LSAT test center full--possibly have to go abroad? Forum

[peachyjade]

Hi! I am wondering if there is anyone here that has run into similar situations regarding full test centers.

I am trying to sign up for the September test (I know, it's already too late and there's really no one else to blame other than me). I currently live in Southern China and the only test center available nearby is in Hong Kong, which is already full. The remaining ones in Asia within a "reasonable" distance would be: Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

I remember seeing similar posts claiming things like "if you put yourself on a waitlist you are guaranteed a spot within a certain distance because people drop out later on." My city is actually only about 80 miles from HK. But when I emailed LSAC, they told me that "they are working on this issue" but they could not guarantee a spot. Also, if previous posts I've seen got a spot because people cancelled, I doubt the my fellow test-warrior Chinese students would give up spots just due to "feeling unprepared."

I am not hugely opposed to going to Thailand/Japan/South Korea to take the test if I have to. But traveling abroad could affect my score negatively (bad especially for a splitter). Any thoughts?

[Wipfelder]

I flew about nine hours to a testing center. I arrived three days before the test to make sure I was acclimated. I did pretty good, was PTing about 175-179ish and got low 170's. I probably would have done better if I didn't have to change eight time zones.

It's def possible to still perform well, but have a very good plan, take the time to acclimate, and if possible, travel North/South rather than East/West.

[lawadmin]

Hi! I am wondering if there is anyone here that has run into similar situations regarding full test centers.

I am trying to sign up for the September test (I know, it's already too late and there's really no one else to blame other than me). I currently live in Southern China and the only test center available nearby is in Hong Kong, which is already full. The remaining ones in Asia within a "reasonable" distance would be: Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

I remember seeing similar posts claiming things like "if you put yourself on a waitlist you are guaranteed a spot within a certain distance because people drop out later on." My city is actually only about 80 miles from HK. But when I emailed LSAC, they told me that "they are working on this issue" but they could not guarantee a spot. Also, if previous posts I've seen got a spot because people cancelled, I doubt the my fellow test-warrior Chinese students would give up spots just due to "feeling unprepared."

I am not hugely opposed to going to Thailand/Japan/South Korea to take the test if I have to. But traveling abroad could affect my score negatively (bad especially for a splitter). Any thoughts?

Guangzhou (where I'm assuming you are) to Bangkok is ~3 hour flight and only a one hour time difference, so no jet lag issues. While not ideal, hardly any issue that should affect your score. I imagine plenty of people in the USA have to do some travel to get to their test center, stay overnight at a hotel, etc. As someone already pointed out, you could get there a day or two early if you're particularly nervous. But not something I'd be overly worried about. Focus on getting the highest possible score, and best of luck!

[CoGar]

I will also be sitting in September and ran into a similar problem. I called LSAC a while back and they told me to sign up for a Waitlist at your home testing center. They also said you'll be garenteed if that is still full by test day to take it within 100 miles of the center your signed up for. I can almost promise you that you will not need to go abroad. They will open more centers. They actually just opened another a second college in my city (my undergrad school) so its even better that I was on the wait list or else id be taking it at the community college. Hope this helps, dont worry it will work out.... and if you want confirmation on this just call LSAC, they are usually very helpful.

[galeatus]

Was in exactly the same boat - I live in Beijing and planned to take the HK test but found it to be filled, ended up going to Kuala Lumpur instead - same time zone and the test centre is right across the street from a few nice hotels which makes life a lot easier.

[heythatslife]

I love Seoul as a city but would not recommend flying in there to take the LSAT. Airport is about 1.5 hours from the part of the city where the test center is (Yonsei University - if it's still being used), and there aren't really any decent hotels within walking distance. Also the test center is ensconced deep inside a college campus so I would have been panicking on the morning of the test if I hadn't gotten a friend to show me where it was on the day before.