. Forum

[kertz]

.

[dietcoke0]

You are also risking another 166 which would bring your average down to a 168.

[Tadatsune]

My advice would be to just let it ride. If your GPA/softs/etc. are good you've got a great shot at CCN.

My general understanding is that schools who average do so for scores which are close together, but tend to put more weight on the high score if there is a large improvement. I certainly wouldn't want to score lower than 172 on the third outing.

[Errzii]

My main question: Is it worth retaking the LSAT to bring up your average? In other words, is a (166, 172, 171-174) significantly better than a (166, 172)?

According to recent retaker data on the LSAC site out of 34 retakers with 172, 16 did better, 3 got the same score, and 15 did worse. There's roughly a 52%~ chance you'll do more harm than good. Not to mention the pros are minimal and hardly worth it. This is one of those rare times on TLS where retake might actually be bad advice. I wouldn't risk it.

http://www.lsac.org/LSACResources/Data/ ... erdata.pdf

edited: because I can't math

[Samara]

Hi everyone,

I haven't seen much discussion on this topic. I'm shooting for HYS/CCN/B (though I know the first three are unlikely). I shot myself in the foot about a year and a half ago and took the LSAT way unprepared, scoring a 166. I took it again last month and got a 172.

172 is good for CCN/B and is somewhat of a consider at H and S, but I'm afraid my average score, 169, will weigh me down a lot at these schools. I'm quite sure that if I took the LSAT a third time, I would score higher than 169, which would bring my average up.

My main question: Is it worth retaking the LSAT to bring up your average? In other words, is a (166, 172, 171-174) significantly better than a (166, 172)?

Don't retake. School don't actually average anyway.

[20121109]

Don't retake. School don't actually average anyway.

+1

They consider all scores, but they'll really just evaluate you at your highest score for admissions purposes.

[kertz]

.

[Samara]

Thanks guys. Just to be clear though, I wasn't really asking if I should retake (there's a lot of personal variables involved, like frank assessments of one's potential), but rather I was trying to get at whether, generally, it is significantly helpful to retake the LSAT to bring your average score up.

In other words, assuming someone does retake from a (166,172 = 169 avg.) to a (166,172,~175 = ~171 avg.), does that help one's chances significantly? We do know, for instance, that having a single 171 score puts someone in a MUCH better position than someone with a single 169 score.

You're missing the point, which is that averages don't mean anything at any school. Your highest score is what matters.

[Nelson]

Hi everyone,

I haven't seen much discussion on this topic. I'm shooting for HYS/CCN/B (though I know the first three are unlikely). I shot myself in the foot about a year and a half ago and took the LSAT way unprepared, scoring a 166. I took it again last month and got a 172.

172 is good for CCN/B and is somewhat of a consider at H and S, but I'm afraid my average score, 169, will weigh me down a lot at these schools. I'm quite sure that if I took the LSAT a third time, I would score higher than 169, which would bring my average up.

My main question: Is it worth retaking the LSAT to bring up your average? In other words, is a (166, 172, 171-174) significantly better than a (166, 172)?

I have the exact same situation (166 to a 172) and my acceptances this cycle have played out as if the 166 never happened.

[sach1282]

The general consensus, as well as my personal experience, seems to support the idea that lower scores barely matter at all. It is not worth it to retake to bring up the average.

[ryemanhattan]

NO. If you think you can bump up to a 175+, retake. Another 172 would do absolutely nothing.