October LSAT-Flex issues Continued (My letter to LSAC)

Lawyer Looch

Sorry this is long and I haven't proof it yet for errors, but if you would like to read my email to LSAC regarding my terrible experience today with the October Flex, here it is. As prospective law students, we deserve SO much better than this.

To whom it may concern,

I took the October LSAT flex today. After months of studying and putting in my best effort, I was positive coming into it. I got set up my dad’s office since it has the fastest internet in my house, I checked that my connection was good (about 300 megabits per second) and logged into ProctorU. Come 9:10, when my exam was set to start, I clicked ‘begin’ and the process of checking my video and microphone connection happened almost immediately, but I was told my lighting did not pass the test. I turned my light on brighter in the room and pressed ‘retry’ to recheck the lighting. This time, it wouldn’t seem to load. I waited 20 minutes, attempted to speak to multiple technicians, but nobody was responding or could help me. I was afraid of exiting out of the window in case I wouldn’t be let back in. After 30 minutes, I took the risk of closing the window and reopened, logged back into ProctorU and after only a minute, I was set up and ready to receive my proctor. I felt a wave of relief when my proctor said I wasn’t too late for the test. 
My proctor was very helpful with getting me ready for the test, checking my surrounding, etc. I started the test with the Logic Games section. About 5 minutes into the section my test was interrupted by a screen saying I was disconnected from the proctor, and my test was also stopped. I opened the chat box with my proctor and told them it had disconnected. They helped me get back into the section but before they could, they had me go into the system preferences of my computer and do a lot of troubleshooting, then eventually I had to reboot my computer. This was not by choice, but what my proctor, who had control of my screen, was requesting of me. With nothing else to do, I obliged. My computer screen went black for about 15 seconds then came back on. I was terrified. The proctor then told me I could begin my test again and that my test was paused at the initial disconnect, meaning I wouldn’t lose any time in the test. But as I started the test again, I am almost positive I lost time in the section. At least a few minutes had passed that I did not get back in that games section. I finished the section, regardless, putting in my absolute best effort and trying not to think about what had just occurred.
I began my Logic Reasoning section next. 20 minutes in, I coincidentally check my time and see that I have 15 minutes left. A few seconds later, the same disconnect that happened in the Logic Games section occurs. This time, I tell my proctor I have disconnected yet again and they lead me back into the exam. This was only a detour of about a minute and I did not lose any time in the section but was sufficiently paused at the time of my disconnect. As I am working through the section, suddenly I see a notification bouncing at the bottom of my screen from my proctor, and I think, “why is my proctor messaging me while I am trying to focus on my test?” Of course, I don’t react or respond to the notification and continue, although I am very distracted by the bouncing icon. A little while later a new tab suddenly opens on my browser and disrupts my test. It is not your average pop up, but a ProctorU support page requesting that I submit a survey regarding my technical assistance. Mind you, this was during my Logical Reasoning section with about 10 minutes left while completing the most difficult questions in the section. Stunned and disappointed, I immediately close the window. Again, I see a notification at the bottom of my screen from my proctor. I ignore it and haphazardly finish the section, however the interruptions undoubtably affected my performance negatively.
As soon as the time is called for the Logical Reasoning section, I have 60 seconds before the Reading Comprehension section begins and I check to see what my proctor had said. There was a second chat box opened (I assume it was because I had to re download the zip file that allowed the screen sharing by the proctor) and in the text box it said something along the lines of, “you have left the testing screen” presumably talking about when the tech support survey screen appeared 10 minutes before. To be honest, I don’t remember exactly what the chat box told me, but I was worried my test had been flagged for something completely out of my control. This carried into my performance on the Reading Comprehension section. I remember the chat saying I had been disconnected from my proctor, but the first chat box with my initial proctor was still open. So I messaged them defending myself and saying, “I did not leave the screen, a new tab opened during the test from ProctorU and I closed it within seconds”. I now had 15 seconds left until my Reading Comprehension section began. Petrified that my months of hard work had been for nothing, I finished the third section without any disconnects, and my test was complete. 
This experience has left me feeling rather defeated. I went into this test with a great mindset and countless hours of studying under my belt. I find these technical issues to be extremely unfair and unprofessional. The internet speed in my house is impeccable and has never been an issue before, so I am left searching for a reason why my test would disconnect multiple times. Luckily I do not suffer from a diagnosed anxiety disorder, because this would certainly be something to trigger a panic attack during the test. That being said, it it can be reasonable expected for any normal person to be affected negatively by the stress of this type of circumstance. Thankfully, I was able to stay composed and complete my sections, but I did so with fear in the back of my mind rather than the 100% concentrated focus I expect when taking such an important test. 
This was one of the most pertinent days of my life and to go through this nightmare is beyond disheartening. I had read about technical difficulties similar to mine since the first flex test in August on the 7sage forum, and I prayed nightly that I would be luckier. Unfortunately, this format of the LSAT does not only favor those with intellect, but those who are lucky enough to not experience a technical difficulty. Where is the justice for those of us who have lost time on our sections, for those of us who have planned out an entire year based on taking a specific LSAT date and have etched out the perfect amount of time to complete applications but are now impeded by uneasiness and worry as we may have to take the exam in January and apply later than the rest of the pool, or even worse, wait another year to apply to law school? As future law students, we deserve a lot better than this system of consistent failure. I sit here, still, in utter shock and I wonder if I will be able to attend a satisfactory law school next fall. 
As a reparation for my suffering today I request a full refund that I may use to take a later test, and a confirmation that my test has not be flagged. 

I look forward to speaking further about this situation. Until then, have a great day.

-Lucia Izzolo

Admin Note: Related thread is located here: https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/25548/october-lsat-flex-issues