October 1, 2017

The June LSAT and the Law School Waitlist

Every year from January through spring, in each law school admissions office a Wait List is created. Students who aren’t accepted but also not rejected are put on the Wait List (WL). And once on the WL, there’s a chance they might get in at some point. In other words, they are in law school admissions purgatory. And it’s not just one or two students: Mike Spivey over at law school admissions firm Spivey Consulting Group notes that, “many schools will WL as much as 40-50% of their applicant pool, and at times up to half of the entering class will be comprised of those admitted off of the WL.” That’s a lot of people, and if you find yourself on this list, the waiting can be an agonizing process. With this, some of you may be asking yourself, “Is the June LSAT too late?”

How Can You Get off the Waitlist?

Equally challenging is knowing the proper steps to take to get yourself off the WL and into the Accepted pool. what I want to address here is a little-known trick that can help you get off the WL: using the June LSAT to raise your score and get in to law school.

Medians Are Key

Students placed on the Wait List can often point to one of two culprits: LSAT or GPA. Other factors come into play—such as a subpar personal statement, less-than-stellar letters of recommendation, or a weak resume—but those can be difficult to quantify whereas a school’s 25%/75% LSAT and GPA numbers are public knowledge. If your GPA is low for a school, there is little you can do to change your GPA in the short-term. However, if your LSAT is low, and you find yourself on the Wait List, you can use the June LSAT to make a run at improving your situation. Let’s look at how it works.

Only Your Highest LSAT Score Matters

To assuage one big concern, if you take the June LSAT and score lower (which we hope won’t happen!), you will not imperil your application. Law schools typically only look at the highest LSAT score these days, so if you cancel or don’t do quite as well, they won’t care. As Mike Spivey notes, “The high score is all that goes to the ABA and the only score USNWR sees. Thus the high score means everything to a school’s median LSAT and rankings, and all other scores/takes are meaningless. Put in practical terms, it behooves an applicant to take the LSAT as many times as needed until they reach what they deem to be their absolute high score potential. To retake for a higher score presents all opportunity with no downside, aside from very rare outlier scenarios (e.g. someone with 6 or more takes).”

What If You Score Higher?

If you can score higher on the June LSAT, it can work to benefit you in one of several ways:

It improves your position on the Wait List. Although law schools like to say there is no order or rank to the WL, improving your LSAT score gives you a numerical improvement in your position. As Mike Spivey says, “With so many people on each Wait List, the easiest, most empirical way to differentiate is with an improved LSAT score. The higher the score, the more rare it is. This is measurable, factual, and coveted above all else in admissions. For many on the WL, a simple increase of just 1 to 2 points from the February or June LSAT can make all the difference.”
If your LSAT score is below the school’s median, scoring higher takes away a reason for not admitting you. And it makes you more attractive when they move to accept students off the Wait List. And every school uses their Wait List.
Is your GPA is lower than their median? Then your LSAT score can offset the problem. If you have been Wait Listed, adding a few points to an already strong LSAT score makes you even more attractive (it becomes less of a tradeoff for them—if you have a somewhat low GPA but a really strong LSAT, they can justify that trade).
An increased LSAT score can lead to scholarship offers for applicants admitted off the Wait List. Spivey says, “This is one of those happy scenarios where I have seen hard work and persistence at the LSAT not only get applicants into their dream school, but even generate significant scholarship awards for being admitted off of the waitlist.” So, not only can you get accepted, but it can improve your financial package as well.

Is June Too Late?

Some students are concerned that the June LSAT is too late to help them with the Wait List. Law school classes typically start in August or September, and the Wait List is in use until then. But every advantage helps! Even a or 2 extra points on the June test can be decisive.

The optimal strategy is to go out and nail the LSAT the first time and then never take it again. But the June LSAT can be a silver bullet for Wait List students. Questions or comments? Please post them below. Thanks!

Pauline Tan
March 17, 2015 at 11:03pm
Thanks for the article Dave. What are your thoughts on taking the LSAT in June for the third time? I’m afraid the third time seems a bit much, even if I do increase my score. I am waitlisted to Notre Dame and UCI, both of which I’d really love to go to. My first LSAT score was 156, and my second and last score was a 159. What do you think? Thanks again.

