JUNE 2011 LSAT: RC WAS KILLER, SHOULD I CANCEL?!?!?! Forum

[LSbum]

Hello All!

I took the June 06, 2011 LSAT, the RC section killed me. I must have guessed for at least 8 questions and definitely guessed on the last passage because I didn't even have enough time to read it. Usually the RC is my strongest section and I depend on it to collect 20 or so points in order to get a desirable score. During PT's I usually scored around a 161-164.

I was able to finish the other three sections with time to spare.

I have taken the LSAT once before, in December 2010. I scored a 159.

should I cancel my pending score? Or should I wait and see how it turns out? The anxiety is tearing me apart and I don't know what to do. Do schools care if your most recent score is a lower score? My fear is that this time around I didn't do much better than the low to mid 150 range, and that this is going to reflect very poorly on my apps.

any advice would be appreciated.

much obliged

[melissama]

how did you do on the lG?

[Roma1287]

I dealing with the same anxiety over whether or not to cancel. I think I did well on the other 3 sections, but this RC was a disaster. I ended up having to guess on the entire last passage, and on the other three passages I wasn't confident in most of my answers.

Of course the RC has to be the one with 27 questions

[Verity]

Yes, if you think you bombed an entire section, then cancel. A cancel is better than starting a downward trend in your scores.

[wtrc]

The RC was pretty bad. Did you do better on the other three sections than you usually do?

[ChicagoBear]

Just about everyone had similar experiences with that section. The reason you bombed it was the same reason everybody bombed it: It was ridiculously hard. Trust me, I don't think your performance on that section was out of the ordinary. If you feel like you did well on the other three sections, and you don't feel like you screwed up things that you should have been able to handle easily, there is no reason for you to cancel.

[minnbills]

Just about everyone had similar experiences with that section. The reason you bombed it was the same reason everybody bombed it: It was ridiculously hard. Trust me, I don't think your performance on that section was out of the ordinary. If you feel like you did well on the other three sections, and you don't feel like you screwed up things that you should have been able to handle easily, there is no reason for you to cancel.

+1

I've only seen one person on TLS claim to have done well on this section.

If you felt reasonably good about the other sections, I'd say stick with your score.

[cinephile]

I didn't take the exam this June, but when I took last year I had a similar situation. I ran out of time and guessed completely on the last RC passage. I missed 8 on RC and it still ended up being alright and I'm really glad that I didn't cancel my score. If you finished with time to spare on the other sections and feel confident on them, missing a passage won't destroy your score -- and who knows, the ones you guessed on might be correct. You'll still have the opportunity to take it again in October, but why not wait and see on this score first?

[raj]

I took it on 6/6/11 as well, and the RC was definitely intense. I PT'd in the 170s, took a ton of PT's, and this RC section was by far the hardest. I wouldn't cancel if I were you! You seem confident on the other sections, and like you said, RC isn't usually a weak point for you - it was just tremendously hard for mostly everyone! Plus, there's a good chance some of your guesses were right. One not-so-strong section won't kill ya.

[LSbum]

Thank's guys,

My whole thing is lets say, god forbid, I did bomb this LSAT, would that reflect on my 159? Or should I look at it like I have nothing to lose, since I already have a decent (not great, or good for that matter) score. . .

@melissama, yea I think I got most of the LG correct. Maybe missed a couple regarding that dinky balls game. BALLS!

Also, is taking the test for a third time a total taboo? I know plenty of people who wouldn't even recommend taking it twice. Hrmph! Who knew this process would be so frustrating?!?!?

[postn0bills]

Hello All!

I took the June 06, 2011 LSAT, the RC section killed me. I must have guessed for at least 8 questions and definitely guessed on the last passage because I didn't even have enough time to read it. Usually the RC is my strongest section and I depend on it to collect 20 or so points in order to get a desirable score. During PT's I usually scored around a 161-164.

I was able to finish the other three sections with time to spare.

I have taken the LSAT once before, in December 2010. I scored a 159.

should I cancel my pending score? Or should I wait and see how it turns out? The anxiety is tearing me apart and I don't know what to do. Do schools care if your most recent score is a lower score? My fear is that this time around I didn't do much better than the low to mid 150 range, and that this is going to reflect very poorly on my apps.

any advice would be appreciated.

much obliged

I am in the same exact situation. 159 in December 2010, PTing at 161-164, and blindly guessed on one RC passage and the ball game. Letting my score go through though I think. If I did better, awesome. If not, most schools only look at the highest score anyway, so it's not a huge deal.

[cinephile]

Also, is taking the test for a third time a total taboo? I know plenty of people who wouldn't even recommend taking it twice. Hrmph! Who knew this process would be so frustrating?!?!?

Taking the test a third time is fine. Maybe not if you're shooting for top schools like HYS, but plenty of people take the test 3 times and as long as the third score is appropriate for the schools you're looking at, it should be fine.

[rubydandun]

dude i'm in the same exact situation, except i have TWO cancels (sep. 09, feb. 2011). I was doing average in LR, much better than average on LG, and though RC is my strongest section, i got it in section 5 and....

I got probably 2 wrong on the alaska article, chopin destroyed me, i had no idea what i was reading on the ocean one, and the last i basically guessed on.

But because this seems to be everyone's consensus, I'm holding on to some faith that the curve will be lenient. Plus, you always are prone to feel bad about how you do on this test, since you only focus on the parts that went poorly.

Anyone have any advice on how bad it would be if i took the test this october (4th time...)...goal is UCLA/USC with a 3.73 and PTavg of 166...prob got a 161 yesterday