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Which LSAT prep course is best?
how NOT to get kicked out of the LSAT
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LSAT Score Cancellations
"How do you decide whether to cancel your score, assuming that the LSAT does not go well for you on test day, or you think it didn't go well?"
How do we know? It's not always easy to tell. Especially when you are so close to the problem that you have tunnel vision and you can't see straight. Once you walk out of the LSAT your brain is going to be fried. If you've done a 5-section exam, or maybe even gone really nuts and done a 6-section exam, you know what that feels like. After the LSAT, you're not in the best situation to make an evaluation of where you stand.
So for that reason, don't make any sudden moves. You don't need to cancel your score right away. You've got six calendar days from the day of the exam to cancel your score, and there is no benefit to canceling the day of or the next day vs three days later.
You will always have the chance to come back later with a fresh perspective and see where you stand. So for that reason, I would say, first of all, just don't do anything drastic in the moment. What you can do is take a reasoned assessment of how the test went, and I want you to walk through the following questions.
First of all, were you fully prepared? Did you do everything that you reasonably could have done? Or did you suddenly realize that for the past 2-3 months, you've been doing everything wrong. You've been working out of some awful, off-the-shelf prep book that doesn't even use real LSAT questions.
If that's the book you've been using, and it was using fake questions, then yes, you've been doing it wrong. You could probably improve your score drastically by taking a wholly different course of prep.
But if, on the other hand, you've been prepping in a reasonably solid way, you've been using well-reviewed LSAT materials from trusted sources, you've been using actual LSAT problems, and you've been getting advice from people that you consider to be experts.
Maybe you've even been taking their courses or using their study plans and you found that it just fell apart for you for one vague reason or another.
Now, let’s define "fall apart." Is it that you suddenly forgot everything and were at a loss for the entire 35 minutes per section? Or is it that you encountered a couple of difficult problems and weren't entirely sure how to handle them? If you just have this vague sense of dread because you didn't answer everything 100% correctly, then you probably shouldn't.
Maybe you could take a couple of days and think, “It might not have gone perfectly. Maybe it's a couple of points lower than I wanted, but...honestly, I'm not sure. I'm not sure how it went.” If that's the case for you, then I wouldn't cancel.
The reason is, there are many people who have gotten great scores, but they had that vague sense of dread right afterwards. And it's because the test is scary. Your adrenaline is running, your heart's racing, and that fight or flight kicks in and it feels like it was 10 hours of agony.
And then it also feels like it went by in the flash of an instant, all at the same time. And you walk out of there sweaty and drained. That's the situation that everyone's in. Even when it doesn't count and it's just a practice run, then it can still happen. It's normal, but if that's all you're feeling, I would keep the score.
For more, I've got an entire LSAT Unplugged playlist focused on LSAT Test Day prep here -----> and several articles on LSAT Test Day prep here ----->
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LSAT Logic Games - How to diagram "or" conditional statements
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LSAT Prep During Coronavirus Pandemic
I know you’re all worried about a LOT of things, such as how the coronavirus will affect future LSAT test dates. The April LSAT will almost certainly be canceled. The June LSAT is uncertain.
*Everyone* is being affected in some way - it's a crazy time.
What we DO know is that you should take advantage of the downtime, if you have it.
Take advantage of the uncertainty and make the most of the time you have - even if you’re stuck at home. And with the LSAT being digital now and so many available resources online, you actually don't need books. You don't need to go anywhere. What you need to do is turn your home into a study oasis, where you can focus on getting things done.
If you have more free time, NOW is the perfect time to sit down and study. Even though it might feel like you’re in limbo, prepare yourself just to be ready. That way when the time comes and things start to clear up, you can take the next LSAT you want to.
It's hard to study when you have uncertainty about when and where the next test is going to be and what law school is going to look like in the summer and fall. Is it going to be online? Is it going to go forward? A lot of unknowns are floating about; it feels like all these external forces are crashing down on you, whether it's the latest government lockdown or LSAC canceling the April LSAT, maybe even the June LSAT. There's no downside to being ready for the LSAT too early. These skills do not go away.
Right now is a good time to hone those study skills and just get it done.
And it's better to be safe than sorry. It's better to prepare now whether you're going to take it in two or six months. Just prepare as much as you can. At the end of the day, we don't know when this coronavirus pandemic is going to lift and when things are going to start opening again.
But it's best to do what you can to take advantage of the hiatus -- dedicate yourself to reaching your fullest potential.
*Everyone* is being affected in some way - it's a crazy time.
What we DO know is that you should take advantage of the downtime, if you have it.
Take advantage of the uncertainty and make the most of the time you have - even if you’re stuck at home. And with the LSAT being digital now and so many available resources online, you actually don't need books. You don't need to go anywhere. What you need to do is turn your home into a study oasis, where you can focus on getting things done.
