New LSAT Test-taking limit policy

divaspeller

Anyone else just get this email from LSAC? Thoughts?

(I just copied the most relevant part)

“In effect starting with the September 2019 test administration, test takers would be permitted to take the LSAT:
Three times in a single testing year (the testing year goes from June 1 to May 31).
Five times within the current and five past testing years (the period in which LSAC reports scores to law schools).
A total of seven times over a lifetime.
This policy is forward-looking, not retroactive. Tests taken prior to September 2019 will not count against these numerical limits. “

Habeas Porpoise

Yeah, there was a discussion about this in another thread; someone on Reddit got the info from an acquaintance who was at LSAC’s annual meeting on May 30th so the info’s been out for a while. Now it’s officially official.

As for the changes themselves, it’s a bit arbitrary imo (with the number of takes they decided on) though not entirely surprising. LSAC reuses questions from undisclosed administrations, and as they increase the number of tests offered they’re probably worried about question info getting out. Some people on Reddit theorize that the 180 ban is likely to prevent LSAT consultants from memorizing questions and sharing info or increasing their fees as higher scorers (as seems to be a major issue among SAT and ACT test prep people). I personally see this is the only reason someone would retake a 180–not like you can get a 181.

Personally, I get the takes per year rule, but I’m definitely not a fan of the five-year or lifetime rules. Again, seems arbitrarily decided, unnecessarily stringent, and just sort of mean (with the lifetime one), especially seeing how much LSAT scores actually matter in terms of admissions and scholarship.