please help me decide if I should retake

lwag-206

hi team, so I need help. I'm going to be applying next cycle- I took the August LSAT and was PTing around 163/4 and got a 161, which I was fine with since I figured I'd retake. I then studied for January and was consistently PTing around 167/8 by this point, took the test and felt GREAT about it, and ended up getting... a 161 again. I was honestly shocked and had a moment but now I'm trying to reevaluate what I should do. I'm leaning toward signing up for the June and not even really studying for it, just refreshing and taking a few practice tests for a few weeks before since I feel like my January test must have been a fluke. Does it look bad to have three LSAT attempts for admissions? and then there's part of me that worries the same thing will happen for this one that happened in January... do I just ride out my score and see what happens with admissions? would love ANY advice!

Logician

I would suggest you retake given where you were scoring. Also, I wouldn't worry about having 3 takes on files, honestly it feels like thats the norm now a days.

kkole444

I would retake, your PT numbers are great and that did not come across in the actual exams. I would not worry about taking the exam 3 times schools only care about the highest and with the pandemic and natural disasters in the US(I don't know where you live) there are many people who are retaking! I would also try and think about where you could have gone wrong on the actual exams, I know they were a while ago, but if you could think what went wrong then you can practice than and prepare. I do understand there is nothing really that can replicate test day but from an average of 167/8 to a 161 there should be something you can think of that gave you trouble. I have been there, its frustrating but do able.