What Do I Do?

[Hbdash]

Good morning Dave,

I applied to schools last year with a 167 and a 4.06 GPA from a large, public college and was waitlisted across the board at the schools I wanted to attend (NYU, Columbia and Penn).

I was PT'ing in the low-to-mid 170's so I decided to take a gap year and retake the LSAT this past September. I got a 168 on that one, so I just took the December test but I really don't think I did better than a 168.

I would love to stay in NY, and NYU is my first choice. My LSAT is still below their median, and the only new addition to my resume' is that I am spending my gap year working as a Legislative Assistant for a New York State Assemblymember.

Is my application only marginally better than last year, with the added LSAT point and work experience? I would love another shot at the LSAT in February but NYU does not accept that. What would you recommend that I do? I'm scared of having to ride the waitlist throughout the summer like I did last year.

Thank you so much!!

[Hbdash]

Quick follow-up:

How firm is NYU in not accepting the February test? If I submit my application once I get my December score will my application/file update with my new score or will they completely disregard it?

Thank you!

[Adam Tyson]

Thanks for the question, Hbdash, and congratulations on your score increase! A point is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, as my father-in-law liked to say. While it may not be above the median, it's closer than you were, and farther above the 25th percentile. Meanwhile, your GPA is above their median, so you are what we sometimes call a "splitter" (specifically a "reverse splitter"), although it's not a giant split. Your application should look better now, and better may be good enough.

Still, don't count on that. Instead, review your application to see what is still under your control that could improve it. Were your letters of recommendation the best they could be? Is there a professor or a professional contact who could write you a new one, better than what you had, to supplement your package? Review your personal statement and see how that could be improved to better sell you to the admissions committee. Your gap year experience, although it has only just begun, may be worth talking about, but look to see what else you can do to show how you stand apart from other applicants and would be a positive addition to the NYU community.

While the official policy is made abundantly clear on their website (http://www.law.nyu.edu/jdadmissions/app ... plications), an increased score in February certainly couldn't hurt you, and if you get on the waitlist again they will almost certainly see that new score even if they aren't officially looking for it. Perhaps that could be enough, even unofficially, to tip the scales your way? Better to take it and not need it than to need it and not take it, right? Have a plan of attack so that your studies between now and then are efficient and effective. Check out our self-study guides and other resources to help get you from here to there with a score increase (http://students.powerscore.com/self-study/index.cfm) and be sure to not only take practice tests but to review them the right way (https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/the-be ... tice-tests). That way, even if NYU fails to see what a great catch you are, someone else likely will, and you'll have options and, perhaps, leverage to talk about scholarships.

Don't rest on your laurels, my friend! Be positive, and take positive action towards achieving your goals. As my beloved Carolina Panthers like to say, Keep Pounding!

[Hbdash]

Thank you so much for the reply Adam! I have been working on fine-tuning both my personal statement and letters of recommendation, and feel that I am an overall better applicant than last year. What you said regarding the February test only being able to help me definitely makes sense, and I guess as long as they won't withhold my application until my February score comes out then I may as well take it again!

Thanks again!!

[Adam Tyson]

Their policy makes me think they are unlikely to hold the application, but if you get on a waitlist a bump might get you over the hump. I'm expecting that you are going to get an admit, though. Can't you feel it? I feel it. Let's do this!

[Hbdash]

Do you believe there's any chance my application would get a re-evaluation as soon as a higher score would be reported to LSAC (assuming I get one, obviously)? Meaning, NYU is known to hold off waitlisting candidates until April, so is it feasible that if I had a higher score to add to my application in March then they would instantly re-evaluate my application?

[Dave Killoran]

Do you believe there's any chance my application would get a re-evaluation as soon as a higher score would be reported to LSAC (assuming I get one, obviously)? Meaning, NYU is known to hold off waitlisting candidates until April, so is it feasible that if I had a higher score to add to my application in March then they would instantly re-evaluate my application?

Hi H,

Well, anything is possible, but there are too many factors in play for us to render a strong opinion. For example, how NYU acts will in part be affected by their applicant pool shapes up, and no one can see that but them.

One thing that is known, however, is that many schools will consider later LSAT scores (including June) when evaluating WL candidates. So, given your results last year, there's a reasonable chance that some of the schools will consider that February score, especially since they only need report just your highest. So, the following is entirely reasonable:

• Your app comes in, it's not a clear admit or deny, so they put you in the vast pool of possible candidates. As the final cut time approaches, they go back in and review app changes and updates, and begin making choices based on the numbers for that year's applicant pool. You, after studying hard for February, have gone out and posted a 170. They see that, and it's pretty hard to ignore. If they had slated you for the WL, maybe they change that or maybe they WL you anyway and later accept you based on the higher score. Usually schools will tell WL students to submit any new information that might affect the app, so at worst, if you get on the WL, you can point to a new score.

There's no real way for us to know what will happen inside NYU, so the above is pure speculation. But if you can get on the WL, they should consider that new score. That, I think, makes the idea of taking February a lot more attractive. Thanks!

[Hbdash]

Thank you Dave, as always! I actually called NYU and they pretty much said what you said, just obviously not as black and white - they "make every effort" to look at the February scores, and have been able to accommodate that score in recent years for several applicants. Essentially, a higher score will definitely help, and certainly can't hurt.

Thanks again and happy holidays!

[Dave Killoran]

Thank you Dave, as always! I actually called NYU and they pretty much said what you said, just obviously not as black and white - they "make every effort" to look at the February scores, and have been able to accommodate that score in recent years for several applicants. Essentially, a higher score will definitely help, and certainly can't hurt.

Thanks again and happy holidays!

Overall that's good news—it's their non-definite way of saying you should retake

Thanks for sharing that!

[Hbdash]

Hey Dave, I hope all is well.

I understand you're very busy today so I would really appreciate any help/advice you can offer me.

Just a quick follow-up to my initial post in this thread: I totally bombed the December test. 162. Brutal. I still believe in my ability to get a 170+ and have already signed up for February. I've read pretty much all your blogs and I know that you firmly believe schools truly care about the highest score. However, I'm understandably a bit concerned about this anomaly and worried that even with a 170+ on February schools will look at all these takes (and the 162, obviously) in a very bad light.

Being that I'm submitting all my apps before I take the February test, would you advise writing a proactive addendum attempting to explain my scores and how I believe I'll do better on February? Or will they not care and simply view it as making excuses, which in a sense I am?

Thanks Dave and happy holidays!!