Does a flagged LSAT score hurt your application? Forum

[piney]

If my LSAT score is flagged because I received extra time, would that hurt my application? I'm wondering whether I should apply for extra time, since even though I know it would definitely improve my score, I'm worried my application wouldn't be taken seriously. A higher score, even one close to 180, might carry little to no weight in your application if its flagged, and might be worse than a lower, unflagged score that could be reported in the school's statistics. I'm most interested in hearing from people who have some experience with this. Did the extra time help you or hurt you in the end?

[2014]

LSAC is very very stingy in granting extra time so if you have a condition that warrants receiving it, you probably deserve it. That being said, there is no way to view your score in the same light as someone who got the same thing under normal conditions, and you are going into a profession that probably isn't going to cut you breaks regardless of legitimate medical conditions or not.

No real way to say whether it will hurt your cycle or not, there aren't a lot of samples of people who get special conditions and the ones that do by and large probably don't end up at the schools that this site favors. In your situation I would probably prepare like hell and give it a go legitimately and if you find that you can't handle it for your reason then perhaps apply for accommodations on a retake.

[landla]

LSAC is very very stingy in granting extra time so if you have a condition that warrants receiving it, you probably deserve it. That being said, there is no way to view your score in the same light as someone who got the same thing under normal conditions, and you are going into a profession that probably isn't going to cut you breaks regardless of legitimate medical conditions or not.

No real way to say whether it will hurt your cycle or not, there aren't a lot of samples of people who get special conditions and the ones that do by and large probably don't end up at the schools that this site favors. In your situation I would probably prepare like hell and give it a go legitimately and if you find that you can't handle it for your reason then perhaps apply for accommodations on a retake.

I would agree with this plan, but some information suggests otherwise.

Here is an excerpt from LSAT Blog (http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2010/07/ls ... tions.html): "However, LSAC's definition of "scoring decently" is scoring 150+. For many test-takers, "scoring decently" means 160+ or 165+ because these are the sorts of scores required for their goal law schools.

This suggests that if you intend to apply for accommodations, you should do so before you ever get an official LSAT score on your report. Any decent score you receive can (and will) be used against you in LSAC's decision."

I'd suggest you review the rest of this if you haven't already.

[2014]

In that case I would advocate doing it opposite. I would apply for the consideration for the first test and after you see how you do and ease the stress of the first time experience, consider retaking legitimately if you are still worried about how your app looks.

[piney]

The trouble is I'm pretty sure with double time I could get a near perfect score. Without it, I'll probably do well but much worse, and I risk not getting into any of the schools on my list.

My question is really about what that near perfect would mean to admissions if it's flagged. Will they discount your lsat score because it's flagged and look only at your GPA (I'm a splitter), or will they try to adjust my score downward and admit me based on that? Or will they just take the score I have as if I had never received accommodations?

I always assumed admissions cares about LSAT and GPA because those figures get released and factor into the school's rating. The key determinant is whether a flagged score has the potential to boost the school's LSAT average in those statistics (which would mean there's incentive to admit good scores regardless), or whether flagged scores are omitted from those statistics and are meaningless to admissions. Does anyone here know?

[honeycomb]

The trouble is I'm pretty sure with double time I could get a near perfect score. Without it, I'll probably do well but much worse, and I risk not getting into any of the schools on my list.

My question is really about what that near perfect would mean to admissions if it's flagged. Will they discount your lsat score because it's flagged and look only at your GPA (I'm a splitter), or will they try to adjust my score downward and admit me based on that? Or will they just take the score I have as if I had never received accommodations?

I always assumed admissions cares about LSAT and GPA because those figures get released and factor into the school's rating. The key determinant is whether a flagged score has the potential to boost the school's LSAT average in those statistics (which would mean there's incentive to admit good scores regardless), or whether flagged scores are omitted from those statistics and are meaningless to admissions. Does anyone here know?

JDizzle showed me this link: --LinkRemoved--

They discuss how Adcomms view your file. During the video they actually address your exact question and the answer was something along the lines of if you need extra time you should absolutely take it as it is meant to level the playing field.

If you have time it's actually a pretty informative video.

[SaintsTheMetal]

Flagged scores are NOT counted towards the school's medians. This does not mean they necessarily disregard it, but your GPA will be the only thing they care about as far as what gets reported to the rankings.

What are you PTing at? If you can PT without a handicap near where you need to be, then don't take the time. If you do terribly without the handicap, then depending on your GPA it may be in your best interest to try study harder and take it like everyone else, since with just a bad GPA to report you probably don't look too attractive. OTOH if you can still raise your GPA, that would probably be the thing to do, and then take the handicap on the test so it doesn't really matter one way or the other.

[piney]

Thanks for that. I won't ask for extra time then.

I haven't taken an diagnostic test, but I've been working through the LG Bible for a few weeks and still spend upwards of 10 min. on the easiest questions, much longer on the harder ones where you need to diagram each option. I've probably done about 12 games so far, no grouping yet, and I usually get every question right with enough time. I've been out of school for a few years now and did a MA, so my GPA is fixed, and I figure I need to pull at least a 176 on the LSATs to get into any of the T6, which will be tough to do with my current LG performance. I'd like to get a 178, since that would give me a little more security. Any advice on how to do these faster? I have until October to prepare.

[sunynp]

Thanks for that. I won't ask for extra time then.

I haven't taken an diagnostic test, but I've been working through the LG Bible for a few weeks and still spend upwards of 10 min. on the easiest questions, much longer on the harder ones where you need to diagram each option. I've probably done about 12 games so far, no grouping yet, and I usually get every question right with enough time. I've been out of school for a few years now and did a MA, so my GPA is fixed, and I figure I need to pull at least a 176 on the LSATs to get into any of the T6, which will be tough to do with my current LG performance. I'd like to get a 178, since that would give me a little more security. Any advice on how to do these faster? I have until October to prepare.

Wait, it is really difficult to get extra time. If you are so disabled that you need it to score well, you should use all the time they will give you.

[CanadianWolf]

OP: Take the LSAT with the extra time. If, as you predict, you attain a near-perfect score, then decide whether or not to retake without any extra time based on your admissions' results.

[piney]

OP: Take the LSAT with the extra time. If, as you predict, you attain a near-perfect score, then decide whether or not to retake without any extra time based on your admissions' results.

If I waited to see where I was admitted, I would have to wait another year before going to law school.

[piney]

Wait, it is really difficult to get extra time. If you are so disabled that you need it to score well, you should use all the time they will give you.

I think the point is that a 170 timed has a better chance of offsetting a mediocre GPA than a 180 untimed.

[sunynp]

Wait, it is really difficult to get extra time. If you are so disabled that you need it to score well, you should use all the time they will give you.

I think the point is that a 170 timed has a better chance of offsetting a mediocre GPA than a 180 untimed.

Do you know that for sure? I think getting a higher score and then retaking if you don't get in anywhere you want is a better plan.

[piney]

Do you know that for sure? I think getting a higher score and then retaking if you don't get in anywhere you want is a better plan.

That would be a good idea, but I'm 27 and set on attending law school by 2013. I don't want to wait.

[sunynp]

Do you know that for sure? I think getting a higher score and then retaking if you don't get in anywhere you want is a better plan.

That would be a good idea, but I'm 27 and set on attending law school by 2013. I don't want to wait.

You are making a decision without real information. You should go for the highest score you can get. If you could really qualify for accommodations, you probably need them.