Chances at lower-mid T-14? Forum

[lawguy999]

So I have a 3.7 and currently have a 165 LSAT. Assuming I get it up a few points on this take, what might I need to say I have a good shot at admission at schools like.. Duke, UVA, Michigan, Cornell? Would a 169 or 170 be sufficient? Also, what score might also get me some money from those schools? Do I have a shot at higher schools like CCN, if I somehow end up doing even better? I know this stuff is on LSN but a bit confusing and also a large % is WL and I'm just not sure how WL works and how many people get in from it, since my stats look like I could be WL by a lot of schools? Thanks in advance.

[BrainsyK]

I don't know about any of the other schools, but if you get a 170, NYU is probably in play. I know that a couple of years ago, Columbia was taking anybody and everybody who applied ED with a 170/3.7 so that might still be in the cards. Not that either of these are smart financial plays, but it's possible.

[QContinuum]

So I have a 3.7 and currently have a 165 LSAT. Assuming I get it up a few points on this take, what might I need to say I have a good shot at admission at schools like.. Duke, UVA, Michigan, Cornell? Would a 169 or 170 be sufficient? Also, what score might also get me some money from those schools? Do I have a shot at higher schools like CCN, if I somehow end up doing even better?

Just focus on maximizing your LSAT for now. It's pretty much useless to speculate until then. If we tell you a 169 is sufficient, would you stop striving for a 170+? Conversely, if we tell you you need a 171, how do you plan to guarantee you hit a 171 and not a 169? Knowing what minimum score you "need" doesn't/shouldn't affect your test prep strategy at all. The higher your LSAT, the better. Until you get into the upper 170s (at which point there's really no difference between, say, a 177 and a 179), every single point counts.

I will say that a 3.7 is high enough that really no school is completely out of reach, given a high enough LSAT.

[lawguy999]

So I have a 3.7 and currently have a 165 LSAT. Assuming I get it up a few points on this take, what might I need to say I have a good shot at admission at schools like.. Duke, UVA, Michigan, Cornell? Would a 169 or 170 be sufficient? Also, what score might also get me some money from those schools? Do I have a shot at higher schools like CCN, if I somehow end up doing even better?

Just focus on maximizing your LSAT for now. It's pretty much useless to speculate until then. If we tell you a 169 is sufficient, would you stop striving for a 170+? Conversely, if we tell you you need a 171, how do you plan to guarantee you hit a 171 and not a 169? Knowing what minimum score you "need" doesn't/shouldn't affect your test prep strategy at all. The higher your LSAT, the better. Until you get into the upper 170s (at which point there's really no difference between, say, a 177 and a 179), every single point counts.

I will say that a 3.7 is high enough that really no school is completely out of reach, given a high enough LSAT.

Thank you for your response. To better clarify, none of my studying strategies will be affected by what I see. It is purely for anxiety/curiosity reasons that I am inquiring. Also,, pragmatically, if I get a 169 or 170, for example, I can have a better idea of if I will likely be admitted (and if so, with $) or if I need to take a year off to work. Knowing this in advance would be quite helpful.

[The Lsat Airbender]

Take a year off to work anyway. That'll do even more to alleviate your anxiety since you'll have like 3 extra shots at the LSAT if you like. Every point is worth thousands of dollars.

[lawguy999]

Take a year off to work anyway. That'll do even more to alleviate your anxiety since you'll have like 3 extra shots at the LSAT if you like. Every point is worth thousands of dollars.

I really have a strong interest in going to law school, though. I would only really want to work if I do not have good law school options, and even then, I haven't really applied to jobs so I would kind of be screwed.

[The Lsat Airbender]

I haven't really applied to jobs so I would kind of be screwed.

This is a really bad reason to rush into law school.

Economy's good right now - you should definitely be hedging by looking for a full-time job whether you apply this cycle or not so you're not up shit creek in April if your application cycle doesn't go as hoped. If you do get a good law-school outcome then you've 1) gotten some useful job-hunt/interviewing experience that will pay dividends and 2) reduced your anxiety levels in the meantime.

