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Hi everyone,

I am really struggling with what I should do now that the December LSAT scores have been released and would really appreciate the advice. Some information about me:

LSAT: 171
GPA: 3.86-3.9
Softs:
• 3-4 years of relevant work experience with type of law I want to practice
• TFA/Fulbright/Coro/Truman/Rhodes/Clarendon/Schwarzman/Marshall/etc. (2 from these qualifications)
• Relatively interesting personal history and connection with type of law I want to pursue (think domestic abuse victim -> domestic violence law; lived next to brownfield -> enviro law; victim of redlining policies -> housing law; etc)
School/Future: YHS -> Clerkship -> ?? -> AUSA/Prestigious Nonprofit.

My current dilemma is whether I should apply this year and retake in June in the hopes of getting off wait lists or retake in June and put-off applying until next year. I've run my numbers through LSN and other sites with about a 30-45% chance of getting into my dream schools. My hesitation with putting off is my readiness to attend school now. I do not hate my current job but am ready to jump back into academia and would like to not wait an entire year. My hesitation of submitting and retaking is getting dinged early, or getting accepted after June LSATs get in and needing to shift my entire life around during the summer. There is also the possibility that my LSAT might be lower/same.

What do you think are the pros and cons of these choices? I'd really appreciate the advice! Thanks

No harm in applying this cycle in the off chance you get into one of them. Stranger things have happened than someone with your numbers getting into Harvard. See how it goes and reevaluate in April. Plenty of time before June to figure it out.

AJordan wrote:No harm in applying this cycle in the off chance you get into one of them. Stranger things have happened than someone with your numbers getting into Harvard. See how it goes and reevaluate in April. Plenty of time before June to figure it out.

Thanks for this. I scored -3 from my PT average...but at the same time I'm worried that its a bit too late in the application cycle. Any advice on the benefits of a September app vs. a January app?

Friends with similar and lower stats and similar or worse softs have gotten into HYS (not URMs either). I have worse stats and very similar softs and am having a good cycle so far (though no word yet from HYS).

LawTweet wrote:Friends with similar and lower stats and similar or worse softs have gotten into HYS (not URMs either). I have worse stats and very similar softs and am having a good cycle so far (though no word yet from HYS).

Happy to stand in solidarity with you!

eileenbae wrote:

AJordan wrote:No harm in applying this cycle in the off chance you get into one of them. Stranger things have happened than someone with your numbers getting into Harvard. See how it goes and reevaluate in April. Plenty of time before June to figure it out.

Thanks for this. I scored -3 from my PT average...but at the same time I'm worried that its a bit too late in the application cycle. Any advice on the benefits of a September app vs. a January app?

With that being the case I'd late register for February if I were you. Apply now and if you don't like your results reapply in the fall. You're going to get somewhere great no matter what and if you really want Harvard, realistically Yale and Stanford aren't happening with your numbers on average, you've got two chances at it.

A 3.9/174 is a significantly different candidate than 3.9/171 for T3. So if that's where your sights are you really shouldn't worry too much if you have retakes in the bag. You're in a great spot.