December Retake Forum

[Tscherry]

Hey Guys,

so long story short i completely bombed the October LSAT and i have a couple questions. I wound up getting a 154 on the test..... I had gotten about 2 hours of sleep the night before and was really sick with a stomach virus the entire test day. During all my practice tests (i took around 20-25) I would consistanlty get 165-170.

How much of a disadvantage is it now that I have to wait until December to apply? and also, if i do wind up getting a score somewhere within my practice test range, will schools believe me if i send in an addendum? I know different schools have different policies, but for the most part, schools give weight to the highest score, no?

Congrats to everyone on their scores today btw!

[Tscherry]

anyone?

[cassielam]

bump, i'm interested too similar predicament

[dirtrida2]

You are only at a disadvantage if you dont kill the Dec LSAT.

If you get a great score, chances are you won't have any problems attending the school your aiming for. If you are on the cusp... the application process gets a little more selective and your score doesn't have as much of a pull.

Just do well and you won't have a problem!

[tectonic]

Schools only report your highest score. Most schools won't hold your lower score against you. Exceptions would be Harvard/Yale/Stanford and maybe some of the other really top ones. I would probably still write an addendum if I made a 10+ point jump. Shouldn't be too big of a deal at most schools though. With declining numbers of test takers and with a -10 curve on the October exam, they'll be preoccupied with holding up their medians.

If you wait until your December scores come in, you'll probably be submitting applications in late December/early January. That will diminish your chances significantly but it is very difficult to quantify just how much it will hurt you. Too many factors to take into account. Namely, the composition of the rest of the applicant pool. Also, the score you actually end up. It would be considerably easier getting in late with a 170 than with a 165.

If you feel confident that you'll score in your PT range, you could always retake in December, submit your applications late, and see where you get in. If you don't get into a school that you find acceptable you can wait a year and re-apply next year early in the cycle. Your scores are still valid and you'll have lots of time to work on essays.

[accelerate]

Same dilemma as OP. So disheartening to score significantly below your PT range... got to shake off those nerves. Thanks for the response