Taking the LSAT again

[Bosque]

<p>Ok, let me preface this by saying that I am already signed up to take the test again in October, and I doubt that is likely to change. All I really want to do is find out other peoples opinions.</p>

<p>I took the LSAT in June and got a 164 on it. I have been told that is a decent score, but I know I can do better (I registered late and so I had to drive 3 hours the morning of the test to my test center). So, I registered to take it again. I was just wondering what other people thought of taking the LSAT more than once. For all you old fogies (I kid!), keep in mind the recent change in regulations that allows schools to only report the highest grade.</p>

<p>Also, out of curiosity, anyone else here going/went from engineering (electrical or any of the others) to law school?</p>

[sallyawp]

<p>There are multiple posts on this very topic, but if you are aiming for a T14 law school, most of those law schools will average your scores even though they need only report to LSAC your highest score. Many of the T14 law schools will also require you to submit a statement explaining what the circumstances were that led you to take the LSAT a second time. </p>

<p>While it is probably worthwhile for you to take the LSAT a second time if you are aiming for a T14 law school, in my opinion, your explanation of driving 3 hours and registering late reeks of poor preparation and planning rather than a solid reason for a score that doesn’t reflect your true abilities. What might qualify as a good reason for a poor score? Law schools that ask for explanations are probably only going to seriously consider a second LSAT score if there were poor conditions in a testing center (that are documented and were reported at the time of testing), serious illness (102 degree fever while taking the test with a subsequent trip to the ER), death in the family the night before the test, etc.</p>

[Bosque]

<p>I am not trying to explain away my score; I was just letting all of you know why I am going to take it again. I probably should not even have included it, but there it is. The only reason I had to register so late was because I was still waiting to hear back from a company about an internship, so I did not know where I would be in June. I think it would have shown much poorer judgment to register before I knew where I was going to be, but we can just agree to disagree.</p>

<p>Anyway, I was reading that even though they do average, some schools might take the student who took it twice over the one who took it once with the same average score. The thinking being that even though they average for admission, the student with two scores is going to have one higher that they can report, thus helping their overall stats. I am not really sure if that is true, but it seems to make sense.</p>

<p>Anyway, my number one choice right now is Northwestern, and I know they take the highest score. So I think I should be fine either way. None of the schools that would be perfectly happy with my 164 are going to care if I take it again, and so long as I do better on this second time (I think I can get a 170-172), doing the test again cannot hurt me for the T14 schools. It may not help much (or at all for some of them), but it could help with some. And if I do worse, a 164 wasn’t going to really get me a chance anyway.</p>

<p>So no one else is an Electrical Engineer? I feel so alone…</p>

[lilybbloom]

<p>“Law schools that ask for explanations are probably only going to seriously consider a second LSAT score if there were poor conditions in a testing center (that are documented and were reported at the time of testing), serious illness (102 degree fever while taking the test with a subsequent trip to the ER), death in the family the night before the test, etc.”</p>

<p>Can someone else confirm this? I was under the strong impression that while taking the LSAT twice is not exactly desirable, it in no way is a “death sentence” with elite schools, as taking the MCAT twice might be. I am planning on re-taking in October, and intent to offer as explanation the simple fact that I was underprepared and felt that I had to take the test in February since I couldn’t take it in June (family was moving then). Now I’m concerned that re-taking would be in vain?</p>

[Bosque]

<p>I am by no means an expert on the subject (I made the thread after all) but everything I have read suggests that sally’s take on the situation is a bit extreme. At the very worst they will average your scores and look at that, so it won’t kill you to take it again if you were not there to begin with.</p>

<p>In any case, I know at least Northwestern looks at only your highest score, and that is #9. So I wouldn’t get too worked up over it.</p>

[sallyawp]

<p>I suppose, then, that this prior post of mine bears repeating. To my knowledge, nothing has changed on this list. </p>

<p>A few bits of current information from the websites of some top law schools:</p>

<ol>
<li>Harvard Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

Should I retake the LSAT? If you take the test more than once, all scores and their average will be reported and considered.

</p>

<ol>
<li>Georgetown Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

For reporting purposes, Georgetown adheres to the ABA policy of reporting the higher LSAT score. For evaluation purposes, the Georgetown Admissions Committee typically averages LSAT scores. Georgetown may consider the higher LSAT score if you have only taken the LSAT twice. Please address any mitigating circumstances you feel the Admissions Committee should consider.

</p>

<ol>
<li>Columbia Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

Even though the ABA requires that we report the highest LSAT score, the Committee considers the entire LSAT testing history when evaluating applications for admission. Published statistics for this and prior years were based on average LSAT scores.

</p>

<ol>
<li>NYU Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

If I take the LSAT more than once, does the Committee see the higher score?
Yes, but they evaluate based on the average score in most cases. The Committee may take special circumstances into account. If a candidate can point out specific reasons why the Committee should consider an LSAT score aberrant, they should detail those reasons in an addendum to the personal statement.

