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Hey everyone.
So I just took the July LSAT, and it really couldn't have gone worse for me. I was retaking a low 170s score, hoping for a 174+. I figured a retake was in order because I scored well below my PT average in June, and I made silly mistakes on LG.
With how poorly I feel I did on July though, I'm really contemplating cancelling my score and sitting for October/January. My test order was LR LG LR LR RC, and almost everything went wrong.
1) The first LR section was abnormally difficult for me, and I only finished with 4 minutes to spare rather than my usual of 8-10 minutes. I could easily see myself going -3/-5 for this section as there were several questions where I could not find a correct answer choice.
2) LG was my second section, and it went terribly. LG is already my worst section, but I misread a rule on the first game which caused me to waste precious minutes on trying to find my error. I was flustered for the rest of the section and I didn't have time to adequately address the fourth game which was a monster of a circular game. I'm guessing easily -6/-10 on this section alone.
3) Although RC is usually one of my best sections, I had RC as my dead last section and I was pretty tired/extremely demoralized from my performance in LG. I usually go -1 for RC, but honestly I could see myself going -4/-5 for this RC section.
Honestly, it feels like I'm going to go -14 to -20 for this exam, which would put my score well under what I scored in June. How bad does it look to have such a huge score regression? I'm so incredibly frustrated right now -- I take all my PTs in strict timed conditions and my average is mid/high-170s but I feel like I'll never actually score that high when LSAC decides to throw twice-a-decade curve ball questions at my head. As it stands, this exam is looking worse than my first ever post-cc exam, and almost as bad as my diagnostic.
Comments
If you already have a 170+ on a previous test, definitely cancel. One cancel means almost nothing. Much less than a worse score would look. With a 170+ score you should take the sept or nov. definitely don’t take the January test. Any gains would be more than offset by applying late. How are you scoring that high though and games is your weakest section? Also, if you are pt-Ing that high I would definitely advice canceling and retaking in sept.
Thanks for the input. I'm not sure either -- logic games are just really, really hard for me. Especially non-formulaic ones like this last exam had. I'm only able to PT high 170s because I usually go perfect or near perfect on LR and RC.
Have you foolproofed? If not, I’d take a test a week and foolproof between now and sept 8. That should get you above your low 170s mark. Also most people underperform on test day, meaning it’s not an underperformance. And weaknesses are exposed. Again, I’d just go crazy on logic games. It’s hard for me to think you can’t end up going -2 or better given how well your other sections are
today is the deadline for signing up for the sept test btw! for this one, you get a full refund if you get your score back in july or something like that (provided that you don't cancel and took today's lsat) just letting you know incase you didn't know and don't make up your mind before midnight haha
There's truly no reason to cancel. Law schools only regard your highest score. It literally does not matter what your previous test scores are, especially when you are already scoring exceptionally well to begin with. You might as well keep your score; you don't know how you did for certain, and you already paid to take it.
I can't really give you any advice. I just wanted to say I had the same test sections as you did and boy did it suck having RC dead last after 3 LR's and a LG that just blasted my ass.
I'll be out of the country so the earliest I can register for is October, and of course LSAC doesn't offer refunds for that administration.
Would definitely be registering for sept now though if I was in the States
I also think you should cancel. I rarely recommend this but if you are confident that you did significantly worse, and you should know given your score range, then cancel. It’s your decision. But the test was still very recent and I think you should wait a little before making a decision.
Seems like some people are predicting a -13/-14 curve. That makes it really hard for me to decide whether to cancel or not. Ugh...
I thought it was more like -12 though according to PS?
Since you already have a great score on record and think you bombed it, I would definitely cancel and retake in September or November.
I'm with @JustDoIt... I almost never think people should cancel. But having already a 170+ on record, if you really think you bombed it... there's no upside to taking the score. I think if you got 170+, you'd probably know it. If you are aiming for T3, those schools are more likely to take into account all of your scores. Not worth it.