When is a Low LSAT Score Too Low?

My most-read blog topics are those dealing with very low LSAT scores; there are a lot of you out there. So, what constitutes a "low" LSAT score? This is not a discussion for those of you who find yourselves disappointed with your 158s. Let's aim this conversation at those of you below a 147 LSAT.
I get a lot of calls from people in this category. There are certain people whose chances will not be helped even with advice from a law school admission consultant. We are not, after all, miracle workers. If your LSAT score is in the 130s or low 140s, it's very hard to find an ABA law school anywhere in the US that will offer you unrestricted acceptance (especially in the increasingly competitive environment of our c. It may be possible to gain acceptance to a conditional program at an ABA law school (especially with scores in the low to mid 140s) but even that has its problems. You may get yourself to Appalachia or somewhere to try the conditional course, and then they may only offer acceptance to 2 of the 100 participants. The problem is that once you are unsuccessful in gaining acceptance through a conditional admission program, other law schools will be hard pressed to find a reason to give you a chance at their own school, even with a slightly improved LSAT score.
If you haven't exhausted your opportunities to take the LSAT, then take it again. However, you must prepare differently than you did before. And don't rush the process; it's too late for October. Wait until December. Make improving your score your focus; without it, the world's best personal statement, most impressive resume, and illuminating letters of recommendation won't make a bit of difference.
Those of you who know me know that I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I will always give my honest opinion.....

Take II: Reapplying to Law School

If things didn't go your way for Fall 2008 admission and you are retaking the LSAT to apply for Fall 2009 admission (or Winter 2009 admission), here is a post of things to consider as you approach the June 2008 or October 2008 LSAT. (Please forgive the plug at the end - this was one of the first lawschoolexpert blog entries).

And here is a link to a previous post for general LSAT advice. The blogs that linked to this post last July still have worthy advice on the topic.

Proof that Powerful Personal Statements Pay Off

I spend a lot of time on the subject of "Rankings Aren't Everything" and "LSAT Isn't Everything" and for those of you who still don't believe me, I want to share this with you--- it's from a client with a 154 LSAT who e-mailed me tonight:

Ann!!!!!!!!!

Oh my god, i just got home and opened a package from Boston College Law School!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still can't believe it!!! Couldn't have done it without you!

Proof that the LSAT isn't Everything

Ok, so in the last 2 days several of my clients have heard great news - acceptances came in from the University of Miami, Loyola-Chicago, and two of my clients got the thumbs up from UC Berkeley (Boalt).
But the best proof that those dreaded law school personal statements matter (and that the LSAT is not the end-all, be-all) came in today. One of my clients just got a phone call from the director of admission at UCLA - She is going to UCLA with a 156 LSAT!!!!!
Did she have something special to offer the law school beyond the numbers? Absolutely. But so do many law school applicants. The personal statement and optional questions matter; don't blow them off. Hundreds of applicants with LSATs in the 160s won't get into UCLA this year, but one with a 156 did!
The lesson? Don't get too down about the LSAT. Control what you can control - sell yourself in the most positive light possible, and pick schools where the programs match your interests and background. To learn how I can help, see these success stories.

Putting the LSAT in Perspective

With the December 1, 2007 LSAT a week away, many law school applicants are feeling like the entire future trajectory of their lives and careers are resting on this four-hour exam.

I read all the discussion boards and blogs and I know this is a self-perpetuating stress-inducer. It seems like you're doomed without a 160 (or 165 or 170 or whatever you've decided is the only possible score you'll be happy with) and you shouldn't bother waking up in the morning unless you can at least get into Georgetown.

Allow me to put this in perspective for you -
Is the LSAT a serious thing? Yes. Does it matter in the world of law school admissions? Yes. Of course. I'd be an idiot to tell you otherwise. However, please keep the following in mind:

1. The LSAT is an aptitude test - if you prepare adequately, it serves as a statistical indicator for your academic performance in law school and likelihood of passing the bar exam on the first try. However, there are people for whom standardized test scores are not reliable indicators of aptitude. Law schools know this.

2. Your LSAT score is not a label you will wear your entire life. No one but you and the law school has to know about it. You don't have to advertise it to friends or family members. It's private, like how much money you make and your preferred method of being kissed. Seriously. If more people kept this information off the web, fewer people would feel as though they aren't measuring up in life.

3. Your LSAT score is not something employers will ask about - your grades in law school will count though. If a prospective employer asks your LSAT score, I'd say "The LSAT, as you know, is an aptitude test for law school. As you can see, I'm doing very well in law school....."

