LSAT NO-SHOWING FOR FEB WHEN I ALREADY HAVE A DEC SCORE Forum

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Hello, I have already taken the December LSAT and applied to the three main schools I am interested in. I performed above two of the schools' 75th percentile by 2-5 points and scored the median of my first choice. My GPA is kind of low because of the LSDAS recalculation. My undergrad says it is a 3.41 but LSDAS says it is a 3.18. Anyway, I have been very sick lately and wanted to take the February exam to raise my chances a bit more but feel unprepared to raise it and also, I might still be sick. My plan was to most likely not show up and then send letters to my schools stating I was sick on test day. I figure that this way if say for some reason I am rejected by all of these schools I can take it again in June and see how I do then. Does this sound like a good plan or a bad plan? Does anyone who reapplies to a school the following year with better scores ever get in then?

PS. The school that's my first choice where I scored their median I had to disclose something that isn't a crime, but something that I did a few years ago that doesn't make me look very good. The other schools' applications didn't ask the question. Anyway, the reason I did what I had to disclose was because of addiction but I was never even charged. I am super clean and doing well in life, but I feel like the disclosure might tip me below their "typical student" determination where as a score that was a few points above their median might tip me back to "typical student" determination.


Sorry this is so long, but I guess what I am asking is does an absence because of illness when you have already applied and have a reportable score make you look bad? Also, if I do get rejected from everywhere, does reapplying with a better score ever work?

[Ignatius Reilly]

I've heard that cancels look better than a no show

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

I heard the opposite. And if I am sick, why would I go and put myself through that? Am I supposed to puke on my booklet? Not to be cute, but think about it, I tried and lacked confidence when I went is what a cancel looks like and an absence looks like what actually happened - I'm sick.

Anyway, so can someone answer my question, please

[Veyron]

Better to go and cancel. No-show negatively implicates your responsibility.

[paulinaporizkova]

DON'T WRITE SHIT IN ALL CAPS THANKS

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

DON'T WRITE SHIT IN ALL CAPS THANKS

Um...ok...must be having a bad day, huh?

Better to go and cancel. No-show negatively implicates your responsibility.

I want to call and tell them I will be absent if I am going to be. I will write that in the letter. I think none of you get, I'm sick. I understand the responsibility part, but I doubt the LSAT proctors would appreciate cleaning up vomit. If I go and cancel it looks like I tried to take the test and bailed. If I am absent, it looks like what actually happened and what I will write in my addendums to the schools: "I was sick so called LSAC and told them I will be absent."

I think everyone is also forgetting the part where you are considered to be at an advantage when you cancel - they don't know you just showed up sick and said "I'm not taking it." For all they know, you could have and canceled days later. So a.) you look like you tried and failed in your mind and b.) you have again exposure to another LSAT and if I did have to do the June test for the 2012 cycle say I was rejected everywhere, I basically in the adcom's minds have two prior test exposures. I am at an advantage and my score means less.

[arism87]

DON'T WRITE SHIT IN ALL CAPS THANKS

Um...ok...must be having a bad day, huh?

Better to go and cancel. No-show negatively implicates your responsibility.

I want to call and tell them I will be absent if I am going to be. I will write that in the letter. I think none of you get, I'm sick. I understand the responsibility part, but I doubt the LSAT proctors would appreciate cleaning up vomit. If I go and cancel it looks like I tried to take the test and bailed. If I am absent, it looks like what actually happened and what I will write in my addendums to the schools: "I was sick so called LSAC and told them I will be absent."

I think everyone is also forgetting the part where you are considered to be at an advantage when you cancel - they don't know you just showed up sick and said "I'm not taking it." For all they know, you could have and canceled days later. So a.) you look like you tried and failed in your mind and b.) you have again exposure to another LSAT and if I did have to do the June test for the 2012 cycle say I was rejected everywhere, I basically in the adcom's minds have two prior test exposures. I am at an advantage and my score means less.

It sounds like you have your mind made up- why'd you even ask?

