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I am registered to retake the the LSAT in October, but every other part of my application will be ready within weeks. I want to avoid winding up at the back of the line, but a) I'm not sure I can avoid it given that I won't have a complete application till the end of October and b) I don't want to be assessed according to my previous LSAT score.

Should I open applications and fill out everything I can as soon as possible or wait until I can complete my applications to do anything?

Sorry if this is a beginner's question — I am a beginner.

Just for the record, I'll be applying to Harvard, Columbia, NYU, Michigan, Cornell, and Georgetown at least.

what's your current LSAT score?

I'd probably wait. There's really no appreciable difference between applying in September and any other time before Halloween, or even Thanksgiving

168. I know that Cornell and Harvard like to send out acceptances in November and the Early Decision deadlines for Columbia and NYU come on November 15th. Waiting wouldn't hurt me?

Waiting till October will definitely NOT hurt you. October is still considered early.

sharktankdean wrote:Waiting till October will definitely NOT hurt you. October is still considered early.

Yeah I agree. I did my apps after the October LSAT and things ended up exactly as they usually do for people with my numbers.

I'm retaking the October LSAT and I'm just gonna wait until scores come back and just have everything ready to go by then. I don't want anyone looking at me with just my current LSAT score, I feel like if I applied in September I'd wind up with rejection letters the week after the LSAT. I may wait another week or so for fee waivers but ideally I'd like to have everything in at every school I'm applying to by November 5th which I hear is still considered early. The generally feeling I got around here is that you're applying late when you apply after the holidays.

Elahrairah wrote:I am registered to retake the the LSAT in October, but every other part of my application will be ready within weeks. I want to avoid winding up at the back of the line, but a) I'm not sure I can avoid it given that I won't have a complete application till the end of October and b) I don't want to be assessed according to my previous LSAT score.

You can't avoid it - you won't get put in line until your application is complete. Even if everything is there but your retake LSAT score, your application will be considered to have been submitted/gone complete when that October score comes in.

However, applying with that October score isn't late, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Psib337 wrote:I'm retaking the October LSAT and I'm just gonna wait until scores come back and just have everything ready to go by then. I don't want anyone looking at me with just my current LSAT score, I feel like if I applied in September I'd wind up with rejection letters the week after the LSAT. I may wait another week or so for fee waivers but ideally I'd like to have everything in at every school I'm applying to by November 5th which I hear is still considered early. The generally feeling I got around here is that you're applying late when you apply after the holidays.

there's a part of the app that asks whether you have any future LSAT test dates. If you say yes, they won't really do anything with your app until score release.

JamMasterJ wrote:

Psib337 wrote:I'm retaking the October LSAT and I'm just gonna wait until scores come back and just have everything ready to go by then. I don't want anyone looking at me with just my current LSAT score, I feel like if I applied in September I'd wind up with rejection letters the week after the LSAT. I may wait another week or so for fee waivers but ideally I'd like to have everything in at every school I'm applying to by November 5th which I hear is still considered early. The generally feeling I got around here is that you're applying late when you apply after the holidays.

there's a part of the app that asks whether you have any future LSAT test dates. If you say yes, they won't really do anything with your app until score release.

What if I plan to retake on Dec? Will it be too late?
I have the same LSAT score,168. And I am still thinking about whether to finish all my apps in Sep or wait until my December score come out.

If you apply after December scores come out you won't hear back until March/April in some cases and might face more WLs than you would normally, but if it means even a 2 point increase in your case it is totally worth it.