Critique my plan please

canihazJD

Hi all... new here. Hoping to get some feedback on my plan. I don't have much in the way of peer applicants/mentors and would like to get some good eyes on this.

Applied with a cold 158 from the July '19 LSAT and didn't give it much more thought. Cycle outcomes thus far seem to indicate significantly better outcomes would be in range with a better score (acceptances up to BC and WL's at CLS, Cornell, USC, UCLA, WUSTL, etc.). Found 7sage and began the CC on 2/1. Am now doing the PTs, having completed 36-38 with the following results:

PT 36 161/BR172 LR -8/-3 RC -1/-0 LR -9/-3 LG -7/-3 Taken 2/26
PT 37 162/BR174 RC -1/-1 LR -6/-3 LG -12/-2 LR -2/-0 Taken 3/4
PT 38 170/BR178 LR -1/-0 LG -3/-1 RC -6/-3 LR -2/-0 Taken 3/9

My objective was getting off a waitlist (ideally CLS for a specific focus), but am now debating taking the test in March at all, as opposed to just looking toward a July-October retake for next cycle.

Goals: Criminal/Social Justice focus leading into CJ/government reform. Not opposed to BL for experience or if needed to service debt. Dream would be academia, but admittedly not realistic.

Other info:

• 3.85, non-trad career changer, 10 years WE law enforcement.

• unhappy with outcomes this cycle... barring some huge negotiation success, I'm maybe 90% certain I won't deposit, though due to age and some not insignificant C&F issues, I do consider that I should just be thankful for what I got and make the best of it.

• I feel like I could score higher on 3/30 but not as high as I could given more prep. I chose 3/30 because I would have significant difficulty doing a last minute acceptance due to location (Hawaii) and family considerations. Hope that doesn't sound presumptuous... I realize it is not likely.

• Not crazy about debt or less than ideal scholarships off a WL, but am willing to incur reasonably proportionate debt. If I were to miracle my way into CLS, I'd pay sticker.

• also, I think PT38 was a fluke. I felt like I did way worse. Looks like I just lucked into games that I was able to navigate. In general, I don't really feel confident on any section yet.

Should I:

• continue to hit it hard for 3/30 for the WL with an eye on June-October for next cycle?

• push back 3/30 to June/July for more prep time and just deal with it if I happen to get a last minute WL acceptance?

• forget about the WLs and focus on a more reasonable intensity for June-October and do next cycle less stupid?

• just negotiate scholarships and move forward with the best option this cycle?

Thank you for the feedback. Any opinion welcomed... just trying to nudge along my thought process. Been browsing the forum and wish I had discovered this place earlier!

lexxx745

yes focus on next cycle. You could push that score up get into a school youd like more and more scholarship money

FindingSage

Focus on next cycle. You have the potentential to score much higher which means much less debt, better career prospects ect. Aiming towards the July test would probably be a good plan.

jmarmaduke96

I wholeheartedly agree, I would focus on really boosting your score substantially and try for next cycle. If you are able to get it up enough and get into a school that is fairly highly ranked, such as CLS, I see no reason why your dream of academia can't be realistic!

canihazJD

Thanks all for the input... am definitely seeing progress with a more common sense approach to LSAT prep. I suppose I can chalk this cycle up to an expensive admissions lesson, as I did learn a lot. Kicking myself for not jumping right back into prep after July.

Kiva_180

Bumping this with a related question: If you retake and reapply in a later cycle, is it harmful to wait for decisions? For example, if UVA rejects you in cycle A and you retake and reapply, are they more likely to reject you in cycle B that if you had withdrawn before getting rejected?

canihazJD

@Kiva_180 don't have an answer to that but I coincidentally just got WL'ed by UVA too.

Definitely focusing on the R&R now especially with everything else going on. Already withdrawn from every admit and WL except CLS, UVA, and Cornell. Hopefully there's an LSAT sometime before September o_O.