Anna Ivey gives you ruthlessly practical admissions advice
How do the top schools evaluate multiple LSAT scores? I know a few of the t14 schools claim they average the scores and a few others claim they take a holistic approach. However, I have also read that since the ABA changed their reporting policy, law schools have every incentive to evaluate the highest score.
Also, what if there is a huge disparity in the scores.
What a glorious week all you February LSAT takers are waking up to. Exhausted, curled up, wrung out? Take heart, you could be these people over in Boston:
Twitter: @OnlyInBOS
Here's some of the best news, though. For many years I've been banging the drum to apply EARLY, EARLY, EARLY in the admissions cycle. Recently, though, it's been more of a finger tapping.
Many people who submitted their applications last fall are already getting acceptances, so that hasn't changed, and that's a nice bonus for them.
Some nice feedback from an applicant who worked with our colleague Janeille and is happily headed to Georgetown Law School:
I had worked with an admissions consultant from a different company and thought my application was ready to go.
Some nice feedback on working with our consultant Greg, from an applicant headed to a T14 law school:
Greg, I am absolutely delighted to let you know that I have been accepted at _________ [T14 law school]!! It is honestly a dream come true for me. _______ was a reach school for me, as I fell right along the median for GPA, but slightly below for the LSAT.
I'm pre-ordering this book, VERY excited to read it:
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania The title alone is a great reminder not to conflate your whole identity with where you do or don't get into college (or grad school for that matter). My immediate reaction is this, and it's something I've been mulling over for some time now:
One of the real downsides to the current "holistic" approach to elite university admissions in the United States is that the schools give the impression that they're evaluating you (judging you) *as a human being*.
I'm an international student applying for law school. I took TOEFL and got 103, which is a decent score for most law school. The problem is that I only got 20 on writing section. Will that hurt my chance? Or would admission just care about the total score? Thank you for answering.
Each school sets its own TOEFL requirements, so you'll need to confirm those requirements at each school that you're interested in.
Happy Veterans Day! As some of you already know, I also help run a non-profit called Service to School, which provides free application help to veterans. Our goal is to help veterans get into the very best colleges and graduate schools as they transition into civilian life and navigate the sometimes strange world of higher ed.
Today, one of my S2S colleagues and I have an op-ed in the New York Times on the subject of veterans' education, the G.
I have taken LSAT three times. One of them is a cancel. I would really like to be able to take the test for a fourth time and can't wait for the 2 years limit to be over for the fourth take. I think I can improve. How can I get LSAC to grant me a fourth take? Thanks in advance.
I have expended the 3 takes in the last 1 year and didn't reach my target.
A great testimonial from one of Janeille's clients:
Janeille is phenomenal! I went into the law school application process worried that I wouldn’t receive an offer of admission from a top-twenty law school. Although I graduated summa cum laude from college, I struggled on the LSAT. Janeille never stopped having faith in my abilities and helped me prepare a strong application.
So much of the law school application process involves soul searching.
Today’s advice comes from our friends at Blueprint LSAT Prep. Blueprint students can enroll in live LSAT prep classes throughout the country, online LSAT courses from the comfort of their own home, or self-study with Blueprint’s new Logic Games book
Practice tests are (and should be) an important component of any LSAT study schedule, but they’re also commonly misused.
Today’s LSAT advice comes from our friends at Blueprint LSAT Prep. Blueprint offers live LSAT prep classes throughout the country and online LSAT courses for those who want to study on their couch.
The last two LSAT administrations have had weird Logic Games.
Are you a natural-born test taker? No? Then you and I are birds of a feather. There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when I took the LSAT, and I'm glad I don't have to take that sucker ever again. I leave LSAT prep in the capable hands of Blueprint, with whom I'm teaming up to provide law school application workshops throughout August (three in California, one in New York, and one in DC).
Please say hello to David Jewett, a new addition to our college admissions team. David most recently served as an admissions officer at Tufts and has also taught in the Boston Public Schools. He majored in Earth and Planetary Sciences as an undergrad at Harvard (smartypants, I mean really), and outside of work loves theater, carpentry, and sailing. Welcome, David!
Learn more about David here.
Nice praise from a happy camper for our team member Ada Sheng, which also appears on our Testimonials page. Nice job, both of you!
When I first read Ada’s profile I was extremely excited to speak with her on the phone.
Hi Anna, During my sophomore year my dad was arrested by the United States immigration and deported which affected my focus and therefore my gpa during that period. I wrote about this in a gpa addendum, should I also try to get a letter from ICE if possible as proof of his deportation, for admission to the bar? Or is it not necessary?
I'm sorry to hear about your dad.
Did you know that Columbia is the most veteran-friendly school in the Ivy League? Go Lions, and thank you veterans! Take a look:
(Photo: New York Times, from the linked article)
