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I dont think im ready for June but its too late to change my test date... Should I cancel my score after taking it or should i not show up and have it go down an an absence?

I've talked to a few folks in admissions about this. Basically, it doesn't matter a whole lot which one you do, assuming you've never canceled or been absent before.

Do keep in mind that there is a rule you can generally only take it 3 times in a 2-year period (although you can get a law school to ask LSAC for an exception). Cancellations count as one of the 3, while absences don't.

-Steve

How much does cancelling your score really effect your chances? say i cancel and then retake and get a 170? Is this inferior to some one who only took it once and scored a 170?

One cancellation probably has close to no effect at all. I get the impression that everyone gets a "freebie" in terms of cancellations/absences since the postponement deadline was moved three weeks before the test date for the June LSAT last year.

Sure, a cancel and a 170 might not seem as "clean" as just a 170, but it's really not worth worrying about.

Since you can't change things, try not to worry about it. Focus on getting ready to destroy the LSAT you ARE taking for real.

I had one cancel and multiple retakes (167 -> 172) and my cycle played out pretty much as if I only had the highest score. It may help to take it now even if you do cancel, as you will get some experience in a "game situation," which will probably make you feel more comfortable for the next one.

I say take it and cancel to get real test experience. You might be surprised at how draining the actual test is. After taking the FE and PE exams, 8 hrs each, I laughed at everyone worried about a 3.5 hr test. I wasn't laughing after the LSAT. I canceled last June after choking under the pressure. Came back in Sept and got a 168 (my estimated potential was 167-172) without studying between tests (I do not recommend this!). I certainly didn't improve my knowledge between tests but having the June experience allowed me to go into the September test anxiety free and perform well.

To anyone else reading this, I WOULD NOT recommend signing up for the test with the intent to cancel. This is a last resort.

I am debating whether to take an absence or cancel after the test. I am still very bad at LG missing upwards of 9/10 sometimes. LR and RC I am fine. My last full PT was 36 and I got a 168 with missing 9 on LG.

I will be taking October no doubt. Hmmm. I'm thinking unless I see a huge LG improvement I take an absence? I already have a 157 in sep 09 to my name.

Sandro777 wrote:I am debating whether to take an absence or cancel after the test. I am still very bad at LG missing upwards of 9/10 sometimes. LR and RC I am fine. My last full PT was 36 and I got a 168 with missing 9 on LG.

I will be taking October no doubt. Hmmm. I'm thinking unless I see a huge LG improvement I take an absence? I already have a 157 in sep 09 to my name.

Forgive my ignorance, but does this mean you are at -0 on all the other sections besides LG?

It seems like -9 on the overall test would be around a 168-170?

LateNight wrote:

Sandro777 wrote:I am debating whether to take an absence or cancel after the test. I am still very bad at LG missing upwards of 9/10 sometimes. LR and RC I am fine. My last full PT was 36 and I got a 168 with missing 9 on LG.

I will be taking October no doubt. Hmmm. I'm thinking unless I see a huge LG improvement I take an absence? I already have a 157 in sep 09 to my name.

Forgive my ignorance, but does this mean you are at -0 on all the other sections besides LG?

It seems like -9 on the overall test would be around a 168-170?

PT 36 - -14 total (9 on LG 5 on rest) = 86 raw/168

tests have different curving scales...

I thought each LSAT was curved to the previous 3 years exams. At least that is what my PowerScore book told me.

Get the absent. You dont want to pander to schools for fourth tests.

LSAT Blog wrote:One cancellation probably has close to no effect at all. I get the impression that everyone gets a "freebie" in terms of cancellations/absences since the postponement deadline was moved three weeks before the test date for the June LSAT last year.

Sure, a cancel and a 170 might not seem as "clean" as just a 170, but it's really not worth worrying about.

Since you can't change things, try not to worry about it. Focus on getting ready to destroy the LSAT you ARE taking for real.

All right. But for that matter, does it really hurt to have a lower score and 170, as opposed to the cancel? At least at schools that take the highest?

