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December Retake?

J.H. SongJ.H. Song Alum Member
in December 2015 LSAT 201 karma
I took the October LSAT last week. Despite having purchased my account in March, I never really started until August.
However, my scores improved significantly during that month and a half, and based on my most recent PTs before the test, my score will most likely be in the range I would need to be competitive in the schools I will be applying to.

I would still like to take the December LSAT just in case my scores are on the lower side of my average. Unfortunately, the scores come out after the initial deadline for December. I wouldn't mind just going ahead and signing up, since a possibly better second score would also make me a stronger candidate for scholarships, but I don't want to be held up in the rolling admissions process. Does anyone know how schools deal with applications with a second test score pending? Do I need to specifically tell them to go ahead and regard my application as complete or is that the default action?

Thanks alot.
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Comments

  • J.H. SongJ.H. Song Alum Member
    201 karma
    I know @Pacifico often says that October is for admission, December is for scholarship money. I would assume you would know how this usually works.
  • allergicallergic Alum Member Inactive Sage
    246 karma
    I've seen at least one school website that said they would wait to look at your application until the new score was available. However, a higher score in December should outweigh any advantage you would gain by applying earlier.
  • PacificoPacifico Alum Inactive ⭐
    8021 karma
    @allergic is correct that this is a common practice. I would recommend reading Karen Buttenbaum's reply to the comments here: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=197451&hilit=Spivey&sid=232ed697ebb5e84daa3c2b9f2f93d3cd&start=4575

    Most important takeaway, "you never get a second chance to make a first impression".

    If you go a few pages back in that thread, Derek Meeker has some sound advice on the same topic.
  • harrismeganharrismegan Member
    2074 karma
    Don't the scores get released to us on October 28th (or earlier?) and the sign up date is October 30th for December? I know it's not ideal to leave it to the last minute, but if you sign up now, get your mark back on the 28th, and it's not what you wanted, then you're fine. If it is what you wanted, you can just withdraw and submit after that, no?
  • harrismeganharrismegan Member
    2074 karma
    Oh nvm. Just checked LSAC. Reg deadline is the 23. Thank GOD I checked. I thought it was the 30th!
  • J.H. SongJ.H. Song Alum Member
    201 karma
    @harrismegan yeah. I thought LSAC could have done a better job in scheduling it so that October takers would at least know their results before regular deadline for December. Then again, they would miss out on all the late registration fees they will collect from all of us who score less than expected and run for registration.
  • J.H. SongJ.H. Song Alum Member
    201 karma
    @allergic @Pacifico Thanks guys! And yes, I agree that even a 2+ on the lsat scores is well worth the conceding the early application. I'm just leaning towards not needing that second score, and only registering as a safety in case i didn't do well (always possible since this is my first actual lsat test). So was just wondering if I could still get early in the cycle if I like my October score but I'm registered for December and actually take it (might as since there is no refund for withdrawing).
  • nicole.hopkinsnicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐
    7965 karma
    @"J.H. Song" said:
    I thought LSAC could have done a better job in scheduling it so that October takers would at least know their results before regular deadline for December.
    Nope. They're doing this to make money. So many people take in October and retake in December. That aspect of the schedule is in no way unintentional.
  • GordonBombayGordonBombay Alum Member
    456 karma
    For what it's worth I plan on retaking december after taking october. If I didn't retake I would feel like I wasn't doing everything in my power to score more scholarship money from law schools. It's worth spending the extra time/energy and the extra cost to take the LSAT twice when there is literally 50,000-100,000 dollars worth of scholarship money on the line.
  • Nilesh SNilesh S Alum Inactive ⭐
    3438 karma
    It depends school to school... but the general default action is to treat your application as complete for review as soon as they have a score... if you want then to wait, you can tell them that you are retaking and would like them to wait for the score... see I'd applied ED to Penn on the basis of my old score... but they rejected me a couple of days after my LSAT... they were not willing to consider my case... but then my score shot up and they were like we want to consider your application in July... please send us regular updates on your resume... if you don't tell the school that you plan to take the test again, you run the risk of being eliminated or if you are applying ED then accepted and bound to your acceptance without the chance of any aid... my strategy would be to submit apps but let them know that you are waiting on another score... you can tell them after you decide whether you want to retake or not.. they will just consider that a supplemental addition to your file because ED or not, they will not have made their decision before you decide to retake and in that case you end up with the best possible scenario.
  • J.H. SongJ.H. Song Alum Member
    edited October 2015 201 karma
    @nicole.hopkins Yeah, many things I once viewed as WTF make sense once I make the assumption that they want to make more money. @GordonBombay Thanks for the input. You're right, and I have decided to retake as well. However satisfied I may be with my October, I am 99.99 percent certain that it is not a 180, so it wouldn't hurt to retake right? I would hate to ask my self "what if..." when this is all said and done. Whether that what if is for Harvard or for University of my backyard, gotta aim for the best possible out there. @Nilesh S Thanks for the info. I'll make sure I contact the schools if I apply with a second score pending.
  • J.H. SongJ.H. Song Alum Member
    201 karma
    In case anyone might be in the same boat as I am, LSAC offers refunds for the additional fee paid for late registration if we have a score from October, thus proving that we were late as a result of waiting. I suppose this won't matter to those who are planning to retake regardless of their October score, but just in case anyone did not know this information.
  • badgalriribadgalriri Alum Member
    316 karma
    Side note... I'm also retaking in December. Do you guys have any recommendations on overcoming the 165 plateau?
  • J.H. SongJ.H. Song Alum Member
    201 karma
    @badgalriri This may not be what most people will recommend, and its based on my personal experience so take it if you will. For me, I actually relied on PTing much more than most people here say. I PT'ed about 4 or 5 a week, blind reviewed that night. Didn't spend too much on blind review. Not saying this would work for anyone, but I think it's useful if your main reason for being stuck at 165 is timing, which was the case for me. For what it's worth, I was able to increase my score from 163 to 171 from JUST PTING (with minimal blind review). Once again, this would be most helpful if your main problem is timing, not if you are consistently getting errors on a particular section or question type. That would be a fundamental problem and you should look into strengthening fundamentals/drilling.
  • badgalriribadgalriri Alum Member
    316 karma
    @J.H. Song thanks for the advice! Timing is definitely a problem for me on random sections, so I'll try PTing more aggressively a couple times.
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