UNHAPPY WITH YOUR LSAT SCORE AND THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER, TRY AGAIN AND AGAIN
From WIKIPEDIA (October 6, 2012), we hear that "The current ABA rule now requires law schools to report only the highest LSAT score for matriculants who took the test more than once."
An implication of this ABA rule for law schools that want to maximize the LSAT scores of their entering class (and which law school don't?) is that the only LSAT score that should be used for admission decisions is the applicant's highest LSAT score.
An implication of the prceding sentence for applicants applying to law schools that wants to maximize the LSAT scores of their entering class is that there is no penalty for repeating the LSAT.
If you believe that retaking the LSAT will lead to a higher LSAT score, make the necessary effort to accomplish this; albeit take the LSAT a maximum of three times in a two-year period Example. Suppose that a law school admission committee has four applicants and will accept one. These applicants only differ in their LSAT scores: Applicant X has LSAT scores of 70 and 60 in that order Applicant Y has LSAT scores of 63 and 69 in that order Applicant Z has LSAT scores of 68 and 68 in that order.
Which applicant should the law school accept? To maximize the LSAT scores of its entering class, a law school should always choose the applicant with the highest LSAT score: That person is Applicant X with the LSAT score of 70. Who is the "best" of these four candidates? That's not our concern.
QUOTES
Fortunately the following paraphrasing of Zeno of Elea (we replaced said by done) is true for the LSAT: What has been done once can always be repeated. Zeno of Elea (c.495 BCE - c. 430 BCE), a Greek philosopher and mathematician, is especially known for his paradoxes whose explanations required the rigorous development of continuity and infinity.
If you are reading this section, you must have played a losing game on all your previous LSATs so now is the time to take a lesson from Bill Tilden (1893-1953), the first great American tennis player and the great tennis player of the nineteen twenties. He said, Never change a winning game but always change a losing game. Changing your losing game will involve time and will involve money. To begin changing your LSAT losing game, attempt to determine why your LSAT score was low and, if you decide to retake the LSAT, do what you can to avoid making those errors again.
As F. Scott Fitzgerald said, and the Great Gatsby demonstrated, There is no second act in American life. Do your best on the LSAT the first time around - it's easier that way. One way to do this is make sure that you do not take the LSAT unless you are ready (No LSAT before its time).
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
LINKS
According to LSAC, "Law schools may compare your original test score to your scores on subsequent tests. You should notify law schools of any facts relevant to the interpretation of your test results, such as illness or extenuating circumstances. If there is no reason to believe that one score represents a truer estimate of an applicant's ability, schools are advised that the average score is probably the best estimate of ability especially if the tests were taken over a short period of time."
"For reporting purposes, Georgetown Law adheres to the ABA policy of reporting the higher LSAT score. For evaluation purposes, the Georgetown Admissions Committee typically considers the highest LSAT score. Georgetown may consider an average of scores if you have taken the LSAT more than two times. Please address any mitigating circumstances you feel the Admissions Committee should consider."
ADVICE
If you did poorly on the LSAT, you have three choices: retake the LSAT, try to explain your poor score, . (You can choose more than one).
If you are unsure whether to retake the LSAT, consult with the prelaw advisor.
Normally, you may not take the LSAT more than three times in any two-year period. This policy applies even if you cancel your score or it is not otherwise reported.
When selecting law school to which you will apply, know what LSAT score they will be using (e.g. the average of your LSAT scores or the highest).
Delaying applying to law school for a year may make sense if time does not permit maintaining the UGPA and preparing for the LSAT retest.
THE CASE FOR RETAKING THE LSAT COURSE
WHAT IF LSAT AND UGPA DO NOT MATCH
If you did your best on the LSAT but did poorly, retaking the LSAT may not be productive. The best you can hope for is that you can explain your poor LSAT score to the satisfaction of some law school admission officers.
EXPLAINING A POOR LSAT SCORE If your LSAT and UGPA do not match up, explain it (without bitterness, without anger, and without defensiveness) on a separate piece of paper entitled 'Explanation of LSAT score' or Explanation of GPA. Johns Hopkins University Law School Option
If your LSAT score is poor, but your GPA is high, you may be able to convincingly argue that your standardized test performance is unreliable predictor of of your . Assuming your SAT scores were also low, you may compare your predicted undergraduate performance based on those SATs to your actual performance. Showing that your SATs were a poor predictor of your college success may help convince some admissions committees to discount your poor LSAT performance.
