Prospective Philly Student Forum

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Zfrito

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Prospective Philly Student

Post by Zfrito » Wed Dec 12, 2018 12:21 pm

So I got a 166 on my LSAT and have a 3.65 GPA. I have a chance at some T14 schools if I apply ED but will not receive any aid most likely which is important to me since I will be financing completely on student loans. I grew up and live in Philly and it's where I want to be long term (preferable in Biglaw). So my question would be is it crazy to take a full ride to Temple or Villanova instead of going ED to Penn or Georgetown and be forced to pay sticker?

albanach

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Re: Prospective Philly Student

Post by albanach » Wed Dec 12, 2018 12:42 pm

Zfrito wrote:So I got a 166 on my LSAT and have a 3.65 GPA. I have a chance at some T14 schools if I apply ED but will not receive any aid most likely which is important to me since I will be financing completely on student loans. I grew up and live in Philly and it's where I want to be long term (preferable in Biglaw). So my question would be is it crazy to take a full ride to Temple or Villanova instead of going ED to Penn or Georgetown and be forced to pay sticker?
That's a false dichotomy. Retake and go to a T14 school with $$$.

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Zfrito

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Re: Prospective Philly Student

Post by Zfrito » Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:11 pm

albanach wrote:
Zfrito wrote:So I got a 166 on my LSAT and have a 3.65 GPA. I have a chance at some T14 schools if I apply ED but will not receive any aid most likely which is important to me since I will be financing completely on student loans. I grew up and live in Philly and it's where I want to be long term (preferable in Biglaw). So my question would be is it crazy to take a full ride to Temple or Villanova instead of going ED to Penn or Georgetown and be forced to pay sticker?
That's a false dichotomy. Retake and go to a T14 school with $$$.


I prepared pretty intensely for the most recent test taking two full tests a week in the months leading up and always landing in the 164-167 range. Taking it again runs the risk of getting a lower score with little reward unless I were to do something totally unexpected.

QContinuum

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Re: Prospective Philly Student

Post by QContinuum » Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:38 pm

Zfrito wrote:
albanach wrote:
Zfrito wrote:So I got a 166 on my LSAT and have a 3.65 GPA. I have a chance at some T14 schools if I apply ED but will not receive any aid most likely which is important to me since I will be financing completely on student loans. I grew up and live in Philly and it's where I want to be long term (preferable in Biglaw). So my question would be is it crazy to take a full ride to Temple or Villanova instead of going ED to Penn or Georgetown and be forced to pay sticker?
That's a false dichotomy. Retake and go to a T14 school with $$$.


I prepared pretty intensely for the most recent test taking two full tests a week in the months leading up and always landing in the 164-167 range. Taking it again runs the risk of getting a lower score with little reward unless I were to do something totally unexpected.
I'm not sure why many applicants think the best way to improve their LSAT performance is via brute-force plowing through PT after PT. Brute-force whole-PT drilling only helps at the margins, primarily with test-taking stamina.

Take a step back and really figure out where your strategy's falling short.

Zfrito

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Re: Prospective Philly Student

Post by Zfrito » Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:42 pm

QContinuum wrote:
Zfrito wrote:
albanach wrote:
Zfrito wrote:So I got a 166 on my LSAT and have a 3.65 GPA. I have a chance at some T14 schools if I apply ED but will not receive any aid most likely which is important to me since I will be financing completely on student loans. I grew up and live in Philly and it's where I want to be long term (preferable in Biglaw). So my question would be is it crazy to take a full ride to Temple or Villanova instead of going ED to Penn or Georgetown and be forced to pay sticker?
That's a false dichotomy. Retake and go to a T14 school with $$$.


I prepared pretty intensely for the most recent test taking two full tests a week in the months leading up and always landing in the 164-167 range. Taking it again runs the risk of getting a lower score with little reward unless I were to do something totally unexpected.
I'm not sure why many applicants think the best way to improve their LSAT performance is via brute-force plowing through PT after PT. Brute-force whole-PT drilling only helps at the margins, primarily with test-taking stamina.

Take a step back and really figure out where your strategy's falling short.
While I understand where you’re coming from let’s just assume a retake is off the table...what would the answer to the initial question be then?

albanach

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Re: Prospective Philly Student

Post by albanach » Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:59 pm

Zfrito wrote: While I understand where you’re coming from let’s just assume a retake is off the table...what would the answer to the initial question be then?
You mean you don't like the answer. Let me generalize - you should generally try to attend the highest ranked school for the lowest possible cost. Typically that means some sort of compromise, as most folk don't get into HYS or get full rides at the T-6. Your stats absolutely make the T-14 with $$$ a realistic possibility if you can get a few extra points on the LSAT.

With stats like yours, it will almost always be worthwhile to delay a year - even if that means working as a barista or waiting tables - to boost your score and get into a higher ranked school. There is every possibility that you would graduate into a recession.

Your goal is biglaw and you have given no reason for us to believe that you are independently wealthy, such that you can finance three years at sticker with no meaningful impact on your standard of living. Therefore it makes sense to take a step back, fix what you're doing wrong on the LSAT, retake and apply next year.

Villanova has one in ten of the class unemployed, and about the same working as non-lawyers. Only 12% of the class achieved the biglaw position you seek. And this is in the strongest hiring market in years. It is not a good option for delivering your goals.

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