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Should we be aiming for higher scores than before?
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I at first thought a 170 would get me into the school I wanted, but now I'm hearing many more people are getting 180s. I feel like the 2022 cycle is going to be more competitive, so really should I be shooting for a 175?
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Admissions questions are always tricky. Hearsay isn’t hard data. I know a woman who got into UPenn with a 170 this past cycle and when I look up the scores for each school for the 2021 cycle, they’ve remained pretty much the same. Admissions, whether it be in undergrad or law school, get more competitive every year. Just do the best you can.
I mean shooting for 170+ is basically saying get the highest score possible anyway, no?
I agree with what has been said, but I do think it's very possible that medians will be going up for a bunch of schools. It may be best to aim a few points higher, but generally a 170 is already phenomenal. I think we tend to forget that 170+ scores are literally not at all average when we see these increases in scores.... I think it's also good to note that there may be a change in this occurrence with LSAC going back to the 4 section tests. However, even that test is essentially a flex test so there may still be more 170+ scores, but only time will tell.
What happened this past cycle showed me that some schools were no longer impressed with sky high LSAT scores, but rather soft factors. I cannot say how the 2021 cycle will pan out of course, but if it's anything like the 2020 cycle (more 170's -180's + more applications), I think it's safe to assume that many schools at the top will consider soft factors much more. This past cycle, many KJDs and people with little to no work experience were often at a disadvantage when it came to the T14 schools because schools were bombarded with hoards of high scorers. So even if someone had amazing scores and GPA, but lacked in certain softs, they were weeded out. I think the dean of Georgetown literally said something along the lines of, "applicants better have a good reason for me to accept them because a 170+ is no longer unique". As such, I am not sure a 170-175 would really make much of a difference (unless you're aiming for HYS) in the grand scheme of things since it will no longer be a purely numbers game. It used to be that people with scores like 170-180 were considered sure shots at a lot of the higher ranked schools, but I don't think we can rely on that for the next cycle or even the one after. The 2020 cycle really rocked the admissions game in my opinion and I applied in that hellfire of a cycle so I really saw people with 175s get waitlisted everywhere. It's just insane
I just saw a 180/3.75 that got one single acceptance... UT with no scholarship. It was a fucking mess out there this year. I sincerely hope that the additional (checks volume summary) 2225 extra 170+ scorers this cycle were successful and enjoy awesome careers but damn you all made it stressful.
So the answer to the question is a yes? Athough it perpetuates this whole stressful cycle. More people attempt to score higher, more succeed, which causes the averages to go up, and the high scores aren’t as valued as they were....so you’re kind of back to square one, albeit with much more pain. Great.
No one can say for sure... but IMO indication is that it will be another competitive cycle. Lots of factors... medians will be up, but will schools try to sustain (or even increase) them? If June with it's 42k testers and then especially August with the new format don't indicate a change in scoring distribution, I'd assume schools will think either is possible for at least one more cycle. The new format would seem to have all the advantages of the flex. 1 more unscored section, but also you also get a break now. I'd call that a wash at worst... the break may give people even more of an advantage. One of the reasons why I opted not to retake and reapply again. That's just me though.
@canihazJD YES. That is exactly the type of situation that makes me think a high score no longer matters as long as there is an influx of applicants and high scores... and unfortunately, so far, that seems to be a high possibility for the 2021 cycle. We spoke briefly about this when I was thinking of doing R&R and I really think it might not make a difference even if I score in the 170's for the next round of admissions. Unless I am aiming for lower T14 or T20 at this point. But overall, I think a high score is always a good goal to have and strive for to increase your chances, but you just can't rely on it to be your golden ticket anymore (which absolutely sucks, but is the reality for now)
Edit: If it's any consolation, I did see people with lower scores than the median get into their reach schools in 2020.. however, they were definitely a rarity. I also got waitlisted at a reach (my LSAT score was below median but my GPA was in their range) so.. schools are still considering a range of scores, but it's a lot more difficult to gauge where you will land in the spectrum of admissions. It was literally anyone's game for 2020 and people are still waiting on a ton of waitlists. Overall, it's not impossible, but just be prepared for unexpected acceptances, rejections, and waitlists.
aha, I was kind of being tongue in cheek. The answer is always yes to a higher score, except now it seems to not mean as much anymore. with the pandemic easing up (at least in the united states) and the economy opening back up with more jobs, perhaps things will change. i've heard the influx of more (and higher)scores from the last cycle was at least partially due to the pandemic. more people indoors and unemployed, that left more time for the exams.
I don't like talking about admissions stuff in general; all it does is make me feel hopeless.
@Na-leh2021 I'm going to go ahead and say that a 170 is phenomenal for T14, but the higher you go, the better it is for you to have a 175+ (e.g. HYS, UVA, Columbia, etc.) The caveat is, that higher score will not be anyone's golden ticket for admissions. It's best to use the extra year to gain work experience, etc. to make yourself the most well rounded applicant you can be. After, shoot blindly and hope you land in the top. It's not impossible. It's just a hell of a lot harder to get into T6 and even T14.
Sorry if this all sounds morbid. I think we can all hope for a better cycle in 2021, but it's just not a guarantee. Having done the whole 2020 horror story of a cycle, I can say I was pretty disappointed with some of my admissions results but not all of it. There are amazing schools outside of the T14 and it really just depends on your own personal goals and why you want to pursue law. Try not to worry too much. I think in any cycle, all we can do is try our best and that's it. A lot of things are and will always be out of our control so cast a wider net for applications, brush up your resume, aim high on the LSAT, and you should be just fine. Good luck if you're applying next cycle!