4. Getting into a law school where your LSAT is really low for that school is nice and all, but if it means you'll be at the bottom of the class then perhaps it's not serving you all that well to be at that school. I believe there's a lot to be said for being a big fish in a smaller pond. (Of course, if you go to a school where your LSAT is low and still kick butt with the grades, then that's awesome. You have to know yourself a bit to make this determination).

5. People with low LSATs often do just fine in law school. I kid you not, when I was serving as director of admissions for an ABA law school, an administrative error occurred and someone was admitted accidentally with a 138 LSAT. You know what? She ended up graduating right in the middle of her class! This shows the limits of the LSAT in predicting success.

Ok, so for those of you that aren't familiar with my work - I'm not against performing well on the LSAT. Right now, I have clients whose scores range between 129 - 180. I have clients who hired me to give them every possible opportunity just to attend an ABA law school, and others who want to make sure they are the ones chosen for the nation's "top" law schools (and everywhere in between). I'm all for doing well on the LSAT, but don't beat yourself up over a 155 if that's the right score for you. After all, with a 155, you're still outperforming 67% of all LSAT takers!

My wish for you on the December 2007 LSAT is this: Do your personal best, demonstrate your own aptitude, and agree to adjust your strategy for law school admission accordingly. For more stories about people who are admitted to law schools with LSAT scores at or below the 25th percentiles for those schools see here.

P.S. I don't usually link to blogs of other law school applicants (I don't believe in having the blind lead the blind....), here is a good article.

Are You Ready for the LSAT?

The September LSAT is a little over a week away and a lot of my clients are starting to feel the pressure. Here are some things to keep in mind as you approach the exam date:

1. Have you prepared adequately? If you've spent 6-12 weeks steadily preparing, taking practice exams, fixing your mistakes, and you've seen at least some improvement since the first test or two, then you're probably ready for the exam.

2. Are you disappointed with your practice scores? Ask yourself why you're disappointed. Is it because you really liked the way a 165 sounded and your practice exams are steadily in the high 150s? Giving yourself a "goal score" is not a reasonable way of approaching this test. If you've prepared for the exam, take the exam.

3. Thinking about not taking the test or cancelling your score? Most schools are looking at the highest of multiple scores so there is almost no downside to taking it. If you're scared of being labeled by your LSAT score, remember this is not a number that you'll ever have to tell anyone about during job interviews. It's not going to be engraved on your tombstone. It's just an admission test and while you'll have to craft a strategy for yourself (picking the right schools for you) based on this exam outcome, it's not (despite what others might have you believe) the overall determining factor for your entire career and future.

4. Are you just not the best standardized test taker in the world? It's totally ok. Really. You're not alone. Do the best you can and work with it. I have clients who initially get into schools where their LSAT is far from being the best and they still graduate near the top of their classes. Also, I have clients who are initially somewhat limited by the LSAT in deciding where to apply but then they transfer to top law schools after earning solid grades during their first year.

Yes, the LSAT is serious. Yes, it is weighted pretty heavily in the law school admissions process. But don't let the goals that are right for someone else determine what you expect of yourself. I have clients with 170 LSAT scores who are still upset they didn't get a 174; they are just as upset as people with a 146 who didn't get the 150 they hoped they would.

Whatever your score is, you'll craft a strategy for success. Be confident in your own abilities and you will go far.

Great Resource for Low LSAT Applicants

For those of you who struggle with the LSAT and are from low-income and/or groups under-represented in the legal profession, you should know about the 6-week intensive CLEO program. This is a great opportunity for those who have overcome significant disadvantage to seek a law degree.

Very Low LSAT scores?

While I don't want to give false hope to those of you struggling with LSAT scores in the 130s and low 140s, I do want to give you a little encouragement. While you face an uphill battle, it's merely a battle and not a suicide mission. (Bad analogy? I'm sorry.)

For example, one of my clients (141 = high score) has already been admitted to 2 ABA law schools for Fall 2007 and is still on the wait list at a top 25 school. (She applied 2 years before with the same score and didn't get in anywhere). I'm not kidding or lying, and she has not saved the universe or overcome paralysis. It is absolutely possible.

Another client with a 142 and an arrest record to explain was admitted to her first choice law school. Yet another, a nontraditional applicant with a 143, got into 5 ABA law schools at last count. And, if you need encouragement to retake the LSAT here are some examples to fuel the fire: W.H., a client, rose his score from a 142 to a 151. K.P. brought hers up from a 144 to a 150.

What did these applicants do that made a difference? They made sure to give the law schools a lot of reasons why they are more than just their numbers. Their applications played to their strengths. None of these people are superheros. You could be one of them.