Retake a 172?

[canihazJD]

Hi all. Late applicant (2/3) 172/3.85 URM applied T14, shooting for T6 or Berk.

PT lead up to my last test was 177, 172, 176, 176, 176, 176.

Second cycle. WL’ed @CLS, UVA, NW, Cornell last year with a 158.

Not in a rush. I was planning on waiting for results then deciding on a retake for next cycle, but starting to think it might be smarter to take a shot at April, which would be my third and final take for the cycle (with 2 remaining for next cycle).

Or just let it play out, and keep the 3 takes for next cycle if I don't like my outcomes... maybe it won't be as competitive next year too.

Thoughts?

[Jeremy Press]

Hi canihazJD,

I want to make sure I'm understanding your situation correctly, so I'm assuming your 172 was an official score from this cycle. Let me know if that's incorrect, and I'll make any necessary adjustments to the below.

Is it possible that a 173+ in April could open doors that are now closed to you? I suppose it's possible. We expect medians to increase a bit this cycle given the greater LSAT applicant numbers we're seeing. And while your 172 currently puts you at or above the median everywhere but Yale and Harvard, a few points of cushion could make some difference. But the problem this cycle is that with the applicant numbers so high, your April score would be coming after most deposit deadlines, when most of the top schools are very likely to have solidified nearly all the spots in their classes. So, in this cycle particularly, that extra few points of LSAT may not be enough to get them to bite.

I'll admit your question is a close one (and I could see you going another way with this), but if it were me, I would not take April and hold on to that extra take for next cycle. Ride this cycle out and see what happens. Your numbers (plus URM status) already put you in a very good spot for whatever seats remain. If things don't work out as you're hoping, you'll have more cushion next cycle (with the extra LSAT take available) to get that boost that could put you over the top.

If you do that, I'd retake the LSAT at least once or twice this summer. That way you'll be able to jump right on the beginning of the application cycle and get your spot solidified when schools have the most room to admit more people.

I hope this helps!

[canihazJD]

Thank you for the insight, yes the 172 was my January score. For some reason I didn't even think about April being after deposits, therefore likely after a lot of my decisions have come back anyway... and if I'm going to argue for a WL pull (which seems like a less likely outcome this year), then why not a summer take anyway with more prep time.

I believe I'll ride it out. Thanks for helping me think this through.