I'm considering taking the GRE

Hannah56

Hi,
With the recent announcement from Northwestern that they accelerated the GRE acceptance to this cycleI'm considering taking it within the next 2 weeks. My question is do you think it can compensate for a low LSAT? I have studied for the GMAT 2 years ago and scored well. And I heared that it's easier than both LSAT & GMAT. I'm an international student ( English is my second language) & majored in Finance, so the math section might give me some advantage.
Is there a specific threshold which would be considered a strong score? Any advice would help.

Alex

You're better off retaking the LSAT in Feb. The GRE is far too new to offset a low LSAT. Also, if you take the LSAT as well as the GRE, the schools will still see your LSAT, and have to report it. At least from what I've read.

As far as what scores will be considered strong, that will depend on the schools for which you're applying. For NU, I'd guess (based on their ranking/LSAT medians) a strong GRE would be somewhere in the 167/168 verbal score range (98%-tile). I'm guessing law schools may be more interested in your verbal scores, but I have no idea how they would treat your quantitative reasoning scores. If they have to report it, I'm guessing it will likely have to be strong as well.

Hannah56

@"Alex Divine" so even if I score well on the GRE, my LSAT score will still impact their median? In other words their ranking? For Business schools, I know some applicationts who scored poorly on GMAT but were admitted based on their GRE. I thought it would be the same case here.

Alex

@Hannah56 said:

@"Alex Divine" so even if I score well on the GRE, my LSAT score will still impact their median? In other words their ranking? For Business schools, I know some applicationts who scored poorly on GMAT but were admitted based on their GRE. I thought it would be the same case here.

Correct. Currently, If an applicant has both GRE and LSAT scores, the LSAT score gets reported and will impact their median. Not exactly the same as b school with respect to GRE/GMAT scores. It could very well change in the future, but for right now, LSAT is still king.

akistotle

As of now, law schools have to report LSAT scores to ABA, so if you do have a score on your LSAC profile, it will be used.

Here is what Dave Killoran of PowerScore says:

We queried each school on this, they all said if LSAT score exists, it will be used. But change is afoot, and I'd suspect it changes later

— Dave Killoran (@DaveKilloran) October 17, 2017

This is what Spivey Consulting says:

Just wait until next year then it will start really mattering. Or maybe two from now. Whenever ABA blanket permissions it

— Spivey Consulting (@SpiveyConsult) October 17, 2017

dennisgerrard

Different schools have different weightness on LSAT+GRE. GW just accepted GRE today.

Paul Caint

TRAITOR!

(but good luck if you decide to do it)

lsatyayy

I was thinking that too. GRE RC is sooooo much easier...

But I don't know, you would have to have a really good reason why you are taking GRE while millions of others, myself included, are studying for months and months for this damn LSAT.

Good luck though.

Hey, if all else fails, you can apply to grad school!

Alex

@dennisgerrard said:

Different schools have different weightness on LSAT+GRE.

Do they? I haven't read anything that indicates this, but definitely interested to know if this is the case. For instance, GW and NU both place a different weight on the GRE?