Accomodations for Learning Disabilities Forum

John Mill · Post by **John Mill** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 3:39 pm

So I'll cut right to the chase, I'm dyslexic. I have a lot of trouble with spelling, so I usually need to use a spell checker of some kind on most papers that I do. Now I know that at a certain point, it's not something one should bring up with their career. For example I would never mention it in an interview or to my boss. Do high end law schools look down on this kind of thing? I'm mostly asking because if I needed special accommodations for the LSAT (assuming they are available) then I wouldnt want my perspective school to find out about this, if it is the kind of thing that can hurt me. I have a feeling this might be a dumb question, but I'm asking anyway, if anybody knows or has any experience with this. Thank you.

kdev1203 · Post by **kdev1203** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 7:36 pm

Well, I know if you take the LSAT with accommodations, they put a little * next to your score.

John Mill · Post by **John Mill** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 7:21 am

kdev1203 wrote:Well, I know if you take the LSAT with accommodations, they put a little * next to your score.

Can anybody tell me if law schools typically look down on that? Particularly T6 law schools?

kdev1203 · Post by **kdev1203** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 1:35 pm

John Mill wrote:
kdev1203 wrote:Well, I know if you take the LSAT with accommodations, they put a little * next to your score.
Can anybody tell me if law schools typically look down on that? Particularly T6 law schools?

well I'm assuming that the only reason they report is it because some schools out there want to know. And the only reason they would want to know is because it would have some sort of impact on how they evaluate the score and/or app. iI seriously doubt that they would look down on you for it, since that's discrimination... your best bet would be to call the school and just ask.

dextermorgan · Post by **dextermorgan** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 1:39 pm

Schools are very understanding regarding disabilities. Also, would you be able to score high enough to get into a T6 school without accommodations?

Ohiobumpkin · Post by **Ohiobumpkin** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:19 pm

I took the LSAT with accommodations (extended time), so I feel like I have some experience here. I hope you have a good GPA, because if you take the LSAT with more time, your score will not be computed into your classes' stats. So in other words, your LSAT score will be a neutral factor in your admissions. This is great for reverse splitters, but terrible for traditional splitters. Every law school you apply to will know you took the test with accommodations, because a * will appear by your score. In addition, I believe LSAC sends any supporting documentation used in the accommodations request evaluation process to the schools you apply to. The good news is that law schools and LSAC cannot legally tell any employers about your disability, and nothing will show up on your transcript. Law schools are also much more understanding regarding LDs than LSAC (who discriminates in my opinion).

On a side issue, make sure you have every piece of possible supporting documentation when applying for accommodations. You literally will need a full set of intelligence battery tests conducted within the last few years, past documentation written by psychologists, doctors, and educators. You'll need to show a pattern of having a disability, receiving accommodations throughout your educational career, and the dead certain need of continuing to need accommodations in the future. It took me a combined total of three and a half months to do the intelligence battery tests, get all the documentation together, send it in, and get approved. Make sure your psychologist uses the right tests btw. Also, getting accommodations on the LSAT virtually guarantees you'll be approved to have accommodations on the BAR Exam, which is nearly as hard to get accommodations for as the LSAT from what I have heard. Hope this helps.

Ohiobumpkin · Post by **Ohiobumpkin** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:27 pm

Also, with regards to whether law schools look down on LDs/LSAT accommodations, I don't think so. I think if anything they respect it more. Even if my LSAT score had been a normal score, I would not have been able to get into the school I'm in now (ranked in the 30s). It was my PS and recommendations that put me over the edge and got me a scholly to boot. I also applied to a t-6 and was not outright rejected immediately, so I think it is certainty possible to get into a t-6 w/ a disability.

John Mill · Post by **John Mill** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 6:46 pm

My biggest concern about taking the test without accommodations is the writing sample. My spelling really is very bad, if I just had some kind of a spell checker to use... My handwriting is also kind of bad since I always type everything, but I can work on that.

Ohiobumpkin · Post by **Ohiobumpkin** » Thu Nov 22, 2012 7:42 pm

They offer scribes if necessary. Could look into that.

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