Phantom '23–'24

Advice for future applicants:
Your practice tests are not necessarily reflective of what you’ll score on the real LSAT. Be careful gassing yourself up with these PTs because your actual score might be disappointing. Also, try to apply earlier in the cycle.

I took the LSAT 3 times thinking I could score higher because my practice tests said I could. It turns out I scored my best LSAT on my first attempt with a 157 during the September LSAT. Before my second attempt in November, I was PT’ing in the 160’s with my best PT being a 170. I scored another 157 on the second attempt. I thought, maybe I just got unlucky and just needed to take it one more time, so instead of applying, I waited to take the January LSAT. I scored a 155.

It turns out that I shot myself in the foot because I would have had a better chance of getting into some of these schools had I just applied with my September score. I had already taken a gap year and was not willing to take another. I was like “Am I really gonna do another year of LSAT when there is not even a guarantee I’m going to do better?” “Hell no.” So I just decided to apply.

I ended up applying to a bunch of reach schools. I said to myself “I’m only ever gonna apply to law school once in my life” so I figured I might as well shoot my shot. I ended up getting waitlisted at 5 schools. I went to visit one of them and they said if I had applied earlier in the cycle I would’ve been in. They later rejected me off the waitlist. So just be aware that if you are applying late you’ll need better stats and the process is cutthroat. Lots of these schools are median chasing hard.

I was able to get off the waitlist at LSU. They had emailed me earlier to say that I’d been waitlisted. They called me early in the morning randomly one day. Thankfully I was not at work at the time, but I was still half asleep and I saw LSU on the caller ID and I instantly picked up the phone. They told me the great news that I’m off the waitlist. I’m super happy to be able to attend here. I’m loving LSU Law so far, and so everything has worked out for me.

Another thing I would add if you are still in undergrad is to try and develop relationships with your professors. I had a hard time getting letters of recommendation because I sat in the back of the class, didn’t participate, and never really developed a relationship with any of my professors.

Hindsight is 20/20 of course.

You are way more than just a set of numbers, remember that. I hope this helps somebody.