What should I be expecting as a splitter?

[SuperSplitter22]

Hi all,

Feb went better than expected and I landed a 178. I'm obviously ecstatic, and I feel like this opens some doors for me that I thought were permanently closed because of my below average (for law school) gpa.

My stats: 3.31/178/nURM/non-traditional (my job experience is fairly eclectic so someone is gonna have to like my emerging field)

My questions are:
1) Do I have a realistic shot at the top 6 schools?
2) How much is GPA weighted for people who are 4+ years out of undergrad?
3) I've read that LSAT-flex scores are relatively inflated - is this true and how badly does it hurt my chances of getting in as a pretty drastic splitter?
4) Do I have a realistic shot at scholarships as a splitter? How about scholarships at a T-14?

Thanks in advance!!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Super Splitter,

Thanks for the questions! Here are some thoughts for you:

1) Do I have a realistic shot at the top 6 schools? — I don't think you do this year, unless someone falls in love with your resume. This cycle is the most competitive in years, a situation we're covering in detail in the PowerScore podcast we are recording tonight.

2) How much is GPA weighted for people who are 4+ years out of undergrad? — Exactly the same as for new undergrads, because it's gets calculated the exact same way in their medians, and ultimately rankings. It's dumb, but it gets held against you even if it's from 20 years ago. If you're borderline they will cut you a break, but you have to be on that border first.

3) I've read that LSAT-flex scores are relatively inflated - is this true and how badly does it hurt my chances of getting in as a pretty drastic splitter? — It's true, and it's bad. Again, I'll refer you to the podcast (likely out tomorrow, barring any issues tonight) for a full rundown of the scope of the problem.

4) Do I have a realistic shot at scholarships as a splitter? How about scholarships at a T-14? —I'd say getting in at a T14 is borderline (which is astonishing with a 178, but that's where we are this year: schools don't have to compromise). And because it's so competitive, scholarship money is tight. I'm seeing tons of great people waitlisted already, and scholarship negotiations have been very cagey so far. So hopefully that 178 pulls you to some glory, but the odds of a scholarships are iffy at best imho.

Sorry that the news isn't better

[SuperSplitter22]

Thanks for the reply Dave, even though it fills me with dread! To clarify, I'll be applying next cycle to attend in the fall of 2022. I'm guessing that doesn't change the answer much, but if it does please give me some hope haha!

[Dave Killoran]

Thanks for the reply Dave, even though it fills me with dread! To clarify, I'll be applying next cycle to attend in the fall of 2022. I'm guessing that doesn't change the answer much, but if it does please give me some hope haha!

That extra year should give you some hope though, because next year will be a bit easier than this year