For those with accommodated testing for the december lsat....

rakinalikhan

i was wondering if you guys know how the testing will differ from normal testing. i received an email yesterday from lsac with the following:

"We have determined that you are currently eligible for the following accommodations on the December 3, 2016 LSAT:

50% Additional Test time on all sections of the test as follows:
Section 1 53 minutes total
Section 2 53 minutes total
Section 3 53 minutes total
Section 4 53 minutes total
Section 5 53 minutes total
Writing Sample 35 minutes total

Break time as follows:
After Section 1 10 minutes total
After Section 2 10 minutes total
After Section 3 15 minutes total standard break
After Section 4 10 minutes total
After Section 5 10 minutes total
....."

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i replied back to their email saying that i accept the accommodations i am eligible for and hope to hear back with knowledge that i have been fully approved. hopefully i hear back from them this week with a full confirmation.

How does it go on from here though. i would assume that the test will start on the same day and time like everyone else but would i be placed in a different room from everyone else and/or given a different test? the lsac website isnt really clear on this. if i was to finish my section before the time limit for each section (after reviewing and checking my answers of course) would i be allowed to tell the proctor that i finished and be able to move on to the next section?

Also for those who are writing theirs under accommodated conditions or have done it in the past, how did you change/adjust your study approach to the lsat. seeing how i am just finding out now i have only a month left to work under the new timed conditions for myself so any advice/tips/tricks on how to approach the lsat during test time would be gladly appreciated

inactive

Pinging @Matthew524 & @BruiserWoods!

As far as I know, you'll most likely have the same test but be in a different room so you don't disturb other test takers when getting up for your breaks since they'll be on S2 by the time you're done S1.

esteerose

I just found out that I have the same, 50%, but I do not get any breaks other than the normal break. Do I have to email them back to say that I accept the accommodations? I thought that the letter meant I was just good to go and I'm waiting to hear about where I'm going to be taking the test, what time, etc.

I have taken 1 PT with my new times, but I don't go back and BR because my BR time is about the same as the accommodated testing time. I go back and see what I got wrong, and do those again without looking at what answer I put/correct answer. If I get it right after reviewing it, I go on...Many of the questions I get wrong is just due to overlooking one word that changes the whole sentence. If I legit am lost, I watch the video.

esteerose

Also, I want to say to @BruiserWoods I would not have known about testing accommodations without you..Thank you SO much for mentioning it in a previous post! I went and got tested straight away after I saw your post and was approved.

Matthew524

You don't have to email them back to accept the accommodations. You will most likely be in a separate room unless there are test takers with similar accommodations. You will have the same exact test as everyone else even if it is on a different day than the other test takers ( I had to take my LSAT a week later than everyone and still had the same exam). When taking practice exams I took them under the same conditions that the LSAC gave me because that is the best way to adjust to the exam because of your disabilities.

orangebeer

Hi @Matthew524

My confirmation letter says "You will not get accommodation....etc" does your letter say this too?
I was kind of surprised...I thought we need to let them know and otherwise we will not get accommodations or is this for the next LSAT?

Matthew524

Can you elaborate more about what the letter says? @orangebeer

rakinalikhan

idk what your email said @esteerose but for my email from accommodations it said that i had to reply back to the email to accept the accommodations im eligible for. im the same way when it comes to practice testing. with the added time i do way better so bring it doesnt help as much

stepharizona

Yeah they are doing something different this Dec cycle @Matthew524 The LSAC emails informing the requester that they have not been approved for accommodations but the LSAC then says they have options and need to email back saying they accept one of two options.

Option 1)They revise their original request and accept what the LSAC says they are eligible for or Option 2) The requester will apply for a DIFFERENT LSAT with more/better proof of the accommodation requests (the portion they are saying the tester is not eligible for).

Then the LSAC gives the requester 48 hours to email back, with their selected option. The person whose letter I saw emailed them back accepting accomodation same day, but they didn't hear back for 2 days that their request to process with option 1, would be processed and they are still waiting for their final letter of approval, and they don't even know if they have been approved yet, since it is still pending.

The LSAC in this case, says the file has been under a preliminary evaluation and the requester has been deemed eligible for some of their request (but not all) and denied other parts of their request (because documentation was lacking and it was too late to send new document). This seems to be a departure, as in the past didn't the LSAC approve some aspects and deny others, and then let the person have 24 hours to petition the decision?

In this case, the person had to pick an option move forward with their accommodation request and accept what they had been deemed eligible, or delay testing to pursue the accommodation they were denied.

