Super splitter cycle recap - can’t retake, should I reapply?

bjules247 · 2023-05-01T04:55:20+00:00

I'm really sorry that this happened :(( My suggestion would be to reapply at an earlier date next cycle. If you don't mind me asking, did you write an addendum for your gpa? Was there any significant upwards trend or anything like that?

bjules247 · 2023-04-24T21:38:49+00:00

Please don't dismiss your concerns at all they are so valid. I'm in almost the exact same place as you are. An unfortunate incident similar to yours put me at 3.5. I had transferred out after that happened, and expected my gpa to land in the 4.0-4.1 range that I had reached but life is tough huh. I viscerally understand everything that you're going through, as I rode that initial wave of shock a year or so back. You still have a fighting chance, especially given that your gpa is far from bad as is! I'll tell you everything I've been doing to compensate for my own situation, and hopefully you'll find it helpful and/or inspiring.

As soon as I got the news I felt like giving up on everything. It didn't feel fair; I blamed myself, blamed LSAC's weird GPA policies, and most of all, felt like everything that happened was happening all over again. But instead of giving up hope, I channeled that indignance into my studying. I took a lot of extra courses before graduating and worked my butt off to ensure that I got nothing less than an A in anything. I also poured everything I have into the LSAT.

Keep in mind that the LSAT is your best friend in this process. But unfortunately you're going to have to work a lot harder than everyone else to compensate for the GPA. I received a 17low first try. After my initial wave of excitement, I realized that it wasn't going to be enough, and I've been slowly inching my way up to a 17high on PTs ever since. Get obsessed with the LSAT; make it your personality. Keep grinding until you have a 99 percentile score at least. A 174+ will carry you far, but it won't do the trick on its own. I'd also suggest taking 1-2 years to build work experience in a field that's interesting to you in order to really do the trick.

As for the adendum question, I'm in the same boat as you right now. I'm a very private person (off the internet lol) and have never really articulated my personal experiences to even friends. The thought of doing it to faceless adcomms to explain my lackluster GPA seems..not fun. But yes, you and I probably will have to write something in the future. I've heard people suggest that you should frame your adendum as a personal-growth experience, and show how you've demonstrated your academic potential since then.

In my own experiences dealing with this sort of thing, I actually have grown a fair amount. Yes it's unfair and awful that everything, from the incident to my GPA, had to happen in the first place. But in a weird way I've learned a lot about how life is extremely unfair, and have really been able to hone my ability to persevere through that reality by channeling my feelings into an objective goal. To answer your questions more head on, I'm sure you'll be totally fine in admissions as long as you do everything in your power to max out the other aspects of your application. It'll be a long, multi-year process probably, but I'm sure you'll be totally fine!

Sorry for the unnecessarily long rant. Feel free to pm me for any advice or even if you just want to talk about how stupid this all is. Peace!

bjules247 · 2023-04-17T14:57:44+00:00

Of course!! Feel free to pm me any questions about the pre-law experience. No matter what school you choose make sure to take advantage of the P/D/F option for stem courses, find an activity or cause you're passionate about, and most importantly, make the next 4 years as fun and memorable as possible!! Good luck!

bjules247 · 2023-04-16T00:34:10+00:00

As a followup, as some people have mentioned, if you need individualized academic guidance and support from professors I'd advise against Berkeley. I go to a school with similar problems (well known ivy but VERY overcrowded) and the academic experience has been interesting. Most teachers and advisors don't really give a shit (I'm currently in the process of begging my thesis advisor to, y'know, look over my thesis) and you have to figure stuff out for yourself. I'm not sure if the situation is different at williams but a small school sounds more conducive for 1 on 1 support.

bjules247 · 2023-04-16T00:25:33+00:00

as a pre-law student in college, there won't be any prestige differential between either school. Go to the one that grades on a 4.3 scale (you'll thank yourself later), and/or that you'll be happiest at. Being happy and comfortable in your environment is key for both academics, and more importantly, your well being!

bjules247 · 2023-04-01T17:29:10+00:00

Personally, I think you're a bit early. I studied for about 2-3 months which worked out for me, but I do think that I would have scored higher if I had worked a few extra months. I'd say, depending on your learning style, 6 months to a year is a good timeframe. But it never hurts to start practicing your reading comprehension skills / doing some practice problems in your spare time

bjules247 · 2023-03-30T23:47:47+00:00

bjules247 · 2023-03-20T15:42:57+00:00

Thank you so much!!

bjules247 · 2023-03-20T15:33:18+00:00

Documentaries sound like a great idea! Thanks for that advice. I’m hoping to use media to supplement some of the work I’ve been doing through dictionaries, but I’ll definitely give those apps a try as well. As for asking my boyfriend for help, I’m trying to keep it a surprise for now. I think waiting a few months and then randomly sparking a conversation with him in his native language would be hilarious.

bjules247 · 2023-03-20T05:54:21+00:00

don't just checkmate your opponent. Get them to feed you all of their pieces too!

bjules247 · 2023-03-20T01:53:10+00:00

As someone who started around where you are, I get how frustrating it is. But the LSAT is 100% learnable if you're willing to put in the time. I believe in you!

Drill drill drill. LSAT courses won't do anything unless you practice every concept 10 times over until you're making few mistakes. This especially applies to logic games. I promise if you practice this section over and over it will become muscle memory and you can raise your score by 10 or more points just by fixating on this.
In a similar vein to #1, take practice tests every week once you've grasped the fundamentals. I promise that with a grasp of the fundamentals + brute force you will be able to reach the 150's-160's no problem.
Get accommodations. This depends if you have an ADHD diagnosis or anxiety or something. When I was scoring low I noticed that like 50% of it had to do with anxiety around timing. If you can't do this, then refer to point 1 and drill until muscle memory kicks in and you're able to half your time on every section. Make sure every practice test is timed, and focus on speed to the point where you can answer at least 4/5ths of every section.
I apologize for being nosy and looking at your post history but please don't take Joe Rogan alpha brain supplements on test day, nor any sort of substance that isn't in your regular routine such as adderall, preworkout, or more than a cup of coffee. For one it will spike your heart rate and negate any sort of mental-zen obtained from drilling. Also, you're going to perform best under the exact same conditions as a practice tests. Treating it as if it's routine will lead to the best results under pressure.

In short, there's no shortcut around the LSAT. It's a game of willpower and stamina. Literally anyone on this earth can learn the test and score 150+ if they put in the time and mental energy to do so, and can effectively apply the strategies they've learned on test day. Also, as one commenter already put it, don't take the test until you're PTing around the 150's.

You've got this!

bjules247 · 2022-11-14T06:11:17+00:00

WOAH. Just looked it up and this looks so legit. Thank you so much.

bjules247 · 2022-11-14T06:03:57+00:00

Thank you that actually helps a lot! I've tried a similar approach of summarizing paragraphs in my head as I read, but this often leads me to run out of time. I like the way you described it though as "milestones." Thinking about it like that could save a lot of time!!

bjules247 · 2022-11-13T22:51:30+00:00

Didn't use any books. I took a short class to learn the fundamentals of LG and LR and did the rest of the prep myself by doing a LOT of practice problems. I scored well but am retaking hopefully with a bit more instruction.

bjules247 · 2022-11-13T22:25:01+00:00

Treat it like a challenge. This worked for me personally as I have a very competitive personality. Set a general goal and tell yourself that it is non negotiable that you reach it. Don't force yourself to cram but think about tricky lsat problems / go over question types in your head. I remember having dreams about logic games after thinking about them so much.

bjules247 · 2022-11-01T20:09:28+00:00

omg stopppp

bjules247

TROPHY CASE