Pros and Cons of cancelling Forum

[syr1990]

I was planning on taking the LSAT in a couple weeks, but I don't feel I am as prepared as I could be. I want to cancel and take it in October, but there aren't any refunds at this point. Should I go ahead and take it and cancel the score just to gain the experience of taking the LSAT in a testing center? What are the pros and cons of doing this as compared to just cancelling the test all together?

[DaRascal]

I'm kind of in the same boat. If I realize I'm doing poorly I want to cancel. I don't think there are really any cons except losing your money but I could be wrong.

[bp shinners]

Canceling after taking the exam
PROS: Experience taking the exam in a real-world setting
CONS: You have a cancel on your record, which is (marginally) worse than not having a cancel

Withdrawing and taking October
PROS: Only one score is better than one score + a cancel
CONS: If you bomb it, you'll be applying after the New Year, which is late (or with your bad score, which is worse)

[bingbang1025]

Canceling after taking the exam
PROS: Experience taking the exam in a real-world setting
CONS: You have a cancel on your record, which is (marginally) worse than not having a cancel

Withdrawing and taking October
PROS: Only one score is better than one score + a cancel
CONS: If you bomb it, you'll be applying after the New Year, which is late (or with your bad score, which is worse)

I had multiple cancelations. Schools do not give a shit. A cancelation is much better than a low score, trust me.

[dowu]

[DonnaDraper]

"Experiencing what the real test is like" is not a good enough reason to take a cancel IMO. Every sitting will be different and feel different enough where that is just not worth it. Take the test when you are PTing slightly higher than what you would be happy with or at the very least when you would be ok getting what you generally get on PTs.

[bp shinners]

Canceling after taking the exam
PROS: Experience taking the exam in a real-world setting
CONS: You have a cancel on your record, which is (marginally) worse than not having a cancel

Withdrawing and taking October
PROS: Only one score is better than one score + a cancel
CONS: If you bomb it, you'll be applying after the New Year, which is late (or with your bad score, which is worse)

I had multiple cancelations. Schools do not give a shit. A cancelation is much better than a low score, trust me.

I never said that a cancellation was worse than a low score. I said a cancellation was worse than not having a cancellation. It is 100% true that a cancellation is better than a low score. The OP didn't have taking the exam and just seeing what the score would be as a possibility (he was going to take it and cancel), so I didn't include it in the analysis.

[bp shinners]

"Experiencing what the real test is like" is not a good enough reason to take a cancel IMO. Every sitting will be different and feel different enough where that is just not worth it. Take the test when you are PTing slightly higher than what you would be happy with or at the very least when you would be ok getting what you generally get on PTs.

In general, I agree. However, there are some people out there who will benefit from a dry run in an actual testing environment. You have to weight how much of a benefit that will be to you against the (marginal) negative of a cancellation.

[bingbang1025]

Canceling after taking the exam
PROS: Experience taking the exam in a real-world setting
CONS: You have a cancel on your record, which is (marginally) worse than not having a cancel

Withdrawing and taking October
PROS: Only one score is better than one score + a cancel
CONS: If you bomb it, you'll be applying after the New Year, which is late (or with your bad score, which is worse)

I had multiple cancelations. Schools do not give a shit. A cancelation is much better than a low score, trust me.

Yeah, but if you take it, you'll probably "feel good" about it and decide not to cancel.

I say postpone until scoring in the range where you want to score.

False - no one "feels good" about an LSAT after they take it.

[Mr.Binks]

Canceling after taking the exam
PROS: Experience taking the exam in a real-world setting
CONS: You have a cancel on your record, which is (marginally) worse than not having a cancel

Withdrawing and taking October
PROS: Only one score is better than one score + a cancel
CONS: If you bomb it, you'll be applying after the New Year, which is late (or with your bad score, which is worse)

I had multiple cancelations. Schools do not give a shit. A cancelation is much better than a low score, trust me.

Yeah, but if you take it, you'll probably "feel good" about it and decide not to cancel.

I say postpone until scoring in the range where you want to score.

False - no one "feels good" about an LSAT after they take it.

Actually, I felt pretty good after December 2011. Turns out I should have canceled.