As a part of moving forward, the requester "revises" their request. In our review session this morning she did say the letter she got saying they would process Option 1 said she could protest, a final decision, but she had to revise it to remove the part that the LSAC said she wasn't eligible. So she doesn't know if she will be able to protest having to take the experimental section when she gets a final decision because that is what they said she didn't have enough support for.

@rakinalikhan how long did it take you to get your final letter? I thought she was the only one that experienced this, but it looks like others are too.

Edited for added clarity.

rakinalikhan

i havent received my final letter yet @stepharizona , i responded right away and all i got back was an automated email saying that they have received my reply. i did it on monday and i have yet to receive a final letter on whether or not i have been fully approved. i dont know if i should study with normal time again or do my prep tests under the accommodated time. i would assume since im eligible and provided my documents that i would hopefully be approved. for my documents i provided a document from the school stating which accommodations through the school that i receive for my classes and documents from my doctor (who also signed my lsat forms) with disability history showing back to 2014. i would hope thats enough given the fact that this was enough to allow me to be eligible for the accommodations that i already wanted but i dont know how long i have to wait to know for sure

orangebeer

Wait...I'm confused...what the final letter people are discussing? The confirmation letter? I don't understand because it says 48 hours thing but it does not say the final revise or anything.
Also my letter does not have email address but only phone number...
Do we reply to LSAC or the proctor?
How did you know they changed the process?
Srry to jump in.

stepharizona

@rakinalikhan did you have any portion of your request denied?

stepharizona

@orangebeer said:
Wait...I'm confused...what the final letter people are discussing?

When you are approved in the LSAT section of your LSAC area there are two letters that get posted that in fact confirm you have received accommodation.

Follow the instructions and be sure to reply within the time they stated, however they stated it.

orangebeer

Yeah I received both letters already.
So the last letter you are discussing?

orangebeer

@stepharizona

How did they change the policy?
Someone just said starting December they changed their policy
(I heard Starting Sept all accommodated students have to take experiment section now though)

rakinalikhan

i dont think so because the only other thing i asked for is a non-scantron sheet to make it a little bit easier and they didnt mention anything about it so idk is thats the reason why i still havent heard back from them yet to confirm. the extra time and the break was exactly what i asked for so to know that im eligible for that makes me happy. what do you think, should i study under regular time or do my practice under extended time, @stepharizona? it sucks that i have to wait a while to fully know.

stepharizona

@rakinalikhan said:
i dont think so

Did they give you an option 2? Or was it just accept option 1?

stepharizona

@orangebeer said:
Yeah I received both letters already.
So the last letter you are discussing?

I am talking about the first email/letter. You already know you have accommodations, these people are still waiting.

@orangebeer said:
My confirmation letter says "You will not get accommodation....etc" does your letter say this too?

So did you not receive accommodation?

rakinalikhan

they gave me both the options that you mentioned @stepharizona, since i didnt need anything else and dont want to push off my test date so i just went with the first one

orangebeer

@stepharizona

That's what I was not sure and asked above...in the confirmation letter it says the sentence so I thought I wll not get the accommodations, but it sounds like the sentence is included in all students letter (if you do not reply them there will be no test or accommodations).
I thought there is further changes or something (they will deny something etc)

stepharizona

@orangebeer said:
That's what I was not sure and asked above...in the confirmation letter it says the sentence so I thought I wll not get the accommodations

I would double check very carefully, in everything I have heard, seen or read a confirmation letter only details what accommodations you have, not that you don't have any. But, I can't be sure. All I know and have seen for sure, is the very first letter, that had that sentence that said if she did not respond or did nothing should would NOT get accommodations. She is still waiting for a final confirmation and her account is still pending. She hasn't called because she is afraid they will decline her, so she is just waiting it out. She is on business day 14 from original request and 7 days, 5 business days from her reply and account status that put her back in pending. I am guessing she will know by the 14th which would give her 2 weeks to practice with more time.

stepharizona

@rakinalikhan said:
they gave me both the options that you mentioned @stepharizona, since i didnt need anything else and dont want to push off my test date so i just went with the first one

so they didn't give you the non scantron? I didn't see that in your eligible accomidations.

rakinalikhan

I asked for non scantron when I filled up the accommodations forms but they didn't say anything about it in my email. I assumed that I wasn't eligible for it @stepharizona

esteerose

@rakinalikhan @stepharizona @orangebeer My email says "You have been granted the
following accommodations:".... and the instructions on the letter says to wait two weeks for the confirmation letter..