Dave Killoran
March 17, 2015 at 11:41pm
Hi Pauline,
Thanks for the question! In the old days, the advice would have been to not take it again. But, as my conversation with Mike Spivey showed, and as a law school Dean of a top 25 school recently told me, the new mindset is focused on the high score, and taking it three times is less of a concern. The comment from the Dean to me was basically: “The only score I care about is the high score.” If your applications is good enough that you made the waitlist with a 159, you’d probably increase your chances solidly if you broke 160. So, my recommendation would be to give it a shot. Not much to lose, I think.
Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions!

Maria
February 13, 2016 at 10:16pm
Hi Dave,
I took my first LSAT in October, and i did not do so well. I am currently starting applications right now, and planning to retake the LSAT in June. The schools i am applying to, accept the June lsat. I just wanted to know how i would let the know that I’m retaking the June in order to take that into consideration.
Thank you

Dave Killoran
February 13, 2016 at 11:55pm
Hi Maria,
No problem–just send them a short note indicating that you are taking June, and that you hope to improve your score. That will make sure they have that info and are aware of it. Good luck!

Josh
February 19, 2016 at 2:19am
Hi Dave,
I plan to take the June LSAT for waitlist purposes. Should I notify schools that give a second decision like NW before they render that decision at the end of the cycle?
I don’t know if my chances would be better in June with a higher LSAT or with the LSAT score they have now when they evaluate at the beginning of May. I assume if I notify them, they’re more likely to summer waitlist me but would they by chance do so instead of just accepting me with the current score?
Sorry for all of the questions!

Dave Killoran
February 19, 2016 at 3:24am
Hey Josh,
Thanks for the question! You mean schools that have ED and RD? I think so, and in that case they will render a decision prior to June. At that point, if you hear from a school that you’ve been waitlisted, let them know that you are still interested and that you are taking the June LSAT in order to make yourself more attractive. That way it looks like you are attempting to make yourself especially attractive *just* for them.
Does that make sense? Please let me know. Thanks!

Josh
February 19, 2016 at 9:00pm
Yes all makes sense but not exactly what I was asking. I’m saying many schools take people off of their waitlist before the June LSAT. Would informing them you’re taking the June LSAT potentially cause you to miss out on offers because they will be waiting for the results?

Dave Killoran
February 19, 2016 at 10:19pm
Hi Joshm,
Thanks for the clarification. If you are going to get accepted based on current scores, they’ll accept you even though June is scheduled. However, you are talking about a very small percentage of people, and remember, LSAC records will show that you have June scheduled. So, they’ll learn about it sooner or later. I’ve always thought it’s better for you to control that message since it can be sent along with a note that the school is still your top choice. Thanks!

Josh
February 20, 2016 at 12:30am
Thank you so much for the help! When should I tell them? Whenever I am sure I will take i assume.

Dave Killoran
February 20, 2016 at 1:13am
Yes, there’s no rush at the moment, so once you sign up, then send it. Good luck1

Anjali Mehta
March 01, 2016 at 9:21pm
Dave,
Thanks so much for the information! I’m not looking to apply quite yet (I’m looking to gain admission in fall 2017) but I thought you may be able to shed some light on my situation.
After taking the LSAT for the first time in February, I got a 169. My GPA is 3.85 and I’m trying to be a competitive candidate at Columbia and NYU. I’m currently in Brazil on a Fulbright though, so I wouldn’t be able to take the LSAT again until December. Do you think it would be worth taking the exam again to see if I can push past the 170 mark? My average practice test score up until February was between 171 and 175.
Thanks so much in advance!

