December 18, 2018

Submitting Your Law School Application if You’re Retaking the LSAT

We had an interesting question posed recently that we thought we would share.

“When you submit an application to a law school (say, in November), but you are registered to take the test in January (or March), do law schools automatically see that and hold off on making a decision until they receive your score? Or do you have to “remind” them somewhere on the application form?”

Heavy on the minds of many applicants is the need to submit applications early. After all, it’s something both law schools and many advisors endlessly repeat. When the time comes to submit applications, many students are torn. What if you want to submit applications early to take advantage of rolling admissions AND retake the LSAT? Both improve your overall chances of admission, so what do you do? Here are scenarios you’ll run into if you submit your application while registered to retake the test.

If You Don’t Have an LSAT Score on Record When Submitting Your Application

Schools will not review your app until they receive a Law School Report. They request this from LSAC upon receiving a student’s application. LSAC does not send out until it is complete, which means it needs an LSAT score.

If You Have an LSAT Score, Submit Your Application, and Don’t Tell Schools You’re Retaking

The schools will see that you have a retake scheduled when they receive your updated Law School Report. Depending on the school’s policy, it’s possible that they will just proceed as if the application were final. They may render a decision with your initial score. It is much more likely that they will hold your application until the new score is available. Because of this uncertainty, using this approach is not recommended unless you don’t care which path the school chooses. A better policy is to write the school and request the action you prefer. Either ask them to review immediately with the score on record or hold until your new LSAT score arrives.

If You Have an LSAT Score, Submit Your Application, and Do Tell Schools You’re Retaking

They will most likely hold off on reviewing your application until the scores of the test you told them you were registered to take are available. However, you can increase this likelihood by specifically requesting they hold off until new scores are in. Alternatively, you can request them to immediately consider your application with your current score.

If you have a score on record, its generally preferred you write the school and request a course of action. As to how you can let schools know you’re retaking, there are a number of possibilities. Some schools have an area on the application form to note that information. Or, they may give you specific instructions on how to do it. For others, you need to email them to alert them of the retake. In any case, make sure they are notified in some fashion! Even if you’re accepted with your first score, you’ll want them to review your file again if you improve your score in case you qualify for any additional financial aid.

Weighing the Pros & Cons

One of the important considerations in this process is whether you should apply earlier with a lower score or apply later with a potentially higher score. The data on this is overwhelming. Having a higher LSAT score is worth delaying your application. As law school admission expert Mike Spivey noted recently, in 19 of the last 20 cycles applicants would have been better off applying later with just a one-point increase. His example compared applying in November versus applying in January/February with a one-point improvement. Why would it be the case that just a one-point higher LSAT score is more important than an earlier application? Because of the quantitative nature of the LSAT and the fact that LSAT scores are used in rankings whereas the date of your application is not. When admissions committees are comparing two candidates, you can be sure they will compare LSAT scores but it’s highly unlikely they care about the date each applicant applied.

At the end of the day, an LSAT score above the range a school is looking for will give you a much greater admissions advantage than submitting your app early in the process. Don’t get me wrong, applying early also helps—but not as much as a killer LSAT score. Keep this in mind when weighing the pros and cons of submitting early vs. telling schools you’re retaking the LSAT vs. retaking and hoping you won’t get reviewed until after scores are available.

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jacqueline amin
January 11, 2017 at 9:22pm
hi
i submitted my law school apps. i am retaking my LSAT in February, i took it in October and didn’t do very well. i did not write an addendum because i didn’t want to sound like i am whining or not taking responsibility for my actions. but i did add in the area where it asks for the lsat score that i am taking the February. i received a 138 which is obviously very low and i know i will do a lot better on the February one. do you think i should’ve filed an addendum? or can i send in a supplementary essay once i take the February one?

Dave Killoran
January 12, 2017 at 1:14am
Hi Jacqueline,
Thanks for the question! I would send them a message that your 138 is not indicative of your potential and that consequently you are sitting for the February LSAT and expect the results will be more reflective of your ability. This will keep them in the loop and help them understand how to view your 138 and decision to retake. then, after the February test is over you can send a longer statement that contains more of an explanation for what occurred in September.
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Anastasia Bradatan
September 20, 2017 at 4:12am
Hi,
I took my LSAT just now in September. I am planning on retaking it again in December. I am wanting to apply to the Knight Hennessy Program and I noticed that for those who are planning to apply to this program, they must submit their law school applications by November 15th. The Knight Hennessy Program deadline is on December 15th. Therefore, I am wondering if SLS will make a decision regarding my acceptance before I have a chance to retake the LSAT again in December.
Thank you,
Anastasia

Jon Denning
September 20, 2017 at 4:24am
Hey Anastasia – thanks for the question. For specific programs like this the best advice is to get feedback directly from them. I suspect with the details you’ve given me they’ll be able to tell you precisely what will occur in your case…I’d (likely) venture guesses but given the nature of the Hennessy program and it’s newness you need to go straight to the source.
Keep us posted!

Aanya
October 12, 2017 at 6:46pm
Hi,
I’m retaking the LSAT in December, and leaning towards not notifying schools about the retake (My reasoning being, I want the advantage of applying early, and I think my current LSAT score MIGHT be good enough to get me in). Would it be wrong in thinking that it’s quite unlikely I’d be rejected before December scores came out (I’m a URM and looking at schools in the T-14, if that adds anything at all to when a decision might be rendered).
As a follow-up…when schools render decisions, do they notify applicants right away? For example, if I was rejected in December, I would know in December and not like March, correct?

