula666
.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 5:45 pm
by nebula666
ConLawNerd91 wrote:Hi,
I have a 3.94 GPA in political science and history from Penn State University Park. Unfortunately, I scored a 155 on my LSAT even after taking a Kaplan prep class and studying very hard. I have taken case law classes during undergrad (constitutional law and civil liberties and due process), as well as a constitutional history class that focused mainly on Supreme Court jurisprudence. I received an A in all three classes. In constitutional law, my professor told me that I received the highest grade of anyone who's ever taken the class. Given this information, what kind of schools do you think I could get into? Any chance at tier 1 or tier 2? Thanks!
Here are some schools I think are "targets"; if someone could let me know whether this is generally correct and have any other suggestions let me know:
Catholic U of America
CUNY
Northeastern
U of Maryland
Rutgers-Newark
Villanova
Drexel
Retake or pick the best school you can get into for free in the area you want to practice.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:18 pm
by PRgradBYU
jbagelboy wrote:there's no such thing as a "reverse splitter" anymore.
it's just a guy/gal who needs to sit again for the LSAT
180
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:21 am
by nick417
You can definitely get into law schools with 3.94 and 155 LSAT. Drexel will probably give you a scholarship covering 70% of your tuition with those stats.
However, if you want better options OR more scholarship money, I would suggest retaking the LSATs.
The LSAT score is so important, especially regarding scholarship money. I think obtaining scholarship money should be a top priority. The job market after graduation is tough with little guarantees of obtaining quality employment. However, the amount of debt you accumulate at law school is guaranteed. The less is better!
Therefore, if you don't mind going to a tier 3 school like Drexel, and accumulating $40-50 K in debt, then you are fine right now. If you want more options, from better schools, with possibly more scholarship money, definitely retake. Most schools accept your highest LSAT score. Also, try spending the extra thousand dollars and take an in-class LSAT prep course. Trust me, the extra money you spend studying for the LSAT will go a long way in extra scholarship money you could potentially receive.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 2:18 pm
by ConLawNerd91
I guess my question is: what is considered a "shitty" law school? Obviously non-ABA approved schools, I know that much. But even if I don't want to go into biglaw, is anything other than a T1 considered "shitty"?
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 2:19 pm
by ConLawNerd91
nick417 wrote:You can definitely get into law schools with 3.94 and 155 LSAT. Drexel will probably give you a scholarship covering 70% of your tuition with those stats.
However, if you want better options OR more scholarship money, I would suggest retaking the LSATs.
The LSAT score is so important, especially regarding scholarship money. I think obtaining scholarship money should be a top priority. The job market after graduation is tough with little guarantees of obtaining quality employment. However, the amount of debt you accumulate at law school is guaranteed. The less is better!
Therefore, if you don't mind going to a tier 3 school like Drexel, and accumulating $40-50 K in debt, then you are fine right now. If you want more options, from better schools, with possibly more scholarship money, definitely retake. Most schools accept your highest LSAT score. Also, try spending the extra thousand dollars and take an in-class LSAT prep course. Trust me, the extra money you spend studying for the LSAT will go a long way in extra scholarship money you could potentially receive.
The thing is, I already did take an in-class prep course and shelled out $1200 of my mom's money for it. That's money I can't re-spend on another class. And I studied my ass off. I feel like a 155 is all I'm capable of.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 2:32 pm
by sinfiery
Shell out $19 on Amazon for a prep tests booklet and another $20 for the LG powerscore bible. Use the LSAT prep forum on this forum as your resource, not whatever class you took. Time (3-5 months) is the only cost and thousands of dollars is the potential reward in the short term / millions of dollars in the long term
Retake the LSAT
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 3:06 pm
by nick417
ConLawNerd91 wrote:nick417 wrote:You can definitely get into law schools with 3.94 and 155 LSAT. Drexel will probably give you a scholarship covering 70% of your tuition with those stats.
However, if you want better options OR more scholarship money, I would suggest retaking the LSATs.
The LSAT score is so important, especially regarding scholarship money. I think obtaining scholarship money should be a top priority. The job market after graduation is tough with little guarantees of obtaining quality employment. However, the amount of debt you accumulate at law school is guaranteed. The less is better!
Therefore, if you don't mind going to a tier 3 school like Drexel, and accumulating $40-50 K in debt, then you are fine right now. If you want more options, from better schools, with possibly more scholarship money, definitely retake. Most schools accept your highest LSAT score. Also, try spending the extra thousand dollars and take an in-class LSAT prep course. Trust me, the extra money you spend studying for the LSAT will go a long way in extra scholarship money you could potentially receive.
The thing is, I already did take an in-class prep course and shelled out $1200 of my mom's money for it. That's money I can't re-spend on another class. And I studied my ass off. I feel like a 155 is all I'm capable of.
I thought like that after I took the LSAT's the first time. However, I took some time off, studied some more, and scored 9 points higher the second time I took it. So you never know.
IF you apply with a 155, you are going to be a borderline, fringe candidate with a low probability of being accepted at most respectable law schools. Schools appreciate high GPAs, but LSAT's score are more important. If accepted at a respectable law school, you certainly won't get scholarship money.
To answer your question "what is a shitty law school", most law schools are "shitty" (just look at their employment stats at Law School Transparency). Some are just worst than others.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:14 pm
by Ti Malice
OP, Kaplan is hands-down the worst major LSAT prep company, and that is a completely uncontroversial statement. Their methods are garbage, and you shouldn't attempt to judge your scoring potential by how you perform with the Kaplan albatross around your neck. I taught a number of students who had previously taken Kaplan courses, and many of them saw gains of 12+ points after going through a good prep course and doing all of the work.
Start by flushing everything Kaplan told you out of your mind. Then either take another course with a good company or buy good self-prep materials (PowerScore and Manhattan LSAT). Visit the LSAT forum for a ton of useful tips. You haven't even had good prep yet. You don't have any idea what your real ceiling is.
Re: Please help a reverse splitter!
Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:17 pm
by UnderrateOverachieve
As much as I would like to think the LSAT isn't really a good indicator of your ability to perform well in law school and as a lawyer... I really think if you cannot get above a 160 with a good amount of studying, you should consider a different post-grad/profession.
I know it is hard to consider when you really want to do it. Good luck though!