Admissions calculators

[LawyersGunnersnMoney]

are you sure?  admittedly, i didnt screen that one closely but others i looked at said that number meant 'offered admission'  i guess different schools say diff things

[FossilJ]

No, that is what that number means.

When you get accepted, a school offers you admission.  Now, you can either choose to be admitted, or choose to withdraw.  If you choose to be admitted, you are attending that school, and vice versa.

[LawyersGunnersnMoney]

are there any grids that show actual acceptance stats?  it seems most of the probability calculators follow that grid pretty closely.

[FossilJ]

Those grids do show acceptance stats.

Take the ratio 7/12.

Here, 7 applicants are attending out of 12 that have been admitted.

Thus: 7 attending/12 accepted.

[LawyersGunnersnMoney]

"Those grids do show acceptance stats.

Take the ratio 7/12.

Here, 7 applicants are attending out of 12 that have been admitted.

Thus: 7 attending/12 accepted"

Maybe I'm hungover but I dont agree.  Using this example, the grid says:

"Apps= Number of Applicants........12
Adm= Number offered Admission......7

I dont see how you can construe that to mean 12 were accepted in that block.  Likewise, the total apps = 1119.  I doubt they accepted 1119 people.

[SanchoPanzo]

I am skeptical of admission calculators as well simply because they don’t agree. If they were operating from all accurate applicant data, they should all have the same figures. But they don’t. So I keep a probability spreadsheet that includes the calculations of five different probability calculators. In my case it gets a little complicated…but I’m more comfortable looking at everything than just one site based off 2003 data. If anyone is curious the average is linked to here http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/prelaw/index.php/topic,44428.0.html

Ummm... Averaging a bunch of inaccurate data should not provide more accurate information. As the saying goes, "garbage in, garbage out". However, I do understand what you are trying to do. And perhaps, it helps. But keep in mine that if one of the 5 is really bad, your average could be worse than the single best predictor.

Regarding accuracy, none of the calculators are accurate. This is because they do not include many of the other factors that determine whether you are accepted. So until the calculators start using your LSAT, GPA, application date, URM status, UG school, UH major, family background, PS quality, Diversity statement quality, Work Experience, graduate work, significant achievements (leadership, etc), etc. etc.

[Paperback Writer]

I don't think there's a better guess-timator available than what is on lsac.org.

[SanchoPanzo]

Averaging a bunch of inaccurate data should not provide more accurate information.
This is because they do not include many of the other factors that determine whether you are accepted. So until the calculators start using your LSAT, GPA, application date, URM status, UG school, UH major, family background, PS quality, Diversity statement quality, Work Experience, graduate work, significant achievements (leadership, etc), etc. etc.

As I said, I look at all five calculations... I post the average for LSDers and LSNers. But I understand the point you're making and as anyone? agrees garbage in, garbage out. No calculator can take into account soft factors - each factor varies even if categorized, each applicant could incorporate the exact same factor differently, writing quality varies, etc. (add LOR... replace UH with UG major?). The admission index does have weight, and each and every applicant has a GPA and LSAT. Hence the admission calculators. The URMs, outstanding applicants, etc. are included in those calculations - but so far as a calculator being an accurate predictor of your decision, perhaps not - but helpful in determining reaches, targest, and safeties.

That's my point.

[chidochido]

Is there a site with links to all of the admissions 'grids' for all of the schools that publish them? Those are my favorite calculators, but it's a pain to go searching for them on all of the school sites...

[The Dread Pirate Roberts]

Is there a site with links to all of the admissions 'grids' for all of the schools that publish them? Those are my favorite calculators, but it's a pain to go searching for them on all of the school sites...

LSAC has them.  If you go to their official list of ABA approved schools and get the alphabetical list, the grids are at the bottom of the PDF file that's called "school description" or something like that.  There are two PDFs for every school, and it's the second one that has the grid (for the schools that publish them).