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Related Discussions
LSAT 4th Time
CantStopWontStop
Alum Member
I cancelled once, got a 160, and feel like I probably got a low 160's on the Feb Test. I have had many PT's of 170 or higher. I'm now thinking of taking the Sept test and just working the next 6 months on the LSAT. It feels ridiculous to have taken the test 4 times. And I know without a doubt that if I practice for 6 more months, and in a more in depth not scrambling mode (took sept, dec, and now feb) I can at least go high 160's. But how would a school look at a C, 160, 162 (guess), and then let's say a 168. Would they just take the highest score. Would they be forced to average? Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Comments
It sounds like you're doing really well. A good majority of the schools just consider the highest score.
You are far from the only person who has taken it multiple times. The ABA only requires schools to report the highest score, so MOST schools will only really pay attention to your highest. However, some schools will take average, or ask for an addendum if there is more than a 6 point difference between scores. You should check the policies of the schools you are specifically interested in. However, LSAC changed its policies so you can take it an unlimited amount of times, so I'm sure there will be many more folks who have multiple takes than before, so don't stress
How recent were the exams that you got in the 170s.
The last 20 exams. But I am more concerned with what 4 scores looks like? And how two low 160's scores plus a cancellation will be received if it is sitting next to a 168+?
Shouldn’t be a problem at all. The only school I know that averages is Yale, although there could be others. But by and large, law schools only consider your highest score. I saw recent posts of students saying they had 5-6 takes and nothing unusual happened in their cycle.
Hey, there are going to be many folks retaking the LSAT now (even 4 times) don't stress too much about it. If you get that high 170s score the fourth attempt will be worth it. Most schools look only at your highest score. All the best for your prep
You should consider the alternative. I do think that a single score of 168 might look better than the same score on the 4th try, but C-160-162-168 would definitely look better than C-160-162.
Thanks a lot! This is helpful. I just signed up for the June test. Holy Cow does this feel wild. Once I rock out the June test, I'm going to begin my memoirs "My year with the LSAT"
@Feb2018Taker, I wish there was an LSAT book like this.
@Feb2018Taker Change that username and keep us updated on your progress! Awesome!
4 scores should be fine. We had a handful of high scorers here and in other forums that took the exam multiple times and their admissions results seemed to be based on their highest score
Yeah, i think as long as you can work your way up to the score you want that you should be fine having extra scores.
After all, the LSAT shows how much information you can process in a given time accurately... I would call it your rate of accurate processing according to their scale. I would consider score increases in the LSAT comparable to increasing the weights you lift of the big 3 (bench, squat, dead lift). You put in time, you increased your abilities, and proved that you have the potential to perform better. If you weren't where you wanted to be and you put time and effort to improve, why wouldn't they see that and be happy about your current performance level.
Let's be honest, the amount of people who can blast their way to the 170's in months of studying on their first test is incredibly small. The majority of people have to work to improve and showing that you can is awesome. If you score nearly the same 3 times, that's okay too.... It just shows that's where you are consistently. They won't think it's a fluke you got into the 160's and the 160's is a great score.
I guess it just comes down to how confident you are that you can, all things considered, score enough extra points to make it worth that time/ money investment. If you are wanting to take time off for full-time LSAT study, you might want to think about the 3 1/2 months of it you'd have until the June test. I studied full-time for 2 months from Oct. - Dec. for my first LSAT this Dec. and that is a LOOOOTTTTT of time with this freakin' test.... I think you would claw your eyes out if you tried to do 6-7 months of it until September haha I think it'd also help to take the real LSAT again sooner rather than waiting a long period between it for someone already scoring well.
Good luck!
@"mickey.caleb" Thanks a lot for the advice. Honestly, I have taken many timed practice exams and have scored well into the 170's. I think I have good skills and intuition. But come test time a lot of my skills and intuition goes out the window. I am in a weird spot where I think my gains will mostly come from being relaxed and confident. With retaking with such a quick turnaround, I feel like my studying has only gone superficially deep. I have decided to retake. Study hard. And I think the 4 next months (in addition to what I've learned so far) should get me there. I also found 7 sage between around Christmas time. So I got through the CC just before my test Sat, but wasn't really able to practice what I learned. So now that I just finished the CC, I can do primarily practice the next 4 solid months. So that should help. And lastly, I want to take it in June to enjoy my summer (this will be a year of studying in June) and so that I can possibly retake (hopefully not!) in Sept and still apply on the earlier side. Thanks again for your thoughts. Means a lot. Good luck to you!
I asked Spivey//Kiloran this and they said schools don't blink an eye till you hit 6 and that was under the OLD rules. Not the new ones so don't sweat 4 or even 5... 6 seems to be where it gets dicey.
People don't realize but it was really easy to get 4 takes until 2013 or 2014 as you just had to ask a school to "sponsor you" one Teens school was sorta know for this. If you applied they gave you a waiver. So the LSAC shut this down BUT even after that you just had to email the LSAC and explain WHY you wanted/needed/deserved a 4th take and if you had a good reason or complained on a previous take they let you have it in most cases. This was true in 2015/2016/2017 before the rule change.
So 4/5 is fine 6 gets weird BUT that was the rule when it was "only" 3 takes in 2 years.
You can find lots of stories about 6th takes finally hitting a 180 and getting into Harvard in the early 2010s.
At the end of the day only a handful of scores might care, the bigger deal seems to be making the 3 point jump. As I've seen that on a few apps. And at the end of the day they're taking your highest score.
@stepharizona that’s so great to hear. I appreciate that. Also this will be my fourth take. But I also have an Absent from a few years ago. Didn’t know not taking it was also reflected. So this is my 4th take but they will see an A. So will this then be my 5th time in their eyes? (This is getting weird lol)