Emani
October 15, 2017 at 1:00am
Hey there,
I recently took the September LSAT and received a 138. I am not leaning towards retaking the test due to financial reasons. I have wrote an addendum regarding my switch in majors as well as a killer personal statement and diversity statement. I was extremely nervous and anxious during my test which sometimes happens to me during important tests like these. Do you think I should write an addendum stating that I know I received a lower LSAT score but that the score is not an accurate depiction of my scholastic skills? I also have letters of recommendation coming from individuals of high places in the government. Will that help me as well?
Thank you so much, your page has really helped.
Emani

Jon Denning
October 15, 2017 at 4:16am
Hi Emani – thanks for the comment and I’m glad to hear you’ve found our posts helpful!
Law school admissions is always something of a guessing game, by which I mean that a “sure thing” is a rarity (as a yes or a no), so I’ll be candid here with the understanding that extreme, outlier exceptions do exist: I think you’re going to have to improve that LSAT score before you have a realistic shot at law school.
I don’t know your GPA, of course, which will certainly have an impact, but with a 138, even with addenda and a solid application otherwise, I don’t know of any law schools that I can say are likely or even probable. That’s in the bottom 10% of all test takers, and even lower in terms of applicants (few people apply in that range).
In fact, I just went on http://lawschoolnumbers.com/ (a site that’s really reliable when it comes to past applicants’ successes and failures) and entered 138 for LSAT and then ran through every GPA from 2.8 to 4.0 for the past five years. Of the maybe ten total applicants listed who’ve applied with a 138 over that time, only two reported acceptance, and one of those was to Charlotte Law, a school so notoriously suspect that they’ve since been shut down entirely.
I’m not telling you this to discourage you, or make you feel like law school is out of the question! I’m being honest because I only see one path to admission: you need to retake the LSAT and score at least 5-6 points higher, and ideally more like 8-10+.
I know you mention finance as a concern, but if that’s the case you can request and receive fee waivers from LSAC to take future tests at no charge. Request it and get signed up for December and/or February.
Then get back to your prep! There are a lot of very solid options out there that are reasonably affordable, particularly when you consider that prep is truly a great investment–another 10 points will not only allow you to get into a better school with better job prospects (and a higher salary) but it will likely also secure you scholarship opportunities–so look into the LSAT Bibles (https://shop.powerscore.com/?action=productDetail&id=a08E000000O2WYEIA3) or the On Demand Course (https://www.powerscore.com/lsat/courses/on-demand/), both of which are hugely popular and will absolutely help you reach your goals.
Let us know how else we can help!

Shawn
October 24, 2017 at 8:08pm
Hi,
I am looking for input on whether it would be more beneficial to apply right now (October-November) or wait until after I take the December LSAT.
I am applying to T14s with a decent GPA and scored a 173 on the September exam, but am consistently PTing in the 175+ range. I am wondering whether it would be more beneficial to apply now or to retake it for the goal of gaining 2 or more points on my LSAT, with my major goal being the top 6 schools.
I’m also curious as to how this would effect scholarships to lower T14s- and whether more money is given out earlier in the cycle or more could be obtained with a few more points on the LSAT.
Your input is much appreciated!

Hopeful Future Student
November 01, 2017 at 3:52am
Hi, I submitted all my applications in September, but then decided last week after chatting with a mentor and doing my first PT in a while to retake the LSAT (Signed up on almost the last day possible, on ym previous test I just broke the 170s. My PT scores were consistently 2-3 points above what I scored when I last took it, and at very worst I would score the same, but hopefully a point higher. Even one point feels like a big deal at this point because I’m applying to T14s, I’m a borderline candidate despite being at or just above their LSAT medians). Is it frowned upon to not inform schools of the retake?
At this point most my applications are under review. I don’t really know how to explain to schools “hey I decided to take December test because I really want to get into your school, and I think one point more on the LSAT might make a difference, but for some reason I did not sign up for a test sooner” in a positive light.

Dave Killoran
November 02, 2017 at 11:09pm
It’s not frowned on at all! Law schools understand what your goal is with a retake, and for many schools, they appreciate it because it makes their life easier if you do increase your score. And they don’t care at all when you sign up—they don’t have time to read into that and make assumptions about your motivations.
Also, law schools will eventually get an update from LSAC that indicates that you are signed up for the LSAT, so you can either let that happen (which will stop most of your apps from being further reviewed) or send them a short note. I prefer the route where you inform them, because you then get a chance to better control the message. In this case, you want to indicate that you are trying to increase and solidify your chances of being accepted at their school (which is true). So, no harm here at all, this is business as usual for law schools 🙂
Last, this might help you as you look at a retake: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/retaking-the-lsat-what-to-do-differentl…
Please let us know if you have any questions. Thanks!

Future JD
November 10, 2017 at 5:25pm
Hi there,
I just sent my first two applications yesterday and will continue sending more over the next few weeks. I took the LSAT in Sept and had preemptively signed up for the December one as well just so that I’d have the option in case I wasn’t happy with my score. I won’t be taking it again, but I had also hadn’t withdrawn yet when I sent my first two applications. I withdrew this morning. I did not indicate in my applications that I would be taking it again, but now I’m wondering if that information was sent to them directly by LSAC. So my questions are: 1) is a future LSAT registration part of the report/information sent by LSAC/CAS to schools once they request a report? 2) does LSAC automatically update the report and inform schools if a future LSAT registration is withdrawn?
I’m wondering if these schools are now under the impression that I will be retaking, in which case they might hold off on reviewing my application. Would you advise that I reach out directly to the schools to let them know, or am I safe in assuming that information never got to them? And if you think I should reach out, do you recommend calling or emailing for something like this? Not sure which would be better to make sure the information is seen/noted.
Thanks in advance!

Dave Killoran
November 13, 2017 at 4:55pm
Hi Future,
LSAC does update the schools on future test registrations and they will also update the schools with the Withdraw status, so on that count you will be covered.
If you do decide to update the schools that you’ve withdrawn, I would email. It’s pretty common for them to get app updates in that manner and easy for them to process. Do I think it’s necessary? No, but there’s also no harm in it so if it makes you feel better, do it.
Thanks!

