- Wed Feb 21, 2018 5:26 pm
#43983
PhD,
Thanks for the question! Let me start with this: you should ABSOLUTELY be spending time trying to improve your LSAT scores. This is true for almost every student, but particularly so for you. Why? Because, as you note, the rest of your application is outstanding: a high GPA (3.5+), plus "softs" (aka non-numerical parts of your application) that most folks would love to have - law schools in particular see both graduate degrees and military service as compelling, and you have both. So the difference for you between a relatively average (a 152, incidentally, puts you at nearly exactly average - 51st percentile - of all LSAT test-takers) and a stronger score is the difference between an okay and a potentially excellent application. This will unlock not just schools that you are looking for, but potentially tens of thousands of scholarship money.
But let me put some numbers behind that. You can look at each schools' what are called 509 reports to see their incoming classes, and what the GPAs and LSATs were in the 25th, median, and 75th percentiles for their incoming class. Let's list those below:
UCONN: GPA: 3.23/3.45/3.67, LSAT: 155/158/159
UW (Washington): GPA: 3.47/3.67/3.79, LSAT: 157/163/165
UW (Wisconsin - wasn't sure which UW!): GPA: 3.24/3.62/3.78, LSAT: 156/161/163
Georgetown: GPA: 3.53/3.78/3.87 LSAT:162/167/168
A general rule of thumb is that it is very hard (not impossible!) to get into a school when your GPA and LSAT are below both "25ths," and very likely (though not certain!) that you will get admission when both are above the "75ths." Right now, your GPA would be between the median-75th at UCONN, between the 25th-median at Washington and Wisconsin, and below the 25th at Georgetown (which, by a somewhat significant margin, is going to be the most difficult school to get into of the ones listed). That's okay - nothing to be done about GPA anyhow. But your LSAT is below the 25th percentile at all of the schools listed. Does that mean you won't get admitted to any of these schools? No. Your *very* strong softs will keep you in the conversation at most schools (Georgetown might be a stretch). But if you were able to improve by 10 points, which many students are able to do with hard work and PowerScore materials, suddenly you vault *over the 75th percentile* at UCONN (making admission very likely), just under the median at Washington and just over the median at Wisconsin (making admission perhaps a coin flip, maybe a little better with your softs), and even onto the 25th percentile at Georgetown (putting you squarely in the conversation).
The rule of thumb for everyone is to try and improve LSATs because that's most of what you can do - so many other parts of your application are set in stone, but this one isn't. For you, with what is otherwise such a tremendous application, it's even more beneficial. Hope this helps and feel free to let us know any more questions!
sorry!