Application strategy for top schools Forum

[lean]

I'm applying for the next cycle and taking the September LSAT. I took the June 2007 yesterday and got 165 and took another test today and got 172 (increase was, I think, mostly due to printing the test out and marking up the RC section, which is where I suffer most). My GPA is a 3.705 at a large public. I understand that softs don't mean much, but I'm wondering if my lack of softs will hurt me. I have good academic details--double major in economics (with math emphasis) and philosophy and in my college's honors program. I also took a couple of Masters-level econ courses. Beyond that, just typical undergrad stuff (research, intern at non-profit law firm, legislative internship). I don't expect my recommendations to be anything special. I'm a white male.

I hope that I will improve me LSAT enough to be a splitter at top schools. I also assume Stanford and Yale are basically out of the question and Harvard is a reach. I would like to attend the highest ranked school I get into, but I would move around within CCN for significant money.

Questions:

Would delaying my application by one year in order to raise my GPA to 3.75 be reasonable/worth it?

I will also complete my senior thesis next year. Will this help my chances in any way (if I delay my application until next year)?
I'm writing my thesis on an issue in law and economics. Could I use this to improve my chances at UChicago? How should I go about it?

What LSAT score, if any, would give me a shot at Harvard?

Are any of the T6 known as splitter-friendly?

At what LSAT score would it be advantageous to apply to Columbia's early action program?

How indicative are LawSchoolNumbers' stats on admission? I have read a bit about it but am curious what you think. Are the applicants on the site significantly more qualified (in terms of softs) than the whole applicant pool?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

[cavalier1138]

A 3.7 isn't below the 25th percentile for most schools. So instead of worrying about outcomes for "splitters", why not focus on the LSAT and come back when you have a score?

[BigZuck]

None of that matters when you bink like a 161.

Focus on the LSAT for now. Get a real score. Read some TLS. If you still have questions in October then ask.

But seriously all that matters right now is the LSAT.

[Future Ex-Engineer]

But seriously all that matters right now is the LSAT.

OP, if you've only taken two PTs and that's it, you won't be scoring 170+ in September. Study hard. Figure out why you're missing questions. Two is not sufficient to constitute a legitimate sample size.