why aren't the scores averaged anymore? Forum

[Zeta]

I'm not complaining (157) but why is it that we get to retake w/ no real penalty?
I'd be pissed if I'd been denied entry into a top school in the past if, even after having scored 180 on a retake, the average was still not good enough.
Not that I'd ever have a shot at a top school even w/ an initial 180. I'm just curious as to why the sea change occurred.

[Bildungsroman]

iirc, a few years ago schools had to report your averaged score. When that changed and they could report your highest score, suddenly they decided that was the better practice.

[dextermorgan]

US News and World Report, of course.

[alwayssunnyinfl]

I'm not complaining (157) but why is it that we get to retake w/ no real penalty?
I'd be pissed if I'd been denied entry into a top school in the past if, even after having scored 180 on a retake, the average was still not good enough.
Not that I'd ever have a shot at a top school even w/ an initial 180. I'm just curious as to why the sea change occurred.

Also, I'm almost certain that you'd have a decent shot at a top school with a 180

[cahwc12]

iirc, a few years ago schools had to report your averaged score. When that changed and they could report your highest score, suddenly they decided that was the better practice.

This is incorrect as far as I know. I was going to apply in the 2007 cycle and the issue was that some schools averaged and some schools took the highest LSAT score to make their medians look better. So, in an effort to guard against that gaming, USNWR started only reporting the highest LSAT to solve the problem. Now, some schools still say that they "consider" both scores, but really I think there isn't really any situation except for 170+ --> 140 (slight hyperbole) that would raise an eyebrow, positively or negatively.

[Zeta]

does that mean that schools never used the average as the qualifier?

[Big Dog]

Actually, it was the ABA that changed policy back in ~2006, to require that law schools only report only the highest scores of matriculated students.

[Zeta]

why?

[alwayssunnyinfl]

why?

With the huge increases in preparation that LSAT takers engage in now, the initial score is pretty useless.

Also, it encourages the "retake until 180" mentality, which is a boon for LSAC.

[CanadianWolf]

More money for LSDAS & the test prep industry.