Hi,
I took LSAT for the first time and got a disappointing 164. Need to decide quickly whether to keep or cancel score.
Did not do much study, so very likely I can improve the score significantly.
My goal is University of Colorado Boulder, unless I get into the 175+ range in which case I’d look at out-of-state top schools. Should I cancel the score or keep it?
Reasons to keep:
It’s a median score, so I might get in with it.
Always possible I’d do worse on a re-take.
A cancelled score looks bad?
Logistically, it’s really hard for me to take another test before this admissions cycle ends, so that would delay law school entry a year which is not ideal
Reasons to cancel:
Much lower than I believe I can do
Will look bad to the schools even if I significantly improve it?
Background in case it’s needed to answer question.
I’m in final year of philosophy degree in Top UK university, heading for a 1st.
I have good letter of recommendation from a 10 hr a week legal research internship
I am 20
Colorado would be in-state for me
I’d ideally stay in Colorado for job post law school
I find your post confusing: you say you think you can do much better but you may also do worse? You also say you are not sure if you can fit another test in anyway, and I am guessing you won’t have much time to study if you haven’t studied yet. To me it is unclear why you would delay a year when you have the median GPA of your target school. If I were you, I’d keep the score and apply.
Thank you. I’d say it’s 95% probable I’d do better, but there is always the possibility of worse - the unexpected can happen.
One of the big factors is if I wait and take again with a higher score, I believe that could lead to a scholarship offer.
UC-Boulder did offer me a presidential scholarship at undergrad- but I ended up going to the UK.
https://colorado.lawschoolnumbers.com/ indicates that 164 is above the 75th percentile LSAT at University of Colorado Boulder (163). GPA median is 3.60 and 75th percentile is 3.77 – how does your UK GPA convert?
Ah OK, so your post was not about keeping your score to get into Law School but to get a scholarship. Colorado only offers two full scholarships to entering students. It is likely they depend on your GPA, your legal experience, letters and your LSAT. You only need two people to be better than you to not get a full scholarship (they have numerous smaller ones but average value is only 2k). So it’s a gamble. If you don’t have the money for law school, or it will be a hardship, then wait if that will allow you to have the whole package of great GPA, great LSAT, experience and stellar letters. Among applicants this year, you will likely be up against at least two people who wanted that full scholarship enough to study for the LSAT in time to get a great score for this year.
There is no direct conversion from UK university to GPA, but a First is generally considered to be equivalent of a 4.0 (it’s the highest score possible)
Thank you. That’s really helpful information. I suspect I’m short on the legal experience compared to some applicants even if I get the 175+ score I think I could get. Appreciated.
US law schools are nearly all about undergrad GPA and LSAT scores. (if you don’t have a convertible undergrad grading system, it becomes nearly all about LSAT.). No prior legal experience required.
US law schools only care about an applicant’s highest LSAT score.
An LSAT score of 164 is about the top 10% (151 or 152 is the median score).
Why U Colorado School of Law ?
Chances that you will get a scholarship to CU-Boulder School of law with an LSAT score of 170 or less is close to zero unless you have special circumstances that make you unusually attractive to that law school.
If you score 170 or above on the LSAT, why would you even consider CU-Boulder School of Law ?
Are you a US citizen ?
Why do you want to earn a US law degree ? (Any background or interest in a specific area of law or type of legal practice ?)
Thanks to you both. I’m assuming though, if someone wanted to work in CO after graduation (and wasn’t committed to grinding in a biglaw environment) it wouldn’t be too bad…? That’s what I’ve heard - if you want to work in a region, a regional law school can be useful…?
I know people who did very well on the LSAT and received a fellowship to attend a regional law school at a much lower cost than a top 14 law school. If your goal is to work at a firm locally and you aren’t targeting Big Law in New York, DC, etc., it can be a very good way to go.
it can be a fine way to go, on scholarship (or have wealthy parents). But it’s a bad bet to be paying sticker with loans, as teh odds are that the grad won’t make enough salary to repay the loans.
CU-Boulder is a fine choice for law school especially for someone who plans to practice in CO. The legal community is small with most lawyers having attended one of the two local law schools (DU being the other one). The small community is great for networking and socializing.
Most regional firms pay new associates a competitive salary. Clerkships are an option too. They’re competitive but many judges are alums of the local schools and prefer to hire clerks from their alma mater. Clerkships are not lucrative though so one would want to minimize the cost of law school if that is a career goal.
CU is expensive. If someone is able to earn a law degree at a higher ranked law school for a lower cost, then that would be the smart choice.
It is very important for prospective law students to research the terms of any scholarship- not just what it takes to get for the first year, but the terms for funding for years 2 and 3.
The Wall Street Journal did a scathing expose a few years ago about the schools which are generous for year 1- but very few students actually qualify for scholarships afterwards. So there’s the predicament- students taking out loans for two years- rationalizing “at least I got money for my first year”, but having given up the opportunity to attend a better law school with higher bar passage rates, better employment outcomes, etc.
Many prospective law student ignore bar passage rates and employment outcomes, reasoning “if I get a scholarship, I’m clearly at the top of the applicant pool at this school so I don’t need to worry”. Your LSAT gets you in…but the re-shuffling and re-ordering that takes place in your L1 year is a lot more important than many people realize. Law Review, interviewing for summer law firm jobs takes place in August after your first year and those are the jobs that usually land a full time offer after graduation, prestigious journal positions, even the competitive clinic positions (who could imagine that volunteer work could be competitive?)-- all rely on what happens in your first year.
The scam of law schools hiring their own graduates for jobs in alumni relations, admissions, etc. so those grads show up as being employed-- in roles that absolutely do not require a JD- inflates the employment statistics. Caveat Emptor- the most important Latin phrase anyone interested in law school needs to learn.
Do you have a particular law applicant for whom you are asking ?
If yes, are you willing to share that applicant’s numbers (undergraduate GPA & LSAT score) ?
While attending CU-Boulder School of Law may be a reasonable choice for one interested in practicing non-biglaw in Colorado, it may not be the wisest choice due to lack of scholarship money. Additionally, the main metro areas in Colorado are not closed to outsiders as it is easy to understand why one would prefer to live and work in Colorado over other US metro areas. No concern over flight risk for those with no prior ties to the area.
That’s a good point, Publisher (going to law school out of state might not be as big a disincentive as perhaps other states, due to CO’s appeal). There is the networking aspect, though (profs, local alumni, etc., with connections can give local grads an edge).
Everyone wants to come to paradise"’ is what we’ve heard about CO.