Ashleigh White
December 22, 2017 at 6:40pm
Hello,
This blog post has been very helpful. I just am curious about how this relates with scholarship deadlines.
I got a lower score (149) for the schools I’m applying to, but have a 3.96 GPA and national recognition in extracurriculars. I need at least a 155. I know I can do better and was frazzled the morning I took it. I can make the deadlines, but I need/want to apply by the scholarship deadlines.
With the above scenario, what do you think is the best route/option? How do merit scholarships at law schools work with deadlines?
Best Wishes,
Ashleigh Kathryn

Oldtimer
December 23, 2017 at 5:34am
Hi! I am a non-trad student trying to go to law school after being a stay at home mom for years. Back in the day, I had a decent GPA (3.58) and then a very high grad school GPA (3.9 for a Masters in LIt). However, I never finished the lit degree because of my kids.
That all said, I have submitted my app for the law school in my town (a very good school, but not one of the top 25). I took the LSAT cold in December and only made a 145. I took it without any test prep aside from taking a few practice tests because every PT I did at home I scored in the 160s on, so I didn’t think I’d need any prep courses. Then on the LSAT itself I LITERALLY missed every question but 2 on the Logic Games section because I freaked out and had a panic attack. I did fine on every other section.
I am signed up to take the February test, but I am dismayed. From what I can gather, most slots in rolling admission are gone by the time the Feb. scores even come in. From what I’ve read here, it seems that LSAC notifies my school that I am signed up to take it in Feb., but do they also share my Dec. score? And if not, SHOULD I submit my Dec. score with an explanation?
Unfortunately, I’m a little hamstrung by my age – I don’t know anyone else applying that I can confer with on these matters! I’m not sure what the best way to proceed is in this instance.

Dave Killoran
December 23, 2017 at 10:54pm
Hi Ashleigh,
Thanks for the questions! These are commingled in a way that isn’t easy to answer (and I don’t have schools specifics, which complicates things), so I’m going to address the key points as far as LSAT scores and financial aid. That will leave individual scholarships out of the loop, but there are so many of those it’s not feasible to actually address them in one answer.
Given your GPA, you need to take the LSAT again in February. Law schools will see that you have another test scheduled, and in most cases they will delay in making a decision on your app. This is true even for the schools that don’t accept the February LSAT (sounds backwards, but it happens so often that it’s become the norm for them to wait).
The reason it’s okay to take it again February is that your LSAT score will have a massive impact on your financial offers. Where you are now is a sort of law scholarship purgatory: they’ll love your GPA but the LSAT score will make it hard for many schools (certainly T100s) to offer much in the way of aid.
The application horizon has been extending later and later in recent years, and even the results of June are now being used a very good schools. So, schedule the retake and focus on doing your best there. It will be worth the extra time and work!
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Dave Killoran
December 23, 2017 at 11:24pm
Hi Oldtimer!
This situation actually comes up more than you’d think, so I want you to know that you are not alone!
Let’s start by addressing a misconception that I can tell is causing you anxiety: all the spots will NOT be gone by February 🙂 The admissions window has been staying open later and later, and even this chart from a year and a half ago is now slightly out-of-date: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid/284224/hoping-to-apply-to-law-schoo…. Regardless, it shows that there are plenty of seats still open at that time, and honestly, these days there are seats available at most schools into the summer: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/law-schools-with-late-admissions-deadlines. Plus, a higher LSAT score is worth far more than an early application: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/does-submitting-an-early-law-school-app….
The bottom line about the above is a nice one for you: focus on getting that LSAT score up, and then you submitting your application later won’t matter 🙂
On that note, once you select a school through CAS, the law school will automatically get updates with both your December LSAT score, and your February registration (once you finalize that). Many schools will simply wait at that time until your next score arrives, but if you’d like, you can submit a note that states your first score is not representative and that you’d like the school to wait to review your application if possible. It’s not necessary to send that note–most schools do that anyway, but it won’t hurt either.
Last, don’t worry about your age. The average age of law school applicants has been increasing over the years, and I’ve worked with students in their 70s who ended up at great school. At a certain point, being older actually becomes an advantage in the process, because you then have a trait that very few other applicants who are competing for your spot have. So, wear it with pride!
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Hopeful Student Min
December 23, 2017 at 11:43pm
Hi! Your blog has been super helpful, so thank you for that!!
I took the LSAT twice already and got in the mid 150s (154 and 157). I applied ED to a T-30 school and got deferred to regular admissions. I’ve applied to about 5 more schools in the T-50 range, but I was wondering if it would be worth retaking the February LSAT for the school that deferred me since they wouldn’t be making a decision on me until summer of 2018? Also would the school still accept my score even though they indicate on their website that says they strongly discourage additions to the application?
Or should I sit out this cycle to have a better chance at applying to T-14 schools since most won’t accept the February LSAT score?
Thank you!! Sorry my questions were all over the place

Dave Killoran
December 24, 2017 at 1:09am
Hi Hopeful,
Well, one key consideration here is: can you perform to your potential in February? Or do you need more time? Because a higher LSAT score will do more for your app than any other single thing (amazing but true). So, for whatever your plan, look to maximize your score as best as you can.
Next, because the LSAT is weighted so heavily in admissions, these schools *will* look at it. I actually chuckled when I read the “they strongly discourage additions to the application” because what they are trying to say there is, “please don’t pester us with extra essays, or videos you made, or requests for interviews, or calls to our office checking your status.” But a higher LSAT score will be welcome at every school. I know of multiple schools that state they do not accept February scores when in the past they have done exactly that (assuming there was a prior extant score, and the applicant had “finaled” their app prior to the deadline). So, if you move up the LSAT ladder and make yourself a more attractive applicant, it will either help get you in, or help you get off the waitlist. This article talks about some of those factors, although it uses June (obviously, even later than February): https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/the-law-school-wait-list-and-the-june-lsat
So, the bottom line is really about what optimizes your LSAT score. If you can make that determination, it will help shape your timeline.
Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

Hopeful Student
December 25, 2017 at 6:09am
Thank you so much! I’ve decided to buckle down and use your study bibles to prepare for the LSATs in February.
Follow up question, do I need to notify the schools I have already submitted my application to or will LSAC notify these schools?
Also do I need to notify schools that I send new applications to even if I indicated a future LSAT date?
Thank you!

