I find that I do not have enough time to get a satisfactory LSAT score in time. I have already taken GRE exams before. My GRE score is 160 (86 percentile) for verbal reasoning and 165 (86 percentile) for quantitative reasoning. My analytical writing score is low because at that time, I considered applying for graduate school programs instead of JD and writing score is not that important for those programs. Also, I am not a native speaker so my writing is definitely weaker. I really want to be in a T20 or T14 law school. My undergraduate GPA is 3.67, and I am in a master program in economics now. I am not sure if I should take the September test since the score won't be very high. But I know that LSAT is important and not many people use GRE only. Hence, should I use my current GRE score only or take a gap year and prepare for LSAT?

Thank you very much!

Hoping to get some insight on LSAC forums -- are they worth going to, and if so, what do you get out of them? Application waivers, a boost in admissions? Is it an informal interview in some cases? Also, does anyone know where I can find the dates for LSAC forums this coming year? I'm hoping to apply this fall. I want to apply as early as possible, so probably October.

Thanks!

Or other written application materials!

Hey all! Hope everyone is doing well in their studies. I'm working on my resume and wanted to know whether I would need to put where I transferred from (community college) before attending university.

I know it is kind of a dumb question but I got my degree from a university but transferred there from a cc. Thanks for taking the time to respond!

The only solace that I've gotten by falling into this category is knowing that I'm not alone. I'm hoping there are a enough of you here to maybe fill me in on what I can reasonably expect with regards to law school. Perhaps my questions are better directed at admissions officers themselves, but this community is pretty supportive, so this is my first stop :)

Admittedly, my goals for law school are pretty lofty - T14 lofty. I say that because my cumulative UGPA has recently been calculated at a dismal 2.73 (as an aside, I took 169 undergrad credits and bounced between 3 different schools over my 6 year college journey). Given the context of my situation, even if I score in the 170's, am I doing myself a disservice by setting the bar unrealistically high? I have a pretty good resume, work experience, and will have 3 LOR's from great references. But as I turn over stone after law school stone, my prospects of achieving this newfound goal of mine seem to be more and more unattainable. I hope I am wrong in this assessment, but the first step would be getting into the 170s.

Thank you to whoever decides to spend their limited time on Earth reading about my anxieties and insecurities, of which they are abound :)

Multipart question here:

-Does anyone know if, when looking at the Academic Summary Report, LSAC relies on the Degree Summary GPA or the Cumulative GPA? (My cumulative GPA is .05 higher due to study abroad grades).

-My UGPA and LSAC GPA differ by .01 (LSAC GPA being lower). I think this is because of slight differences in how A-'s are weighted by LSAC and my undergraduate school (3.67 vs 3.7). Is this .01 going to make a difference?

-Am I correct in assuming that LSAC sees the actual transcript from the schools you have attended and not just the Academic Summary Report? In other words, will they see your UGPA? I am wondering if it will look strange to have one GPA on my résumé and another on the Academic Summary Report. [and more generally, I am curious as to whether they will see course titles]

Thanks!

Hi, I won't disclose which school I was talking to for the sake of their privacy. However, I will disclose the questions I asked in hopes it will benefit someone else.

The questions were asked and answered in the following order:

Does my resume make my application look competitive?

A. We won't look at resumes and make that predetermination.

Would a high LSAT score offset a low GPA? (Mine was around a 3.5)

A. It could - we look at the overall applicant, not just one factor.

Is there preference for veterans or disabled people?

A. This could add to your diversity as an applicant.

What is the application process and how selective is "X clinic?"

A. Each clinic has its own application process and each accepts a different number of students.

What are some Intellectual Property career paths graduates have taken?

A. Graduates take a very diverse path.

Can an applicant take the LSAT too many times?

A. The admissions officer laughed and suggested that more than 4 LSATs would reflect poorly, but did not give an affirmative yes or no. The officer did say it would not necessarily be a disadvantage to take the test many times but the success would be devalued after about 4+ attempts.

What do most students do in the summer?

A. They do internships all over the world.

What traits make students at your school stand out?

A. Dedication and being proactive in their education and in giving back to their school.

I hope this helps! All the best.

