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Am I Just Deluding Myself?

kmarxtheleftkmarxtheleft Alum Member
edited January 2023 in General 114 karma

I really want to go to UVA; however, my GPA is way low (3.28) cumulative. Additionally, I have canceled my LSAT score twice. Whenever I was able to view my score before deciding if I wanted to keep it or not, I scored a pathetic 139.

Am I deluding myself in even thinking this is a possibility? It's pretty much UVA or bust for me. I have done enough research to know that for me UVA is by far the best law school in the country for me personally. It literally checks all the boxes.

I'm just looking for some input on this whole issue. What percentage of LSAT students raise their scores by 30+ points? How realistic of a possibility is it? Is it worth the mental and emotional energy to even pursue?

I have so much internal conflict in my mind about what direction I want to go in. Although I am essentially dead set on UVA, in theory I suppose I could attend Penn State University Park's law school, as I am a Penn State alumni and would be eligible for $20,000 a year, minimum; however, big law prospects would essentially be nonexistent from this school. (I would want to pursue a career in international law).

Because of my autism, I have a tendency to get obsessed with the idea of attending law school; however, to this point how that has manifested in studying is that I have been far too scattered in my approach. I am going to post a poll to see what others think about the direction I should go in. That's it for now. Thanks to everyone who read this post.

Potential Direction
  1. What should I do?66 votes
    1. Give up on law school, use the Penn State Alumni network to land a good job in a related career.
        6.06%
    2. Grind it out for the 170 or higher: UVA or bust!
      45.45%
    3. Strive for an LSAT score in the 150s and if accepted attend Penn State
      48.48%
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Comments

  • kmarxtheleftkmarxtheleft Alum Member
    114 karma

    Also, I would appreciate it if some fellow Penn Staters on here would be willing to comment. Thank you!

  • Shemariel165-1-1-1Shemariel165-1-1-1 Live Member
    114 karma

    Hi,

    I was kinda in the same boat as you but with a higher GPA ..I would ask yourself really why do you want to got to UVA? Is it the prestige of if? Why is it UVA or bust? Ask if you went to another law school what would be the harm? Force yourself to look for another law school to see what will happen.

    If you are really passionate about UVA I don't think you're delirious for wanting to apply just know you're really going to have to have discipline grind it out both which are easier said than done. It will not be easy especially if you are doing it for superficial reasons.

    Also you should see are able to receive any testing accommodations

    Hope this helps! Good Luck

  • sucralosedaddysucralosedaddy Alum Member
    310 karma

    If you had said that was your intro diagnostic score I wouldn't put that much weight into it, but as of now, yes. To put it bluntly your score is in the 9th percentile, and your score would make it difficult for you to even get in at the lowest tier law schools in the country.

    UVA LSAT median is a 171 which is ~98th percentile and their GPA range is 3.7-3.99, so even if you managed 170s score it would still be difficult to get in to UVA considering your GPA (you would be a "super splitter").

    Its possible to raise your score that many points, but its a huge hill to climb and unlikely. You're gonna have to commit yourself to the LSAT and grind. Percentage wise I'd say its probably less than .1% of applicants (1 out of every thousand) who raise their score 30+ points? If you want to hear a taste of what it takes listen to the 1st 7sage podcast on spotify with @Accountspayable.

    There's a lot of other factors at play needed to give a better answer to see if even a 170 score is possible for you.
    Have you attempted to study before and what did that look like? How many months have you been studying? What are your average BR scores? Do you understand the material?

    At the end of the day its not impossible but its gonna be tough. Keep in mind there's always the option of going to a lower tier school for your 1L and then attempting to transfer into UVA later if your heart is truly set on them.

    Good Luck.

  • david.giribaldidavid.giribaldi Alum Member
    edited January 2023 53 karma

    bro, just work hard and whatever comes of it comes of it. Focus on only studying this test and getting better at an individual problem at a time. Ruminating on what could go wrong is seriously the biggest waste of time and quite frankly for people who end up doing nothing. Don't let the anxiety cripple your progress. Go watch a motivational video on YouTube or something and pick up the pen. Nothing to be ashamed of if you give it your all.

  • ClaudioD21ClaudioD21 Member
    414 karma

    Replying to second @sucralosedaddy. It honestly depends on a lot. For example, you might be able to perfect LG and even -0 LR. But RC is a skill you build throughout your life and you might not be able to improve on by much. However, I won’t sit here and tell you to give up or not even try. If you’re willing to dedicate at least a year or more to the LSAT go for it. It won’t be easy but not impossible. Best of luck friend.

  • _--Aujlaw--__--Aujlaw--_ Alum Member
    160 karma

    Don't talk down to yourself. Don't call it a "pathetic" 139. Everyone has to start somewhere. If this is your dream and this is something that you really want, then work for it and make it happen for yourself. There are so many LSAT tools and resources out there, as well as different studying methods. Find what works for you and stick to it.
    Although it's always a good idea to have backup schools and to be open to things not working out exactly as you had hoped, it's also important that you put in as much time and energy as possible into studying for your goal score!!!
    Good luck!

  • JDream2025JDream2025 Alum Member
    996 karma

    I will keep this short and concise.

    Whatever you put into something is what you get out of it.

  • kmarxtheleftkmarxtheleft Alum Member
    114 karma

    Thank you for your words of encouragement, everyone! I know that I can get where I want to be if I put in the effort. Just need to be a bit less rigid in my thinking, I guess.

  • The2ndSageThe2ndSage Member
    64 karma

    If it's truly your dream, grind until you achieve it. Listen to the 7Sage podcasts to know what it is going to take for 170+. Best of luck!

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