Dec LSAT with an eye problem..or wait out a cycle? Forum

[MattM]

Hello,

In my case should I take the December 2014 LSAT or wait until next year?....

I don't really see a reason to take it given my visions problems following a Jan 2012 accident and only being able to read from one eye.....and LSAC was unwilling to grant me extra time.

i have a certain "peak" that I can't get over on the LSAT if its under fully timed proctored conditions because on the Reading Comp section I have difficulty reading from only one eye ....I could get a high 150's low 160's score if I take it in Dec.....For example on one PT I scored a -13 combined on LR, LR2, and LG...but missed 13 alone on RC.

Vision problem mostly bothers me on RC because passage and questions are split over two pages, not so much the other sections since there is less reading ( I can see the whole answer choices and stimuli reading from my right eye in LR and LG not much reading there)

I think it would be foolish to take it because a low RC and an off day on one of the other sections is a recipe for a low score

[MattM]

All LSAC granted me was large print exam......I sent a re-consideration request to them but they overlooked some info in the prior request.


A large print exam wouldn't help me much since the only option they give is 18 point font and its very blurry/letters seem to shake when reading from the left eye.

I may take a cycle off and see if I can take the GRE under extra timed conditions under the new LSAC policy on prior accommodations .....( SAT and ACT scores to get into college were taken before 2012 accident).....as controversial as it is to post about extra time here, it's my only real option since large print doesn't really help me.

[Emma.]

Is your vision problem something that is expected to improve over time? I'm not suggesting that your accident should prevent you from becoming a lawyer, but you should probably be thinking beyond the LSAT.

Most of your time in law school is spent reading fine print from casebooks. I have no idea what the options are for casebooks for the visually impaired, but if large print doesn't help and you are going to just be reading slowly throughout law school, it is going to be tough to stay on top of your work. And while you might get time accommodations for exams, there's not really any accommodation the school can give you for your weekly class prep (you might be able to get note taking assistance for actual class time, though). This will likely be an issue beyond school also, since again most of your job will involve reading, and your work will always be under time pressure. Of course employers can't legally discriminate against you on the basis of a disability, but for stuff like law firm hiring where firms are looking at a large number of candidates for a small number of spots it is easy for them to just offer the job to another similarly qualified applicant.

Good luck!

[Kratos]

Is your vision problem expected to get better?

Scooped/

[MattM]

Normal reading vision out of right eye .....only problem is the left.

I haven't had problems with undergrad exams under normal time despite reading out of one eye....but LSAT is very different since its not one of those undergrad exams where you finish 20 minutes before class ends and the exams in UG have minimal reading on them, short question stems, short answer choices, or essay style exams

[MattM]

Is your vision problem something that is expected to improve over time? I'm not suggesting that your accident should prevent you from becoming a lawyer, but you should probably be thinking beyond the LSAT.

Most of your time in law school is spent reading fine print from casebooks. I have no idea what the options are for casebooks for the visually impaired, but if large print doesn't help and you are going to just be reading slowly throughout law school, it is going to be tough to stay on top of your work. And while you might get time accommodations for exams, there's not really any accommodation the school can give you for your weekly class prep (you might be able to get note taking assistance for actual class time, though). This will likely be an issue beyond school also, since again most of your job will involve reading, and your work will always be under time pressure. Of course employers can't legally discriminate against you on the basis of a disability, but for stuff like law firm hiring where firms are looking at a large number of candidates for a small number of spots it is easy for them to just offer the job to another similarly qualified applicant.

Good luck!

How can firms know if I do have a disability in the hiring process?....Isn't it confidential in which case it wouldn't affect me until after I got the job and if it were to affect job performance

[MattM]

Possible vision problem will get better.

I have tried prescription reading glasses to help my left eye but even that doesn't help ( with a caveat i have only tried once)

I would likely also use a year off since I would be closer to my eye doctors back at home instead of being away in college,...to speak to my eye doctors to more vigorously pursue getting help for my left eye before law school ( wether it be glasses, contacts, surgery etc)......Reading out of one eye hasn't been too bad in UG, but I know in Law School I will need to be healthy and have both eyes working if possible

[Emma.]

Is your vision problem something that is expected to improve over time? I'm not suggesting that your accident should prevent you from becoming a lawyer, but you should probably be thinking beyond the LSAT.

Most of your time in law school is spent reading fine print from casebooks. I have no idea what the options are for casebooks for the visually impaired, but if large print doesn't help and you are going to just be reading slowly throughout law school, it is going to be tough to stay on top of your work. And while you might get time accommodations for exams, there's not really any accommodation the school can give you for your weekly class prep (you might be able to get note taking assistance for actual class time, though). This will likely be an issue beyond school also, since again most of your job will involve reading, and your work will always be under time pressure. Of course employers can't legally discriminate against you on the basis of a disability, but for stuff like law firm hiring where firms are looking at a large number of candidates for a small number of spots it is easy for them to just offer the job to another similarly qualified applicant.

Good luck!

How can firms know if I do have a disability in the hiring process?....Isn't it confidential in which case it wouldn't affect me until after I got the job and if it were to affect job performance

Sorry, I'd imagined that your accident and partial blindness had some external signs. But here's another scenario assuming your vision significantly affects your ability to read at least long/complicated passages (and if that wasn't in fact the case, you probably shouldn't be seeking accomodations). You get a summer offer at a firm through OCI but you don't disclose your disability and ask for accommodations. Over the course of the summer your disability means you aren't able to complete projects as quickly as assigning attorneys expect. This doesn't necessarily mean you are going to get no offered, but if your impairment is significant you aren't going to be able to hide it well during the course of a 10-week summer, which is essentially one long interview.

[ManoftheHour]

That sucks man. If you think this will affect your ability, then I'd honestly wait. Good luck!

[MattM]

Thanks!

I'm in a somewhat tricky position for law school/or not since my stats are decent all things considered having an eye problem. 3.55 GPA at a difficult university and my most recent PT was a 171 ( with the caveat of extra time allowed on RC since thats where my vision impacts me the most)


It would be a much easier call not to go to law school if I was a 3.0 student with a 150 LSAT......because then there wouldn't be much to consider

[MattM]

Thanks for the advice!

I decided more importantly than the LSAT ....I need to focus on getting healthy so I withdrew from the Dec LSAT and will apply for the next cycle for Fall 2016.....especially given how important it will be for me at the next level to have two functioning eyes to keep up with the large amounts of reading. With reading out of only the rihgt eye it would be very difficult

Also by taking off a cycle it allows me to be closer to home after I graduate...since I haven;t really been able to get contacts, glasses , surgery etc for the left eye since i am only home for winter and summer break.

I feel like I definitely made the right call to postpone for health, quality of life, and law schools reasons.

Hopefully the next time I will be healthy so i won't even have to ask for extra time!