I am debating whether to take an absence or cancel after the test. I am still very bad at LG missing upwards of 9/10 sometimes. LR and RC I am fine. My last full PT was 36 and I got a 168 with missing 9 on LG.

I will be taking October no doubt. Hmmm. I'm thinking unless I see a huge LG improvement I take an absence? I already have a 157 in sep 09 to my name.

I kinda feel like I'm in the same boat as you. My recent PTs have been pretty consistent low-160s and this is just unacceptable. Even though I've been studying for a long time I feel confident that I could get at least mid-high 160s by October.

Even though low-160s has been consistent, it's something different that gets me every time. For example I got -13 in the last games I did (PT 53 was brutal for me for some reason). Then my best score was some test in the 40s. I scored a 168 but missed 9 in RC. I feel like by October, I could work some of these things out. Or I could pull a good score now, but I'd have to get lucky.

This is really upsetting. I just took June 09's games sections (dinos). For the first 12 questions right.


Missed the next 11.


I'm feeling like an absent is in my cards. I dont understand how i can not understand how these games work? I have done the LG bible and feel like I can diagram a game pretty good along with the rules. What am I missing? It's not as if there is a section of the LG bible i just completely ignored

BigA wrote:

LSAT Blog wrote:One cancellation probably has close to no effect at all. I get the impression that everyone gets a "freebie" in terms of cancellations/absences since the postponement deadline was moved three weeks before the test date for the June LSAT last year.

Sure, a cancel and a 170 might not seem as "clean" as just a 170, but it's really not worth worrying about.

Since you can't change things, try not to worry about it. Focus on getting ready to destroy the LSAT you ARE taking for real.

All right. But for that matter, does it really hurt to have a lower score and 170, as opposed to the cancel? At least at schools that take the highest?

This sort of thing is not much of a concrete science. You've got to do what seems most rational to you. Try contacting individual schools to see what they think.

Personally, I think a cancel and 170 looks better than a 160 followed by a 170, even for schools that only consider the highest when inputting numbers into the admissions index.

It's probably true that a slightly-lower score followed by a 170 is better than a cancel at a 170. Where do you draw the line, though?

I'd think a 168 or 169, then a 170, is better than a cancel and 170, but you can't really be certain that you'll get that 168 or 169.

If you've missed the postponement deadline and are not taking an absence, it's probably best to keep the score only when you're fairly confident that you have a score you'd be happy with.

For all you that have yet to take the exam, whats the point of having an absence? I am assuming you guys are applying for fall 2011 and that leaves you 3 tests (june, october, or december). Or are you guys trying to get in for a later year? Why do you need that 4th test?

As for me, I don't think I'm 100% ready but worst case is I cancel and I still have 2 more tries.

I've already taken in Sep 09. If i were to take in June and then do bad on LG like i suspect I will, that leaves my 3rd attempt in October..... I figure the score I get in June will not help me so why take it?

Take an absence...taking the test and then cancelling looks way worse. Believe me, I wish that I would have done it several years ago--now I have a shitty score on my record and have to make ammends for it (I'm retaking this year)--and you certainly don't want to do that.

jam08e wrote:I dont think im ready for June but its too late to change my test date... Should I cancel my score after taking it or should i not show up and have it go down an an absence?

usna02 wrote:Take an absence...taking the test and then cancelling looks way worse. Believe me, I wish that I would have done it several years ago--now I have a shitty score on my record and have to make ammends for it (I'm retaking this year)--and you certainly don't want to do that.

I thought that a score is off your record in 2 years. Are you going for HYS? Why would that hurt you so much?

Unfortunately, the score stays on your record for 5 years--then you have to request (in writing) to have it removed.

As for my score, I just really regret taking the test when I did--I was very unprepared--I should have taken the "absence."

BigA wrote:

usna02 wrote:Take an absence...taking the test and then cancelling looks way worse. Believe me, I wish that I would have done it several years ago--now I have a shitty score on my record and have to make ammends for it (I'm retaking this year)--and you certainly don't want to do that.

I thought that a score is off your record in 2 years. Are you going for HYS? Why would that hurt you so much?