What should I do?

Tavorak_

My September score is leaving me in purgatory.
I got a 170 and I have a 3.57 GPA. I want to apply ED to UChicago (I know, it's a reach) while applying to Michigan, Duke, Virginia, Penn, Northwestern, and Cornell.

Looking on Law School Numbers, even a 175 (my PT average) in December wouldn't do much for my application chances anywhere, and would marginally help with scholarship money. My thoughts are if Chicago were going to reject me, seeing that I'm taking in December would at least get me waitlisted.

I'm in the middle of a gap year and I burnt myself out going into the September test, and I don't want to go through it again.
What should I do?

BumbleJD1624

If being burnt out is your number one reason for not wanting to take it again, then you should suck it up and take it again. Law school will put you through the wringer a million more times than the LSAT. Consider this a dress rehearsal. I'm in a similar situation, and am almost certain I will be retaking.

Nunuboy1994

Isn't that a really good score though? I mean I had a mentor who got into YLS from Tufts with a 165 and magna cum laude

Tavorak_

@Nunuboy1994 said:
Isn't that a really good score though? I mean I had a mentor who got into YLS from Tufts with a 165 and magna cum laude

Apparently Chicago likes higher GPAs more than other schools. Their median is 3.90 so that's why I need/want a higher LSAT

Nunuboy1994

Oh well then I understand. Sometimes it's better to just assume the worst but I mean still apply because you never know and that's still a very very good score.

Alex

@deansr said:
My September score is leaving me in purgatory.
I got a 170 and I have a 3.57 GPA. I want to apply ED to UChicago (I know, it's a reach) while applying to Michigan, Duke, Virginia, Penn, Northwestern, and Cornell.

Looking on Law School Numbers, even a 175 (my PT average) in December wouldn't do much for my application chances anywhere, and would marginally help with scholarship money. My thoughts are if Chicago were going to reject me, seeing that I'm taking in December would at least get me waitlisted.

I'm in the middle of a gap year and I burnt myself out going into the September test, and I don't want to go through it again.
What should I do?

Hmm.. I guess you have to decide if a retake is really going to be worth it. I think if you could net a few more points you would get really great $$ from NU, MVD, and likely Cornell too.

If your average was 5 points higher than where you scored, I might consider taking a couple weeks off and then possibly retaking in December. UChi might not be out of the cards but you're right, they do really seem to live high GPAs. Though I have heard many anecdotes of those with sub 3.8s getting in with mid-to-high 170 LSATs.

Either way, congrats on the 170!

best of luck