Chances for UCLA, Berkeley and Georgetown 162 and 4.01 GPA Forum

[UCLABruins2015]

Hi guys!

I've been reading posts from this website for a long time, and now it is my turn to take teh LSAT this September 27th. I took a Blueprint test prep course and as of now, I have a 162 score which has stayed there (fluctuated from 161-165) for three weeks. Now the review course is over, I'm just taking practice tests until I reach the 27th next month.

Basically, if I don't improve then I'll just have the 162, and my 4.01 LSAC GPA. My recs are standard, resume is standard and personal statement talks about how a family problem made me want to become a lawyer.

With this, what are my chances for UCLA, Georgetown, and Berkeley? I would ideally also want to try out for Columbia and Yale, but I know that Yale is a crapshoot and Columbia, well you need a 170+ to be considered.

Are there any other schools in the T14 that can consider me if my score was a 162?

Thanks

[js1663]

You know this is going to be the answer but with a 4.01 GPA you have to do better than a 162 on the LSAT, otherwise you're just cheating yourself. Even if it means not applying until the LSAT in December or February, it's still worth it. With that said, if you were to score a 162 with a 4.01 GPA, any shot at the T14 really is a crapshoot in itself. I know some schools (I believe Berkley is one) supposedly like higher GPAs, but with such a low LSAT you definitely don't have a great shot at any of the T14.

[whereskyle]

If you are not an under represented minority, then the answer is no.

[03152016]

how long did you prep altogether

also why ucla gulc boalt cls and yale
that's like a pretty random group of schools

[UCLABruins2015]

Yeah I know that 162 is really low and I am hoping to get a higher score. If I get a 167 and above I'll really be content. I don't know if I can still improve after basically a month of scoring around 162 with only a month left to prepare. I can always take it again in december but Im just preparing myself for the situation.

So I guess no T14 with a 162 huh. I guess if anything I'll look into applying to other schools then.

Thanks


EDIT: SO basically I started reviewing from the second-half of June (June 16th) all the way until now. Probably I've been doing 8 hours a week of classes and probably 2-3 hours a week for homework. The sessions ended last week and now I'm just doing practice tests. The two practice tests that I did after the 16th all scored 162.

My first diagnostic (Last June) was 151, then after a month, I took another one and I scored at 162, I did score a 165 once but now my score is just around that area.

Basically those are like my "top" schools just because of sentimental stuff. I'd want to practice in LA and Im from UCLA, hence UCLA and Berkeley ( I also want to continue my education in the system too if that makes sense). Georgetown is obviously in a good area which I am familiar with, and my family has had a very good connection with them as I am also a Catholic and it factors in. Columbia because of the big city and because from what I hear, its programs are one of the best and it's still well-known here in LA. Yale, well, because it's Yale and I'm intrigued by the whole academic side of the law as well. If logic was to be taken, I guess UCLA and Berkeley would make sense for me seeing that I want to stay close to home, but Georgetown w its location and its connection with me runs a close third.

[cron1834]

No T14 with a 162, unless you're a) URM or b) extremely lucky.

4.01/167 would get you Cornell in all likelihood, possibly GULC or Berk (without $). 168 would likely add Mich and NU to the mix. 169-170/4.01 would really open doors, with $ at the aforementioned. Higher than that and the world is your oyster in this app market. I'm not saying you have to hold out for HYSCCN, but DO NOT settle for a 162.

[UCLABruins2015]

Yeah it really is frustrating, trust me. Like ideally I would wanna get a 170. I think at this point I'll do practice tests everyday/ every other day and the leftover drills from my blueprint sessions.

I have pretty much 38 days to pull up my score from a 162 to a 167-8 hopefully a 170 if it's possible. You guys think a person can do this or do I have enough time? I mean waiting for december is no big deal too.

[runinthefront]

.

[hillz]

Yeah it really is frustrating, trust me. Like ideally I would wanna get a 170. I think at this point I'll do practice tests everyday/ every other day and the leftover drills from my blueprint sessions.

I have pretty much 38 days to pull up my score from a 162 to a 167-8 hopefully a 170 if it's possible. You guys think a person can do this or do I have enough time? I mean waiting for december is no big deal too.

You could take it in September for the experience of the test and then re-take in December if you don't get the score you want. I think improving by that much before September is pretty uncertain, but you never know.

[hillz]

Plus, I guess it also depends a lot on how much free time you have to study.

[UCLABruins2015]

Like I've been looking at my practice tests, and basically i have trouble with logic games: for the life of me, I can only finish three problems at the most, and my score fluctuates from 12/24 to 17/24. For reading comp, I usually fluctuate from 24/26 - 26/26 while LR i get 39/51.

I think if I just finish on time for LG I'll dramatically increase my score. Any tips on how to actually drill for time? I think by the end, if I push my LR score by 4-5 points, and consistently score for LG in the 17-20 range, I can hit 167-8+ right?

I'll try my hardest this last 4 weeks and hopefully by the last week I can score where I want to.

EDIT: And I'll be applying as a hispanic (my grandma is from spain) but i don't know if that makes a difference. If anything, I'll apply ED to Georgetown if my score is in the 162-65 range but hopefully it doesn't come down to that.

[cron1834]

You won't get an hispanic app boost unless you're Mex-Amer or PR-Amer. Grandma from Spain won't help.

LG is the section most ripe for big improvement. I'm the wrong person to offer LG tips, but there are lots who can on this forum.

Plan to take in Sep and Dec. There's literally no reason not to. A December LSAT will not keep you out of the lower T14 these days, and you should NOT pay sticker anywhere. You have a month to prepare for one test, and four months for the other. Get studying, and GL.

/TLS boilerplate

[js1663]

I just want to add, if you're doing that good on Reading Comp a 170 is very much within your reach. Logic Games are, as others have said, very much improvable. Considering what you're currently doing isn't working, perhaps you should consider alternative study materials like the PowerScore LG BIble or the materials available online and on this site. For the Logical Reasoning's i'd add the same. LR is 50% of the test, so any gain there in skills is worth twice as much. I'd really advocate for settling for nothing less than a 170.

Also, taking practice tests is not necessarily going to improve your score, just familiarity and stamina. If you do take practice tests you must make sure to review them properly, identify weaknesses and learn from your mistakes. In the meantime i'd advocate you push off until the December tests, reduce your number of practice tests to 1/week in the meantime, and focus on improving your areas where your weak with 1-2 hours of studying a day.

[UCLABruins2015]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I'll definitely do my best and I'll aim for that 170. Since I've registered for the September LSAT, I think I'll keep it for now and see what happens in a month. If the 170's not there yet, I'll push for december.

I know that my GPA is really high and I'd rather have the best LSAT score I can get so I can be a really competitive candidate.

I'll keep you guys posted.

[UCLABruins2015]

Hey it's me again. So basically after my last post I did intense logic game drilling last weekend. I just took a practice test today, and I scored a 166/180. I finished the logic games section and got a 21/22, while my logical reasoning section improved to 43/51.

I was kinda thrown off by the reading comp section which was usually my strongest (as I just focused on logic games last week without doing any reading comp stuff) I scored a 22/27.

I really feel confident now that I can hit 170 by next month (which I would have if I scored in my normal range for reading comp). I hope to maintain the logic games improvement while practicing the two other sections.

Just wanted to give you guys a heads up cause you really inspired me to not settle for a 162 and to aim for a much better score.