Dave Killoran
December 26, 2017 at 11:39pm
Hi Hopeful,
Schools will be notified of your new registration, but if you want, you can send a short note indicating that you are taking the LSAT and expect to post an improved score. No harm in it!
Good luck!

Jack Igoe
December 27, 2017 at 3:38am
Hello,
Thank you so much for doing this! I had a quick question about the process for applying while still planning on a retake. I scored a 169 in December and want most of the T-14 schools to review my application before getting the February score back. I plan on finishing my apps in the next few weeks and want to know if I have to send these schools an email telling them to start to review my app now or will they do that automatically? I don’t want them to wait for my February results and am mostly taking it for scholarship/waitlist negotiation purposes.
Thank you!

DC
December 28, 2017 at 1:08am
Hi Dave,
I’m confused by your mention above that schools will be notified by LSAC of any new test registrations. The below is from the LSAC website:
“LSAC will not automatically inform law schools of your registration for a retest. It is your responsibility to inform law schools directly about your registration for additional tests.”
https://www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/repeating-the-lsat
Not sure if I’m missing something, but it seems to say that if you register to retake schools will not have any indication of that unless the candidate themselves reaches out. Is that correct?
Many thanks,
DC

Jon Denning
December 28, 2017 at 1:22am
Hey Jack – thanks for posting! This situation comes up all the time, as you can probably imagine, so I’ll give you the advice I give to all who ask about it: contact the schools to which you’ve applied and ask them directly what their recommended procedure is. They all have the ability to see that you’re registered for a future test, so for those that notice that typically they’ll hold off on making any final decisions (unless you’re already an admit with your current numbers) until they have your next score, but again policies vary a fair amount from school to school so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution here.
The upside is that a 169 is likely good enough—assuming your GPA isn’t disqualifying—to at least keep you in the running, if not get you in outright, so for those schools that aren’t already a “yes” I don’t foresee any of them committing to a “no,” even if you request that they make an admissions decision on your current credentials.* Instead they’ll just shelve you as a “maybe” and then reconsider in two months.
You’ll also have the ability to apply/re-apply for scholarships with your Feb score, so if it goes up there’s likely some more money in it for you as well 🙂
Hope that helps!
*That’s a strong possibility too: schools may ask you how you’d like for them to treat your app, whether they should wait or make a decision now. Sounds like you have your answer to that if it comes up, so you’re set there!

Dave Killoran
December 28, 2017 at 6:35pm
Hi DC,
Right, this is the difference between immediate reporting and the delay that occurs when a law school pulls your report (which typically happens as they go to review your app). What LSAC is saying is that when you register, they don’t immediately send out a notice saying that you registered; in other words, that notification is not automatic on the part of LSAC. However, when a law school goes to pull your report, then they see the notification. And law schools typically do that prior to any review of your file (including final disposition). I’ve talked about this with a number of law school officials since it’s unclear (including one yesterday), and heard the same story each time.
Frankly, LSAC should just make it automatic if they aren’t already planning on doing so.
Thanks!

Anna
December 30, 2017 at 4:19am
Hi Jon,
What do you mean by “recommended procedure”? I’m applying with my December score and signed up to retake in February. I’m unsure if the some of the top 14 schools would hold off to review my application until my February score is reached. I know Michigan reviews your application with the current score and if they cannot render a decision, they wait for the new score. Would I have to ask the schools if they follow this procedure as well? I can’t find any information on their website, besides warning applicants that February LSAT is late.

DC
January 02, 2018 at 3:55am
Thanks. A few more points of clarification:
I am in the below category that is mentioned in the blog post:
“If you already have an LSAT score on record, you submit your application, and you don’t tell schools that you’re taking the test again, then schools will just proceed as if the application were final, and could potentially render a decision before the next test’s scores are available.”
I would like schools to proceed as if the application were final and not place a hold. Sounds like I don’t have to do anything. However, your reply above suggests that schools could have access to that information and decide on their own to hold off on reviewing.
I’m under review with all my schools as of early December and just registered for the Feb. test. Even in this case, schools may hold off when they see a notice as late as checking the report before rendering a decision?
Many thanks for all of your insights,
DC

Dave Killoran
January 02, 2018 at 7:33pm
Hi DC,
Yes, it’s possible they could hold off. If they re-pull the file from LSAC–which they can do at any time–the info will be on there. So, if you want a final decision made asap, simply write the schools and ask them to render a decision without consideration of your Feb LSAT score.
The rule here is simple: if you have a certain outcome you want, whether to review or to wait, you can’t be hurt by writing and asking for that to occur. It sounds like you want something very specific to happen, so shoot them a message to that effect!
Good luck!

Jon Denning
January 03, 2018 at 7:31pm
Hey Anna – thanks for the question! My “recommended procedure” point above is that schools don’t all behave the same in response to this situation–an applicant who’s applied with an LSAT score but is also planning to retake soon–so the best move is to contact schools directly and inquire about what they’d like you to do, if anything, and what they’re planning to do: make a decision based on current credentials and perhaps revisit it once your new score comes in, ignore your future results as being too late and decide solely on present info, shelve your application entirely until the new results are in, etc.
Since there’s so little consistency from place to place, the only real solution is to reach out to each school and ask about their policies. Michigan’s process as you’ve described is pretty common, but there’s no guarantee that every school will follow it, so again it’s a game of individuals where separate inquiries are required to paint the full picture.
Hope that helps!

