Older Applicants (over 40) October LSAT 2005 start

[desmo]

depends on what it is - a 142 will hurt, a 175 will auto admit most places.  You're age and experience may help on tie breakers, but it is unlikely to cause an adcomm to accept you over someone with a score 5 points higher.  My opinion mind you, no facts to back it up.

[slacker]

My opinion...just based on my own experience and a little bit of circumstantial evidence...regardless of what schools say, LSAT and GPA do mean a lot. Having experience can help, but I still think the numbers are a big thing.

[hope41]

I'm 33 and consider myself nontraditional.  I received a 153 on the October 2004 LSAT.  I don't think it's age but when you're older and working with more responsibilities, commuting, worrying more about bigger bills perhaps, you've got a lot less time to devote to studying.  It was hard to keep work concerns from creeping into my test preparation no matter how hard I tried.  I didn't take a prep course either.  I studied about 3-5 hours a week for 3 months and got 158-162 on my preptests.  But a 153 was what I received on the real one and that's what I'm going with.  I am applying to mostly part-time programs and from the numbers I've studied, the 153 is competitive for where I want to go.  I think I'll at least get into one school but I have a feeling I'll get into more than one.  I never dreamed of a Harvard life anyway.  Tiers 2 and 3 are fine to me.

[bradzwest]

148 when I was 24, 154 when I was 34.  Taught elementary school for 10 years in between.  Spoke directly with some tier 3 and 4 schools who had average class age in mid 20's and they were interested and very helpful.  Pick some/apply/good luck!

[! B L U E WAR R I O R..!]

never thought this?

[geezer]

Hi all,

Glad I found this thread.  I'm 37 and living in Japan with a family and family biz.  Sorry I selected this username, there are others who deserve it more!

I took the LSAT in the 80s and did well.  However, the LSAT is now a serious challenge for me!  My best prep test score was 156.  The 10/04 test did not go well- 147.  I took this last test in December and am thinking about cancelling.  I already cancelled the June test (had an unexpected anxiety attack as soon as I started writing my name on the form).  As a student, I was always able to give my best, despite the results...

Last year, when I first considered applying, my attitude was, 'I'm going to leave my family, business and begin spending a lot of our hard-earned savings at a law school- for an uncertain future'.  I felt that the law schools should be courting ME!

Now, I feel like I'm 22 all over again- playing their game and their rules

So my question is- are two cancels going to hurt me?  Does anyone have the same experience?  One last note- I've lived outside of the U.S. for the past ten years, speaking mostly Japanese and losing confidence in my native English along the way.  I hope the law schools realize this....

Geezer

[luluhallmark]

Hi all,

Glad I found this thread.  I'm 37 and living in Japan with a family and family biz.  Sorry I selected this username, there are others who deserve it more!

I took the LSAT in the 80s and did well.  However, the LSAT is now a serious challenge for me!  My best prep test score was 156.  The 10/04 test did not go well- 147.  I took this last test in December and am thinking about cancelling.  I already cancelled the June test (had an unexpected anxiety attack as soon as I started writing my name on the form).  As a student, I was always able to give my best, despite the results...

Last year, when I first considered applying, my attitude was, 'I'm going to leave my family, business and begin spending a lot of our hard-earned savings at a law school- for an uncertain future'.  I felt that the law schools should be courting ME!

Now, I feel like I'm 22 all over again- playing their game and their rules

So my question is- are two cancels going to hurt me?  Does anyone have the same experience?  One last note- I've lived outside of the U.S. for the past ten years, speaking mostly Japanese and losing confidence in my native English along the way.  I hope the law schools realize this....

Geezer

Geez:  Not sure how cancellations affect your image but yes, it is tough and yes, you do have to compete with 22 year olds and play the law school game but in the end, sometimes I think our maturity and willingness to drop everything might help.  I just took the December test as well.  I'm not cancelling but you never know how these things turn out.  Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

Good luck!

[geezer]

Hi Lulu,

Thanks for the kind comments.  You're right, we don't know until we get the scores.  Hopefully, they'll be good!  Unlike before, I didn't get that warm, fuzzy feeling this time on the test (unlike the practice tests).  The answers didn't jump out at me after I eliminated a few wrong responses.  This happened most of the time. 

However, I finished eight applications before the test- only one more to go!  Figuring that only 9% of applicants are 34 and older, (dare I write) we might have a good chance- even with a lousy score.

Good luck to you too!

Geezer

[skeptical1]

I'm almost 40 and an immigrant - doing the LSAT in a second language is soooo much more fun... Still think I did OK on Dec test. My attitude is that I'll try to get into whatever school I can and not go too crazy about which one. I think our substantial experinece in different fields (I work in IT) puts us at advantage so there's no need to obsess over this choice. Sure, T1 school gets you  employed, but would you want to work 12-14 hours for a biglaw firm anyway? I know I wouldn't - my kids are growing up way too fast for that.

[midlife catharsis]

I'll be 40 when I start school next fall. 

I quit my job prior to taking the LSAT because I wanted to really focus on prepartion.  My mind had been corrupted by 15 years in the corporate world where constant interruptions and distractions combined with a 10 cup a day caffeine addiction had created a latent ADD type of problem for me.  I could focus and perform well in short spurts, but I would get killed over the course of a complete LSAT.

I quit the coffee, got in good physical shape, and did over 30 practice tests with the last 20 being striclty administered.  Over the course of 6+ months preparation I improved my performance from low 150s to getting a 166 in October.  Its really quite analogous to an athletes who develop rigorous practice regimens in an attempt to peak on race day, and a wholistic approach is most effective.

Regardless of your age, the LSAT is so large a factor for admissions that it needs to be given appropriate respect, except by the rare geniuses who manage to ace the test cold.  People that smart would probably be very bored in law school