Applying "Early" = How Many Points on the LSAT? Forum

[carboncopyx]

Hi all,

Ideally, I'd like to apply this cycle for fall 2013. I'm in one of those situations where my PT average is 170 right now, but the median scores of my target schools are all ~174. I have a 3.84 GPA. My options as I see them:

1) Take October and cancel. Study and practice more for December, where I'm pretty sure I would be able to consistently score in the mid-170s. Apply in late December/early January with that score (everything else would have been submitted ahead of time).
2) Take October and, if I don't like my score, retake it in December. Same as above except I would have two scores listed for the LSAT (which might look bad, or so I've heard).
3) Take October and, if it's a 170, apply with that. Pros: I'd get to apply in early November. Cons: it's a 170.

My dilemma is in mainly trying to figure out how many points on the LSAT would make up for the loss of "points" from submitting in late December/early January.

Has anyone else been in such a situation? What did you do, and did it turn out as you would have liked?

Thanks!

[Nova]

Above median December score >>>> Below median October score

No school has a median of 174+

[09042014]

0 points.

[rebexness]

[carboncopyx]

0 points.

Do you mean that it's better to apply later with a better score than earlier with a lower score?

[20130312]

Do you mean that it's better to apply later with a better score than earlier with a lower score?

Yes.

If you do decide you're going to cancel for October, cancel BEFORE you take it so it doesn't count towards your "three LSATs every two years."

[carboncopyx]

If you do decide you're going to cancel for October, cancel BEFORE you take it so it doesn't count towards your "three LSATs every two years."

I was thinking of taking it just to get familiar with the test site/proctor/actual test date conditions. Kind of like a really expensive practice test that would emulate the December sitting... (The money's a sunk cost at this point, anyway.)

[20130312]

If you do decide you're going to cancel for October, cancel BEFORE you take it so it doesn't count towards your "three LSATs every two years."

I was thinking of taking it just to get familiar with the test site/proctor/actual test date conditions. Kind of like a really expensive practice test that would emulate the December sitting... (The money's a sunk cost at this point, anyway.)

Just saying that it's pointless to cancel AFTER you've taken it. If you're going to take it, let the score stick. Schools only look at your highest score anyway.

[carboncopyx]

I always understood it to be that a cancel + high score > okay score + high score, especially since I believe schools like HYS look at and consider all LSAT scores when reviewing your application. Correct me if I'm wrong, though (that would be much easier if I could also get my October score and see how I did).