Should I cancel LSAT and sit out this cycle? Forum

[damask_rain]

Hi guys,

I appreciate any advice you can offer. I took the LSAT last Saturday for the first time and anxiety really got to me, especially during the first section. I felt like I didn't do as well as I wanted and expected. My mind became fuzzy for the first 20 minutes. I have been consistently scoring 170-174 on my PTs and felt like I underperformed.

I usually finish LR with a couple mins to spare, but I barely finished all the LRs and never got to go back to the hard questions that I circled for review. The anxiety slowed me down. I also didn't get to finish the last LG. I guessed on the last 4 questions of the final game. Assuming I got all the other questions right (best case scenario, though unlikely), I should get at least 4 wrong in LG, 2 in RC, and minimum 3 wrong in each LR. That would be around -12. Worst case scenario I'd probably get 164.

Should I cancel and retake in June? I am not particularly interested in Harvard/Yale, but I am from CA, so Berkeley with a scholarship or Stanford would be amazing. I'd also love to get into CCN with money. I am definitely not going to apply this year if I score under 170 especially since it is so late in the cycle, but I am worried about having a low score on my report. What would you do in my situation? Should I let the score come out so I can gauge my performance under stress for my future retake or should I start with a clean slate, cancel, retake and just get work experience while I wait for the next exam.

I am wondering if seeing my score will actually help me assess strengths/weaknesses as well as a rough idea of what to do next time around and how to handle the anxiety or is that just dumb idea. Also, I have a 3.98 from a Top 10 school and about a years worth of work experience, which is why I feel like I should retake and not settle for anything under 170.

[SomewhatLearnedHand]

Hi guys,

I appreciate any advice you can offer. I took the LSAT last Saturday for the first time and anxiety really got to me, especially during the first section. I felt like I didn't do as well as I wanted and expected. My mind became fuzzy for the first 20 minutes. I have been consistently scoring 170-174 on my PTs and felt like I underperformed.

I usually finish LR with a couple mins to spare, but I barely finished all the LRs and never got to go back to the hard questions that I circled for review. The anxiety slowed me down. I also didn't get to finish the last LG. I guessed on the last 4 questions of the final game. Assuming I got all the other questions right (best case scenario, though unlikely), I should get at least 4 wrong in LG, 2 in RC, and minimum 3 wrong in each LR. That would be around -12. Worst case scenario I'd probably get 164.

Should I cancel and retake in June? I am not particularly interested in Harvard/Yale, but I am from CA, so Berkeley with a scholarship or Stanford would be amazing. I'd also love to get into CCN with money. I am definitely not going to apply this year if I score under 170 especially since it is so late in the cycle, but I am worried about having a low score on my report. What would you do in my situation? Should I let the score come out so I can gauge my performance under stress for my future retake or should I start with a clean slate, cancel, retake and just get work experience while I wait for the next exam.

I am wondering if seeing my score will actually help me assess strengths/weaknesses as well as a rough idea of what to do next time around and how to handle the anxiety or is that just dumb idea. Also, I have a 3.98 from a Top 10 school and about a years worth of work experience, which is why I feel like I should retake and not settle for anything under 170.

Edit: Misread. I would not cancel- but assuming you are right in your assessment, you should retake for sure. You're definitely spot on about not settling for anything under 170. Would be a waste of that gpa.

[landshoes]

No real upside to cancelling, I don't think.

[damask_rain]

Hi guys,

I appreciate any advice you can offer. I took the LSAT last Saturday for the first time and anxiety really got to me, especially during the first section. I felt like I didn't do as well as I wanted and expected. My mind became fuzzy for the first 20 minutes. I have been consistently scoring 170-174 on my PTs and felt like I underperformed.

I usually finish LR with a couple mins to spare, but I barely finished all the LRs and never got to go back to the hard questions that I circled for review. The anxiety slowed me down. I also didn't get to finish the last LG. I guessed on the last 4 questions of the final game. Assuming I got all the other questions right (best case scenario, though unlikely), I should get at least 4 wrong in LG, 2 in RC, and minimum 3 wrong in each LR. That would be around -12. Worst case scenario I'd probably get 164.

Should I cancel and retake in June? I am not particularly interested in Harvard/Yale, but I am from CA, so Berkeley with a scholarship or Stanford would be amazing. I'd also love to get into CCN with money. I am definitely not going to apply this year if I score under 170 especially since it is so late in the cycle, but I am worried about having a low score on my report. What would you do in my situation? Should I let the score come out so I can gauge my performance under stress for my future retake or should I start with a clean slate, cancel, retake and just get work experience while I wait for the next exam.

I am wondering if seeing my score will actually help me assess strengths/weaknesses as well as a rough idea of what to do next time around and how to handle the anxiety or is that just dumb idea. Also, I have a 3.98 from a Top 10 school and about a years worth of work experience, which is why I feel like I should retake and not settle for anything under 170.

Do you have a score already or was this first take? You're definitely right about not settling for anything under 170. Would be a waste of that gpa.

First real take. I started studying in the summer and more intensely in the past few months. I feel worried that the anxiety can't be controlled on test day in the future.

[landshoes]

I'd handle this by registering for the Feb. test and having your application materials ready to go in case you do better than you think on the Dec. test.

[AJordan]

No real point in cancelling, just retake.

[damask_rain]

If I get like 163-165, will this hurt me later on? Doesn't it seem weird for adcoms to have someone get a 163 and then say a 171.

[damask_rain]

I'd handle this by registering for the Feb. test and having your application materials ready to go in case you do better than you think on the Dec. test.

I already have most things ready. I just haven't actually filled out the applications. Wouldn't it be too late to take the Feb test?

[SomewhatLearnedHand]

If I get like 163-165, will this hurt me later on? Doesn't it seem weird for adcoms to have someone get a 163 and then say a 171.

General consensus here amongst people who know way more about this than I do is that no schools (with the exception of maybe yale) care about multiple scores. Unless you're retaking like 5 times and the scores suck which might raise red flags for adcoms. A 163-165 to a 170+ would not negatively impact your app.

[landshoes]

I'd handle this by registering for the Feb. test and having your application materials ready to go in case you do better than you think on the Dec. test.

I already have most things ready. I just haven't actually filled out the applications. Wouldn't it be too late to take the Feb test?

Wait why would it be too late? Too late for what? You have been prepping and you will get a score from it that you can use in subsequent applications. If you apply with the Dec. score and your Feb. score is better, it'll help you negotiate. If you don't apply with the Dec. score and your Feb. score is better, you'll know where you stand for next year's applications and you'll be able to be done with the LSAT.

It really doesn't matter if you retake; it's sensible and law schools (1) know this and (2) are able to use your highest score for their USNews rankings / medians, so they don't care.