</p>

<ol>
<li>Penn Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

Q. If I take the LSAT more than once, does the Admissions Committee consider the average or the higher LSAT score?
If there are circumstances that you believe affected your performance on a prior test, we encourage you to provide an additional statement with your application explaining those circumstances. The Admissions Committee will consider such information and may, at its discretion, evaluate your application based on the higher or highest LSAT score.

</p>

<ol>
<li>U of Chicago Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

What if I took the LSAT more than once? We recognize that some students will take the LSAT more than once, perhaps because the first score was the product of unusual conditions or because it seemed low given earlier practice test scores. In keeping with recent changes in LSAC and ABA policies, we will focus on the higher of an applicant’s two scores. LSAC data suggest that the first score is an excellent predictor of a second score; applicants are thus advised to re-take the test only if there is reason to expect significant improvement. We certainly do not wish to encourage expenditures on repeat test taking.

</p>

<ol>
<li>U of Michigan Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

How does the University of Michigan Law School handle multiple LSAT scores?
The LSDAS report for an applicant who has sat for the LSAT more than once will show every score or cancellation, as well as the average score. The ABA requires law schools to report score information based on an admitted student’s highest score, and therefore, that is the score to which we give the most weight. We do, however, consider the average score as well, because data provided by the Law School Admissions Council suggests that it has the greatest predictive utility. If you have a significant disparity between scores (six or more points), it would be very helpful to address any explanation for the difference in an optional essay or addendum.

</p>

<ol>
<li>U of Virginia Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

What is your policy on multiple LSAT scores?
Multiple LSAT scores will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We do not automatically use the average, the highest, or the most recent score, but will evaluate any information provided by the applicant that may be relevant to the interpretation of test results, such as illness, testing conditions, or other extenuating circumstances. The recent change to the ABA rule regarding multiple test scores affects only how we report the LSAT score of an applicant who took the LSAT more than once. The old rule required that law schools report the average of multiple scores; the revised rule now asks law schools to report the higher of multiple scores. The ABA rule does not now, nor did it ever, tell law schools to rely on one score over another in making admissions decisions, but rather encourages schools to look comprehensively at all information presented in an application for admission. That practice has not changed.

</p>

<ol>
<li>Northwestern Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

All applicants are required to take the LSAT. The LSAT is administered in June, October, December, and February. Applicants may take the test more than once, but repetition is not advised unless some disruptive factor has interfered with performance during the first administration. If an applicant takes the LSAT more than once, the Admission Committee will consider all scores, the circumstances surrounding each test experience, and possible benefits resulting from prior exposure to the test. Test results are sent to the Law School by the Law School Admission Council. According to LSAC, scores are valid for five years after the test date.

</p>

<ol>
<li>Cornell Law School:</li>
</ol>

<p>

If I take the LSAT more than once, will you take the highest score or the average of the scores?
In general, Cornell Law’s policy is to take the higher score if it is at least 3 points higher than a prior score, but the Admissions Committee invites applicants to submit an addendum to their application explaining the different LSAT scores and why we should take the higher score.

</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Duke Law School - no comment made on website</p></li>
<li><p>Boalt - takes the highest (I’m sure someone can find the quote, if necessary)</p></li>
<li><p>Yale - no comment made on website, school still states that they use a holistic approach to admissions</p></li>
<li><p>Stanford - makes no comment on website</p></li>
</ol>

<h2>Moreover, the takeaway seems to be that if you take the LSAT more than once, you had better have a good reason for doing so (102 degree fever, power outage at the testing location, death in the family, etc.) and you had better take some time to explain that reason in your application. Again, I emphasize that you should prepare for and go into the LSAT as if you are going to take the test once and only once. Having explanations for one thing or another on your application, instead of just having a strong application, diverts attention from your strengths and may lead to questions about your ability and/or your commitment. </h2>

<p>I would also add that that vast majority of your grades in law school are based upon one final exam given for somewhere between 3-24 hours on one day. No one cares if you haven’t prepared adequately, if you aren’t feeling well (unless your illness requires hospitalization) or if pretty much any other circumstances affect your ability to take that one exam. Homework assignments are not turned in in most classes, and there are no other grades to mitigate a bad grade on the final exam. In fact, most final exams are anonymous (you are given a number instead of your name, which the dean’s office (or a similar place) matches back up to a name after the grading is complete – the idea is that you should be able to say whatever you want in class without any chance that you will be penalized for your opinions or ideas). Therefore, not even class participation throughout the semester can save you from a bad grade on the final exam. </p>

<p>Many law schools view lack of preparation as an excuse for a bad LSAT score as analogous to lack of preparation resulting in poor performance on final exams in law school. I would recommend preparing as much as you need to, and then taking the LSAT once.</p>

<p>The LSAC has repeatedly emphasized to law schools that your first LSAT is the test most likely to predict your success in law school, and I think that most of the top law schools are clearly keeping that advice in mind. You may take the LSAT more than once (in fact, up to three times in two years), but I believe that you do so to your detriment in admissions.</p>