The Official BLSD "What Are My Chances?/Where Should I Apply?" Thread

[Smokey]

Apply to the t14, target CCN, reach for H, super reach for YS.

I think she's more likely to get into S than H with that LSAT.

[deviless]

S is actually my first choice,but my concern with retaking december test is that I won't be as competitive by submitting the application so late, but 163 is not consistent with my diagnostics (usually 167-169).

[indiana_student]

Thanks for the earlier feedback.  For those who don't remember my stats:

LSDAS GPA: 3.54 (accounting & finance)
Big 10 University
LSAT:  159

Is this a pretty good list of schools to target, too optimistic, too conservative...

Georgetown
Vanderbilt
Washington U - St. Louis
Emory
Notre Dame
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Indiana University - Bloomington
North Carolina
Howard

Here is my assessment, the first few are reaches and I have a decent chance after the first four or so. 

[Smokey]

Thanks for the earlier feedback.  For those who don't remember my stats:

LSDAS GPA: 3.54 (accounting & finance)
Big 10 University
LSAT:  159

Is this a pretty good list of schools to target, too optimistic, too conservative...

Georgetown
Vanderbilt
Washington U - St. Louis
Emory
Notre Dame
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Indiana University - Bloomington
North Carolina
Howard

Here is my assessment, the first few are reaches and I have a decent chance after the first four or so. 

You should definitely apply to some lower T14s as reaches.  Northwestern (especially if you have work experience), Georgetown, Duke, Cornell

[Smokey]

S is actually my first choice,but my concern with retaking december test is that I won't be as competitive by submitting the application so late, but 163 is not consistent with my diagnostics (usually 167-169).

A lot of people score lower on the real thing than they were scoring on their practice tests.  If you were scoring between 167 and 169 at your peak a 163 is not very surprising.  I wouldn't retake it unless your practice test scores have risen a bit.  It will be a waste of time to wait til December and retake and everything, and get the same score or lower.

[mak06]

Well I think addenda are useless generally, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask.  But regardless, I think you'll have to come up with better justifications if you decide to bother with one.

I don't think he should submit an addendum.  Everyone says the same stuff:  I was sick, the test center was awful, I didn't have enough space, I didn't study enough, I had a lot of other stuff going on, bla bla bla."  I don't think anything really matters at the end of the day other than the score you actually get.  They'll see the 157 and 155 but they'll also see that he's a person capable of scoring a 170.  If it were me, I'd assume something went really wrong the first two times he took the test.  It's really unlikely that he'd be that unlucky twice, but I don't think someone can gain enough intelligence (or logical reasoning skills or whatever it is the LSAT tests) to go from being a 155-scorer to a 170-scorer in a few months, so I'd be inclined to think the 155ish scores were just flukes.

I don't think any explanations will help, and they can look sorta whiney.

Anyway, why would they care about the 155 and 157 in the first place?  Now, most schools take the highest score and even before the new US News rules many would make exceptions for people with more than 10-point differentials.  I really think they'll just consider the 170.

Thanks for the input Smokey...this is exactly what I was wondering.  I figured the "I got sick etc. etc." excuses have been used, and heard to death by law schools.  I was just wondering if law schools would think it weird that I have 3 scores and such a huge jump, but yeah, I guess you're right, they'll probably just assume I had a bad day and clearly I am capable of the 170, despite, unfortunately posting two poorer scores (at least that's how I hope they view it!).

[Special Agent Dana Scully]

Apply to the t14, target CCN, reach for H, super reach for YS.

agreed.  tho i do know someone who got into YLS with a 161/~3.7 combo...so it's not impossible...but it's still a super reach and the app better be otherwise flawless

[Smokey]

Well I think addenda are useless generally, so I'm probably the wrong person to ask.  But regardless, I think you'll have to come up with better justifications if you decide to bother with one.

I don't think he should submit an addendum.  Everyone says the same stuff:  I was sick, the test center was awful, I didn't have enough space, I didn't study enough, I had a lot of other stuff going on, bla bla bla."  I don't think anything really matters at the end of the day other than the score you actually get.  They'll see the 157 and 155 but they'll also see that he's a person capable of scoring a 170.  If it were me, I'd assume something went really wrong the first two times he took the test.  It's really unlikely that he'd be that unlucky twice, but I don't think someone can gain enough intelligence (or logical reasoning skills or whatever it is the LSAT tests) to go from being a 155-scorer to a 170-scorer in a few months, so I'd be inclined to think the 155ish scores were just flukes.

I don't think any explanations will help, and they can look sorta whiney.

Anyway, why would they care about the 155 and 157 in the first place?  Now, most schools take the highest score and even before the new US News rules many would make exceptions for people with more than 10-point differentials.  I really think they'll just consider the 170.

Thanks for the input Smokey...this is exactly what I was wondering.  I figured the "I got sick etc. etc." excuses have been used, and heard to death by law schools.  I was just wondering if law schools would think it weird that I have 3 scores and such a huge jump, but yeah, I guess you're right, they'll probably just assume I had a bad day and clearly I am capable of the 170, despite, unfortunately posting two poorer scores (at least that's how I hope they view it!).

It is weird, but what can you do? Sure it would be better if you hadn't scored in the 150s twice  but that's done.  A 170 is still an extremely high score for a black law school applicant and I don't think the schools will overanalyze your first two scores too much.

[A.]

S is actually my first choice,but my concern with retaking december test is that I won't be as competitive by submitting the application so late, but 163 is not consistent with my diagnostics (usually 167-169).

A lot of people score lower on the real thing than they were scoring on their practice tests.  If you were scoring between 167 and 169 at your peak a 163 is not very surprising.  I wouldn't retake it unless your practice test scores have risen a bit.  It will be a waste of time to wait til December and retake and everything, and get the same score or lower.

Agreed.  Every other person that comes on here is "disappointed" because they "didn't do as well as [their] diagnostics."

[jarhead]

sidebar addenda are not useless. many applicants just don't understand what they are for. if your just giving an excuse (i was sick, i don't test well, etc.) don't bother but if you have extenuating circumstances (im a single mom who works full-time and couldn't afford an LSAT prep class, or my gpa is only a 3.0 but i got it while working FT and going to school FT etc.) then definitely write an addendum. i wrote 5 and i know for a fact that they made a difference at schools that i was borderline.