LSN - Representative Sample of Applicant Pool?

[Kait]

Just wondering what everyone's opinion on LSN is...do you think that the span of numbers on there is pretty indicative of what kind of stats the general applicant pool has for the given school? Or do you think that the people listing on this site, if their numbers were averaged, would yield a higher average than that of the entire applicant pool? (I'm basing this on the assumption that maybe LSN posters are a little more concerned and over-zealous than some other applicants who have not sought out such a sight.)

Just wondering.

[puma]

Since it's user-based, you have to take everything with a grain of salt.  Some people may make fake names to sort of 'test' the system.  i.e. create hypothetical numbers to see where they would fit if they attained those numbers.  Or people may just lie, not that there is a logical reason to falsify your own numbers.  I think its a good tool in general though.  If people are honest, it can provide a real sense of what is happening in the big picture. 

[giffy]

It can be a good guide to a given school since most people do not lie. If you look at the graphes they make sense and can show you if you are in the admit or reject pile. Be aware though that many people do so take outliers and URM with a grain of salt.
 

[dr_draino]

I don't think it's reflective.  Look at last years data and compare the avg. LSAT for the folks on their to the reported avg LSAT of the school...this will give you a quick sense.

[sordomudo]

I don't think it's reflective.  Look at last years data and compare the avg. LSAT for the folks on their to the reported avg LSAT of the school...this will give you a quick sense.

Think it's skewed to make things appear tougher or more lenient?  I just checked the graphs for Chicago and Columbia, but they were of little to no help since they were last updated a week ago...

[dr_draino]

I think it'll be partially school-dependent...the T-10 or so may be very close where as for a T-2 school, I'd bet that you're seeing the higher end of the applicant pool.  I'm pulling all of this out of my ass btw.  D'you get my emails?

I don't think it's reflective.  Look at last years data and compare the avg. LSAT for the folks on their to the reported avg LSAT of the school...this will give you a quick sense.

Think it's skewed to make things appear tougher or more lenient?  I just checked the graphs for Chicago and Columbia, but they were of little to no help since they were last updated a week ago...

[sordomudo]

Nope. 

[swagger]

I think for the top twenty or so schools, LSN is probably quite accurate.  There is a large enough sample, and most graphs clearly delineate an accept/reject/waitlist line that would be hard to manipulate.

[dr_draino]

Yeah, the graphs are the way to go...even with a non-representative sample as a whole you can still get an idea of what the actual sample would look like from the graphs if there's a pretty clear line between green and red.  Thanks swagger.  btw, have you gotten the tunes yet?  and congrats on Chicago.

I think for the top twenty or so schools, LSN is probably quite accurate.  There is a large enough sample, and most graphs clearly delineate an accept/reject/waitlist line that would be hard to manipulate.

[swagger]

Nope.  Mail sucks.  I just got my parent's Christmas gift.  Letters come quick, packages come SLOW.