[QContinuum]

Not sure it'd really help with anxiety levels because there's no way of guaranteeing a particular score on the LSAT, but here are your odds at 168-169:

At 169-170:

[trebekismyhero]

I haven't really applied to jobs so I would kind of be screwed.

This is a really bad reason to rush into law school.

Economy's good right now - you should definitely be hedging by looking for a full-time job whether you apply this cycle or not so you're not up shit creek in April if your application cycle doesn't go as hoped. If you do get a good law-school outcome then you've 1) gotten some useful job-hunt/interviewing experience that will pay dividends and 2) reduced your anxiety levels in the meantime.

+1. Definitely should be trying to line up a job and interview. Better to have something lined up. Even if you get the LSAT score you want, taking a year off is never a bad idea. I was a much better law student because I took some time off.

[lawguy999]

I haven't really applied to jobs so I would kind of be screwed.

This is a really bad reason to rush into law school.

Economy's good right now - you should definitely be hedging by looking for a full-time job whether you apply this cycle or not so you're not up shit creek in April if your application cycle doesn't go as hoped. If you do get a good law-school outcome then you've 1) gotten some useful job-hunt/interviewing experience that will pay dividends and 2) reduced your anxiety levels in the meantime.

+1. Definitely should be trying to line up a job and interview. Better to have something lined up. Even if you get the LSAT score you want, taking a year off is never a bad idea. I was a much better law student because I took some time off.

Trying now, but no luck thus far. Really would like to go to law school.

[nixy]

Assuming you're a current undergrad - it's barely December. You have lots of time to find something for when you graduate.

[The Lsat Airbender]

Trying now, but no luck thus far. Really would like to go to law school.

I sincerely hope you slam a 170+ and you can go to UMich at a reasonable price this year. If you're not >95% sure that's going to happen, you must apply for jobs to have something lined up for 2020. The job market for college grads is stronger than any time in living memory and the bar for "decent gap-year filler before law school" is low.

I am completely certain you can find something that 1) you like okay, 2) pays rent, and 3) isn't such an egregious bullshit exercise (think multi-level marketing) that it won't materially improve your prospects for law school and beyond. If you don't know how, ask career services at your college.

I understand this is a stressful at juncture in life, but if you get a 165 and have to hustle extra hard for a job next while your classmates merrily screw one another all Senior Spring, or if you get a 168 and do something silly like pay sticker at Cornell, you're going to feel like a huge dipshit. Don't do that to yourself.

[lawguy999]

Trying now, but no luck thus far. Really would like to go to law school.

I sincerely hope you slam a 170+ and you can go to UMich at a reasonable price this year. If you're not >95% sure that's going to happen, you must apply for jobs to have something lined up for 2020. The job market for college grads is stronger than any time in living memory and the bar for "decent gap-year filler before law school" is low.

I am completely certain you can find something that 1) you like okay, 2) pays rent, and 3) isn't such an egregious bullshit exercise (think multi-level marketing) that it won't materially improve your prospects for law school and beyond. If you don't know how, ask career services at your college.

I understand this is a stressful at juncture in life, but if you get a 165 and have to hustle extra hard for a job next while your classmates merrily screw one another all Senior Spring, or if you get a 168 and do something silly like pay sticker at Cornell, you're going to feel like a huge dipshit. Don't do that to yourself.

Thank you for the advice. I hope I did get a 170+ on this Nov. test, but I have no idea how I did. I know the market is great, but I just don't know where to look, exactly, as I've been planning and dead-set on law. We shall wait and see, I suppose.

[AdieuCali]

I know the market is great, but I just don't know where to look, exactly, as I've been planning and dead-set on law. We shall wait and see, I suppose.

It's a presidential election year coming up - go work for a campaign or convention (DNC/RNC). Alternatively, census takers get paid $13-30/hr depending on location. These are low-hanging fruit.

You'll probably be able to find something better after talking to your career services office.