Why am I so confused by the CAS? Forum

[zeglo]

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[cavalier1138]

There's no benefit to waiting to get CAS, because there is a bit of a delay in the process between you purchasing it and the report actually being assembled. The only exception I can think of would be if you're waiting for an LSAC fee waiver.

And I'm not quite sure what you're referring to with ordering reports. Are you talking about schools having to directly order your CAS report from LSAC? If I remember correctly, when you pay application fees, there's a school fee and an LSAC application fee for each school.

[EnfieldTennisChamp]

I understand that the Credential Assembly Service can be bought at any time, but then it seems nothing happens with it until everything is received. So can I wait until I have all my materials, then buy it? Or is the delay going to happen regardless? When did you buy it?

And what is this talk of ordering reports? I thought you just apply with the application fee. Where the heck is a straight explanation?

Purchase CAS -> LSAC account number assigned ->schools send the transcripts and the recommenders send LORs to LSAC using your LSAC account number. So, as I understand it, your materials can't really be collected until you have CAS.
When you complete an application, the school will request the report from LSAC. The school's application fee has nothing to do with LSAC's report fee.

[zeglo]

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[EnfieldTennisChamp]

Okay, makes sense.

So I can buy it now, and basically it will "begin" the assembly process once my last letter of rec is received?

I currently have all materials uploaded to my account already except for the last LoR.

Actually I think what I said before was wrong. Looks like your report will be assembled and ready to go approximately two weeks after the last LOR comes in, and then you just have to pay before LSAC will actually send the reports off to the schools.