just curious. I'm taking it very soon.

If we say it is that hard, will you still take it?

No

Everyone I know who is in law school made over a 165, so erm .. I guess not. Who knows, I guess I could call them and ask, but Im figuring that Id make about what they made or better considering that I scored better or similar on SATs <shrug>. They all didnt really study for it either. But I plan to study all of summer II after I get back from Germany for it and my GRE so I can get both out of the way early in the fall before all the hell of solid 400 level engineering stuff.

I made a 159 and still managed to get into tu.

I am taking it in Feb. also. Are you ready? I am getting pretty nervous. Wish I had a couple more weeks.

I got a 159. I had been shooting for at least a 160, but my college boyfriend decided that 2 days before the LSAT was an ideal time to break up with me, so needless to say I was pretty distracted the day of the test. For all I know I'd have gotten the same result regardless, but my story is that's why I didn't crack 160.

ellen_ag2001@hotmail.com

What was your major and GPA if you don't mind me asking?

Finance, and I think just under a 3.6. I remember my SMU acceptance letter saying they were particularly impressed that I had made the B-school Dean's List, so that might have been an extra thing that made a difference there (cue all the comments about how easy the business school is...). I got acceptances and scholarship offers at SMU and U of H and got wait-listed at UT, FWIW. Not sure what the result would be if I were applying today with the same numbers...haven't really kept up with the current median LSAT/GPAs though I would expect with the job market what it was the last few years that application numbers soared and the medians probably rose.

ellen_ag2001@hotmail.com

It really depends, you need a certain kind of personality to do well on it. It's not like the SAT, not easier or harder but different. Harvard undergrad's average is like 163.

155 wont get you in many places now days.

I'm at Tulane with a 163 with a nice scholie. Just take the prep tests on your own. It's not that tough.

No. It is not hard to get over a 155. IMO its "hard" to get over a 170. It takes real talent to get that kind of score. (I did NOT get over a 170). You can probably get a 155 cold. Certainly with a bit of prep you can get it. With solid prep I would say anything up to 169 or so is "coachable".

I took it cold and got a 162. What you have to remember is that everyone taking it is college educated and most of them are smart. It's also weighted. Half of the people taking it get a 150 or less.

ttt

Oh, the other thing is that, contrary to what law schools tell you, how well (or poor) you do on the LSAT is not an indicator of how well (or poor) you will do in law school.

Applications to law school have really increased over the past couple years, so now you probably need 160+ to get into the decent schools.

could be St. Mary's for me.

You'd be better off getting a masters is something useful than St. Mary's

Scuba - I am right there with you man!

I am sub 155 and I am inferring (get it?!? haha...ok probably wasn't that funny) that you are too. I am keeping my fingers crossed though. I am also thinking about putting it off until June...I will probably make that decision on the 11th though...

If you have have been studying and you are still below 155, I'd recomend taking the Kaplan course. They have a money back guarantee, you take a practice test the first class and if you're actual test score isn't above your practice test then you get your money back. With as many people applying to law school as there are now a days every point counts. Don't worry about the cost of the course, if you actually attend school that $1000 will be the least of your financial concerns.

Thats the irony, I am taking a course and I have seen improvement, just not as much as I would like. I never thought I would do this poorly so in between freaking out and worrying all the time about getting rejected everywhere, I am trying to tell myself that life won't be so bad at St. Mary's (or Texas Southern/Wesleyan...).

a law degree and passing a bar exam is what really counts in the end. I know many very successful St. Mary's lawyers.

I was a 159 LSAT with a 3.01 GPA in POLS.

Went to ST. Mary's law and now I'm in sales and marketing for a big 4 accounting firm in Houston. Realized that the sky's the limit when you sale.

Go figure...

sales is high pressure, but it's where the $$$ is.

The LSAT is the first of about 25 extremely stressful tests you will take on your way to becoming a lawyer, culminating with the Bar Exam, which can only be described as 2 months of pure hell.

Enjoy!

This brings to mind another question I have: how much does prestige matter?

I know it matters (quite a bit?)... at least I used to think so. If I do wind up at St. Marys/South Texas/Texas Southern... what are my options afterwards? I want to work for the government as an attorney of some sort (don't know which field yet) and I talked to one person in the Governor's General Counsel who went to law school at Oklahoma City University. Isn't that one of the lowest ranked law schools? I also know a judge that went to St. Marys.

DallasAg: yeah, that has been floating around in the back of my mind, too. "If the LSAT is this hard for me then what about the Bar?"

Here are my numbers thus far. 3.5 overall GPR and 153 LSAT (so far). I even hate to ask this question, but what are my chances at Tech?

Its not the MCAT, thats for sure....

Much like every other industry, what law school you attended will become largely irrelevant after your first or second job out of school.

But where you went first and who you work for lets you get in the door and meet people you might not have otherwise met going to a smaller school or working at a smaller or less prestigious firm.

You might have to work a lot harder to get noticed if you go the lower road is all.

Ducks, did u get your mba too at st mary's?



Tro

3.5 and a 153 your chances aren't that bad at Tech. I was at 3.8 and a 156 or 158, I don't remember, I think it was 156 on the one that counted and it was no problem getting in here. The early decision program they offer helps out too, but you have to make an early committment. For the record, Tech Law really isn't that bad, I can vouch, I've been here almost a year now, the people are great, there's plenty of Aggies and the education is solid. It's not as bad as people like to make sound. I thought I'd hate it, but I'm here and fine. You can also pick up an MBA in your spare time while there. (And by spare time I literally mean spare time, the Rawls College is not, let's say, academically challenging)



[This message has been edited by Kiros Kid (edited 1/23/2005 1:38a).]

quote:

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"If the LSAT is this hard for me then what about the Bar?"

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IMO, one has nothing to do with the other. The LSAT tests aptitude, in theory, while the Bar is all about testing your knowledge. It's basically a huge memorization exam, largely.

I think the prestige factor matters a lot more for some areas of law than others and by extension for some firms. In general, business law and/or large firms will probably place a very high emphasis on top schools, top grades, and law review. Smaller firms are interested more in your actual practical experience--can you come in and know how to do things right away, because you will not necessarily be working under someone else for a few years. The firm I just started with I am exactly half of the attorneys, so my work experience was a lot more important than grades or extracurriculars. The fact that I was an Aggie played a much bigger role in getting me this job than the fact that I was an SMU law grad.

ellen_ag2001@hotmail.com

I took it cold, having looked at the review book for 2 hours (I had undergad finals to worry about as well as a FT and PT job). I figured if I couldn't score on the LSAT, I didn't need to go to law school. Scored a 168.