161 LSAT and 3.68 GPA What are my options?

I am currently a senior at University of Oregon and I’m trying to decide if I should apply to law school this cycle or wait until next year. I’m hoping to keep my GPA or raise it throughout this last year but obviously I can’t be sure of that, I’m also working on a thesis this year so I worry I actually won’t be able to keep my other grades up. I got a 161 on the September 2017 LSAT and it was after taking a powerscore class where my scores actually started going down. I ended up skipping the last two weeks of the class, got one private lesson, and then studied on my own those last two weeks before the test. I honestly don’t know if I can do better on the LSAT. 161 is the best I did on one practice test before the real thing, and that’s what I got. But I also don’t want to sell myself short on the caliber of school or potential scholarship money. I am interested in attending law school in California; I was looking closely at Irvine and Davis to be realistic but with my LSAT I’m not sure I would get money because their median is 163. I’m also looking at Loyola Marymount because I saw that while they don’t rank so hot overall, their tax law program is apparently really good, which is what I think I’m leaning toward. My GPA and LSAT there are 75th percentile. I guess I’m just looking for any advice regarding whether I should wait and try another LSAT next September or if I have good enough stats now to apply and see what happens. As far as schools, I’m really open to hearing suggestions on good programs no matter where they are. I’m just trying to be utilitarian in my decision because I don’t want to graduate with tons of debt and make zero money when I graduate.

I can’t speak to California law schools specifically, but:

  • Pick a law school based on its overall reputation, not its field-specific reputation. (If a law school is not "so hot", it doesn't matter if its tax law program is highly-ranked; don't go there!)
  • I'd retake the LSAT. Study, study and study and you can raise that score, I am sure.

Retake the LSAT. No question. And spend some time at [url=<a href=“https://www.lawschooltransparency.com/%5DLST%5B/url”>https://www.lawschooltransparency.com/]LST[/url].

  1. Graduate (after earning a bunch of A’s senior year to raise the GPA)
  2. Retake

No other option.

Yeah I’m definitely waiting. I’m planning on retaking the lsat in September. I don’t foresee dropping grades this year, it would be out of character but you know, I’m just paranoid.