LSAT Score Preview for First Time Takers

J.Y. Ping

LSAC announced that for first time takers, you can purchase the option to see your score before deciding whether you want to cancel.

Full text of announcement:
In response to requests and feedback from test takers, we have created a new score preview option for first-time test takers who wish to see their score before deciding whether or not to keep it as part of their LSAC transcript and report it to schools. Score preview will cost $45 for candidates who sign up prior to the first day of testing for a given test administration, or candidates may sign up during a specified time period after testing has concluded for $75. First-time test takers who sign up for score preview will receive their scores at the same time other test takers receive theirs, (assuming they have completed their LSAT Writing and have no holds on their accounts), and will have six (6) calendar days to decide if they want to cancel or keep their score. If they take no action their scores will be added to their LSAC file and released to schools at the end of the six-day period. This feature will be available for purchase starting around August 1.

Note: First-time test takers who have an approved LSAT fee waiver will receive score preview free of charge. In 2019, LSAC approved 7,939 candidates for fee waivers. Because there were 71,515 first-time test takers in the 2019-2020 testing cycle, that means 11.1% of those first time test takers would have automatically received the free score preview.
You can learn more about the score preview option at our website: https://www.lsac.org/lsat/taking-lsat/lsat-scoring/about-score-preview

Satyagraha

This is probably a silly question, but I just want to make sure. Does "first time takers" apply to any LSAT or just LSAT Flex? If I took an normal LSAT a year ago and I am registered for the August LSAT Flex, and it is my first Flex, am I eligible for the score preview?

rkim5297

I wish they introduced this for July LSAT flex!!!

leah8282

How is this not incredibly unfair to those of us who took test in June, May, etc and really wanted to cancel after seeing score but now can't?

Oni LSAT

@leah8282 said:
How is this not incredibly unfair to those of us who took test in June, May, etc and really wanted to cancel after seeing score but now can't?

On the other hand, any new features in the LSAT will be some how "unfair" to the previous test takers. This would be an issue with the paper to digital, digital in person to digital FLEX at home, 5 sections to 3 sections, and so on.

However, I do think that the "pay to preview" scheme is a bit greedy and unfair to other first time takers who don't have access to funds for extra features like that but are slightly over the waiver requirements.

mabrymjr

Oni is spot on. Why would you need to charge 45-75$ to preview a score? The LSAC is a greedy organization that cares more about its bottom line than about the process it is supposed to facilitate. It is a shame they have law student in such a corner.

ObjectionQuarantined

Life is unfair> @leah8282 said:

How is this not incredibly unfair to those of us who took test in June, May, etc and really wanted to cancel after seeing score but now can't?

changejudge

I assume it doesn't, but just to double check, does the first-time taker score preview apply for people who took the first 50% digital test last July, but cancelled their score?

noonawoon

@mabrymjr said:
Oni is spot on. Why would you need to charge 45-75$ to preview a score? The LSAC is a greedy organization that cares more about its bottom line than about the process it is supposed to facilitate. It is a shame they have law student in such a corner.

Yeah I have to say, I’m honestly glad this didn’t exist when I took the test in June. Because then I would feel like I have to pay for it because “what if.” In actuality, I wouldn’t really base the decision to cancel a test on the score. I’d only ever want to cancel if I knew I blatantly messed up on test day (like by running out of time to get to the fourth game or whatever), and that isn’t contingent on score preview.

Oni LSAT

@noonawoon said:

@mabrymjr said:
Oni is spot on. Why would you need to charge 45-75$ to preview a score? The LSAC is a greedy organization that cares more about its bottom line than about the process it is supposed to facilitate. It is a shame they have law student in such a corner.

Yeah I have to say, I’m honestly glad this didn’t exist when I took the test in June. Because then I would feel like I have to pay for it because “what if.” In actuality, I wouldn’t really base the decision to cancel a test on the score. I’d only ever want to cancel if I knew I blatantly messed up on test day (like by running out of time to get to the fourth game or whatever), and that isn’t contingent on score preview.

Yes. I second this. I also took the June 2020 Flex and received a 171. I knew the moment that I hit the Sunken Ships RC, I was doomed. I did great on the Dog Apartments LG and the Victorian Bathroom LR. I knew I lost all my points in RC and felt like canceling. I'm happy with my score but I'm retaking on August to hopefully get it higher. I am current averaging 173 with plenty of 175+ so I know there are points left on the table.

I also second that I would end up paying for a feature like this which means I'd be lining up LSAC's greedy pockets.

aef541099

Do schools see that you took the exam and cancelled your result? Or do they not know that you cancelled your score?

noonawoon

@aef5410 They see the cancellation

legallyconfused

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Chloeeee

Is it still possible to change my July test to August? (I guess no...)

KatetheStudent

@rkim5297 said:
I wish they introduced this for July LSAT flex!!!

Yes, the middle schooler in me is screaming not fair!!

bbrightman10

As someone who just signed up for the August 29 test date, and has been studying since early June, this news is awesome. I wonder though. Do people think law school admissions will be more competitive for the Fall 2020 because the economy is bad right now?

A.Bilenkey

I'm not really sure what advantage being able to cancel your score has. Unless the schools you are applying to take an average of all your scores –which for me (as a Canadian) I have not seen. If it's not a great score and you write again (scoring higher on this second write), but don't cancel the first write, schools will choose the highest score regardless. If any one has any input please let me know.

jegosi215

Is this for all tests going forward, or just August?

matthewfdeitch

sure wish this was retroactive...

clhanasy

@"Ally Bilenkey" said:
I'm not really sure what advantage being able to cancel your score has. Unless the schools you are applying to take an average of all your scores –which for me (as a Canadian) I have not seen. If it's not a great score and you write again (scoring higher on this second write), but don't cancel the first write, schools will choose the highest score regardless. If any one has any input please let me know.

The University of Alberta and McGill take your average LSAT score in Canada.

jegosi215

@bbrightman10 I wonder as well. Hard to say honestly, but I've heard this as a topic of discussion in a few different podcasts. They say that it might increase the competition a little, but not to the point where it should stop you from applying this cycle. It's just difficult to picture what will end up happening, but I'm sure law schools will try to give everyone a fair enough shot.

Chloeeee

@legallyconfused said:
What if we took the flex and cancelled it due to issues on LSAC/ProctorU's part and are taking the flex again in August.
HELP!?

Hi! I called LSAC today and the representative told me that I would not be eligible for the score preview service. But you can double check with LSAC.

AwokenNova

I was a first time test taker in July... I wish they could have done this for us!