Dave Killoran
March 01, 2016 at 9:38pm
Hi Anjali,
Thanks for the message! I don’t think there’s any doubt it would be worth your while to retake the LSAT. Every point counts at that level, and just reaching 170 would be a bonus–especially psychologically. It sounds like your soft factors are extremely strong, so the higher you push your LSAT, the better it will be for you. And, since law schools only care about your high score, there’s no risk for you in retaking. I’d strongly recommend it, and would be happy to give you study advice if and when you pick it back up.
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Jess
March 25, 2016 at 5:43am
Hi Dave!
I’ve used powerscore before and found it to be incredibly helpful, as well as your tweets. I’m Waitlisted at GW and Notre dame. I just thought of possibly retaking the last in June to improve my chances of getting off the waitlists. However, I’ve maxed out my attempts. In all three tests I took, my highest was a 153. I’ve expressed continued interests in both schools and sent additional LORs. Also I’m going to go visit in the next couple of weeks. I really don’t think retaking the LSAT is feasible for me. Being that I studied for almost a year and had little improvement. I was wondering if you have any guidance as to how to better my chances of being admitted. Additionally, each school agreed to let me meet individually with an admissions counselor. Do you have an advice as to what questions I should ask? I really want to use this time as an impromptu interview but I don’t want to come off too strong. Any advice helps! Thanks for reading 🙂

Dave Killoran
March 25, 2016 at 6:20pm
Hi Jess,
Thanks for the questions! As for bettering your chances, it appears to me you’ve done everything you can–you’ve shown continuing interest in the school and sent over more LORs. At a certain point, there’s not much more you can do, otherwise it starts to be intrusive and possibly off-putting.
As far as the interview, there are a ton of questions you can ask. Instead of listing them all (there are hundreds), here are some areas you could inquire about that might not be available from their published info:
* Strengths of the school that you might not know about
* Professor accessibility
* Hiring opportunities, and especially the improvements the school is making there
* What you can do to make yourself more attractive as a candidate
The key is to only ask questions that really want to know about. And make sure the answer isn’t an obvious one, or readily available on their website. In other words, don’t waste their time 🙂
The other part is that it is an interview, so you need to be prepared for their questions. How you perform there will have a greater impact than the questions you ask them.
Good luck!

Jess
March 28, 2016 at 11:12pm
Thank you so much for your detailed and prompt response. It’s greatly appreciated! Have an awesome week! 🙂

harsharan kaur
January 04, 2017 at 5:01am
Hi Dave!
I went into the LSAT the first time in December without really studying and scored a 150. I am planning on retaking it in June and was wandering if taking it in June makes it less likely that I will be accepted into a law school.

Dave Killoran
January 04, 2017 at 11:12pm
Hi Harsharan,
Thanks for the question! June by itself doesn’t make it less likely, but if you are taking June with the intent of starting law school just a few months later in the fall of 2017, then yes, that won’t be good. In that case, you should focus on the February 2017 LSAT–a good number of schools still accept that score for a Fall 2017 start, whereas very few accept June. Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Alex Wayne
February 13, 2017 at 7:02pm
Dear Dave,
I have already applied with my Dec LSAT and got a few admissions lately. However, I am not happy with the scholarship offerings.
If I retake June LSAT, can I use a higher LSAT to negotiate a better scholarships?
Technically speaking, do I put seat deposits for all potential schools that I want to go and then take the June LSAT?
Will schools care about my improved score even if I already paid the deposit?
Thanks a million!

Dave Killoran
February 13, 2017 at 8:06pm
Hi Alex,
Thanks for the questions! Yes, that is exactly how it works. This is the current environment and financial reality of law school admissions: it’s now expected that students will fight for better packages, and do whatever they can to improve their position. So, if you take the June LSAT and do better, you can indeed then use that as leverage for a better package. And you can be direct about it: “I have a seat deposit at two schools, but I’d strongly prefer to attend your school but the financials are a concern. I’ve retaken the LSAT and increased my score by etc etc.” That’s not the exact message I’d send, but that’s the intent behind it. Why does that work? Because getting a seat deposit isn’t their goal; having an enrolled student for three years is the goal. If they know you are close to deciding and have a major asset like an increased LSAT score, then a school can justifiably offer you a better aid package. Better numbers command more money, and this is a fact of admissions these days (always has been actually, it’s just even more acute now).
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Sarah Howard
April 14, 2017 at 9:33pm
I’ve been placed on the waitlist for a school that indicated on their admissions page, that and June LSAT would not be considered because the scores would be back to close to the fall start date. I’m sure a higher LSAT will get me off the list. Should I take be June test anyway? Or maybe speak with admissions and let them know of my intention to retake the test?

