Increased Median LSATs = Tougher Competition once Accepted Forum

[batch]

I feel I'm a strong candidate w/ a pathetic 150-155 debating committing to locally respected South Texas or withdraw hoping to improve LSAT for next yr and UH. My goal is to work in-house IP/Patent @ Oil company to take advantage of ~10 yrs industry ChE experience. As a family man, I must do this part-time and am limited to choice of these two local schools.

My reading would indicate median LSAT scores are up this yr/last yr over prior yrs at all but the T10 (which already had super score candidates). This tells me, I'm NOT likely to be accepted to UH where I applied. I suppose the increased median LSAT scores for a given school would signal that I'm up against tougher competition for top 10% of the class at STCL or even UH this year?

If the economy rebounds, might be good to wait a year (or two if I were that patient) to enter school so competition begins to return to more normal class make-up. But I'm not sure 1 or 2 yrs would be enough... maybe need to wait 3 to really see things level out?

Bah..... I think I've talked myself into waiting and improving LSAT but... It's hard to turn down an acceptance letter.

[twert]

i don't think you should base so much of your decision on other people's lsat scores. if the median goes up it does in fact mean that there are more good test takers, but that isn't everything.

[Sauer Grapes]

....

[Asilkman]

+1 on what's already been said. I would think more LSAT takers would result in higher numbers of higher end (160+) scores and thus those applicants raising LSAT medians at various schools but I wouldn't correlate that to the competition being any tougher in law school.

[batch]

Guess I should go read about how LSAT performance is not a good indicator of law school performance?

[sarlis]

what is you GPA? any softs? the LSAT is not the only factor in law school admissions; though it is a huge factor

[jmaan]

I honestl. Think that a higher median gpa would be more indicative of stiffer competition than LSAT would.

haha this was brought up in a different thread already but I dont think UGPA is more indicative than LSAT scores...OP has a valid concern, if people are smart/competitive/hard-working enough to study for and kill the LSAT, they'll probably do something similar in law school for the most part.

If someone had an easy major in Ugrad and just got by without doing much or went to a school with high grade inflation, law school won't come easy at all.

just IMHO

[bigben]

For the rising LSAT scores, you can thank the ABA's ludicrous new multiple LSAT reporting policy. This is a money-grab, and it's changing law school admissions drastically for the worse.

But as far as your concern about competition within law school, I wouldn't worry about it. The LSAT is only a weak predictor of law school performance (even though it is the best predictor we have).

[batch]

you can point to all kinds of exceptions to the general rule (eg UGPA in less vs. more demanding field or studied for LSAT on own w/o any helps vs. had personal 180 tutor).

But in general, I would think the enter classes of 2010 (& I'm afraid 2011) are going to be a bit higher caliber. There will still be slackers and gunners but it will be just that much tougher to stay w/ or ahead of the pack. I don't think this will hold as strongly for the T10 where med scores (and gpa's) are already very high.

sigh... bummed about having to go back to LSAT prep step. I'm going to the STCL open house this weekend. Maybe that will influence me otherwise.

[Lomax]

I feel I'm a strong candidate w/ a pathetic 150-155 debating committing to locally respected South Texas or withdraw hoping to improve LSAT for next yr and UH. My goal is to work in-house IP/Patent @ Oil company to take advantage of ~10 yrs industry ChE experience.

U of H is certainly the better respected of the two, and graduating from there rather than South Texas (a tier 4 school), should help your chances of securing a decent job immensely, especially the kind that you are talking about wanting. Going to South Texas could close a lot of doors, especially if you do not graduate near the top of your class and heavily build your resume in your free time (which you might not be able to do given your family commitments). Of course, your prospects might not be stellar graduating in the middle of your class from U of H, either, but they would better.

You have to consider whether or not you can realistically raise your LSAT score given another several months of preparation. Nevermind the competition getting better or worse by one or two points. If you think you can, then turn down South Texas and try for U of H next year. If not, then go with South Texas if you want to practice law. It seems to be a close thing here, so maybe you should try for U of H even if you feel you cannot significantly improve your LSAT score. One or two more questions right and you would probably be in. Also, who knows - maybe you will be surprised and make it in this cycle. Keep hope alive.

If the economy rebounds, might be good to wait a year (or two if I were that patient) to enter school so competition begins to return to more normal class make-up. But I'm not sure 1 or 2 yrs would be enough... maybe need to wait 3 to really see things level out?

You will be waiting for the economic depression that is bound to come upon us given that nothing has been done to work out the kinks in the system that led to the financial collapse of last year, and that only frantic bubble-pumping is responsible for the "recovery" we have seen since then. Do not count on the field changing - just do what you can to play the field. If you want to make bets on the market, become a stock or commodities trader.

[batch]

what is you GPA? any softs? the LSAT is not the only factor in law school admissions; though it is a huge factor

3.2 - 3.3 UGPA -- If you look at UH data, I'm pretty sure I wasted my 70$ this year (and last) applying to UH.

[batch]

[quote="Lomax]
You will be waiting for the economic depression that is bound to come upon us given that nothing has been done to work out the kinks in the system that led to the financial collapse of last year, and that only frantic bubble-pumping is responsible for the "recovery" we have seen since then. Do not count on the field changing - just do what you can to play the field. If you want to make bets on the market, become a stock or commodities trader.[/quote]

Ha - I've heard of some good financial planner correspondence courses.