Anyway, good luck with your cycle, feel better soon!

[Kaves]

I am with you, if it says "absent" you can make a legit case for not having taken it at all. I have gone through some things that will prevent me from being ready for the Feb test and my plan is to just leave it as an absent. If you cancel it you cannot make as strong of case for literally not taking the text for whatever reason where as if you have an absent you can make the case for look I only took it twice please allow me to take it again for the actual 3rd time (LSAC 4th time obviously).

I would love if more people were to weigh in on the topic.

[3ThrowAway99]

DON'T WRITE SHIT IN ALL CAPS THANKS

Um...ok...must be having a bad day, huh?

Better to go and cancel. No-show negatively implicates your responsibility.

I want to call and tell them I will be absent if I am going to be. I will write that in the letter. I think none of you get, I'm sick. I understand the responsibility part, but I doubt the LSAT proctors would appreciate cleaning up vomit. If I go and cancel it looks like I tried to take the test and bailed. If I am absent, it looks like what actually happened and what I will write in my addendums to the schools: "I was sick so called LSAC and told them I will be absent."

I think everyone is also forgetting the part where you are considered to be at an advantage when you cancel - they don't know you just showed up sick and said "I'm not taking it." For all they know, you could have and canceled days later. So a.) you look like you tried and failed in your mind and b.) you have again exposure to another LSAT and if I did have to do the June test for the 2012 cycle say I was rejected everywhere, I basically in the adcom's minds have two prior test exposures. I am at an advantage and my score means less.

Edit: looks like someone beat me too it, but:

..it sounds like you already made up your mind and just want people to validate your position. I'm not saying you don't have a good reason not to go and to just skip it, nor am I saying this will negatively impact you. But if you are already so sure that there isn't merit to the people who are stating that it may be most ideal for you to have a cancel rather than no-show I'm not so sure why you posted the question.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

I guess the first person who responded misinterpreted what I was actually asking. I wasn't asking about cancel/absence and then I started arguing with them. Maybe argue is too strong of a word.

I wanted to know how bad it will end up looking I guess either way (cancel or absence) that I signed up in the first place for February and didn't take it. Either way I would write the same addendum. I am at my top choice's median already and above the 75th percentile of the other two schools' LSAT scores. I also asked if anyone has heard of someone being admitted when they tried to apply the next year. I'd appreciate if someone would answer these questions

[Ignatius Reilly]

I guess the first person who responded misinterpreted what I was actually asking. I wasn't asking about cancel/absence and then I started arguing with them. Maybe argue is too strong of a word.

I wanted to know how bad it will end up looking I guess either way (cancel or absence) that I signed up in the first place for February and didn't take it. Either way I would write the same addendum. I am at my top choice's median already and above the 75th percentile of the other two schools' LSAT scores. I also asked if anyone has heard of someone being admitted when they tried to apply the next year. I'd appreciate if someone would answer these questions

What schools? Are you withdrawing your application? Are you applying, getting accepted and reapplying with a new lsat? what is the game plan?

[3ThrowAway99]

Reapplying with a higher score (if you don't get accepted the first year) can work and I think happens all the time. In terms of the cancel v. no-show, I think that calling LSAC and discussing this with an LSAC rep might not be a bad idea. If you are really sick maybe you could even get them to enter a cancel ahead of time if cancel tends to look better. I don't know that it really does though. If I were you I would probably consider calling the school(s) directly (either anonymously or otherwise) to see how the selection committee might consider the difference, if in fact they would even care.

[Veyron]

DON'T WRITE SHIT IN ALL CAPS THANKS

Um...ok...must be having a bad day, huh?

Better to go and cancel. No-show negatively implicates your responsibility.

I want to call and tell them I will be absent if I am going to be. I will write that in the letter. I think none of you get, I'm sick. I understand the responsibility part, but I doubt the LSAT proctors would appreciate cleaning up vomit. If I go and cancel it looks like I tried to take the test and bailed. If I am absent, it looks like what actually happened and what I will write in my addendums to the schools: "I was sick so called LSAC and told them I will be absent."

