Retake??

lalafiggy

Hey guys! First of all a huge thank you to the 7sage community -- you guys have definitely been instrumental throughout this whole LSAT monkey business. I started studying last year and sat for my first take in Dec. Maybe I was nervous, maybe game 3 was a doozy but I scored 165, which was 2 points below my diagnostic (Preptest A). I had been averaging 173/174 before Dec so I decided to retake. By February I was averaging 175/176 and ended up with a 173.

My concern is that I'm a splitter. My GPA (3.45) is well below the 25ths of most schools I'm looking at, so I know I have to pull off an LSAT in the 75th. Do I retake and try to pull a 175+? How bad does a third take look?

I'm not applying until fall of next year so I have plenty of time, but a retake would be significatly harder to arrange because I will be abroad and would have to travel to another country for a testing center.

Anyway, would a few more points be worth it?

*I am also URM, which might affect admission chances

Pacifico

You're at or above every LSAT median and at or above almost every LSAT 75th. CCN and below should all take you with a great app. I would guess you would catch one of HYS, probably H. A higher score might help catch H and S, but Y is likely out. Plus some of those top schools are not big on a third take. You tested within your range so it would likely be a bit of a crapshoot for you to increase again and it doesn't sound like it would be super easy to pull off given your situation. I'd say just start working on your school list, PS, LORs and anything else you can get ahead on. Good luck!

shizuokatwin379

URM with a 173/3.45?

My guess is you are a shoe-in at any school you want.

runiggyrun

I am no admissions expert, but my gut feeling is that if a school is that bothered by your GPA that they wouldn't take you with a 173, then they probably wouldn't with a 175, seeing how both those scores would be at or above the 75th percentile for all but HLS and YLS. Yale is probably out regardless, and they don't like retakes. Maybe it would make a difference for HLS, but a strong application would likely make a bigger difference.
Congratulations on your score and all the hard work that went into it, and best of luck with your applications!

Cant Get Right

@Pacifico said:
Plus some of those top schools are not big on a third take.

I’ve seen this mentioned in several threads recently. Could you possibly elaborate on that? I know large jumps are uncommon anyway, but when they do occur what’s the stigma? Are there any schools in particular that are wary of 3takes? I’ve got to take my third, so I’m kind of just stuck with whatever that reality is.

lalafiggy

Thank you guys for the responses! I have the same question as the previous poster too -- what's the deal with a third take? Why do they care if they just take the highest?

stepharizona

@lalafiggy said:
... ended up with a 173.

Congratulations on your 8 point increase! I agree with everyone else that suggests that you focus on an amazing application and being ready to apply at the very beginning of the application cycle.

From my understanding, the issue with the 3rd take is a few of the top schools are not fond of "score chasing". Also very top schools have many high scoring applicants and a test taker that took 3 attempts to get their high score may not be as competitive to someone that achieved that same high score or a point lower in 1 or 2 attempts.

Cant Get Right

Oh well. Maybe the diminished applicant pool will help blunt that somewhat? I am totally chasing my score, so at the end of the day, I’d rather have an extra five points and be called a score chaser. That’s fair and I can live with it. Then again, I’m no 173! Not yet, that is.