Self-study
Hi everyone!
As many of you probably did, I just got my April LAST score back and am a little underwhelmed... For context, I started studying at the end of last May, took the September test, and got a 152. I took a step back, decided not to apply this cycle, and signed up for the April test and got a 164. I am happy with the significant score jump, but feel like I have more in the tank with most of my recent PTs being 168-174 (and a 162 2 weeks before :/ )
I was really, really hoping that would be my last test and did not sign up for the June exam. I am getting married on August 8, so the August test is off the table for me. September almost seems too soon after my wedding to really lock in again, and October feels so far away.
I work full-time, over 5 years out of undergrad, and am trying to decide if I should be content with a significant score jump or if I should try again. The burnout is real right now...
Any advice, motivation, etc would be most helpful.
My goal score is a 168 btw
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2 comments
To add on to the comment below, I think it's not only a matter of "are there schools that work for you whose medians are at/under a 164," but also a matter of possible merit scholarship. For example, maybe you're targeting a school whose median is a 164. Let's assume that the rest of your app is great so that we can just hone in on this one factor. Perhaps they give admitted students with your GPA/164 combo an award of $10k/yr. But maybe with your GPA and an LSAT at a 167, they give $20k/yr. You can do a little research on this via the decision tracker and also on lawschooldata.
This may all be a moot point because maybe the schools you're targeting have medians waaaaaaaaay below a 164 (in which case, boosting your score further may not change a merit award) but I at least wanted to raise this point. Sometimes when you can actually see the difference in merit awards, it changes your perspective from a re-take from "nope, not gonna do it" to "... that's enough of a difference in $$$ to inspire me."
If you have acceptable school options in your area that will work for your family and that a 164 is viable at, then I suggest you start applying and evaluate from there. The goal here is to get that career moving. Unless another 4 points is genuinely critical to making that happen (and at your age and just-getting-started family situation, you can probably move around if needed to find a school that fits), I think you may be close enough to land this. If it turns out not to work yet, then push for those last couple points left in the tank and try again.