J C
January 26, 2018 at 4:21pm
Hi!
I know it might be a stupid question but if I already submitted the applications for law school and I am retaking the LSAT (February), when scores are released will LSAC automatically notify schools and update the report or do you have to manually do it. I am asking because I recently spoke with someone at a admissions office and she said I had to make sure that LSAC would send the scores. Also, for schools that say that they dont accept Feb Lsat how would you send them your new scores?
Thank you!

Dave Killoran
January 26, 2018 at 9:56pm
Hi J C,
LSAC produces a report that the school has to pull, but most do with some frequency. But, you should let the schools know via a short email that you are sitting for the Feb test–there’s no harm in it. And for the schools who say they don’t look at Feb, unless it’s HYS, they almost certainly will look at it. Let them know as well you are taking Feb. All schools typically hold your app until after they get the results, unless you are already in.
Thanks!

Amy
October 17, 2018 at 2:39pm
I took the LSAT December last year and scored a 141. I’m retaking it next month, but because of family problem and a loss in the family, i have been unable to study as well as i wanted to. I want to take it next month and get it over and done with, so I can apply early, but I’m wondering if its just better I push it to January and most likely get a better score, but then im worried if i apply late, it’ll make my score much lower. After a week of studying I was able to bump up my diagnostic to a 145, and im hoping to at least get between a 155-160 during a months intense study. I’m hoping to go to BU or BC law, and I’m planning on applying to some T-14’s as well.

Jon Denning
October 17, 2018 at 7:52pm
Hey Amy – thanks for posting! My suspicion is that you’ll want to take a later test, since it’s going to be tough–not impossible, but for sure difficult–to gain an extra 15+ points (from your current PTs of 145 to at least a 160 if you’re interested in BC and BU with medians of 162 and 165, I believe). And that’s particularly true if you’re self-studying, i.e. not in a class or working one-on-one with a tutor, as improvement via self-study tends to take the longest, or at least be the most sporadic/unpredictable.
The good news is two-fold: (1) you don’t need to decide yet; see how you’re scoring on PTs in the week/days before the November test and if you’re not consistently in the 160s then simply withdraw and sign up for January, whereas if you’re regularly at 162+ then give it a shot next month!; (2) January won’t put you too late in the cycle to get into a great school; we’ve contacted all schools in the top 100 (https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/which-lsat-should-i-take-for-a-fall-201…) and virtually all take the Jan test and would prefer a higher score on it than an application submitted a month or two earlier, so if you can do better in January you’ll be just fine 🙂

Jeremy Myers
November 05, 2018 at 12:33pm
Hello Amy,
Thanks for posting. I sent in my applications and only included my september score but did not include my cancellation from June because the system did not allow for non-numeric entries. Did i do the right thing or will I need to contact schools to inform them of my cancellation?

Dave Killoran
November 05, 2018 at 5:23pm
No, they will get a master report that shows the cancellation. You are fine 🙂

Evita
December 01, 2018 at 10:16pm
I’m going to take another LSAT in January but I don’t think the score will be very different, and I worry the next score could be lower. In that case, do you think I should tell the school I’m retaking the test?

Dave Killoran
December 02, 2018 at 8:25pm
Hi Evita,
They will see it eventually anyway as it will show up on your LSAC report. But regardless, why so pessimistic when you still have 7 weeks until the test? That’s plenty of time to make great strides and improve your score!
If you don’t mind some blunt advice from me: stop worrying about your score, and start studying as much as possible. Use the advice in here:
https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/retaking-the-lsat-what-to-do-differentl…
And, work on your mental approach as well: you have to EXPECT TO SUCCEED! If you go in fearing failure, it will find you. Use some of the resources here to get into the right mindset:
https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/the-ultimate-test-mentality-resource-list
I know the test is hard, but you have to believe in yourself, and work hard to achieve want you want. Go get it!
Good luck and I hope this helped 🙂

Olivia Sacks
December 19, 2018 at 2:49pm
Hi David,
Do these rules still apply with higher scores? I have a 165 on record brut was scoring in the 170s on practice tests. I’m not sure whether to submit for match schools like George Washington and USC and take advantage of early cycle, or if getting a 166 would actually make a difference and submit in January.
Please let me know your thoughts! Thank you!

Dave Killoran
December 19, 2018 at 4:41pm
Oh yes, it definitely applies to the top schools, probably even more so. their standards and medians are very tightly defined.
With GW, their median was 165, so being there is key for admission, and then a higher score plays more into financial aid.
With USC, their median was 166 iirc, and so that one point actually makes a huge difference. Derek Meeker, former Penn Law admissions dean, said less than a month ago that if you are even one point below the median it makes a big difference to them.
So, it makes a difference for admissions, and even more so financial aid 🙂

HopefullyLawStu
January 28, 2019 at 2:37pm
Hi! Thank you so much for this great post. I have a 3.72 GPA and a 142 LSAT. I took the January LSAT on Saturday and am hoping that my score will increase. It’s almost February and the majority of my schools have a March 1st deadline. Should I submit my applications and inform the schools to please wait on my Jan score?
My pre-law advisor advised me against this because 142 is relatively low and he argued that the schools won’t review my application. I am confused as to what I should do :).

Dave Killoran
January 28, 2019 at 7:23pm
Hi Hopefully,
This one is easy: don’t submit your apps until your January score posts! The 142 won’t get you anywhere, and if you submitted now you’d have to ask them to hold off on making a decision. So, avoid all that hassle and wait to apply until the January results are in hand. Then hit submit on everything.
In the meantime, perfect those apps!

Abby McCorriston
February 27, 2019 at 11:56pm
Hi there!
I am a third year Canadian student considering applying next fall for Law School of 2020 entry, or taking a gap year before applying. Still undecided however, if I were to apply come next fall…am I able to have both LSAT as well at least my academic letter of recommendation later on come end of first semester or end of second semester?
Please let me know if you think that would be considered!
A

Dave Killoran
March 01, 2019 at 12:06am
Hi Abby,
Thanks for the question! I’m not totally following you though…end of first semester, for you. But “end of second semester,” do you mean in April or May of 2020? that would be late in general.
If you could clarify, that would be helpful. Thanks!