Dave Killoran
April 14, 2017 at 10:05pm
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for the question! First, if you don’t mind me asking, which school is this? I ask because we may have some information on their policies (which might be covered here: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/which-top-50-law-schools-accept-the-june… or http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/law-schools-with-late-admissions-deadlines). We’ve talked to every single law school recently about their policies, so if you let me know I might be able to share some good news with you 🙂
Second, you definitely should call them and talk to them about how they’d treat a June LSAT result. Many schools have actual policies that differ form their stated policy, so checking with them can be very helpful.
If you can write back I can try to help out some more, and if you call them, please let me know what they say. Thanks!

Kelly
February 10, 2018 at 10:22pm
I have just taken the February LSAT and I have a gut feeling I didn’t do as well as I had hoped (stating from the trend of my PTs). I already paid and registered for the June LSAT. My question is should I still try to apply to schools and hope that when June rolls around that my LSAT will be better? I’m afraid that my application would already be rejected before I even get the chance to retake it.
Thank you!

Dave Killoran
February 11, 2018 at 12:39am
Hi Kelly,
It’s going to depend on the school. Some schools will have closed admissions by then and will not review the June LSAT, but many others will, especially if you tell them now you are taking June.
We are in the process of updating the following two articles, but they will give you a sense of the schools we are talking about:
https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/which-top-50-law-schools-accept-the-jun…
https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/law-schools-with-late-admissions-deadlines
So, it’s really school dependent, and thus you should check with the schools you are looking at. Thanks, and please let me know if that helps!

