Non-trad LSAT Scores for June 2006

[scottie]

Anyone take the June LSAT?  Here is a thread for NONTRAD scores only!

[JimmyO]

158.

The damn thing kicked my ass. I was consistently practicing around 163-165.

Irony of ironies: Logic games was my best section after always being my weakest.

My initial reaction is "F*ck that! I KNOW I can do a lot better." But part of me is thinking: "Why bother? Maybe my worse-than-expected performance is a sign that law is not the path I am supposed to take."

[jarhead]

i did and i am very pleased with my score

[juliemccoy]

157

Better than I thought... I really froze on the first section.

[phooey]

158.

The damn thing kicked my ass. I was consistently practicing around 163-165.

Irony of ironies: Logic games was my best section after always being my weakest.

My initial reaction is "F*ck that! I KNOW I can do a lot better." But part of me is thinking: "Why bother? Maybe my worse-than-expected performance is a sign that law is not the path I am supposed to take."

You can still get into a good school with that score.  I got a 159 when I took it last year and had similar feelings to what you're expressing now..I cried my eyes out, in fact.  
Don't get too down on yourself.  Lots of people underperform on the LSAT.  T14 might not be a realistic option for you, but if your main priority is to be a lawyer, then a lower T1 or T2 will suffice.  Many schools in that range have excellent regional reputations and might even throw some scholarship money your way (that was my experience).

[JimmyO]

158.

The damn thing kicked my ass. I was consistently practicing around 163-165.

Irony of ironies: Logic games was my best section after always being my weakest.

My initial reaction is "F*ck that! I KNOW I can do a lot better." But part of me is thinking: "Why bother? Maybe my worse-than-expected performance is a sign that law is not the path I am supposed to take."

You can still get into a good school with that score.  I got a 159 when I took it last year and had similar feelings to what you're expressing now..I cried my eyes out, in fact. 
Don't get too down on yourself.  Lots of people underperform on the LSAT.  T14 might not be a realistic option for you, but if your main priority is to be a lawyer, then a lower T1 or T2 will suffice.  Many schools in that range have excellent regional reputations and might even throw some scholarship money your way (that was my experience).

Thanks so much for the kind words, but my dilemma is this: My wife and I are moving to Durham, North Carolina in a few weeks. (A job opportunity that came up for her suddenly and well AFTER I registered for the LSAT.)

That basically limits me, geographically, to 4 or 5 schools. Duke (no chance), UNC Chapel Hill (would love to go there, but 158 is the 25th percentile, and my UGPA is only 3.0 - and it's VERY competitive because of the fantastic in-state tuition), Wake Forest (decent, but it would be a loong commute), North Carolina Central (apparently held in very low regard) and Campbell (apparently very strictly conservative, not my cup of tea, and also not held in very high regard). No, I'm not simply looking for a "name" school, but I would like some marketability in other parts of the country at some point.

I was hoping for a score around where I was prep-testing, in the low-mid 160s to give me a strong shot at UNC, basically my best, most realistic choice. I know exactly how I f*cked up on the LSAT, by pushing it too hard and putting too much pressure on myself. I do NOT mean to make this a pity party for myself by any means, though. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me.

I just have to wonder: If the LSAT flummoxed me so bad, how will I do as a 1L? And will re-taking it REALLY be that much better? Sure, I'd be familiar with "gameday" conditions, but will the pressure be any less the second time around? I'm convinced success on the LSAT is also a mindgame, and not just smarts, and in that regard, I failed myself.

[phooey]

158.

The damn thing kicked my ass. I was consistently practicing around 163-165.

Irony of ironies: Logic games was my best section after always being my weakest.

My initial reaction is "F*ck that! I KNOW I can do a lot better." But part of me is thinking: "Why bother? Maybe my worse-than-expected performance is a sign that law is not the path I am supposed to take."

You can still get into a good school with that score.  I got a 159 when I took it last year and had similar feelings to what you're expressing now..I cried my eyes out, in fact. 
Don't get too down on yourself.  Lots of people underperform on the LSAT.  T14 might not be a realistic option for you, but if your main priority is to be a lawyer, then a lower T1 or T2 will suffice.  Many schools in that range have excellent regional reputations and might even throw some scholarship money your way (that was my experience).

Thanks so much for the kind words, but my dilemma is this: My wife and I are moving to Durham, North Carolina in a few weeks. (A job opportunity that came up for her suddenly and well AFTER I registered for the LSAT.)

