Should I be positive about re-applying in the next cycle?

sssakari

I definitely understand and am aware of my mistakes and am regretting not finding a real solution before, but here's my case.
I took the LSAT 3 times over 2022 (mainland China, extreme COVID-19 measures)
I boosted my grade from 153 to 159. Not ideal, of course. My PTs show consistent 165s. There were factors including being quarantined without any LSAT materials and my laptop for 21 days, my uncle committed suicide a week before the test and I was the only one who was in the area that could take care of him, one of my parent got diagnosed with diabetes and I had to spend my time taking care of him, my entire family tested positive for COVID.
These factors impact my grade significantly since I literally cannot have time to prepare. I did apply to this cycle, but I know my chances are low.
I am not sure if I boosted my LSAT up to a 170+, would that change anything for re-applying to the next cycle? Are my previous grades going to reflect badly about me?

I don't want to keep my hopes too high. Trying to be as realistic as I can right now

aiman.shahab

Hey @sssakari!

7sage's admissions team would love to talk through this question further with you! If you'd like to schedule a free consultation to talk with an admissions specialist about your question, here is the link:
https://7sage.com/admissions/pricing/.

Cant Get Right

Sounds like you had a really rough lead up to your test. Hate to hear all that, and it's very reasonable to think that such a horrible series of events could affect your score. If admissions don't go well this cycle, though, the answer to your question is a resounding "yes." Boosting your LSAT from a 159 to a 170+ would change things quite a lot. It would dramatically change your odds at schools where you're currently competitive or slightly reaching, and it would make you competitive at many additional schools.

As for your previous scores, it's not ideal but probably not too bad. It would be better if you'd just spiked a 170+ on your first take, but a high fourth score is better than a lower first second or third. Plus, it sounds like you could write an addendum which would be quite convincing as to why the lower scores aren't the most representative of your capabilities.

So I say hope for the best for this cycle, but maybe start back studying so that you're ready to go in case the cycle doesn't go well. Scoring 170+ is a lot easier said than done, but just take it one step at a time. As long as you can keep identifying your issues and figuring out solutions, you can keep improving.