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Optics of Retaking the LSAT - Help


intrepidlady97

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intrepidlady97

I'm signed up to take the LSAT for the 1st time in August and am not doing as well as I would've hoped at this point. I've been studying since mid-May full-time but am averaging 156 (best score was 159 which I was able to hit on 2/6 full PTs I've taken, largely depends on how the logic games section goes for me). Logic games were a big, time-consuming struggle and by the time I improved that section (meaning I got to a -8 instead of a -15), I had little time left for LR and RC, which can be inconsistent for me (especially RC). I can't really push the test back to Sept/Oct because I'm moving at the end of August and starting a Master's degree in the fall. However, I won't be applying for law school until the Sept 2024 entry cycle (when my Master's finishes), so I can definitely retake it and am willing to do so, maybe next summer after studying throughout the year a bit at a time.

I know most schools only take your maximum LSAT score, but I've heard that retaking the LSAT CAN hurt your chances because schools may use this to decide on grey-area applicants. E.g., if 2 people apply with the same LSAT score and gpa, they'll pick the one who only took the LSAT once over someone who had to retake the LSAT to get that score. Do I need to worry about this? Basically, I have a couple of options for August: 1) Keep the score on my record no matter what, 2) Purchase score preview and cancel it if it is below 159, or 3) Purchase score preview and cancel it if it is below 160 or 161 (which is likely given how I've been testing, unless my continued study efforts in the next 2 weeks pay off more than I'm expecting).

My gpa stats are: OLSAS cgpa/B2/L2 = 3.27/3.66/3.65, L2 (4.3 scale): 4.02/4.3, so I have a feeling it would be best to get at least a 160 or 161 (unless they will care about my Master's degree (thesis-based in environmental social sciences/policy), undergrad in engineering, research experience, or 2 yrs work experience as an epidemiologist for the federal government, which I'm not sure they will?). I'm hoping for Queen's or Dalhousie. Would I have a shot at all if I got a 159? I'm also open to Calgary as I understand they have more of a holistic admissions process.

 

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Patient0L
  • Law Student

I wouldn’t use your highest LSAT score as a predictor of test day performance. It will probably end up being somewhere in your median… or worse. If there is no rush, there’s no point in wasting an attempt on a score that won’t give you the admission stats that you need. I would definitely postpone and see how much progress you can make continuing with your prep. 

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intrepidlady97
13 minutes ago, Patient0L said:

I wouldn’t use your highest LSAT score as a predictor of test day performance. It will probably end up being somewhere in your median… or worse. If there is no rush, there’s no point in wasting an attempt on a score that won’t give you the admission stats that you need. I would definitely postpone and see how much progress you can make continuing with your prep. 

Well at this point, I can't get a refund, and the next time I'd be able to take it is next August, so I figure it's worth taking the test this August. It's really only a wasted attempt if it looks bad on admissions when I retake it. Do you know if it would?

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Patient0L
  • Law Student

I’ve never seen the Sunk Cost Fallacy on a flaw question. Could be a good thing for LSAT takers to learn.
 

You seem to be pretty convinced that you will probably need to take it at a later date regardless of whether you take it this August. If that’s the case, you’re down $200 either way. You can lose $200 + score preview (which you can only use once) + one of your seven lifetime attempts. Or, you could just lose $200.

As far as schools caring, most of them say that they take only your highest score but that they *do* look at all of them. 

A couple of them average scores… McGill and maybe one more?

 

 

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intrepidlady97
10 hours ago, Patient0L said:

I’ve never seen the Sunk Cost Fallacy on a flaw question. Could be a good thing for LSAT takers to learn.
 

You seem to be pretty convinced that you will probably need to take it at a later date regardless of whether you take it this August. If that’s the case, you’re down $200 either way. You can lose $200 + score preview (which you can only use once) + one of your seven lifetime attempts. Or, you could just lose $200.

As far as schools caring, most of them say that they take only your highest score but that they *do* look at all of them. 

A couple of them average scores… McGill and maybe one more?

 

I was under the impression that score preview allowed you to "cancel" one of your 7 lifetime attempts, so this changes my outlook for sure! I knew you could only use score preview once, but I still thought it only "counted" on LSAC's side, and that I still had 7 attempts at the LSAT after using it. I think that was the Necessary Assumption in my response 🙂

 

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scooter
  • Law Student
2 minutes ago, intrepidlady97 said:
10 hours ago, Patient0L said:

I was under the impression that score preview allowed you to "cancel" one of your 7 lifetime attempts, so this changes my outlook for sure! I knew you could only use score preview once, but I still thought it only "counted" on LSAC's side, and that I still had 7 attempts at the LSAT after using it. I think that was the Necessary Assumption in my response 🙂

 

Score preview is only available on your first LSAT attempt. It will show up as "Cancel" to schools  - they will see you wrote August but decided to cancel the score.

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ZukoJD
  • Law Student

You will want to get to a place where you're averaging 2 to 3 points above the score you want to obtain on test day. With your grades, a 159 would not make you a particularly strong applicant. Sure, it might grant you admission but you would be below average for both grades and LSAT. I would aim for 161+ in your position. 

You seem like a smart and motivated individual and your progress on the LSAT is positive. Keep studying and try to adopt the mindset that you're going to walk away from the LSAT having done near as well as you could have, rather than having just scrapped the minimum score you needed for admission. 

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