Is 166 a bad score for T14 shcools?

[worried]

I was really hoping someone could give me advice on this.  I am considering retaking in Feb in case the 12312342 schools I applied to do not work out.  I have a near perfect GPA and am from an Ivy, but I know I can make about a 169 if I retake.  Let me know your opinion on this if you can...Is this what everyone keeps calling a 'split'?

[worried]

Someone has to have an opinion on this.  I have tried several times to get a response on this

[amelus]

ivy, high gpa (what exactly do you mean by high gpa?), and 166 should get you into at least 1 t-14 law school (it sounds like you've already applied right?)

your best bet is cornell (and then probably michigan).  if your gpa is really high then also boalt.

(again, i'm assuming you've already applied to all of these schools).


at any rate, if you "know you can make about a 169" i wouldnt retake it.  a 169 wont increase your average that much and you never know the curve.  

all in all, if you already applied to all these t-14 schools with a high gpa from ivy and all your other parts of application are in order i think you have good odds of at least one acceptance.

[foxnewssucks]

it is a bit weak for the t14, but you should apply to Mich, Cornell, and Boalt.  Probably get into all 3 if the rest of your app is good.

[buster]

agreed

at any rate, if you "know you can make about a 169" i wouldnt retake it.  a 169 wont increase your average that much and you never know the curve. 

all in all, if you already applied to all these t-14 schools with a high gpa from ivy and all your other parts of application are in order i think you have good odds of at least one acceptance.

[worried]

To elaborate by 'good' I mean 3.96 and probably over that once grades from this semester come in.  With the exception of Cornell I applied to all of them, however I kind of have my heart set on UPenn.  That being said I know UPenn takes the highest LSAT but I was too afraid to screw up my chances by retaking in Dec.  Was that a bad move on my part do yall think?  The rest of my stuff is good, great letters of Rec, so-so extra curriculars and PS.

[worried]

does that change your advice?  I have been really kicking myself for not retaking in dec.  With my gpa and a slightly higher lsat score, I just think i would be an expoentially better applicant.

[amelus]

i think with that gpa you have a good shot at any 4-14 (worst odds are columbia, nyu, g'twon.  even those are a good shot).

if you applied to everyone except cornell you obviously have a specific reason for that.

i think you have a particularly good shot at boalt (in case you're unaware, the way columbia, nyu, g'town love high lsat scores is the way boalt loves high gpa's).

the only bad thing is to worry about if should have taken dec. lsat since it really doesnt matter now (though, because it is absurd to expect to know the curve would be so generous in advance, i think you made the right call not taking the test).

[buster]

regarding retaking:

It's always a gamble. The more confident you are that your score will improve, and the greater the expected improvement, the better a bet it is for you. No one here, however, can make those judgements for you. If, for example, you were practicing in the mid-170s but weren't feeling well on the day of the test, I would think a retake is worthwhile. If, on the other hand, your best practice score was 169, then I would say that those three points are not worth the risk.

[worried]

was the curve all that generous?  I though my missing 16 in Oct and still getting a 166 was fairly on par if not slightly generous.  Granted it was harder to get a 170, but with the zero sleep and OCD is decided to whip out with on the actualy exam, that was out of my range from the start.