LINKS
The Performance of Repeat Test Takers on the Law School Admission Test: 2003-2004 Through 2009-2010 Testing Years
PERCENT RETAKING THE LSAT (OUT-OF-DATE)
ACADEMIC YEAR
TOOK LSAT EXACTLY ONCE
TOOK LSAT EXACTLY TWICE
TOOK LSAT MORE THAN TWICE
2001-2002
80.1
17.1
2.8
2002-2003
78.8
18.0
3.2
2003-2004
77.9
18.5
3.6
2004-2005
76.3
19.7
4.0
CONCLUSION: The trend is clear. People want to double, even triple, their pleasure. .
DATA ON PEOPLE RETAKING THE LSAT
Using the LSAT Repeater Data on page 18 of the 2006-2007 LSAT&LSDAS Registration and Information Book, we see that for testers whose previous test score was 132 or above, the average increase from retaking the LSAT is less than or equal to three (3) points and for repeaters whose previous LSAT score was 166 or above, the average increase from retaking the LSAT was less than two (2) points. Needless to say, some testers did better than the average and some did worse.
In the first table below, we indicate how LSAT retakers whose most recent LSAT prior to the retake was 147 did on this retake. After that we give three tables in which we do the same but for the most recent LSAT score prior to the retake being 153, 157, or 163. These tables were derived from the just mentioned LSAT Repeater Data and a little effort. Let us know ([email protected]) if you need this data for your LSAT score.
RETAKER DATA FOR LSAT SCORE OF 147
CHANGE AFTER RETAKE Average change: 2.3 points
NUMBER OF RETAKERS Total: 1576 retakers
PERCENT
Increased by 13 to 22 points
19
1.2
Increased by 3 to 12 points
715
45.4
Increased by 1 to 2 points
269
17.1
No change
158
10.0
Decreased by 1 to 7 points
391
24.8
Decreased by 8 to 17 points
24
1.5
Summary. An LSAT score of 147 (approximately at the 36th percentile) or below puts one in a very inasupicious situation: even admission to one of the LEAST SELECTIVE LAW SCHOOLS may be difficult without an outstanding UGPA and, as the table above indicates, retaking the LSAT does not guarantee a decent LSAT score. . Admission to law school with an LSAT score of 147. With the exception of ten law schools (Florida A&M University, North Carolina Central University, Texas Southern University (Houston), Southern University (Baton Rouge, LA), Appalachian School of Law (Grundy, VA), Thomas M. Cooley (Lansing, Michigan), St. Thomas University (Miami), Barry University (Orlando), University of Detroit Mercy), and University of North Dakota (Grand Forks), all law schools have their LSAT 25th percentile score above 147; this means that, with but the ten exceptions just listed, an LSAT score of 147 implies that, at least with respect to the LSAT, you will be in the bottom twenty-five percent of your entering class. Improving an LSAT score of 147. For those retaking the LSAT after a score of 147, the average increase in LSAT score was only 2.3 points. Thus an increase on your LSAT score of two points or less will not impress too many people. More auspicious is the fact that about 46.6 percent of the retakers increase their LSAT score by three or more points. The choices for someone with an LSAT score of 147. Give up the idea of graduating law school, attend a low-rated law school, or retake the LSAT.
RETAKER DATA FOR LSAT SCORE OF 153
CHANGE AFTER RETAKE Average change: 2.7 points
NUMBER OF RETAKERS Total: 1225 retakers
PERCENT
Increased by 7 to 16 points
225
18.3
Increased by 1 to 6 points
601
49.0
No change
118
9.7
Decreased by 1 to 3 points
192
15.7
Decreased by 4 to 13 points
89
7.3
Summary. An LSAT score of 153 is a semi-decent score (approximately at the 59th percentile) and will not make a law school applicant unwanted and retaking the LSAT is certainly a viable option. Admission to law school with an LSAT score of 153. An LSAT score of 153 will be at or above 75th percentile (that is, in the top 25 percent) of the entering class at fourteen law schools and strictly between the 25th and 75th percentile at sixty-ix law schools; these sixty-six law schools include five second tier (top 51 to 100) law schools (University of Nebraska, Mercer University, University of Indiana at Indianapolis, Seattle University, and University of Buffalo SUNY). Improving an LSAT score of 153. For those retaking the LSAT after a score of 153, the average increase in LSAT score was 2.7 points. One may be tempted to be conservative and not jepordize an LSAT score of 153 by taking the LSAT again but, before being hasty, note that less than 23 percent of the LSAT score 153 retakers see a drop in their LSAT score while almost half (49 percent) see a modest increase (1-6 points) and 18 percent see an impressive increase (7-16 points). If you have rational reasons for thinking you will do better the second time around and if these reasons include your having plenty of time to improve your LSAT score, go for it.