Comments

Olanike says
November 12, 2021 at 5:25 am
Hi
I am planning on taking the LSAT next year April, but do not want to apply to school yet.
If I am applying a year later, is my LSAT score still valid?
Reply
Jennifer says
October 26, 2021 at 4:38 pm
Hi Dave, thanks for your great blog. I have had some really challenging online LSAT experiences, I got a 151 the first time, and the second time was so bad with the LSAC outage, LSAC cancelled my score (not a student cancel). I want to go to the University of Baltimore School of Law. I have a 3.9 GPA, and leadership positions and scholarships on my resume from undergrad. I am scheduled for the January LSAT but do not want to take it based on my bad experiences. I received notice that UB Law is not going to consider my application yet because of the scheduled January LSAT. What do you think my chances are of getting in there with the 151 score and the reset of my credentials? Thanks for your help!
Jennifer
Reply
Carmen says
April 15, 2021 at 3:12 am
Hi Dave!
I really value all your honest information so I have a question for you about my circumstance.
I’m applying to my alma maters law school(UMiami in Florida). I graduated Cum Laude in December 2020, my GPA is high (3.87). I have one score on file and it is a 146 from last year. I just took the April 2021 LSAT FLEX and scores come out in 15 days.
The application deadline for this school isn’t until July 31. Should I submit my application now or wait until the score is released?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  April 15, 2021 at 11:58 am
  Hi Carmen,
  There’s not a lot of difference here in either path, but since you want them to wait on this April score, you should wait to submit it all until the day that score comes out. That way you know for sure they will see your newest score, and you don’t have to notify/rely on them knowing a new score is coming.
  Thanks!
  Reply
Ayeman says
January 18, 2021 at 7:02 pm
Im registered to take the Feb LSAT as my first LSAT. I never had time to study earlier in the cycle due to personal reasons so Feb was the most convenient test for me, however many have told me that applying with a Feb LSAT is wayyyy too late for schools even if they say they accept the test, because by March, most students have already been accepted. I really do not want to wait until next cycle if i dont have to. Ive been practice testing around 159. And my GPA is below the 25th percentile for almost all schools (3.lowwww) nURM.
I have 2 reach schools in the T14 (no chance i know!)
UChicago
Northwestern
Dream Targets are schools like
Illinois Champaign (#1, did my undergrad here)
WasU st Louis
Notre Dame
Vanderbilt
Ohio st
Iowa
Happy to attend would be:
Loyola Chicago
Chicago Kent
And Safety schools would be
Depaul Chicago
UIC john marshall
Basically i just want to know if Early March applicants still have a chance at this cycle, and if i dont get into schools I want this cycle, any harm in RE-applying early next cycle?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  January 20, 2021 at 3:04 pm
  Yes! Early March applicants do have a shot. For example, the deadline at Illinois is 3.15.21 and the explicitly say they take the February SLAT. So, it’s not as if they just stop admitting people before the deadline 🙂 Fyi, the T100 deadlines are all listed here: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/top-100-law-school-application-deadlines-2021-edition/
  If you don’t get in, it’s just fine to reapply. the only issue arises if you get in, turn them down, and then reapply. But that’s not your plan so you’d be okay with any needed reapplications.
  thanks and good luck!
  Reply
Aimee G. says
January 18, 2021 at 2:25 pm
Hello, Dave! Thank you for this post and your thoughtful answers to the many other questions, all of which have been very helpful to me.
I took the LSAT for the first time in November 2020, and experienced an unfortunate series of technical issues, which too several hours to resolve and got in my head. I received a 160, whereas my PT range at the time was 166-168. I was disappointed, but really confident January would go better; studying between the two exams has brought my most recent PT range up to 169-172. Unfortunately, I took the test this Saturday, and I already know I did not live up to my potential. Despite a smooth technical experience, I feel I may have done just as poorly as in November.
I am an older student (32) with a nice resume (executive director working in public administration), a good undergrad GPA (3.85), and strong writing skills. However, I am concerned my other application components will not be impressive enough to boost a low-160s January score. I am aiming for a T14, and my top choices are the big 3. To make matters worse, I inadvertently missed the deadline for the February test. Is March too late to make a difference? Should I submit my apps with my earlier scores, but let admissions know I’m trying again?
Delaying enrollment is not an appealing option for me, given my professional circumstances and my age. I’m a little dismayed and trying not to lose hope.
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  January 20, 2021 at 2:18 pm
  Hi Aimee,
  Thanks for the message! I’m so sorry to hear January did not go well for you. A few thoughts for you here:
  First, you are not old 🙂
  Second, for the schools you are shooting for, it’s going to be a challenge with your current numbers. So, you need to retake the LSAT at some point here.
  Next, since the February deadline has passed, your next LSAT is April, and that’s a problem because that’s a very late. The T3 is gone by that point, and the concurrent problem you have is that most schools won’t wait until then, meaning by the time your April score comes out (on April 29th), they will already have rendered a decision and won’t see the new score.
  So, in a perfect world I’d tell you to delay until next cycle (which should be less competitive too). But, given what you say at the end about not wanting to delay a year, your only chance here is to take April and in the meantime request that schools wait on that score to consider you. Many won’t but perhaps one or two will 🙂
  I’m sorry I don’t have a better news!
  Reply
  - Aimee G. says
    January 20, 2021 at 5:48 pm
    Thanks, Dave, that’s very helpful. And absolutely no worries about the real talk; I always prefer honest bad news to dubious good news.
    I’ll see if my fears are confirmed once January scores come out, and go from there. If it turns out it’s better to wait to apply, in terms of my prospects and my finances, I will likely take that route and eat the inconvenience.
    Thank you again!
    Reply
    - Dave Killoran says
      January 22, 2021 at 5:15 pm
      Okay, sounds good! and I’m glad my honesty helped 🙂
      Good luck here with January and please let us know what happens!
      Reply
ratassets says
January 13, 2021 at 6:26 pm
Hi Dave/Jon!
