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Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

URM boosts are estimates based on past results analyzed by mylsn.info. They aren't factored in to the LSAT scores reported to USNEWS. I believe that URM seats are separate from non-URM seats and because of that, URMs are only competing against each other, but I don't know this for a fact. I'm sure someone else will be able to expand on this.

vayze wrote:Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

They submit actual scores.

A URM boost doesn't mean that they add X points to your score. What it means is that they'll accept a lower score from a URM.

So, let's say that a school typically has median scores of 3.75 GPA and 170 LSAT. For an AA URM, they might have median scores of 3.50 and 165. They don't add points, they lower standards.

vayze wrote:Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

Here's how they are reported to USNWR:

AAs get +5 LSAT
MAs, NAs, and PRs get +3 LSAT
Females get +1 LSAT
White males get nothing
Asians get -2 LSAT

InGoodFaith wrote:

vayze wrote:Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

Here's how they are reported to USNWR:

AAs get +5 LSAT
MAs, NAs, and PRs get +3 LSAT
Females get +1 LSAT
White males get nothing
Asians get -2 LSAT

NAs also get a free letter of recommendation and MAs get a kick ass closing line added to their PS.

InGoodFaith wrote:

vayze wrote:Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

Here's how they are reported to USNWR:

AAs get +5 LSAT
MAs, NAs, and PRs get +3 LSAT
Females get +1 LSAT
White males get nothing
Asians get -2 LSAT

I actually lol'd.

dingbat wrote:They don't add points, they lower standards.

Wormfather wrote:

dingbat wrote:

vayze wrote:Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

They submit actual scores.

A URM boost doesn't mean that they add X points to your score. What it means is that they'll accept a lower score from a URM.

So, let's say that a school typically has median scores of 3.75 GPA and 170 LSAT. For an AA URM, they might have median scores of 3.50 and 165. They don't add points, they lower standards.

Why do you hurt me like that.

Let's be honest, you'd have gotten in even if you'd have checked "refuse to disclose"

This is going to end well.

OP do a little research, there's plenty of information on this site in the URM forums, on LSAC website, specific boosts on myLSN.info, specific URM cycles on LSN, in numerous court briefs for Grutter v. Bollinger and Fisher v. Texas, and countless threads on TLS just use the search function. Come back and ask if you have any unanswered questions after you research.

dingbat wrote:

Wormfather wrote:

dingbat wrote:

vayze wrote:Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

They submit actual scores.

A URM boost doesn't mean that they add X points to your score. What it means is that they'll accept a lower score from a URM.

So, let's say that a school typically has median scores of 3.75 GPA and 170 LSAT. For an AA URM, they might have median scores of 3.50 and 165. They don't add points, they lower standards.

Why do you hurt me like that.

Let's be honest, you'd have gotten in even if you'd have checked "refuse to disclose"

This is true. But the lower expectations are also true - see justice Thomas' comments on the issue

vayze wrote:Do schools report an applicant's LSAT score to USNEWS based on the actual score the person received, or do they submit the scores including URM boosts?

Also, can someone shed some more light on URM boosts? Do these boosts add points to the LSAT score, or do they add points of a different category used for ranking applications?

As others have pointed out, the "URM boost" is real, not in that there is some formula by which schools add points to your LSAT score or anything, but simply will accept somewhat lower LSATs or GPAs from applicants with URM status. This boost varies GREATLY depending on the school, and depending on what kind of LSAT/GPA you are dealing with. The "URM boost" for Virginia and Penn, for instance, are negligible compared to other schools.