If you have more free time, NOW is the perfect time to sit down and study. Even though it might feel like you’re in limbo, prepare yourself just to be ready. That way when the time comes and things start to clear up, you can take the next LSAT you want to.
It's hard to study when you have uncertainty about when and where the next test is going to be and what law school is going to look like in the summer and fall. Is it going to be online? Is it going to go forward? A lot of unknowns are floating about; it feels like all these external forces are crashing down on you, whether it's the latest government lockdown or LSAC canceling the April LSAT, maybe even the June LSAT. There's no downside to being ready for the LSAT too early. These skills do not go away.
Right now is a good time to hone those study skills and just get it done.
And it's better to be safe than sorry. It's better to prepare now whether you're going to take it in two or six months. Just prepare as much as you can. At the end of the day, we don't know when this coronavirus pandemic is going to lift and when things are going to start opening again.
But it's best to do what you can to take advantage of the hiatus -- dedicate yourself to reaching your fullest potential.
LSAC restoring canceled scores for test-takers who registered for March or April 2020 LSAT
From LSAC:
We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by the COVID-19 situation.
As you know, the COVID-19 outbreak forced cancellation of the March LSAT. The April LSAT in North America may also be canceled or postponed. We will continue to follow the guidance of public health authorities and will announce a final decision about the April test no later than April 10, so that April registrants have the opportunity to plan accordingly.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 situation, LSAC is working to provide testing alternatives for candidates, including candidates who need a score for admission this fall. We are looking at a number of options, including adding another test date in the late spring, secure remote-proctored testing, the possibility of in-person testing in smaller groups with appropriate social distancing and other safety measures, and more. We will continue to provide frequent updates on these efforts.
I wanted to make you aware of another step we are taking to help candidates get a reportable score in order to apply to law school during this difficult time. Any candidate who registered for the March 2020 or April 2020 LSAT, and who has a canceled score from a previous LSAT, will now have the opportunity to review their canceled score and restore that canceled score to their record if they choose.
Our records indicate that more than 3,000 of the candidates who registered for the March and April LSAT administrations have a previously canceled score. Many of these individuals do not currently have a non-canceled score, so allowing them to review and restore their canceled score could be an important step in enabling them to complete their application process for admission this fall.
Participation is completely optional, but given the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 emergency, we are strongly encouraging all candidates who had registered for the March and April LSATs to take advantage of this opportunity if they have a previously canceled score. We appreciate everything you are doing to support candidates during this time, and hope that you will encourage eligible candidates with whom you are in touch to take advantage of this opportunity as quickly as possible given where we are in the admission cycle.
We will be providing March and April registrants with their canceled scores over the next few days via confidential email. For candidates who choose to restore a previously canceled score, we will update their files within 2-3 business days, and new reports will be provided to any schools to which they have applied during this cycle.
This “Review and Restore” opportunity could help a significant number of candidates, but we know it won’t address the needs of everyone. We will continue our work to provide a variety of testing alternatives for the next several months. We also applaud the efforts of so many of our member law schools who have extended application deadlines and taken other steps to provide greater flexibility for candidates.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. You can also find the answers to commonly asked questions at our COVID-19 information page on LSAC.org.
LSAT prep advice: quick tips on how/where to study
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Do Law Schools Average LSAT Scores?
Law schools do NOT average multiple LSAT scores. It's one of the biggest myths I still hear from students even though law schools have not been averaging multiple scores since 2006. It was back in 2006 when the American Bar Association changed their policy from averaging multiple scores. Now, they only require law schools to submit their students' highest scores of their students - and that's what US News and World Report uses for their ever-important rankings.
(And it's funny because nobody reads the US News for anything else, but they suddenly think they're the most important source when it comes to rankings.)
Other places do rankings too. And one of the biggest things you want to look for rankings on is employment outcomes, not their highest average LSAT scores. But anyway, I digress. The point is that law schools don't average multiple scores anymore. They have not done so since 2006 and any school that tells you they're averaging multiple scores is lying to you.
And I don't really know why they're lying to you. But I think it's because they want to seem more holistic - but they have no incentive to average multiple scores.
They care a lot about the rankings. It's part of why they keep working to solicit as many applications as they possibly can. That's why they now want to open it up to the GRE and get rid of the LSAT requirement entirely, which is totally absurd, but that's a topic for another conversation. The point is that they are not averaging multiple scores.
So you have no reason to worry about getting a score that is slightly below what you were hoping for, even if it was five or 10 points lower than what you were hoping for. You can retake. It would not be the end of the world for you.
Relatedly, the only time that you should cancel is if something went horribly, horribly wrong. Like the person next to you vomited on you, or there was a marching band outside, or the fire alarm went off, or the proctor didn't even give you proper time per section. Those are cases where you should cancel, LSAC will likely give you a free retake. But ultimately, re-taking, not a big deal.
