June - Withdraw w/o Refund or Take & Cancel?

nyc2dc2ca

My goal is a 168+ to get into my target law schools.

My PT score range is 164-166. I have burned PTs from 55 - 70.
Today I had the worst score (PT70) since I started studying earlier this year.

I am contemplating withdrawing or taking the June test and immediately canceling. If I withdraw, I will lose money. If I take and cancel, I will also lose money BUT I will at least have had the experience of sitting and taking an offical LSAT.

The only other consideration is that I can not take the September LSAT due to work scheduling and I will instead be taking the December LSAT. I would like to apply this upcoming fall and I am a bit worried that December is late for the LSAT...

1. Any thoughts on taking & canceling? Does it have any major implications for law school applications?
2. Is the December LSAT too late? (I WILL have all my materials ready by the score release date in January 2018)

Thoughts?

Thank you.

akistotle

@nyc2dc2ca said:
1. Any thoughts on taking & canceling? Does it have any major implications for law school applications?

I don't think law schools care too much about it...(I hope.) But I don't know if you should take it knowing that you won't do well.

Is the December LSAT too late? (I WILL have all my materials ready by the score release date in January 2018)

Although I am not an expert about this, I have seen plenty of people getting in with December LSAT scores. I think it's not too late.

I hope you can get good advice from other fellow 7Sagers!!

Daniel.Sieradzki

Hi @nyc2dc2ca,

Those are some great questions.

As for question 1, law schools really only care about your top score (Yale might be the only exception). Thus, canceling will hardly matter, if at all, to law schools. That being said, it might impact you. A bad performance on the LSAT can have psychological ramifications. You might get really depressed and no longer want to study for December, which would be a huge mistake because your PT scores are really good. I honestly think that exposure to the test helps very little for future takes. I was as scared on my second take as my first. It is like public speaking for the second time, is it really that much less scary than the first time? That is why I suggest waiting until you are truly ready and consistently scoring at least 3 points above your target score before you take the real test. However, you know yourself better than I do and it is ultimately your decision.

For question 2, December is definitely NOT too late. Just make sure you have your applications ready to go so you can send them out the second that scores come in. Applying in February right on the deadline hurts your chances, but early January (when scores come in) is still good.

I hope that helps! Good luck on the LSAT, June or December!

Alex

@"Daniel.Sieradzki" said:
Hi @nyc2dc2ca,

Those are some great questions.

As for question 1, law schools really only care about your top score (Yale might be the only exception). Thus, canceling will hardly matter, if at all, to law schools. That being said, it might impact you. A bad performance on the LSAT can have psychological ramifications. You might get really depressed and no longer want to study for December, which would be a huge mistake because your PT scores are really good. I honestly think that exposure to the test helps very little for future takes. I was as scared on my second take as my first. It is like public speaking for the second time, is it really that much less scary than the first time? That is why I suggest waiting until you are truly ready and consistently scoring at least 3 points above your target score before you take the real test. However, you know yourself better than I do and it is ultimately your decision.

For question 2, December is definitely NOT too late. Just make sure you have your applications ready to go so you can send them out the second that scores come in. Applying in February right on the deadline hurts your chances, but early January (when scores come in) is still good.

I hope that helps! Good luck on the LSAT, June or December!

Great advice from Daniel as always!