Admission/Scholarship Question

Hamaseh_S

I'm applying next cycle so it's still too soon for this but I'm curious about one thing....

Do admissions consider LSAT scores taken AFTER you've been admitted??
I'm specifically curious about this scenario:
Take LSAT in June (score JUST ENOUGH to get into schools)
Get accepted to school
Take LSAT again with much higher score, ENOUGH FOR SCHOLARSHIP
Submit new LSAT to score already admitted to
---- Do they consider the new LSAT score for scholarships???? ------

So I know sometimes they put apps on hold for people who are retaking but I'm asking if schools consider scores for scholarships after they've sent a letter of acceptance

Just curious, lmk!!

NotMyName

Not really but kind of. Here's why:

The most powerful chip to play in scholarship negotiations is competing offers; either larger scholarships from lower ranked schools or acceptances to higher ranked school. If a candidate's situation remains unchanged in these areas despite a higher LSAT score, I don't imagine that the new score itself provides much leverage for scholarship funds. In that case, they would see a candidate as a bonus for them (the school) since they accepted him/her at "x" but now he/she are "x+y" which will increase their avg incoming LSAT scores. Without a competing offer, why would they spend more money?

One important downside to consider is the possibility that a candidate gets rejected with the initial score. I don't know how one would proceed from there if he/she were to achieve a better score later in the same cycle. Would a school reconsider that candidate for admission? I've never heard of this happening.

_oshun1_

Yes they can take a retake into consideration after being accepted and yes you can get an increased scholly from it. And yes it can even get admissions to reconsider a rejection and it has happened before. Tbh above commenter is misinformed.
There is much anectodotal evidence of this all happening repeatedly. I personally rejected a school’s acceptance, emailing them that I plan on retaking and reapplying, and they called me to give me the option to defer a year, giving me time to retake, and then they will re-evaluate my app and send me a new scholarship offer.

NotMyName

@"surfy surf"

then they will re-evaluate my app and send me a new scholarship offer.

I think this is in accord with what I posted. I'm not of the belief that more scholarship money has never and will never be offered on the sole basis of a better lsat. But the fact remains, why should they unless they believe you have become less likely to attend (a new competing offer). And I never said they won't reconsider an application. Of course they would. Especially in the case of new offers.

Maybe I should have elaborated on the "not really but kind of" remark. If a school were to offer more $ without being told of new offers, I suspect they are assuming that those new offers will come anyway and perhaps that additional money is in the hope that you won't shop around and likely to be less than could be gained in the presence of such competition. Which brings me to my main point.

In terms of strategy, not anecdote, what I am saying is that if a better score is achieved, the best possible outcome probably results from using that score to garner additional offers before going to your dream school to resume the $ conversation. There are anecdotes to support all kinds of bad strategy, transferring for example, but if the aim is to get more $ at an admitted school following a better test score, I think the emphasis should be placed on leveraging new offers and not solely the new score itself.

Leah M B

Yes, they definitely can consider a higher LSAT for scholarship negotiation purposes. The only real downside is that yes, some schools will not review an application if you have a pending LSAT. (USC was one for me. All other schools I applied to were fine with reviewing my application with my first LSAT but USC will not review your application if you have a pending LSAT, period. So I ended up withdrawing from the LSAT, because it was later in the cycle and there wasn't time to wait.)

If you take in June, you have plenty of time to retake in July or September and can wait to apply until after those and still be early. It's of course best to have your best LSAT score up front to avoid the risk of WL or rejection.

_oshun1_

@NotMyName said:
@"surfy surf"

then they will re-evaluate my app and send me a new scholarship offer.

I think this is in accord with what I posted. I'm not of the belief that more scholarship money has never and will never be offered on the sole basis of a better lsat. But the fact remains, why should they unless they believe you have become less likely to attend (a new competing offer). And I never said they won't reconsider an application. Of course they would. Especially in the case of new offers.

Maybe I should have elaborated on the "not really but kind of" remark. If a school were to offer more $ without being told of new offers, I suspect they are assuming that those new offers will come anyway and perhaps that additional money is in the hope that you won't shop around and likely to be less than could be gained in the presence of such competition. Which brings me to my main point.

In terms of strategy, not anecdote, what I am saying is that if a better score is achieved, the best possible outcome probably results from using that score to garner additional offers before going to your dream school to resume the $ conversation. There are anecdotes to support all kinds of bad strategy, transferring for example, but if the aim is to get more $ at an admitted school following a better test score, I think the emphasis should be placed on leveraging new offers and not solely the new score itself.

A higher LSAT score is better for the schools stats hence why they increase scholly money for higher LSAT scores. The new score by itself does provide leverage to increase scholly money. A sufficient condition for increasing scholly money. Strategy is based on anectodotal evidence and statistics. This is why this entire website is built around increasing your LSAT score.

NotMyName

@"surfy surf" Well we can disagree to what degree a higher score, in and of itself, provides leverage for a student who is already admitted to negotiate higher $, but I never said it doesn't provide any leverage.

I do apologize to OP for not making my original point more clear in that a higher score is definitely considered by an admitted school although it's put to the best use in terms of $ when provided with additional offers.