Comments

Rahim says
March 30, 2022 at 10:39 pm
Hi, Fall 2022 applicant here. I was waitlisted at my top choice, UC Davis. I spoke with adcomms today and he basically said they loved my application, but thinks a higher LSAT score could help me get off the waitlist. Since the April deadline is passed, he floated around the idea of me taking the June exam.
I’m conflicted about this. My LSAT is well below their median of 165. I really don’t know if I can make the double digit jump in just two ish months to reach close to median. Also, I’m worried they would hold off on making a decision on my application until after June scores release. Couldn’t they hypothetically accept me off the waitlist in April or May?
I should add that I’m depositing at another school I’m very content with. It’s a great regional school and I got some good money from them. But I would really love to attend UC Davis. I wrote them an LOCI stating that I would attend and withdraw all other applications if admitted.
Please, I could really use some guidance here. Thank you!!!!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  April 12, 2022 at 3:49 pm
  Hi Rahim,
  Thanks for the message. In this case, the UC Davis adcomm did you a great favor: they basically told you in very clear terms what they wanted, and they already know you will come there if admitted. So, I suspect the writing is on the wall here, and that while they love your app, they want to see a higher LSAT score before they admit you. Now, you are in a great position because it seems you have another offer you like and so you can skip the LSAT retake if you want.
  So, the question boils down to: do you want Davis enough to try the LSAT again, or not? If no, then you have to accept the high chance that you do not get in off the waitlist. If that’s okay with you, then don’t retake.
  If you are uncertain, go to our LSAT podcast and listen to the MidCycle Recap we did (episode 102). That might help you see why I’m not optimistic they will let you in given your current position with a score below their 25th median.
  Thanks!
  Reply
James says
July 6, 2021 at 3:22 pm
Hi Dave,
I just received an acceptance email from a school but no email regarding a scholarship. In the email it said an acceptance packet would be sent to me shortly, I was wondering that if they were going to offer me a scholarship would they have done it after the initial acceptance email? Also, when would be a good time to start negotiating a scholarship?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  July 6, 2021 at 5:25 pm
  Each school does it slightly differently, but for acceptances at this point I would not be thinking that a scholarship would be coming. Most schools are out of money at this point :/ If they are out of money, there won’t be any negotiating. Same to a lesser extent for getting in off the waitlist–that’s often seen as a “we got you in, not you make it work” scenario. Again, each school is different but not hugely so.
  Thanks!
  Reply
  - james says
    July 6, 2021 at 5:50 pm
    Gotcha, should I go ahead and message admissions about one then or wait?
    Reply
    - Dave Killoran says
      July 6, 2021 at 5:51 pm
      I’d wait for the packet and see…
      Reply
      - james says
        July 6, 2021 at 6:45 pm
        Ok thank you so much!
john says
July 5, 2021 at 2:47 pm
Also Dave,
Do you know the best websites for law school predictors? I checked among lsac’s and others. Ive heard of LSP but haven’t been able to find the website.
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  July 5, 2021 at 3:32 pm
  You’ve checked the ones I know of. Never heard of LSP, sorry.
  Note: any predictors will be well off this year because all the numbers will change so dramatically due to the rise in high LSAT scores. So, whatever you see on a predictor, cut it by 10-20 percent to be safe. And then there’s this too: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/law-school-predictors-can-you-trust-them/
  Reply
john says
July 2, 2021 at 7:06 pm
Also my mistake, I applied got accepted, and offered a scholarship based on my April score (155). When I went to negotiate with my June score (162) today they told me they aren’t able to increase it at this time.
Reply
john says
July 2, 2021 at 2:08 pm
Hi Dave,
I’ve taken the lsat two times (April and June) and scored a 155 on the first and a 162 on the other. I applied to a school and got waitlisted then accepted then offered a scholarship last week from that school off of my first score of 155. When I went to negotiate a higher scholarship amount based on my April score of 162 they quickly replied and told me “they aren’t able to offer an increased amount at this time”. Any advice on how to negotiate scholarship amounts and what this means for my scholarship opportunities going forward? I’m applying for this fall btw.
Thanks!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  July 2, 2021 at 4:10 pm
  Hi John,
  At this time of year, there often is no aid available and thus you can’t negotiate for what isn’t there 🙁 The best path I can suggest is meeting with their Finaid director and asking if they can do anything, but if they say no, your leverage is not great unless you have a competing offer at a comparable or more highly ranked school.
  Thanks and good luck!
  Reply
  - john says
    July 2, 2021 at 6:37 pm
    Will there be more scholarship money available after the seat deposit deadline?
    Reply
    - john says
      July 3, 2021 at 12:05 pm
      Also thank you for the responses!
      Reply
    - Dave Killoran says
      July 3, 2021 at 3:07 pm
      Very unlikely as most schools are already past the first deadline or two. This year, at least, I’ve seen a lot of schools be relatively hardline on financial aid with late admits 🙁
      Reply
Rose says
February 23, 2021 at 8:02 pm
Hi Dave,
I have taken the LSAT-flex three times, the second test my highest score of 16-mid, and the third test being the most recent February 2021 LSAT-flex. I was hoping to score near or about 170, however, I do not feel very confident about the Feb test at all, due to technical difficulties I may have even done worse.
I am considering cancelling this February score, as I am afraid it will negatively impact my applications for this fall that are still ‘under consideration’.
Due to the 3 per year limit, I cannot take the LSAT this April.
1. In this case, would it be wise to sign up for the June 2021 LSAT-flex? Could it perhaps have some benefit upon scholarship negotiations/potential waitlists?
2. Would it negatively impact currently under review applications if I cancel the February score? Or should I take the lower score in stride?
I apologize for the lengthy message, thank you in advance for your help and expertise!
Reply
Aimee says
February 6, 2020 at 1:10 pm
Hi I just received my score for January and would like to improve it. The deadline for the school I want to go to (my local city’s school) is April 15. I was thinking of taking the March LSAT to improve my score for my application. Do you think I should instead study for another month and take the April one? Is there any detriment to taking April instead or benefit to having my score ready in April from the March LSAT? I know I can improve my score in two months from my last score but was just wondering. Thanks!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  February 6, 2020 at 6:12 pm
  Hi Aimee,
  The key here is to choose the LSAT date that best fits with your schedule and thus gives you the best shot of doing well. If that’s March, go for it. If it’s April, you are fine waiting. It sounds like April is better for you, so just make sure your school takes the results of that exam. Assuming so, let them know you plan to retake in hopes of improving your chances. This happens all the time so they will be fine with it 🙂
  Good luck and let us know if we can help!
  Reply