Taking the LSAT all alone - any significant advantages? Forum

[justbubbles]

Not to get too specific, but I am taking the test in a rural town that is far from the closest major urban city.

LSAC mailed the proctor (a local high-school teacher) the February test a week in advance.

I will check in and write the test inside an empty classroom with the proctor doing whatever. S/he will have a stopwatch.

I guess the obvious advantage is that I will be alone (ie - less distraction), but anything else that I should be aware of?

[Mr.Binks]

Not to get too specific, but I am taking the test in a rural town that is far from the closest major urban city.

LSAC mailed the proctor (a local high-school teacher) the February test a week in advance.

I will check in and write the test inside an empty classroom with the proctor doing whatever. S/he will have a stopwatch.

I guess the obvious advantage is that I will be alone (ie - less distraction), but anything else that I should be aware of?

What the hell? How did you manage this?

[CorkBoard]

Not to get too specific, but I am taking the test in a rural town that is far from the closest major urban city.

LSAC mailed the proctor (a local high-school teacher) the February test a week in advance.

I will check in and write the test inside an empty classroom with the proctor doing whatever. S/he will have a stopwatch.

I guess the obvious advantage is that I will be alone (ie - less distraction), but anything else that I should be aware of?

Oh man. How'd you pull that off? Just luck?

[justbubbles]

I didn't do anything. LSAC did it themselves.

I believe it is some little-known LSAC policy that if a test-taker can not find a suitable LSAT seating within a 200M radius, LSAC will do its best to "accommodate" the test-taker's needs. I guess this is LSAC's way of "accommodating" me...

Anyway, any advantages to taking the test all alone in an empty room besides having no distraction?

[Geetar Man]

I didn't do anything. LSAC did it themselves.

I believe it is some little-known LSAC policy that if a test-taker can not find a suitable LSAT seating within a 200M radius, LSAC will do its best to "accommodate" the test-taker's needs. I guess this is LSAC's way of "accommodating" me...

Anyway, any advantages to taking the test all alone in an empty room besides having no distraction?

You won't have very many distractions, hopefully. I recently read a thread where this guy literally had to tell the proctor to "please be quiet" because he was fucking around. I couldnt believe it. Good luck!

[Mr.Binks]

Oh, what I would give to be able to take the LSAT alone. I'm not sure why, but when people flip pages, it distracts me. >.<

[rinkrat19]

Ugh, with just one other person in the room instead of the white noise of a room full of people, I'd have a really hard time not focusing on everything that person did. You'd better hope he sits silently in a chair and doesn't even breathe.

[zanzbar]

Well you could start off by offering an incentive for the teacher to never start the timer.

[glucose101]

I actually think taking it alone would be more of a distraction. All the attention's on you. OMG hahah

[justbubbles]

The proctor was a total b!tch. She was this grouchy old woman who was pretty damn anal with the stopwatch.

After LR1 or the experimental, she FORGOT to give me the 5 min. warning. WTF!

Plus, she was eating snacks, reading books, etc. stuff that was pretty distracting.

Oh, and she was watching me like a hawk.

[lsacqueen]

how is reading a book distracting? and she must've been pretty talented to watch you like a hawk while reading her book.

[rinkrat19]

grouchy old woman who was pretty damn anal with the stopwatch.

That's kind of the point of the proctor's existence. If the test weren't timed, a 180 would be the 60th percentile score.

After LR1 or the experimental, she FORGOT to give me the 5 min. warning. WTF!

That's what your watch is for.

Oh, and she was watching me like a hawk.

Also the point of the proctor.

[MLBrandow]

justbubbles,

I'm 229 miles from the nearest test center. I am interested in hearing about the process you went through to achieve a closer one.

[justbubbles]

justbubbles,

I'm 229 miles from the nearest test center. I am interested in hearing about the process you went through to achieve a closer one.

I am not too sure if there is a formal procedure per se, but I would suggest that you contact to see if they can accommodate you to a closer test center. I didn't go through any process. I told them that I would like something closer and it all went from there, when I was informed of this little-known LSAC policy.

