LSAT scores.. and improvement

[Wine&SilverBlue]

Hey.. I just decided that I'm pretty sure I want to go to Law School.....

I was wondering if those of you who have been-there-done-that with the whole application process could give me some tips/etc:

Just curious... (and by all means, dont answer these if they are too personal)

1. What did you get on the LSAT?
2. Did you take a course? why/why not? if so, which course?
3. How much did your score improve from when you started studying?
4. What was your appx GPA in college?
5. What schools did you apply to? What was your top choice?
6. Where did you get accepted?
7. Where do/did you go and what made you choose that school?
8. What did you find hardest about the application process?
9. What advice do you have for someone about to start this process?
10. anything else

Thanks so much in advance..

jen


ETA: did the school having a chapter of your GLO affect in any way your decision to apply/attend that law school?

[OtterXO]

Okay I'll answer these as much as I can!

1. What did you get on the LSAT?
161
2. Did you take a course? why/why not? if so, which course?
Yes, Kaplan...probably because I had no idea what the LSAT looked like so I felt it was probably necessary
3. How much did your score improve from when you started studying?
well, my diagnostics during the course ranged from a 155 at the beginning to a 167. Of course my actual score was almost exactly in the middle of the range
4. What was your appx GPA in college?
3.5
5. What schools did you apply to? What was your top choice?
USD, LMU, USC, UC Hastings, Pepperdine
6. Where did you get accepted?
All but USC
7. Where do/did you go and what made you choose that school?
I chose USD mainly because I already had a life in San Diego and the school's rankings have been climbing every year.
8. What did you find hardest about the application process?
Waiting for the acceptance letters!!! Actually probably the hardest thing is writing your personal statement
9. What advice do you have for someone about to start this process?
Seriously think about whether or not you want to go to law school. It is a HUGE financial commitment and a lot of people don't like it once they start but they feel like they have to finish because they've already invested money into it...just some things to think about!

[deadbear80]

1. What did you get on the LSAT? 162
2. Did you take a course? why/why not? if so, which course?
I took Kaplan. Mostly because I had heard better things about it than Princeton Review, because they had a study center with the actual old tests where I could do extra work on my own time as well as go to class, and because they were closest to my house since I did the prep course the summer before my senior year in college.
3. How much did your score improve from when you started studying?
I decided to not crack a book before my 1st diagnostic and had just come back from Australia about 2-3 days before I started class so I was still a little out of it, but I got a 149 on it. That was 13 points under what I actually scored.
4. What was your appx GPA in college? 3.56
5. What schools did you apply to? What was your top choice?
Wash. U., Columbia, UPenn, Northwestern, Boston U., Boston College, Northeastern U. (in Boston), Loyola U. (in Chicago), Georgetown, U of IL, U of MN, and U of Michigan. University of Michigan was my top choice (but a stretch).
6. Where did you get accepted?
Wash. U., Northeastern, Loyola, U of IL, and U of MN. Waitlisted at BU and Northwestern.
7. Where do/did you go and what made you choose that school?
I will be a 1L at Wash. U. this fall. I chose it because: a) it had the dual-degree MSW/JD program I wanted to do; and it's the oldest and best program of its kind in the country, b) because I knew the school (having done undergrad there) and it was an environment I really felt comfortable it, and c) it's a good law school with great facilities and faculty.
8. What did you find hardest about the application process?
I would have to agree that just waiting for the acceptance letters was VERY hard for me. I started getting acceptances/rejections in December and it wasn't until March that I heard from the final school and could make a true choice.
9. What advice do you have for someone about to start this process?
Apply to a variety of schools--ones that you know you'll get into, and stretches. You never know what will happen. Also, figure out geographically where you'll be happy so you don't waste money applying and then realize you didn't get into anywhere you'd really like to be for 3 years (I had a friend who did that).

And finally: No, I did not choose law schools based on whether or not they had a chapter of my GLO. I got lucky that I ended up at my alma mater and could be involved with their chapter. Only 5 of the schools I applied to have a DG Chapter--but all of them are located in areas with Alum Associations.

[Clockwork08]

1. 165

2. No-- b/c if you are disciplined to enough to study on your own prep books will be just fine so save your money ( you will need it!). But if you do not think you can dedicate a lot time to studying w/o prodding then take the course

3. my first practice score ( you take a full length timed test on princetonreview.com for free) was 154 ( studied for 2 months)

4. 2.7 (upward trend, darn all those bio and chem courses!)

5. Toledo, Ohio State, Akron, Depaul, Valpo, Wake Forest (my alma mater), Florida Coastal, Dayton, Depaul, Penn State. (Top choice was OSU)

6. Everywhere but OSU (waitlisted)

7. Going to Toledo, going there b/c I recieved full ride plus stipend and has good placement in Ohio

8. Writing the Personal Statement took 2 months of drafts before I got it right

9. Apply early, def b/f Jan. Also try to visit your top schools before they make a decision it my theory that it is harder to reject someone when they can put a face with a name

10. No, b/c I would be affiliated w/ a grad chapter not an undergrad. Plus I know it hard to a city in the US that doesn't have a wonderful AKA grad chapter nearby, so I wasn't worried about not being near sorors. I will be involved with the chapter in Toledo though.