How Does a Lower Retake Affect URM Admissions? Forum

[blkstl]

Some threads say it is detrimental across the board and others say it doesn't matter all that much in the long run. But, none of these past threads have addressed URMs in particular. My mind's telling me it has less of an effect given how unpredictable our admissions process is, anyway. But, that could be a two way street.

I'm asking because a lot of people seem to think that October test was a little freaky and I'm sure there were plenty of us retaking today.

[MoMettaMonk]

This would probably be best to ask in Mike Spivey's or the Texas Tech Dean's thread as they would have more first hand experience with it. My guess would be that just like with everyone else, only the high score matters unless it's a SUBSTANTIAL difference.

[Mojosodope]

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

[applelover]

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

except Duke

[Mojosodope]

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

except Yale

fixed.

So on the margin, yes your average and your repeated scores do factor in, but almost ALL schools (with HYS being partial exceptions) will basically put 90% of the emphasis on your highest score no matter what comments they put up on their website.

[hephaestus]

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

exceot duke

This is some odd duke trolling.

[applelover]

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

exceot duke

This is some odd duke trolling.

No Duke averages regardless of race. I asked an admissions person at a forum over the summer. I was going to retake the LSAT and apply I was strongly encouraged to only do that if I was sure I was going to improve, because they average.

[hephaestus]

It doesn't affect it. Almost no schools average scores

exceot duke

This is some odd duke trolling.

No Duke averages regardless of race. I asked an admissions person at a forum over the summer. I was going to retake the LSAT and apply I was strongly encouraged to only do that if I was sure I was going to improve, because they average.

Admissions people say this, but it's not true at all. If it were, you would see less consistent data on lsn to account for retakers. Admissions people say this because they would be in real trouble if everyone retook for a 171+.

[jwg6x6]

duke definitely does not average

[twenty]

Excluding the "Duke averages" stuff, (which they don't), a lower retake MIGHT hurt URMs below the 25th (which is a lot of them), probably more so than a lower retake from an applicant above the school's median.

The reason for this is that it really doesn't matter if a T14 school takes a candidate with a 163 or a 164, since both will be under the 25th percentile. But if the 164 retakes the LSAT and gets a 152 and a 150, then that one time 163 might have a little bit of a leg up.

Gut feeling. How much this actually impacts URMs, who knows.

[MoMettaMonk]

Excluding the "Duke averages" stuff, (which they don't), a lower retake MIGHT hurt URMs below the 25th (which is a lot of them), probably more so than a lower retake from an applicant above the school's median.

The reason for this is that it really doesn't matter if a T14 school takes a candidate with a 163 or a 164, since both will be under the 25th percentile. But if the 164 retakes the LSAT and gets a 152 and a 150, then that one time 163 might have a little bit of a leg up.

Gut feeling. How much this actually impacts URMs, who knows.

I'm going to agree with twenty here. It probably doesn't affect anything unless it is a large drop. If you score within the same score band as your original score (say 3-5 points) then I can't see anyone caring.

N.B.

The one exception to this that I could see happening is if you dropped from say a 162 to a 159 or 158. The reason for this being that humans tend to use round numbers (160 in this example) as benchmarks and dropping below that could alter the reader's perception. But even this is a wildly extreme and highly unlikely example.

[jordan15]

I don't see how URM status would make absolutely any difference.