That basically limits me, geographically, to 4 or 5 schools. Duke (no chance), UNC Chapel Hill (would love to go there, but 158 is the 25th percentile, and my UGPA is only 3.0 - and it's VERY competitive because of the fantastic in-state tuition), Wake Forest (decent, but it would be a loong commute), North Carolina Central (apparently held in very low regard) and Campbell (apparently very strictly conservative, not my cup of tea, and also not held in very high regard). No, I'm not simply looking for a "name" school, but I would like some marketability in other parts of the country at some point.

I was hoping for a score around where I was prep-testing, in the low-mid 160s to give me a strong shot at UNC, basically my best, most realistic choice. I know exactly how I f*cked up on the LSAT, by pushing it too hard and putting too much pressure on myself. I do NOT mean to make this a pity party for myself by any means, though. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me.

I just have to wonder: If the LSAT flummoxed me so bad, how will I do as a 1L? And will re-taking it REALLY be that much better? Sure, I'd be familiar with "gameday" conditions, but will the pressure be any less the second time around? I'm convinced success on the LSAT is also a mindgame, and not just smarts, and in that regard, I failed myself.

There's plenty of antecdotal evidence which suggests the LSAT is not a good predictor of 1L performance; I assume that holds to people who just choked on game day too. I won't go into it, because honestly, watching that debate play out really annoys me, but I certainly wouldn't take a 158 as an indicator that you can't hack it in law school.  What is it, around 80th percentile?  Think about that.
I was in a similar position you're in with schools- I was really wanting to get a 165 (around my practice range) so I could get into University of Washington, my local kick-ass, low-tuition school, but my LSAT was at their 25th percentile, and moving is not an option for me.  Luckily, there's a sturdy T2 school with a good reputation here in Seattle too, so I had a decent safety to apply to as well.  I ended up getting waitlisted at UW, even with my crappy 159, by the way. 

I don't know anything about the schools you mentioned, other than UNC.  If it's the only school you're interested in and your dream really is to be an attorney, retake the LSAT.  No one is perfect, and many people get flustered by the intensity of the LSAT- even people who go on to become highly successful law students and attorneys.  Remember, it's 80th percentile. How much difference in ability do you really think there is between someone who scores a 158 and someone who scores a 163?  It's just a few questions.

Anyway, blah blah blah.  I'll leave you alone now. 

[NClawdad]

Hey Jimmy,
Don't take it too hard, I was testing in the 163-167 range and I ended up with a 160 this June. I was let down because I want to go to UNC also (top choice), and my GPA is screwed up due to some bonehead mistakes when I was younger. So, I needed a high score 160's to feel more confident about my chances. That said, what I am really realizing is that it is all in my head and I am making their decision for them if I am resigned to not getting in. I agree, Duke is not an option for me either, but I would carefully weigh the options here.

For example, Carolina Law is required to admist 75% North Carolina residents. I wish I knew how many of the applicants were out of state, but I would say that fact alone should give you hope if you are willing to wait a year and establish residency. I am working toward a Masters to improve my chances, but you can take distance education courses for $684 (out of state) a class at NC State, if you need to establish a new pattern of success. I know their median LSAT is 161, and their GPA is a hell of alot higher than mine, but I think it could be the hyper competitive nature of those out of state slots that skews the averages. So don't self eliminate.

As for Central, I am still considering that as an option, because I want to work as an ADA, and they have a decent criminal clinic and trial advocacy program (I am told). On the other hand, at Carolina I would be able to tap into a much broader network and probably be more likely to find work in the more competitive regions of the state, i.e. the only places I'd actually want to live and raise my family.
That means I have a back up plan (Central and Campbell), but I am going to retake the LSAT to conintue one with my main plans (Carolina and Wake). C'mon, basketball sucks outside the ACC.

You and I are in a similar boat it appears. Let me know when you get to town, I'll treat ya to a beer.
 

[JimmyO]

I really appreciate how supportive everyone is here on the NonTrad board... Definitely more so than other boards on this site.

Anyway, we've got this move to NC coming up in exactly two weeks. I'm going to focus on that now, work on getting settled once down there and then revisit the LSAT issue, and probably retake in September or December.

Self-centered sidenote: I've also got to find employment down there, so if anyone knows of any employment options for a higher education and marketing professional, let me know.  

NCLawDad, I may indeed take you up on that offer for a beer, since we only know about 4 people in the whole state!

[scottie]

Good luck on the NC move and on the LSAT/Law School admissions.  And I agree that the non-trads are nicer than others on here   Go figure.  Life experience takes some of the edges off..