New blog post! Check it out:

https://classic.7sage.com/law-school-success-story-low-gpa/

Hello! I graduated from college in May of 2017 and will be applying to law school this coming fall.

Right now I have one academic and one professional recommendation secured. However, in reviewing the requirements for the schools I plan to apply to, I see some schools strongly prefer two academic references unless one has been out of school and working "for some time" or a "significant amount of time" or "several years". I don't find these requirements to be super clear, and am wondering if anyone has any insight as to when one academic and one professional letter is appropriate. What do schools typically consider as "some time"?

I am considering asking for a second academic letter but am not sure if that is necessary given that when I am applying I will have been in the workforce for 2.5 years.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I am finishing up my application for my 1st choice school. Please keep in my mind, my 1st choice school is really the only option I am considering due to the location, owning a home, my significant other's career, etc. Also, it is not a top school by any means and I am well above their top GPA and predict I will be above their top LSAT. However, I am trying to put together the best application package I can because without scholarships, it would not be financially reasonably for me to quit my career and attend. All of that being said, there is a "public service addendum" option to complete. I have been a police officer for 5 years and that is my current career. Should I list my accomplishments in public service as a police officer or is this referring to public service in a volunteer compacity? I appreciate any guidance anyone can offer.

Thank you!!

Amanda C.

I am currently working on my application for University of Virginia and am confused about the short answer question prompt. It is as follows:

The University of Virginia School of Law and our graduates have a well-known and long-standing reputation for collegiality, involvement, and collaboration. Therefore, because we would like to know how you may have displayed these qualities, please list your significant extracurricular, extra-professional, community and/or other activities in the order of importance to you. Please provide a brief description of each activity, and specify your involvement, length of involvement, special projects, and responsibilities. required (maximum characters 2000)

Wouldn't this just be a repetition of my resumé? Or should I list the same extracurricular activities in essay format? If anyone has any insight it would be greatly appreciated! #help

My test is rescheduled to this weekend. I have two cancels on my file already, and two 15x from January and March. My goal is 165+. Here is my recent five PT scores and BR scores:

6/7: PT 63 (retake) 163, BR 172

6/18: PT 71 (retake) 167, BR 173

6/26: PT 78 (retake) 166, BR 175

7/3: PT 79 (retake) 169, BR 180

7/17: PT 87 163, BR 176

I have exhausted all recent PTs numbered 40 and forward. PT 63 I took and reviewed two years ago, PT 71, 78, 79 I took and reviewed a year ago. So those scores are probably inflated. PT 87 probably is the most representative of my current ability but I'm worried about the "test day toll". I haven't figured out a way to close that BR gap and hearing how difficult July test is makes me doubt if I should sit for the test this weekend. I will keep any score above 158 but if I get 158 again, or lower, I'm inclined to cancel and retake for free in October. However, I already have two cancels on my file so I'm not sure adding one cancel just for the free retake is worth it. Does the third cancel look worse or a lower/same score?

Also, I'm not sure if I will ever be able to figure out how to close that BR gap. I started BR only on 6/7 but I have been studying for the test for two years. I feel so exhausted and just want to be done with it. My family is upset that I haven't been able to move on with my life because of this test, too.

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to apply this cycle, but only if I achieve my goal score on the Sept/Oct exam. I feel like waiting until I get my scores to ask for recommendation letters from my professors will be too late, but also am concerned that after asking, I may end up needing to postpone my application until next year.

tl;dr - Can I ask for recommendation letters even if I might not end up applying this year? If so, when should I ask?

Thanks!

How bad does a cancellation score look? I didn't feel great about the July LSAT and plan on taking it again in September. This is the only time I plan on taking it. I live in Canada, and the only places I'm seriously looking into is UofA and UofC, because the UofA averages the grade will a cancellation be looked at?

How early should we start emailing schools about being considered for a fee waiver? Would love to apply broadly but there's no way I can afford it.

Short summary: DO IT. It's money well-spent.

A quick shoutout to 7Sage's courses and admission consulting service. Saved my sanity after my first LSAT being way below my expected score. I came from a non-traditional background for law school, and 7Sage was able to guide me through school selection and essay drafting. Most importantly, follow ups from schools (additional essays, interviews) that made all the difference to my application. My advisor, Sarika, was patient and proactive. She fully allowed me to dig my own story while guiding me in the right direction - which was significantly easier and more efficient than wandering on my own!