And it's not really worth canceling. If you don't want to take it when you're already scheduled for it and it's coming up very soon, then you could withdraw. That is an option for you. And if the LSAT is more than a couple of weeks away for you, you could postpone your test date, and I think they charge you a lesser fee or let you just pay a small difference to change to the next test date instead.
And that's nice. You get a little bit less of your money. If you withdraw, they keep all your money, but either way, not, it's only a small drop in the big scheme of what your law school tuition will be. So I wouldn't worry too much about the fee.
For more, I've got an entire playlist focused on LSAT Test Day prep here -----> and several articles on LSAT Test Day prep here ----->
For more, I've got an entire playlist focused on LSAT Test Day prep here -----> and several articles on LSAT Test Day prep here ----->
June vs July/August 2020 LSATs
If you're aiming for the June 2020 LSAT but still feeling pressured, why rush it?
Instead, you could aim for the July or August 2020 LSATs (which seem relatively more likely to happen) and still apply at the beginning of the cycle in the fall.
And if you're just starting out, don't worry too much about how you're doing on any section - it can seem like an incomprehensible foreign language at first, but you can learn it with time.
For more: I put together a free series of simple videos on Logical Reasoning that can help.
Instead, you could aim for the July or August 2020 LSATs (which seem relatively more likely to happen) and still apply at the beginning of the cycle in the fall.
And if you're just starting out, don't worry too much about how you're doing on any section - it can seem like an incomprehensible foreign language at first, but you can learn it with time.
For more: I put together a free series of simple videos on Logical Reasoning that can help.
LSAT Coronavirus Update: How LSAC is Affected (and what to do)
LSAC will almost certainly cancel the April LSAT -- the virus is expected to peak in mid-April. LSAC said they will decide before that, but you should switch your registration as soon as possible to secure the best possible test center because once LSAC cancels April, many people will switch to the June and July LSAT. If you want the best and most conveniently located test center (those toughest to get), do it now.
Sidenote: when they canceled the March LSAT, they auto-registered everybody to the April LSAT.
Be aware that the LSAC is allowing you to change your test date with no fee. Many are quarantined and many cannot travel as they previously could. June may also be canceled. LSAC says they are hopeful about the April and June LSAT, but we'll see what happens.
LSAC also said they are aggressively exploring new options to test the LSAT such as remote testing. They might explore testing in smaller, more frequent administrations. They will probably do that for those who have only expired scores or scores that aren't great, and scores that were canceled. They might also actually let you apply with an expired or canceled score because many people simply cannot retake the LSAT right now. They might allow those people to participate in pilot testing, allowing them to take the LSAT online.
Of course, there are a number of potential issues with giving the LSAT online like tech glitches, Internet connectivity issues, and cheating. If the LSAT writing session is any indication, these could certainly be factors that prevent or slow an online LSAT administration. The Digital LSAT writing sample has not gone that smoothly. There have been lots of issues like when you are interrupted and thought to be cheating.
LSAC is also working with law schools to extend deadlines, which the schools certainly feel is needed. Many people can apply right now even if they don't have the score they want. This will vary from school to school, so I suggest contacting each school for details with regard to extending deadlines. No one really knows how long the coronavirus will last; the situation is worsening, and LSAC is following along with the rest of us. They're not making any specific promises right now, but they are doing their best.
In the meantime, stay safe, stay home, and hopefully, this thing will resolve sooner rather than later.
Sidenote: when they canceled the March LSAT, they auto-registered everybody to the April LSAT.
Be aware that the LSAC is allowing you to change your test date with no fee. Many are quarantined and many cannot travel as they previously could. June may also be canceled. LSAC says they are hopeful about the April and June LSAT, but we'll see what happens.
LSAC also said they are aggressively exploring new options to test the LSAT such as remote testing. They might explore testing in smaller, more frequent administrations. They will probably do that for those who have only expired scores or scores that aren't great, and scores that were canceled. They might also actually let you apply with an expired or canceled score because many people simply cannot retake the LSAT right now. They might allow those people to participate in pilot testing, allowing them to take the LSAT online.
Of course, there are a number of potential issues with giving the LSAT online like tech glitches, Internet connectivity issues, and cheating. If the LSAT writing session is any indication, these could certainly be factors that prevent or slow an online LSAT administration. The Digital LSAT writing sample has not gone that smoothly. There have been lots of issues like when you are interrupted and thought to be cheating.
LSAC is also working with law schools to extend deadlines, which the schools certainly feel is needed. Many people can apply right now even if they don't have the score they want. This will vary from school to school, so I suggest contacting each school for details with regard to extending deadlines. No one really knows how long the coronavirus will last; the situation is worsening, and LSAC is following along with the rest of us. They're not making any specific promises right now, but they are doing their best.
In the meantime, stay safe, stay home, and hopefully, this thing will resolve sooner rather than later.