Some commenters have had similar situations to mine, but not quite the same. I applied last cycle to four schools (University of Utah, University of Oregon, University of Montana, and Case Western), mostly interested in UO and the U because my partner and I like both of the areas, the other two were free applications. I got accepted to all four (3.75/158 ) and received pretty reasonable scholarships (all left me to foot about $12k per year). I accepted and paid my deposit at UO but covid forced me to withdraw late in the summer–a combination of not wanting to do 1L remotely and an unprecedented lack of jobs for my partner.
Because of the competitive cycle I decided to retake, and was forced into the January test–but I feel confident I can score 165-170 come test day. All that said, I haven’t found a ton of info about reapplying to schools you were actually accepted to. I feel my softs were very strong this past round and I’m planning to reuse at least my PS with minor adjustments for the schools I *didn’t* apply to last year. I’m writing a new PS for the two schools I plan to reapply to.
My questions are these:
1) Are there even any merit scholarships available if I apply late in the cycle (Feb.)? This is obviously a hyper-competitive year but I’m less worried about rejections than I am about potentially getting worse aid.
2) Do I need to have my recommenders update their letters if I plan to reuse them? They were written last cycle and honestly I haven’t done much that merits a drastic change in their letters.
3) If I have a job and no real need to apply this cycle, would I be better off just waiting to apply next cycle as early as I can? I obviously would rather start sooner than later, but I’m not in a rush and more time equals better footing as I start law school, so I’m not opposed to taking an additional year off.
Thank you in advance! Long time listener of the podcast, happy sheller-outer of money for the course, first time poster.
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  January 13, 2021 at 7:47 pm
  Hi Ratassets,
  Thanks for the message! So, you are in a very small group of people, and thus there really aren’t reliable numbers on what will happen in these circumstances. I will say that many schools take a “once bitten, twice shy” approach to reapplicants who turned them down, but in this case you may well have an out due to covid. Whatever happens, when you reapply, you need to write an addendum for the two schools explaining why you couldn’t/didn’t follow through the first time. I suspect schools will be somewhat forgiving and understanding, but they don’t love what happened here and you’ll need to overcome that.
  To your questions:
  1. Yes, but they eventually start diminishing as the cycle goes on.
  2. No, you are okay here and can reuse the ones you have.
  3. Maybe. This is a tough cycle, and by waiting a year you get away form that and can apply early. But only you can balance waiting a year vs wanting to start now.
  I hope that helps. Thanks!
  Reply
Rachel Nicole says
December 24, 2020 at 12:54 pm
Hello,
I was recently accepted to my top choice law school, but before I knew about it, I registered to retake the LSAT. All of the other schools I applied to are holding their decision until the January score is posted. I’m torn about withdrawing my LSAT registration 1) because I don’t know how the other schools will move forward when/if they see that my test was withdrawn, or 2) because I suspect that my top school that I was admitted to is holding off my scholarship info until my new score is posted [ I didn’t receive the per usual financial information in my acceptance letter] .
I scored 159 on the October LSAT, but figured I wouldn’t get into any of my school choices thus registered for the January test. Now that I’ve been accepted to my top school, I can’t concentrate on my practice tests, and I’m uncontrollably excited about attending there!
Ultimately, I would like advice about how to move forward. Should I just retake it or is it okay or better to withdraw?
Thanks in advance.
Happy Holidays!
~Rachel Nicole
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  December 25, 2020 at 6:24 pm
  Hi Rachel,
  Thanks for the message, and congrats on getting into your top choice! I have some thoughts that might help, so lt’s get right to them:
  1) They will start evaluating your application once they see you’ve withdrawn. And you would want to message them that you’ve withdrawn anyway, just to get them started on evaluating you immediately. Other than that, they don’t care that you pulled out of an upcoming LSAT; it’s beyond what they think or care about in the process 🙂
  2) They might be. And here’s where the key part of the decision comes into you: will you attend regardless of what financial package they offer you? Because at this point, you are only studying for the LSAT to improve any offer they might make. Looked at from this angle, you’ve already gotten in—the main goal—and your studying becomes an investment in lowering your future debt (and that’s a great investment for most people!). So, keep on studying if the money is a critical piece to you; if it’s not a concern, then skip it and accept your admission offer. If you are in the middle, then I’d stay the course and keep studying (while asking the school what they plan to do, which they may or may not answer).
  I hope that helps a bit. Thanks!
  Reply
Tim says
December 2, 2020 at 6:22 pm
Dave,
Thanks for the input. I’ve been thinking about it for the past few days, and now that we’re up against the registration deadline, I’ve decided not to retake. I only scored above a 165 once or twice on the PTs, so I’ll stick with what I’ve got and see what happens.
And yes, I actually purchased the PowerScore Logic Games Bible as soon as I heard about it (which was only a few weeks before the test), and that helped me big time. Had I not improved so much on the Logic Games, my painful underperformance on the reading section would have tanked my score. I’ll definitely recommend it to others who are prepping for the test!
Best,
Tim
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  December 2, 2020 at 7:15 pm
  Hi Tim,
  Thanks for the update! I think you’ve made a good decision here 🙂
  Thanks also for the kind words–I greatly appreciate them!
  Best of luck with the apps!
  Reply
Tim says
November 28, 2020 at 2:37 pm
Hi Dave,
The post and all of these comments and responses have been extremely helpful, so thank you very much for taking the time to provide all of this guidance. I think I have made up my mind on what to do based on your suggestions to others, but since you seem amenable to providing individualized advice, I’ll include my situation here. I have a 3.88 GPA from a T25 undergrad institution, which I received 13 years ago. I was injured in the Army several years ago, and I had my final surgery in February of this year, so I had to delay taking the LSAT until the summer/fall to give myself time to recover and then prepare for the test.