My take on admission consulting is that, for a fraction of the tuition you are about to pay, you get the peace of mind that you will be able to show your best side to admission officers, which may end up in huge saving if you a) got into a better school or b) got a scholarship.

And if it helps clarifying my stand, I DID get into my dream school. And I compared 7sage vs. other Admission consulting firms.

7 Sage is probably the most reasonably priced service, but you do get (a lot) one-on-one working time, and you can feel that attention (Procrastinator alert!). And I would be happy to answer any questions if you want my grain of salt on 7Sage's service.

Hope this helps!

I’m entering my final year of undergrad. I’m able to graduate in December (one semester early) with a 3.6x GPA and I’m taking a gap year to work full time and finish up on preparing for the LSAT (aiming for a 170+).

I’m currently taking 7Sage Ultimate+ and will be practice testing with blind review for at least the next 8-10 months (already been studying with PowerScore for one month). I’m working full time right now for the summer at an internship and will be in class during the school semester, so this timeline works for me. I will apply in September 2020 for law school to enter in Fall 2021.

If I graduate in December, I will have a high 3.6x GPA and then begin working full time and continuing to study for the LSAT.

However, I could also stay for the final semester and graduate in May. I would take easier courses and spend more time with my professors that will write my recommendation letters. By doing this I can achieve a low 3.7x GPA. I also find studying for the LSAT to be easier while in college than working full time (more free time to study for LSAT).

Is it worth graduating normally to get a low 3.7x GPA as opposed to graduating early with a high 3.6x to get into a T14 (assuming I get a 170+ on the LSAT)?

Thank you for your help!

Hi everyone,

The hardest-working woman in show business, @"selene.steelman", has helped us put together a pair of new free lessons on Canadian Law Schools.

You can find some of this information elsewhere on the internet, but I believe ours is the most up-to-date.

Stay tuned for even more, and let us know if these are useful.

Because law school applications won't become available for at least another month or two, I'm trying to figure out roughly how much time each will take. Do all of the top 10 have additional essays, or are most applications easily/quickly filled out and submitted? Just trying to plan ahead and schedule time. Thanks!

Each school decides what to ask and how to phrase the questions in their Character and Fitness section of the application. Questions and wording may change from cycle to cycle based on state bar requirements or desires of faculty or administrators.

If you answer yes to any questions, be clear and thorough in your explanations. If you have any criminal convictions, a committee of administrators, faculty, and counsel would meet to discuss the application.

If you list offenses, the Admissions Committee could ask itself

The most important thing the Committee is looking for is to see if you take ownership of your actions. In your short, factual explanation, help the Committee get to the point where they invite you to attend the school without having to ask you more questions. Your explanation should answer any potential question the Committee might raise. You want the Committee to reach a conclusion based on your words, not any assumptions they make on their own.

Does anyone know how many recommendation letters you can upload to CAS? I have more than three recommenders targeting different schools and am not sure whether LSAC lets you upload more than three. Thanks

Would anyone be willing to provide feedback on the first draft of my personal statement? I am open to making major changes to the direction and style. I plan to use 7Sage’s “Edit Once” service later on, but I would like to make as many improvements as possible first.

Thanks!

I'm having issues with my personal statement and would like someone to look it over. Is this a possiblity with 7sage?

Do you guys use the same personal statement when you are reapplying to the same law schools for the next cycle?

I only recently decided to aim for law school (finished my BA in 2015 and decided in 2018 that I would try to write the LSAT). I have now been on/off studying for the LSAT and wrote it once already and got a 152. My plan is to write the test a couple more times to see what mark I can get and apply asap. But I am stressed that this whole process of getting a decent mark on the LSAT, getting together an application, finding people to give me recommendations (I don't think any of my professors even remember me), etc. is going to take another year or so. I am panicked that this is taking too long and I have this feeling that other people have done all this in way less time. Am I a total loser? Is it normal to take two years to get a decent LSAT mark and get together a decent application with decent recommendation letters? I will add that I am 28 so I also have a contributing feeling of being "old" or "behind" already...

I would love to hear about other people's experiences!