So I am waiting. Right? I might send an email just to be sure because you guys have to confirm..Why shouldn't i have to confirm? I feel like I'm missing something.

orangebeer

You don't have to reply them to get the confirmation letter, but after your get the letter, you will need to contact the proctor to confirm you will either take the test on the day or not.
Details will be written on the confirmation letter (such as the proctor's contact info)
This is my first time too so maybe other students can add if I miss some info...

orangebeer

@esteerose

rakinalikhan

this is what my entire email said:

Dear Rakin A. Khan:

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) has done a preliminary screening of your file and currently you have not been granted any accommodations for the December 3, 2016 Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

In order to proceed, you must indicate which of the options described below you intend to pursue by replying to this email no later than 11:59 ET on November 2, 2016. If you do not reply by that date your request to include the accommodations listed below which you are currently eligible will be withdrawn. You will remain registered to test as a standard test taker.

We have determined that you are currently eligible for the following accommodations on the December 3, 2016 LSAT:

50% Additional Test time on all sections of the test as follows:
Section 1 53 minutes total
Section 2 53 minutes total
Section 3 53 minutes total
Section 4 53 minutes total
Section 5 53 minutes total
Writing Sample 35 minutes total

Break time as follows:
After Section 1 10 minutes total
After Section 2 10 minutes total
After Section 3 15 minutes total standard break
After Section 4 10 minutes total
After Section 5 10 minutes total

However, we cannot process the remainder of your request and determine your eligibility for more than 50% extended time per section because the documentation required to support these requests was not submitted.

Inasmuch as the deadline for the December 3, 2016 LSAT has passed, you now have two options:

1. You can revise your request and accept the accommodations described above for which you are currently eligible.

Or

2. If you wish to pursue your request for more than 50% extended time for a future LSAT you must submit an appropriately documented statement of need which is available at http://www.lsac.org/docs/default-source/jd-docs/statement-of-need.pdf


Accommodated Testing

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obviously i just went with the first one since i dont want to do the lsat in february because that would be cutting it close to the march deadlines for applications. when i emailed them back i received an auto reply saying:

Your E-mail correspondence has been received by Accommodated Testing at the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Due the high volume of inquiries/comments we receive, please allow up to two weeks for a reply. Duplicate E-mail messages may delay your response. We do not confirm receipt of documentation/information; you should retain evidence of all transmittals sent by facsimile. You might choose to send documentation via an express service that confirms receipt. To assist us in our response, candidate messages should include the individual's name and LSAC account number. Candidates should visit their LSAC online account under LSAT status for the current status of his/her request.

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when i replied to them i didnt put my lsac number just my whole name but i didnt think it would be a problem because i replied directly to the original message. i went on the lsac website to check my status but when i did i dont see anything saying about my application being under review like before. its just blank all across. im kinda getting worried @stepharizona @esteerose @orangebeer

MikeyMangood

Excuse me if this was made explicitly clear already, but it sounds like some people are presented with options, which require a response within a certain amount of time, and others are presented with an approval, which then informs them that roughly two weeks before the test they will receive more details about their particular test center, proctor, etc.

I know mine presented me with the latter of the two scenarios. I was informed of my accommodations and told that I would receive more details roughly two weeks prior to the test date.

There is nothing included about accommodations being conditional.

stepharizona

@MikeyMangood said:
I was informed of my accommodations

My study buddy, who had to reply with an option 1 request is still in pending mode, where it says she hasn't received a final decision and in the letter confirming that option request had been received it explained what the procedure would be if the accomidations were denied. If they were set, I dont think it would have included language about how to appeal if the decision to approve accommodation was already final. I am hoping to convince her to call on Monday, since its been over 14 business days, and it would be even better if it is confirmed just wiating something else.

Oh we meet on Mondays at 12pm as ASU downtown if you want to join. We test 12-3 and review 3-5 usually.

tofuspeedstar

I took the test accommodated in September. If you have questions, feel free to ask!

I got 53 min/ section, took the 5 section exam like everyone else and took it in a room separate from other test takers (It was literally just the proctor and I)

orangebeer

@tofuspeedstar

Can I ask a question then?
Did the proctor stare at you? What did the proctor do during the test? Can we bring backpack and just give it to the proctor? I don't really wanna bring just zip bag with me...
Did the check water bottle?

tofuspeedstar

@orangebeer

I think it just depends on your proctor. Mine was pretty nice about stuff so I didn't have any issues. She was mostly just watching the clock during the exam, she didn't really stare at me or I wasn't paying attention if she was because I was focused on the exam.

Not too sure about the backpack thing, I just brought everything I needed in my gallon bag and that was it. She didn't check the water bottle and let me leave it on the table.

But, again, YMMV depending on your proctor.