RETAKER DATA FOR LSAT SCORE OF 157
CHANGE AFTER RETAKE Average change: 2.3 points
NUMBER OF RETAKERS Total: 669 retakers
PERCENT
Increased by 13 to 23
6
0.9
Increased by 3 to 12
321
48.0
Increased by 1 to 2
105
15.7
No change
39
5.8
Decreased by 1 to 7
186
27.8
Decreased by 8 to 17
12
1.8
Summary. An LSAT score of 157 is a decent score (approximately at the 74th percentile) and will not make a law school applicant unwanted and retaking the LSAT is certainly a viable option. Admission to law school with an LSAT score of 157. An LSAT score of 157 will be at or above 75th percentile (that is, in the top 25 percent) of the entering class at 62 law schools and strictly between the 25th and 75th percentile at 59 law schools; these 66 law schools include five second tier (top 51 to 100) law schools (University of Nebraska, Mercer University, University of Indiana at Indianapolis, Seattle University, and University of Buffalo SUNY). Improving an LSAT score of 157. For those retaking the LSAT after a score of 157, the average increase in LSAT score was 2.7 points. One may be tempted to be conservative and not jepordize an LSAT score of 157 by taking the LSAT again but, before being hasty, note that less than 23 percent of the LSAT score 157 retakers saw a drop in their LSAT score while almost half (49 percent) saw a modest increase (1-6 points and 18 percent saw a serious increase (7-16 points). If you have rational reasons for thinking you will do better the second time around and if these reasons include your having plenty of time to improve your LSAT score, go for it.
RETAKER DATA FOR LSAT SCORE OF 163
CHANGE AFTER RETAKE Average change: 1.6
NUMBER OF RETAKERS Total: 236
PERCENT
Increased by 7 to 16
33
14.0
Increased by 1 to 6 points
110
46.6
No change
12
5.1
Decreased by 1 to 3 points
50
21.2
Decreased by 4 to 13 points
30
12.7
Decreased by 14 to 23 points
1
0.4
Summary. An LSAT score of 163 is a very respectable score (approximately at the 90th percentile) and will make a law school applicant feel very welcome at well over 50 of the top 100 law schools. Retaking the LSAT is an option for those those willing to prepare to close to the maximum. Admission to law school with an LSAT score of 163. An LSAT score of 163 will be at or above 75th percentile at 137 law schools including 5 of the top 50 and 45 of the second fifty, strictly between the 25th and 75th percentile at 34 law schools, but at or below the 25th percentile at the sixteen elite law schools: Fordham University (New York City), University of California (Berkeley), University of Southern California, Cornell University (NY), Duke University (NC), University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown University (DC), Northwestern University (IL), Stanford University (CA), University of Virginia, Yale University (CT), Columbia University (NY), New York University, University of Chicago, and Harvard University (MA). Improving an LSAT score of 163. For those retaking the LSAT after a score of 163, the average increase in LSAT score is only 1.6 points; a small increase like this makes a retake somewhat risky. One may be tempted to be conservative and not jepordize an LSAT score of 163 by not retaking the LSAT; with the small average increase in LSAT score of 1.6 points, improving an LSAT score of 163 is not easy but a little over 60 percent do increase their score including about one-seventh who increase their score by seven to sixteen points while a little over one-third see their score decrease including about one-eighth seeing a decrease of four or more points.
LSAT INFORMATION BY LAW SCHOOLS
For each given LSAT SCORE (first column), we partition the law schools into three categories. The first category indicates the number of law schools at which the given LSAT SCORE would fall at or below the 25th percentile with respect to the LSAT scores of the first-year class; the second category does the same for strictly between the 25th and 75th percentile; the third category does the same for at or above the 75th percentile.
For each given LSAT SCORE (first column), we partition the law schools into three categories. The first category indicates the number of law schools at which the given LSAT SCORE would fall at or below the 25th percentile with respect to the LSAT scores of the first-year class; the second category does the same for Strictly between the 25th and 75th percentile; the third category does the same for At or above the 75th percentile.
