Multiple LSAT Average v. Highest Forum

daniel.meany · Post by **daniel.meany** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 4:04 am

I know this is a tired topic on this board, but I actually hope to pose this question in a new way. Recently, Harvard changed its policy on multiple LSAT scores now claiming they just use the highest score in their evaluations. I know the consensus here is that every school just takes the highest score. Do you think in the near future almost every score will scrap the rhetoric and not only use the highest score but admit to doing so?

omegaweapon · Post by **omegaweapon** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 4:15 am

I doubt it. Schools want to be able to claim to be as holistic as possible. It makes it easier for schools like UT to get away with admitting children of politicians and stuff. The vaguer they are, the better for them.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:41 pm

omegaweapon wrote:I doubt it. Schools want to be able to claim to be as holistic as possible. It makes it easier for schools like UT to get away with admitting children of politicians and stuff. The vaguer they are, the better for them.

You can still be holistic while considering the highest score.

To answer the OP, I do think the de facto policy of all schools will be to consider the highest score. Retaking is becoming more and more a rite of passage.

daniel.meany · Post by **daniel.meany** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:15 am

Related, could someone realistically get into HYS with a sub-160 LSAT and another score that is at or about HYS's 75th percentile?

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:23 am

daniel.meany wrote:Related, could someone realistically get into HYS with a sub-160 LSAT and another score that is at or about HYS's 75th percentile?

Yes.

daniel.meany · Post by **daniel.meany** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:34 am

Dirigo wrote:
daniel.meany wrote:Related, could someone realistically get into HYS with a sub-160 LSAT and another score that is at or about HYS's 75th percentile?
Yes.

Would you like to elaborate or do you believe you covered it all?

ScottRiqui · Post by **ScottRiqui** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:36 am

Dirigo wrote:
daniel.meany wrote:Related, could someone realistically get into HYS with a sub-160 LSAT and another score that is at or about HYS's 75th percentile?
Yes.

Agreed - no one "lucks into" a ~175, so the adcomms would consider it to be valid; they would probably just assume you had a mini-stroke during your sub-160 performance, or mis-bubbled part of the test.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:40 am

daniel.meany wrote:
Dirigo wrote:
daniel.meany wrote:Related, could someone realistically get into HYS with a sub-160 LSAT and another score that is at or about HYS's 75th percentile?
Yes.
Would you like to elaborate or do you believe you covered it all?

I don't know what else there is to say. Harvard's new policy seems very clear and should be taken at face value.
If you are especially neurotic, ask Karen Buttenbaum (former Harvard adcom) here:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=3725

daniel.meany · Post by **daniel.meany** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:51 am

Dirigo wrote:
daniel.meany wrote:
Dirigo wrote:
daniel.meany wrote:Related, could someone realistically get into HYS with a sub-160 LSAT and another score that is at or about HYS's 75th percentile?
Yes.
Would you like to elaborate or do you believe you covered it all?
I don't know what else there is to say. Harvard's new policy seems very clear and should be taken at face value.
If you are especially neurotic, ask Karen Buttenbaum (former Harvard adcom) here:
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... start=3725

I take pride in my neurosis.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:59 am

Post removed.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:04 am

MistakenGenius wrote:
ScottRiqui wrote: Agreed - no one "lucks into" a ~175, so the adcomms would consider it to be valid; they would probably just assume you had a mini-stroke during your sub-160 performance, or mis-bubbled part of the test.
Completely disagree. You can't generalize since Harvard has different policies than Yale who has different policies from Stanford. Harvard is really fucking huge, so they have to take any LSAT they can get. I don't know anything about Stanford so I'll let someone else weigh in. I've helped out in the admissions department here, and I can tell you people WILL be dinged for a low first score no matter the retake score. Hell, I've seen people dinged with relatively high first scores (171,173) because many people here don't believe retakes should be allowed at all and the simple act of retaking is a "deal-breaker."

I'm pretty sure ScottRiqui was talking in the context of Harvard. It's obvious--given the policy shift--that Harvard treats retakers differently than Yale does.

ScottRiqui · Post by **ScottRiqui** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:05 am

MistakenGenius wrote:
ScottRiqui wrote:
Dirigo wrote:
daniel.meany wrote:Related, could someone realistically get into HYS with a sub-160 LSAT and another score that is at or about HYS's 75th percentile?
Yes.
Agreed - no one "lucks into" a ~175, so the adcomms would consider it to be valid; they would probably just assume you had a mini-stroke during your sub-160 performance, or mis-bubbled part of the test.
Completely disagree. You can't generalize since Harvard has different policies than Yale who has different policies from Stanford. Harvard is really fucking huge, so they have to take any LSAT they can get. I don't know anything about Stanford so I'll let someone else weigh in. I've helped out in the admissions department here, and I can tell you people WILL be dinged for a low first score no matter the retake score. Hell, I've seen people dinged with relatively high first scores (171,173) because many people here don't believe retakes should be allowed at all and the simple act of retaking is a "deal-breaker." I feel confident that it would unrealistic for a sub-160 retake student to get into Yale, unless they have super softs or are a URM with a 4.0 who retook for a 75th LSAT.

Yeah, I misread "HYS" as "HLS", so worthless post is worthless.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:08 am

ScottRiqui wrote: Yeah, I misread "HYS" as "HLS", so worthless post is worthless.

Oh shit. Me too. Way to pull a fast one, OP.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:10 am

Post removed.

Rigo · Post by **Rigo** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 1:20 am

The only schools where a retake might (might, not definitely) be held against you are the black box holistic schools--Yale, Stanford, Berkeley.
Even if other schools say they consider all scores or average scores, hundreds of data points on LSN and other resources shows that isn't the case.

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:56 am

Post removed.

Mack.Hambleton · Post by **Mack.Hambleton** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 4:11 am

MistakenGenius wrote:
Dirigo wrote:The only schools where a retake might (might, not definitely) be held against you are the black box holistic schools--Yale, Stanford, Berkeley.
Even if other schools say they consider all scores or average scores, hundreds of data points on LSN and other resources shows that isn't the case.
It WILL be held against you at Yale (I'd guess it would be a small negative for Stanford but not a deal-breaker). How much it will hurt you at Yale comes down to other factors (and which professors are assigned your file), but it definitely puts you at a disadvantage. This is of course just for a retake in the mid 160s to low 170s. I can't imagine someone getting into Yale with a sub 160 LSAT on their record except in extremely unusual circumstances (Rhodes Scholar, 4.0/180 URM, celebrity).

I like Dirigo because he's a passionate 0L who actually gives some good advice, but trust me, I do know about this, as Dirigo should know from our PMs.

lol why do they care

@dirigo I don't think berk cares at all

MistakenGenius · Post by **MistakenGenius** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 4:27 am

Post removed.

JFO1833 · Post by **JFO1833** » Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:30 pm

MistakenGenius wrote:Hell, I've seen people dinged with relatively high first scores (171,173) because many people here don't believe retakes should be allowed at all and the simple act of retaking is a "deal-breaker."

I guess this is possible but I wondering what the rationale is for not just ignoring the retake entirely in this case?