Self-paced
Hello everyone, recently I was diagnosed with ADHD and as such, I've been considering the possibility of taking the exam in June with timing accommodations. I know personally that I've always struggled with timing during standardized testing since childhood, and even in admissions exams like the SAT in high school. However, I hear a lot of successful applicants with ADHD forgo accommodations altogether and score high, so I'd hate to be an outlier. My concern is that I already have 2 attempts without accommodations under my belt, and the last thing I want is a potentially higher score marred on Law School Applications by the fact that I may have taken the easy way out via accommodations. So my question in particular are for those who decided to take the LSAT with Accommodations, did they negatively impact your admissions process by any means?
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11 comments
Hello.
I have severe ADHD, like the worst you can have it. And I say, get those accommodations as soon as possible! I genuinely could not complete the LSAT without them. And dude, saying that you are “taking the easy way out” is silly, you have a disability. And that’s okay, you literally had no say in the matter. Take advantage of any “leg up” that is presented to you and never feel bad about it. These resources are there for people like us so we also have a fair chance.
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@astorialovescake For testing accommodations through LSAC, you have to apply for them through your JD Services Account, and that should be free of charge here: https://os.lsac.org/LSAT/accommodations/AccomInfo.aspx
For diagnosis and paperwork needed to get those accommodations approved, honestly just depends on where you're located for pricing. Being based in Texas, I can tell you first hand it wasn't cheap (about 1.5K iirc), but if you're truly struggling due to your disability, it's certainly worth it if you can afford it. If you already have a diagnosis, just check the accommodation requirements to make sure it's still valid and that it's proof enough to get your specific accommodations.
https://www.lsac.org/lsat/register-lsat/accommodations/documentation-requirements
@astorialovescake I paid my psych $59. Just find a telehealth psych. Do not pay four figures, because that is insane. If you're in Florida I'll give you a referral.
@astorialovescake I am also in the DMV! But I don't have anyone here who's exceptional enough to recommend. But take a look on Zocdoc. You shouldn't pay more than $30-50 if you have insurance. Without insurance, aim for $200 and below. What you're looking for is an ADHD diagnosis so you can get the accommodations.
I hesitate to mention Medvidi, which is kind of a poorly run telehealth operation, but that's another option. Should be around $160.
In my view: accommodations level the playing field. They don't give you an advantage; they simply just give you a boost up to where you can compete with every neurotypical/physically able person. I have great accommodations I am happy to use. I know there is some stigma around it, but I promise it's a great thing in the long run!
Chiming in from the admissions perspective!
@Dibble - It's alright to have accommodations. It is! Promise! LSAC got their pants absolutely sued off of them about 10-12 years ago for being too stringent on granting accommodations that they should have because of the Americans with Disabilities Act. So this has been around for a while. Additionally, law schools are required by the ADA to grant accommodations on testing during law school. So you aren't doing anything that you wouldn't be doing in law school anyway.
And let me put this to you in another way - there is no universe in which it's better to get a lower score by taking the test in harder conditions ("I know my LSAT is below your median but I did it with one hand literally tied behind my back!") then getting a higher score with accommodations.
Last note - if you do get accommodations and do score significantly higher than your previous tests (and I'll set that benchmark at like a 6-7+ point increase), just write a quick note on your addenda to explain the score increase. It's totally alright!
@JacobBaska Thank you so much for this, this was very reassuring to hear!
@JacobBaska can I ask, in general, is it recommended to explain 6-7+ point score increases between exams, regardless of the reason? I didn’t know that was some thing worth explaining.
@Charlie03 Yes, it's recommended to provide an explanation. I know that this is a bit ridiculous on the surface because the answer to the question of "how did I improve?" is almost always a combination of:
1) I changed my study habits and improved, or,
2) I underperformed on the lower score because of [fill in the blank with illness, tech issues, disruptions at test center, etc].
That's it! Yet, I can tell you from experience that someone on the admissions committee will undoubtedly ask "...hmmmmmmmm, I wonder what's up with that test increase....." So you might as well just address it in one paragraph.
As far as I am aware, LSAC does not share accommodation info with schools so it should have no impact on your admissions process. That being said, if you were to voluntarily share that information whether in essays or interviews, that would of course change things. Even then, I doubt they would care that much. It's a legitimate test option given by LSAC meant for people similar to you, not some easy way out.