LSAT or GRE - Implications on T14 admissions and non-T14 state school merit scholarships #Help

Katie_MaricopaKatie_Maricopa Core Member
in Law School Admissions 16 karma

Wondering if anyone has any advice on LSAT or GRE. My goal is to either be accepted into an urban T14; or to receive some merit scholarship funding from one of two in-state schools. (ASU or University of Arizona). [GPA 3.6 - University of Chicago; 6 Years of strong local/national/international public policy management positions, including some but limited overlap with legal clinic intake/advocacy litigation]

The three questions:
1.) Is an above-median LSAT is crucial to get merit scholarship funding at state schools? -e.g. is raising their LSAT stats is one of the main considerations in allocating merit funding? (I think I can score above median at U Arizona and ASU).
2.) Would a 25percentile to median T14 LSAT score, and a 97+% [overall bracket] GRE score, significantly reduce my T14 chances over just a 97+% [overall bracket] GRE score? Would taking the LSATs screw over my chances on getting into a T14?
3.) Is it worth 400 hours of studying to get in the high 160s or low 170s on the LSATs, rather than just a strong GRE score?
I am pretty sure, even if I spend 400 hours intelligently studying for the LSATs, I am going to score in the 25-50th%, \

Here is my situation:
*I scored in the 99th% on all sections of the SATs, with only one 1.5 hour SAT tip crash seminar that was offered by my high school.

*I think I can confidently score in the 97th+% on Verbal, and in the 95+% on Quantitative, on the GRE, with 1/10 of the amount of studying it would take to confidently score at least a 164 on the LSATs.

*I think that I can, with immense practice, confidently score around 165 on the LSAT; 170 as a reach. (On the October 2015 LSAT (my only LSAT test) - I scored 159 after at least 50 hours of study (admittedly less than intelligent. I did not diligently practice pacing; did not tailor practice towards my weakest areas.) I will be applying fall 2020, so I don't think this score will be reported? Then and now, with 1.5 time, I can reliably score 168-178. Now, timed, I am capping out between I 162 and 164. I think I can improve this some but, regardless of how much I study, do not think I can even confidently score 170+.)

Thanks for any suggestions or commentary!!!

Help !!

Comments

  • youbbyunyoubbyun Alum Member
    edited December 2018 1755 karma

    also, are you applying fall 2020 to start law school in 2021? i'm not sure how they do the 5 year cut off thing.

    but anyway,

    i think once you have an LSAT score, the GRE is useless.

    because law schools MUST report your LSAT score, so that will be the MOST important number, regardless of the GRE score.

    So even if you have a perfect 99th percentile GRE score, the law school will mostly look at the 159 -- because they HAVE to report it.

    check this out

    https://blog.spiveyconsulting.com/gre-vs-lsat-answers-from-the-deans/

    "if I have both an LSAT and GRE will they ignore my LSAT if it’s lower than my GRE, or do they evaluate me on both?"

    Gordon Smith (BYU): All of the information we receive is considered in evaluating applicants for admission. Moreover, we are required to report our LSAT scores at the 75th percentile, 50th percentile, and 25th percentile to the ABA, and if a student has taken the LSAT, that score will be included in our calculation of those percentiles.

    David Kirschner (USC): We will evaluate an applicant on both. By all accounts, USNWR will craft a ranking system whereby any and all standardized test scores are included in their methodology. Because of this, any reported LSAT score will continue to matter.

  • Leah M BLeah M B Alum Member ⭐
    8392 karma

    Well, one important factor is that not that many law schools accept the GRE. Of your local schools, only U of Arizona accepts it. ASU does not. About half of the T14 takes it currently. Of course those things could change, but as of right now, options are limited.

    That said, we also have pretty much no idea how law schools really view the GRE. It’s so new in the law school arena and scores aren’t public the way that medians are for the LSAT. So, we really don’t know what a “good” GRE score is for law schools.

    Every school has their own standards on how they give aid. The best thing to do is research admission stats and scholarships at lawschoolnumbers.com. That will give you an idea of how much aid your local schools give out and at what LSAT scores.

    The LSAT is indeed a big commitment, but it is still the universal test for law school admission at this point. I think it’s best to take the LSAT, with an exception for those doing dual degree programs like JD/MBA which require the GRE. In that case, I think it makes sense to take the GRE only so you don’t have to study for 2 exams. Otherwise, the LSAT is a lot more versatile for law admissions.

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