Seeking Perfection

@NotMyName said:
Not really but kind of. Here's why:

The most powerful chip to play in scholarship negotiations is competing offers; either larger scholarships from lower ranked schools or acceptances to higher ranked school. If a candidate's situation remains unchanged in these areas despite a higher LSAT score, I don't imagine that the new score itself provides much leverage for scholarship funds. In that case, they would see a candidate as a bonus for them (the school) since they accepted him/her at "x" but now he/she are "x+y" which will increase their avg incoming LSAT scores. Without a competing offer, why would they spend more money?

One important downside to consider is the possibility that a candidate gets rejected with the initial score. I don't know how one would proceed from there if he/she were to achieve a better score later in the same cycle. Would a school reconsider that candidate for admission? I've never heard of this happening.

They will spend more money to get you to attend. They will do this without a competing offer both because you could get a subsequent offer and because you could withdraw and apply somewhere else the next year. The more credible your threat to not attend the better. If that is a higher or equal scholarship at a better school they'll probably up yours. If it is a higher scholarship at a peer school they will likely match. After that it gets less certain. They might respond to a higher scholarship at a lower ranked school or a similar but lower scholarship at a better ranked school. If your threat to go elsewhere is a high LSAT score which will garner good results the next cycle they will pay more now.

Assuming you can convince them you are willing to walk thr higher LSAT especially if it went from below median to above median will make them more willing to pay more since you are better for their ranking.

Schools do reconsider candidates with higher LSATs for admission. They definitely will do it if they waitlisted you and often when they have rejected you.

Of course ideally you get your high score earlier, but until you are literally in law school it usually isn't too late to retake and try to get something out of it especially if you are willing to wait a year.

NotMyName

@"Seeking Perfection"

Well said.

Hamaseh_S

Thank you all for your advice. The reason I asked this was because ...

I've been studying hard since January but unfortunately in this last month I've burned out so much that I literally have no attention for the test. I'm trying to take it slow but obviously there has been a lot of anxiety around the fact that I've burned out. I was speaking to my friend about this and he kind of advised that I take a mentality shift. Right now my scores are high enough that I can get into the schools I want to, but not enough to get scholarship money (which is a must for me since my parents payed private undergrad out of pocket and I can't do that to them another time around). He told me to take it in June with the mentality that I'm taking to to get admitted into the school, not with the mentality that I currently have, which is that I have to do the test perfectly so I can get a scholarship. I like the idea because I think it would take a lot of pressure off (although I've brainwashed myself to think my score isn't at all good enough, so I have to undo that) but I wanted to make sure that it was a realistic plan.

I'd like to apply early in the cycle for schools so I have more chance of scholarship money. I'd like to apply with my June score and retake in September, since it would ideally be retaking for the "scholarship score". From what you all said it seems do-able. I'm happy I asked this thread... I'm ganna go work on my burn out now so I can maximize my "acceptance score" for June. Thank you all

_oshun1_

@Hamaseh_S said:
Thank you all for your advice. The reason I asked this was because ...

I've been studying hard since January but unfortunately in this last month I've burned out so much that I literally have no attention for the test. I'm trying to take it slow but obviously there has been a lot of anxiety around the fact that I've burned out. I was speaking to my friend about this and he kind of advised that I take a mentality shift. Right now my scores are high enough that I can get into the schools I want to, but not enough to get scholarship money (which is a must for me since my parents payed private undergrad out of pocket and I can't do that to them another time around). He told me to take it in June with the mentality that I'm taking to to get admitted into the school, not with the mentality that I currently have, which is that I have to do the test perfectly so I can get a scholarship. I like the idea because I think it would take a lot of pressure off (although I've brainwashed myself to think my score isn't at all good enough, so I have to undo that) but I wanted to make sure that it was a realistic plan.

I'd like to apply early in the cycle for schools so I have more chance of scholarship money. I'd like to apply with my June score and retake in September, since it would ideally be retaking for the "scholarship score". From what you all said it seems do-able. I'm happy I asked this thread... I'm ganna go work on my burn out now so I can maximize my "acceptance score" for June. Thank you all

I just want to say, although this is not the worst idea and this mindset is totally understandable, I don't think this plan is a good idea. If you're facing burnout now, you might not "make it" (mentally) to June. If you get a score below your expected "acceptance score," you might get into an (emotional) funk causing you to need a break from LSAT studying. Or, you get your "acceptance score," blow $1k+ and time and effort on apps over a few months, and you'll probably not want to study/retake during/after that, you'll get the minimal scholarships you expected, and be like sh*t I need to retake and reapplying next cycle. June to September is only a few months. If you indicate that you are retaking in September, your application will be put on hold until your score comes in. If you dont indicate it (which is a requirement so I'm not sure why you wouldn't), then your app will just be put on hold in September. Although you are getting your foot in the application door early, that door's going to be closed until your score comes in, and you'll be in the same boat as anyone else who sent in their apps in late-September.

Not trying to be a downer, I mean if you're super resilient and can handle that "i'm so relieved from taking the LSAT I need a break," and then the "my LSAT score wasnt as high as I expected I need a break/my LSAT score was good enough I quit the LSAT" and then the "apps are stressful I'm done I need a break" feels, then why not. But what you're doing is essentially the same thing as taking the LSAT in September and then sending in your apps right when you get the score.