2nd LSAT/Applying Help! Forum

[WashingtonJew]

So I took the LSAT in February and disappointingly got a 160. I was not planning on applying this past year and I had taken a prep course in the Fall. Still, with a 3.82 UGPA from an Ivy there are some T1 schools i'd get int and be happy going to based on the area of law i'm interested in. But I do want to take the LSAT again and as of right now i'm registered for June - I don't want to take it in June though and am thinking of switching to October.

My question is, can I apply to law school in September/October when applications come out with my 160 score, then take the LSAT again and if I do better apply to better schools, and if not, the schools I already applied to won't see my lower score worst comes to worst?

[Duralex]

Huh? The schools you apply to with your 160 will see your 160. The other schools will see it too, but may not count it.

[WashingtonJew]

I'm saying, can I apply to schools in September/October when applications come out with my score of 160 - then take the LSAT again and if I do better then apply to better schools (knowing that they'll also see my 160) but the schools that I have already applied to won't see a second score if it's lower.

[Duralex]

Scores are reported to all schools, AFAIK. (Unless, maybe, they've told the LSAC not to update them.) A second, lower score would then be considered or not as dictated by that school's standing policy on multiple administrations.

[traehekat]

All schools you apply to will see all of your scores. If you apply to a school, and they see that you are registered to take the LSAT, they will hold off on making a decision, even if already have a previous score. So yes, you can apply to schools in September/October with your 160, and if you are registered for the October LSAT, your application will go in some kind of purgatory where it will be pulled once your October LSAT score is reported by LSAC. The schools you should apply to in September/October should be schools you would normally target with your current numbers - hold off on applying to better schools until you get your new score (there is no need to waste the application money, as applying in October/November is still early).

With your numbers, the schools you would be applying to before you take your next LSAT will almost always take the higher score, even if you have a more recent, lower score (after all, the only number they have to report is the highest, so they don't really care that much). So if you do get a lower score in October, it shouldn't really hurt you too much. Either way, there is no way the schools you have applied to won't see it.

[Bert]

All schools you apply to will see all of your scores. If you apply to a school, and they see that you are registered to take the LSAT, they will hold off on making a decision, even if already have a previous score. So yes, you can apply to schools in September/October with your 160, and if you are registered for the October LSAT, your application will go in some kind of purgatory where it will be pulled once your October LSAT score is reported by LSAC. The schools you should apply to in September/October should be schools you would normally target with your current numbers - hold off on applying to better schools until you get your new score (there is no need to waste the application money, as applying in October/November is still early).

With your numbers, the schools you would be applying to before you take your next LSAT will almost always take the higher score, even if you have a more recent, lower score (after all, the only number they have to report is the highest, so they don't really care that much). So if you do get a lower score in October, it shouldn't really hurt you too much. Either way, there is no way the schools you have applied to won't see it.

Sounds like what I was going to say.

[sumus romani]

You can take the Sept/Oct LSAT and still apply early. You'll get your results at the end of October and you can apply around Nov. 1st, which is still plenty early. I did this and had good results. Just open up your applications in between when you take the LSAT and when you get the results, and fill them out as much as you can. Then, once you get your LSAT score, you can submit your applications the same day, and your new score will be included. You'll still beat the vast majority of applications by a long shot. I did this (except that I only took one LSAT total), and had several T14 acceptances by late Nov and mid/December.

[traehekat]

You can take the Sept/Oct LSAT and still apply early. You'll get your results at the end of October and you can apply around Nov. 1st, which is still plenty early. I did this and had good results. Just open up your applications in between when you take the LSAT and when you get the results, and fill them out as much as you can. Then, once you get your LSAT score, you can submit your applications the same day, and your new score will be included. You'll still beat the vast majority of applications by a long shot. I did this (except that I only took one LSAT total), and had several T14 acceptances by late Nov and mid/December.

Yeah I mean, honestly the whole "applying before you have your final score" thing is really more for December LSAT takers. You can apply early if you want, but you should be fine just applying after you get your score in October/November.