4.03/171: Should I retake for Top 10? Forum

[chopsticks3092]

Hello!

I got a 171 this September on my first time taking the LSAT, had been scoring consistently in the mid to high 170s on PTs but was recovering from the flu on test day, which affected my concentration and endurance. LSDAS GPA is 4.03 from a top liberal arts college. Not a URM, solid but unexceptional softs (still a senior in college, lots of leadership in extracurriculars with a good amount of law-related stuff sprinkled in, the usual law office internship, etc.).

If I'm shooting for the Top 10 - and really preferably for the Top 5 - should I retake the LSAT in December? I do plan on applying this cycle, so my apps won't be complete until late December if I take the December test. I realize that my GPA is exceptionally high, but realistically, how far would it take me if it's combined with just the 171 score?

I appreciate your feedback!

[Dialogue]

but realistically, how far would it take me if it's combined with just the 171 score?

Into the T6 for sure. You're in at NYU and Chicago, waitlisted at Columbia and Harvard, and you have a legitimate chance at Stanford.

T6 is a better demarcation than top 5, NYU, Columbia, and Chicago are all "peer" schools. To seperate Chicago from NYU and Columbia is to place undue trust in USNWR.

Your call, but a 171 is a great score. I wouldn't call your softs exceptional, unless there's something huge you haven't mentioned. But again, you're certainly in at several schools in the top 10 and stand a fighting chance at a couple T6.

If you wouldn't be happy anywhere but Yale, Columbia or Harvard, then retake. Outside those schools, your LSAT score is not going to limit you.

[somewhatwayward]

^
law school probability calculator says 60% of people with similar stats accepted at harvard and 80% at columbia, so why do you say WL?

[kurla88]

If you want t10 or even t6, you will get in with the current stats.

But since you were doing consistently better on PTs, why throw away your chance at HYS? Retake in December is almost no-risk, high reward.

I would apply now, and then register for December once your apps are in. I think that will prevent your apps from being put on hold.

[chopsticks3092]

Thanks for the feedback so far. Any other takers?

[Dialogue]

^
law school probability calculator says 60% of people with similar stats accepted at harvard and 80% at columbia, so why do you say WL?

http://columbia.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0809/
http://harvard.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0809/

All the information you want/need is on LSN. Anything anyone says is based on their interpretation of the data. If I were you, I'd just look at it myself and make a judgment.

Thanks for the feedback so far. Any other takers?

You're in at a T6 school unless you have a criminal record or a nasty LOR. What other advice/feedback do you need or want?

[nahgems]

Even if you end up going to the same school, a few LSAT points can mean $$$.

[somewhatwayward]

All the information you want/need is on LSN. Anything anyone says is based on their interpretation of the data. If I were you, I'd just look at it myself and make a judgment.

is there any way to zoom in on those graphs to see more closely the area which you fall into?

[Drummingreg]

^
law school probability calculator says 60% of people with similar stats accepted at harvard and 80% at columbia, so why do you say WL?

http://columbia.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0809/
http://harvard.lawschoolnumbers.com/stats/0809/

All the information you want/need is on LSN. Anything anyone says is based on their interpretation of the data. If I were you, I'd just look at it myself and make a judgment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-selection
^This may help you out.

[somewhatwayward]

^
why would LSN be any more accurate than law school probability calculator in terms of self-selection?

[Lyov Myshkin]

^
why would LSN be any more accurate than law school probability calculator in terms of self-selection?

because the graph you'd be looking at would be limited to one cycle (the most recent, hopefully) whereas if you used hourmand (or whatever its called) you'd be looking at data from much further back (and thus becoming increasingly inaccurate since medians move and all).

[im_blue]

No, but you should retake for Top 3.

[Shaggier1]

I would apply now and retake in December anyway. If you can break 175, you could be looking at some serious merit $$.

[5ky]

I'm going to bump this so others can see the result. According to the Stanford thread, the OP did in fact retake, got a 178, and just got into Stanford. Congrats to him/her!

[chopsticks3092]

Thanks! Retaking definitely paid off.

[vanwinkle]

Thanks! Retaking definitely paid off.

Wow, that's amazing. Congratulations.

[Tangerine Gleam]

Woah...amazing! Congratulations. Love a good TLS success story.