Nervous for LSAT and admissions

rmshirk22

I'm unfortunately taking the LSAT coming up this Saturday, but I feel that I'm not entirely ready or maybe just discouraged. My score has fluctuated from a 155-162 with getting a nearly perfect score on the logic games. The fluctuation is mainly due to my inconsistent LR score. Even if I receive the lowest of that range, I'm nervous it won't be enough to get into the school I'm looking at, which is FIU. My gpa from college was a 3.49 with majors in Neurobiology and Neuropsychology. I've been out of school for two years, but unfortunately I didn't gain any law experience. However, I was a bartender and bar manager for 5 years at the same job that my GM wrote a very strong LOR. I also have another strong LOR from when I was a TA in undergrad. I'm in need of words of encouragement that there is some hope to get into FIU. I don't want to feel hopeless before going into the test this Saturday.

Cant Get Right

155 is above FIU's LSAT median, and their 25/75 GPA is 3.14/3.76, so that should put you over the median for GPA as well; so looks to me like, worst case scenario, you're good.

When you're above both medians, you've just got to not screw up the rest of your application. So, don't write a creepy personal statement about how you like to make dolls out of hair you find on the subway. Things like that.

Alex

@"Cant Get Right" said:
155 is above FIU's LSAT median, and their 25/75 GPA is 3.14/3.76, so that should put you over the median for GPA as well; so looks to me like, worst case scenario, you're good.

When you're above both medians, you've just got to not screw up the rest of your application. So, don't write a creepy personal statement about how you like to make dolls out of hair you find on the subway. Things like that.

LOL at making dolls!

@rmshirk22 I think you'll be fine if you can manage a mid to high 150s score. I plugged in some numbers into MYlsn.info and you'll be fine. Like @"Cant Get Right" says, just don't mess up your app and you'll be good.

combsni

@"Alex Divine" also the 25th/75th rule really applies in competitive years. From everyone I have spoken with, this isn't a very competitive year. So I would say he would be in a good situation , as long as he does not blow it completely

desire2learn

@combsni What makes a year "competitive" versus not? Or, more appropriately, how can one project/predict this?

combsni

I would assume it would be determined by number of applicants, strength of applications, and trend. Obviously, admission standards have went down a great deal in the past few years. The person I spoke to from George Mason said that this was "the best year in quite some time" to apply to law school. Apparently, there was a time where if someone did not get a 155 or higher, they were not going to get into law school

always learning

@combsni Whats the 75/25 rule?

combsni

@greenbergcoupons It's the idea that if one is in the 25th percentile or below, in either the LSAT or UGPA, that person must put themselves in the 75th percentile of the other. It is a good guideline but it's not necessarily as critical as it used to be.

always learning

@combsni Thanks so much - I was checking the class profiles for the law schools that I hope to apply to and was wondering why they list it like that - do you think that a high GPA from a lower grade college is a big negative?

combsni

@greenbergcoupons no it isn't a negative. A low gpa from a lower grade college would be much more negative lol! Where are you applying?

always learning

@combsni hopefully NYU and Fordham, maybe Columbia if my LSAT score is high enough

combsni

@greenbergcoupons , I take it you are from New York lol? What's your gpa?

always learning

@combsni and I see that you're good at inference questions!! 3.9 GPA

combsni

@greenbergcoupons , lol and for schools like those (with Fordham as an exception), you probably need both an extremely high ugpa and lsat

always learning

@combsni hence, my concern. thanks for your help

combsni

@greenbergcoupons , one last question for you. What are your "safe schools"?

always learning

@combsni well I actually think that Fordham is my safe school, maybe Cardozo also - why?