I think everyone is also forgetting the part where you are considered to be at an advantage when you cancel - they don't know you just showed up sick and said "I'm not taking it." For all they know, you could have and canceled days later. So a.) you look like you tried and failed in your mind and b.) you have again exposure to another LSAT and if I did have to do the June test for the 2012 cycle say I was rejected everywhere, I basically in the adcom's minds have two prior test exposures. I am at an advantage and my score means less.

Or you could just go, fill in the cancel bubbles and leave.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

If I don't feel better and feel able to take a practice test where I can see if I can get a higher score than my December score before Saturday, I would just be absent and write the addendum. I would not withdraw my applications. I would see if they would accept me. Would this absence/cancel because of illness make me look bad with my applications (one of which is already in review)? Again, I am either at the median score of all of them or above the median (LSAT score-wise).

This is my hypothetical scenario for the second question: They all reject me. I'm upset, but suck it up and study my butt off for the June or September LSAT and reapply to all of them for 2012. Has anyone succeeded with that and been admitted on the second shot at admissions? Also, I would prefer not to state the names of the schools but one of them is in the middle of the top 100 (first choice), the second is in the bottom of the top 100, and the last is in the fourth tier.

To be clear, I have not been admitted or rejected anywhere yet. I am only in review at one place at the moment. I guess for peace of mind I want to know if the admissions comittees are going to be ok with my not taking this Feb test if that's how it ends up and also if people ever are admitted to schools they apply to in the future where they were previously rejected.

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

Reapplying with a higher score (if you don't get accepted the first year) can work and I think happens all the time. In terms of the cancel v. no-show, I think that calling LSAC and discussing this with an LSAC rep might not be a bad idea. If you are really sick maybe you could even get them to enter a cancel ahead of time if cancel tends to look better. I don't know that it really does though. If I were you I would probably consider calling the school(s) directly (either anonymously or otherwise) to see how the selection committee might consider the difference, if in fact they would even care.

Good idea

[Dotson525]

The last time I checked/remembered an absent does not count towards the the 3 times in 2 year rule. If this is still true, then the absent would be to the advantaged. However, if you have taken the test in Dec. it does look suspious that in feb. you are absent. Other questions to consider would be: Are you applying for the 2011 cycle? If so June may be too late. Some law schools may not mind a june score (contact admissions for more info).

If I were to decide, I would take the test in Feb. to ensure admission by 2011 (2011 admission being of most importance to me).
Honestly you probably won't feel as sick by saturday, if you take care of it. Also, who knows what will happen in June (can't promise "top" conditions).

[joebloe]

If you're genuinely sick, don't go. Why screw over other test takers if you pop just waiting to bubble your cancel?

[suspicious android]

Don't stress, out. It won't matter either way, I wouldn't even bother writing an addendum unless you asked them to hold your applications waiting on the Feb LSAT.

I have an absence, a cancellation and TWO retakes on my record. I got into a couple T-14's last year, withdrew and got into UVA again, in less time than it took to get in the first time. I got waitlisted where my numbers indicate I'm likely to get waitlisted, rejected where my numbers indicate I'm likely to get rejected, with the exception of Berkeley, that has kept me waiting even though I have near auto-reject numbers for them. Anyway, the point is, your numbers are 99% of your application, except maybe at YS and Berkeley. All this worrying about the effect of a cancellation vs an absence or appearing irresponsible is pointless handwringing. My resume clearly shows that I am a flake who's not serious about anything, my numbers indicate I am T7-14 material. Guess what is given the most weight?

[Kurst]

No-show vs. cancellation: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=145618

[HOPEFORCHANGE]

LSAC says an absence is better than a cancel because it appears that you were exposed to the test if you cancel even if you were not because you just went there to fill in the cancel bubbles. A cancel is reported to the school as a cancel with no further clarification. Also, one absence is not held against you according to them. Just an update.