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Got 171 after killing my self for 3 months. Should I start studying/taking prep tests now and sign up for December? I'll have only 4 weeks. I have not touched or thought the lsat since the last week of september before my oct exam, so I am probably VERY rusty.

I was PTing all over the place...between 169-176 for the last few weeks before my october sitting. Worst case scenario = me studying for a whole month and retaking for a lower score or another 171.

I am probably not going to law school unless I get a full scholly so I guess concensus would be to retake? Do I have a shot at full scholly at any of the lower t14 schools

If you are hell-bent on a full ride at a lower T14, you'd probably be good at NU ED. Even if not, I'm sure you'll pick up a full ride at a solid regional (UCLA, UT, etc.) if not UVA or Duke.

Thanks man. I am not going to make the ED application for NU in time (with the interview being on campus). I also am interested in seeing my options before committing.

I see TLSers often post a chart that says each school in the T14 and the % chance of accepted/denied for those with a specific lsat score and gpa. (It's green for positive / red for negative). Do you know what I'm talking about? I'd like the link for that website to gauge my chances at NYU/Columbia/Chicacgo ect. I know I'm below the lsat median at those schools so I doubt I'll get much scholarship, but still interested.

That doesn't look that certain. ugh why could I just not get 3-4 more questions right.

If you have any work experience you are almost certain to get the full ride at Northwestern if you apply ED. Why must it be a full scholly for you to go?

With your PT range, doesn't sound like a retake is any guarantee.

You will have fabulous options with 3.9/171. Too many people discounting the potential of these numbers these days.

Tiago Splitter wrote:If you have any work experience you are almost certain to get the full ride at Northwestern if you apply ED. Why must it be a full scholly for you to go?

What would be the next best situation if I didn't apply ED for that 150k from NU? With my current numbers, would it be likely for any of the other schools to offer 150? I'm thinking I will probably get 120 from UVA but in that case I'd rather just go to NU.

The reason being it's part of my cost benefit analysis of going to law school. My goal is big law, but that doesn't mean I think 70k more at Columbia would be worth it over NU.

paglababa wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:If you have any work experience you are almost certain to get the full ride at Northwestern if you apply ED. Why must it be a full scholly for you to go?

What would be the next best situation if I didn't apply ED for that 150k from NU? With my current numbers, would it be likely for any of the other schools to offer 150? I'm thinking I will probably get 120 from UVA but in that case I'd rather just go to NU.

The reason being it's part of my cost benefit analysis of going to law school. My goal is big law, but that doesn't mean I think 70k more at Columbia would be worth it over NU.

If your goal is big law and the typical exits that come from it, the cost-benefit analysis usually counsels in favor of paying a little bit more for the improved job prospects. Regardless, you're going to end up with full or near full rides at some quality schools. But don't be afraid to borrow a little bit if it means a big upgrade in job prospects.

paglababa wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:If you have any work experience you are almost certain to get the full ride at Northwestern if you apply ED. Why must it be a full scholly for you to go?

What would be the next best situation if I didn't apply ED for that 150k from NU? With my current numbers, would it be likely for any of the other schools to offer 150? I'm thinking I will probably get 120 from UVA but in that case I'd rather just go to NU.

The reason being it's part of my cost benefit analysis of going to law school. My goal is big law, but that doesn't mean I think 70k more at Columbia would be worth it over NU.

Well, I guess you need to decide at what level of money is going to be worth going to CCN over NU. If you need 100k to consider CCN over full-ride NU, then just ED NU because you're not getting that. Tiago is correct that jumping up to CCN from Northwestern translates into big differences in outcomes, so keep that in mind when doing your cost/benefit. You have a good shot at 100k+ from Penn and UVA, but you need to decide if that's worth the uncertainty of having to settle for "only" 120k from NU if that doesn't pan out.

Personally, I'd just RD everything and see how it plays out. You're going to get good money. Whether it is amazing money you'll just have to wait and see.

You seem to be super nervous about relatively small differences in COA, though, so I might ED NU just to save myself the heart attack.

So after CCN you would say that NU has similar big law job prospects as most of the other schools? You're right, my dream outcome of the hamilton or one of the schollys at NYU or Chicago are clearly not going to happen without a retake. So perhaps the real question is between whether I should apply regularly (and retake the LSAT since its no rush) or ED to NU and leave it at that.

Even if I scored a 169 on it, would it affect my chances at schools? I know they claim to take the highest score.

paglababa wrote:So after CCN you would say that NU has similar big law job prospects as most of the other schools? You're right, my dream outcome of the hamilton or one of the schollys at NYU or Chicago are clearly not going to happen without a retake. So perhaps the real question is between whether I should apply regularly (and retake the LSAT since its no rush) or ED to NU and leave it at that.

Even if I scored a 169 on it, would it affect my chances at schools? I know they claim to take the highest score.

UVA, Berkeley, Duke, Northwestern, and Cornell all give you about the same chance at biglaw.

For most people I would say to RD everywhere and retake, but with your extreme debt aversion I'd just ED Northwestern and save yourself the stress.

Retaking and scoring a 169 will not have an effect at all.

Thanks guys. I'm going with the retake. Its Columbia/NYU for me, and realistically I am not willing to go with the amount of money I will be receiving now. Going to shoot for that 174 in Dec or wait out a cycle if worst comes to worst.

paglababa wrote:Thanks guys. I'm going with the retake. Its Columbia/NYU for me, and realistically I am not willing to go with the amount of money I will be receiving now. Going to shoot for that 174 in Dec or wait out a cycle if worst comes to worst.

There seems to be no need at all to wait until next year unless you simply want to save up more money in your pocket before going to law school.

paglababa wrote:Thanks guys. I'm going with the retake. Its Columbia/NYU for me, and realistically I am not willing to go with the amount of money I will be receiving now. Going to shoot for that 174 in Dec or wait out a cycle if worst comes to worst.

Sounds great. Just be aware that with a 174, the max money you'll get out of Columbia is half-tuition (84k for the Butler). You need a 176 to even have a shot at the Hamilton (full-tuition). They don't give anything in between.

If taking on any debt at all is that big of a concern of to you, you should really just take the free law school education that's being offered to you at Northwestern.