The 200M radius or more might be a blanket policy, but everything is at LSAC's discretion.

In my case, I did not take the test at an LSAT test center, but LSAC (through its assigned proctor) made it (eg - the high-school) an impromptu "test center".

Maybe you can try offering LSAC a compelling reason (example - it will cost you hefty to travel back and forth 229M to your nearest test canter) and hopefully LSAC will be sympathetic to your cause.

Good luck!

[Mr.Binks]

justbubbles,

I'm 229 miles from the nearest test center. I am interested in hearing about the process you went through to achieve a closer one.

How does this happen? There are 4 testing centers within a 50 mile radius here.

[bruss]

Dude you should've sold all your all your belongings, bought a trash bag, filled the bag with the money you made from selling your belongings, and paid him to not start the timer.

[MLBrandow]

justbubbles,

I'm 229 miles from the nearest test center. I am interested in hearing about the process you went through to achieve a closer one.

How does this happen? There are 4 testing centers within a 50 mile radius here.

Mr.Binks,

I live near the southern coast of Korea, and the only official testing center is at Yonsei University in Seoul for the June 24th administration. I can make it there, but it will likely cost me about $300 in travel expenses.

According to LSAC's website though, a new test center costs an extra $335 and is not necessarily guaranteed. There is a university about 10 minutes from my home though, so perhaps I could test there. Either way I must register for the official administration in Seoul before any re-accommodation is considered.

My question to justbubbles is whether he actually paid this $335 fee advertised on the website? It sounds like you didn't pay it by your posts. If you didn't, could you elaborate a bit more on the process you went through to avoid the fee?

[Mr.Binks]

justbubbles,

I'm 229 miles from the nearest test center. I am interested in hearing about the process you went through to achieve a closer one.

How does this happen? There are 4 testing centers within a 50 mile radius here.

Mr.Binks,

I live near the southern coast of Korea, and the only official testing center is at Yonsei University in Seoul for the June 24th administration. I can make it there, but it will likely cost me about $300 in travel expenses.

According to LSAC's website though, a new test center costs an extra $335 and is not necessarily guaranteed. There is a university about 10 minutes from my home though, so perhaps I could test there. Either way I must register for the official administration in Seoul before any re-accommodation is considered.

My question to justbubbles is whether he actually paid this $335 fee advertised on the website? It sounds like you didn't pay it by your posts. If you didn't, could you elaborate a bit more on the process you went through to avoid the fee?

Ah, that makes sense. I can't imagine there not being a test center within 200 miles in the US, but I could be egregiously wrong..

[suspicious android]

Ah, that makes sense. I can't imagine there not being a test center within 200 miles in the US, but I could be egregiously wrong..

Welcome to flyover country. West of the Missisippi and 100 miles east of the Pacific, America is mostly empty.

[justbubbles]

Welcome to flyover country. West of the Missisippi and 100 miles east of the Pacific, America is mostly empty.

Yah, I agree with suspicious android. There is a reason why LSAC has this as an option, because I would imagine that LSAC gets more than a few of such requests from test-takers in the middle of nowhere, especially given that the LSAT is a national standardized test.

My question to justbubbles is whether he actually paid this $335 fee advertised on the website? It sounds like you didn't pay it by your posts. If you didn't, could you elaborate a bit more on the process you went through to avoid the fee?

1. No, I did not have to cough up the additional $335.
2. I was granted a fee-waiver (not sure if this has any impact on LSAC waiving the $335 advertised fee).
3. Not sure about international/overseas LSAT seatings, but I believe LSAC does apply this 200M radius policy (with discretion) to US (and maybe even Canadian) test-takers.
4. Again, everything is at LSAC's discretion. ie - if LSAC can't find a suitable spot to hold the test or if they are not able to assign a proctor, unfortunately, you might be out of luck.

Best is to discuss your specific situation with LSAC. If LSAC's front-line is unhelpful and inconsiderate, try escalating.

Good luck!