Applying now as a reach or waiting

[sarahmil]

Hello:

I am wondering what is my best scenario. I am currently trying to improve my LSAT score. It is 159. I am URM. I have unusual softs, including an IVY league professional degree and book being published, among a lot of other things. I applied very late last cycle and was waitlisted at 3 top ten law schools, one where I am an alumni. This was really a surprise given my LSAT and my GPA which is on the low 3 side from a top undergrad school. Well, I was planning to apply this cycle, again late, but took the LSAT again and canceled. I would like to take the LSAT one final time because I know I can do better. I am aiming for June or July. I get bad testing anxiety which caused my problem. BUT i don't know if i should apply again this year to those three schools where i was waitlisted or if it is a waste since my LSAT is the same? I would go to any three of them if i got in but not sure i was really in the running or if just put on the waitlist. It was surprising to me tho that three from the top ten all put me on the waitlist, even though my numbers arent a match, so I'm not sure what to do. I do have really great softs. I don't know how far those can really take a person?

[Dave Killoran]

Hello:

I am wondering what is my best scenario. I am currently trying to improve my LSAT score. It is 159. I am URM. I have unusual softs, including an IVY league professional degree and book being published, among a lot of other things. I applied very late last cycle and was waitlisted at 3 top ten law schools, one where I am an alumni. This was really a surprise given my LSAT and my GPA which is on the low 3 side from a top undergrad school. Well, I was planning to apply this cycle, again late, but took the LSAT again and canceled. I would like to take the LSAT one final time because I know I can do better. I am aiming for June or July. I get bad testing anxiety which caused my problem. BUT i don't know if i should apply again this year to those three schools where i was waitlisted or if it is a waste since my LSAT is the same? I would go to any three of them if i got in but not sure i was really in the running or if just put on the waitlist. It was surprising to me tho that three from the top ten all put me on the waitlist, even though my numbers arent a match, so I'm not sure what to do. I do have really great softs. I don't know how far those can really take a person?

Hi Sarah,

Do NOT apply again would be my advice! Unless something else has changed appreciably in the past year, you will be coming in with identical LSAT/GPA numbers, and it's hard to imagine the outcomes change at all. And then, if you are applying again next year there's application fatigue on the part of the adcomms.

Go for that LSAT again later this year and try not to put as much pressure on yourself. You have room to miss questions but of course it's still stressful. Focus a lot on that anxiety and work to come up with ways to minimize and control it. This might help: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/the-ul ... urce-list/. Given the money involved from a higher LSAT score, do whatever it takes—tutor, course, etc—to raise that score even if just by a point.

Thanks and good luck!

[sarahmil]

Hi Dave,

Thank you for the advice and for the link to resources. That is very helpful. I have reached 164 on my practice tests prior to the January tests, but seemed to plateau there. Then I just froze on the first section on January and it was logic games and so decided to cancel. I plan to keep practic testing and hopefully retake in April or June. I guess I was just wondering as well how waitlist placements should be taken? Does this typically mean with a higher LSAT, i could be admitted, or is it just a "soft rejection"? I guess I'm weighing if I should just go to a lower school and attempt to transfer or continue pushing for a high LSAT. I just worry my results could be the same even if I significantly boosted my LSAT. Or is a waitlist a good sign?

Thanks again!

[Claire Horan]

Hi Sarah,

Although schools will differ, being waitlisted is not a soft rejection. I knew several people in law school who had gotten in off the waitlist, and they didn't do anything to supplement their application after being informed of their waitlist status. That said, I think you should make decisions on the expectation that you will not get in off the waitlist, because that expectation is much safer. It allows you to focus on your other applications, retake the LSAT as you plan to (there's nothing to lose), and hope for the best. Any way that you can improve your applications increases your chances.

Try not to dwell on the aspects of the application process that you can't control, and good luck with your studies!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Sarah,

A few thoughts:

• "Does this typically mean with a higher LSAT, i could be admitted" — Yes, this is often what it means. They are saying they like you but you have some problem that is holding them back. That said, it's a clear signal that something isn't good enough for them.
  
  "I'm weighing if I should just go to a lower school and attempt to transfer" — Transferring is no easy game, and until you are in law school it's hard to know how well you will adapt to the grading (which is rough at times and harder than most people expect). I tell everyone: don't count on transferring,ad n don't attend a school unless you will be happy graduating from there because you might be stuck doing just that!
  
  "I just worry my results could be the same even if I significantly boosted my LSAT." — But, your practice is already telling you that you can score above a 159, and given that a higher LSAT will be almost a direct path to acceptance AND a better financial package, to me this is a fairly clear route to take!

Thanks!