Unfortunately, I suffered an unrelated injury in July that required shoulder surgery, so I signed up to take the test in August (two weeks before surgery), knowing that I wouldn’t have time to study after the operation thanks to the physical therapy I’d need to do. I had been scoring right around 165 on my PTs in July and August, and on the day of the test, I started off very strong and did the best I’ve done on the Logic Games section. But I hadn’t been sleeping well because of my injury, so I lost steam and focus, and didn’t do as well as usual on the “easier” sections, and I ended up with the same 165 I had been getting on the PTs.
I’m 1-4 points below the median for the top schools on my list (Georgetown, WashU, and Notre Dame), and I have the applications pretty much ready to submit. Now that I’m past the toughest part of my physical therapy, however, I’m thinking about delaying my submissions to retake in January, which I think will allow me to improve 2-3 points. My ideas for moving forward are:
1) Submit to all schools now and ask them to consider my application, while also retaking in January to influence waitlist and financial aid decisions
2) Registering for the January LSAT and waiting to apply to my top 3, but submitting to the schools with lower median LSATs now and asking them to consider my application
3) Sticking with my current score and hoping that my 13 years of government, non-profit, and military work experience and my GPA will be the difference makers
Any suggestions on which would be the best course of action? Thanks so much for your help.
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  November 28, 2020 at 3:32 pm
  Hi Tim,
  Thanks for the message! I’m glad the comments and replies have helped, and all we ask in return is that you put in a good word for us if the LSAT ever comes up 🙂
  As for what you should do, my main question when it comes to retaking is: are you certain you can do better on a retake? If yes, then retake without a doubt and apply under Option #2 you list above (although those schools will see you are taking January and will likely wait since they don’t want to accept you only for you to lose you–they need to yield protect there; I might just wait on all apps).
  If the answer to whether you can score higher is “maybe” or a “I think so,” then don’t retake. You should only retake at the point you know you can do better and that your highest score on record is not a realistic indication of your ability. Do you feel that way about the 165 and your chances of outperforming it? If you aren’t certain, go with Option #3 above.
  I hope that helps and please let me know what you decide!
  Reply
Richa says
November 24, 2020 at 5:25 pm
I got a 145 on my lsat. Obviously this isn’t good. I am planning to take it again in January. I was nervous during the test. Should I submit my applications and have the January be released to them? I also have the option of cancelling my November score. Should I cancel my November score and use my January score? The January lsat score will be released in the first week of February. Isn’t that too late to apply? All my schools applications are due in March. First and foremost, should I cancel my November score?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  December 1, 2020 at 7:05 pm
  Hi Richa,
  Thanks for the message. Here are some thoughts for you:
  1. Cancelling a result via score preview is useful if that score won’t get you into any schools you want to attend. You say the 145 isn’t good, so I suspect it won’t help you. I’d cancel then. If you keep it, only apply right now to schools that would accept you with your 145.
  2. The January LSAT is not too late. I’ve covered this multiple times in the last two weeks on my Twitter account and in webinars and podcasts, and there’s no debate among experts on this. Every US school accepts the result so that test, and I’ve seen many, many people use it in the past to get in (as later tests as well). With March deadlines at your schools, you’ll be fine 🙂
  Thanks and good luck!
  Reply
Tessa says
November 24, 2020 at 3:32 pm
Hello,
My name is Tessa and I just scored a 152 on the November LSAT. I studied hard for the last few months and had been studying off and on for it for the last few years. My UGPA is 3.87 and I started at a small school and graduated from UT Austin. I am not sure if I should retake the LSAT in January or just accept my results. I would like to get into at least CU Boulder or get a good scholarship at a smaller school. I am just not sure if studying for the test would be all that great for me as it was really causing me a lot of anxiety (standardized tests have never been my thing- I took the ACT four times and could only manage a 23). Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  December 1, 2020 at 7:13 pm
  Hi Tessa,
  Thanks for the message!
  The answer here as far as retaking is it depends. And what it depends on is whether you can, with a high degree of confidence, expect to exceed 152. If it’s just a “maybe” or a “I think so,” then don’t retake. You should only retake at the point you know you can do better and that your highest score on record is not a realistic indication of your ability. So, do you feel that way about the 152 and your chance of outperforming it? If not, yes then retake. If not, don’t retake.
  With Colorado, your GPA will come in a bit over their 75th percentile (which is 3.78) and your LSAT will come in well under their 25th percentile (which is 158). This makes you a reverse splitter. You’d have a chance at CU, but your chances will increase with every point you could manage above a 152. If you don’t retake, though, write an addendum about standardized tests not being representative of your ability. that will help, but a higher score would help a lot more.
  Only you can make the decision here, and I’m cognizant of how anxiety-inducing the test can be, You do not want to put yourself in a bad place! At the same time, your admission chances–and certainly your scholarship chances–are largely numbers driven, and at 152 an admit is a reach and a scholarship at CU i ext5remely unlikely.
  I hope that helps, and I wish the news was better!
  Reply
Becca says
November 1, 2020 at 2:16 pm
Hi,
I was hoping for some input on my situation. I am signed up for the November Flex but I am realizing I would be better prepared if I took it in January. I have not previously taken the LSAT so I dont have one on record. I know apps (or maybe the CAS/ Law School Report??) are not technically complete until a score is on file.
So two things: first, does it look bad to law schools if I withdraw from the November LSAT? And secondly, will I be able to submit my apps before I take the January LSAT(with no score on file)? A lot of the schools I’m applying to have deadlines of February 15th or 28th and the score release for the January test is February 3rd So would I be able to send in everything else before and then as soon as my January score comes back I send that in and my app is complete? I have checked to make sure the schools I’m applying to accept the January LSAT but I am just trying to figure out the logistics.
I am the first person in my family to go to college let alone graduate school so I know little to nothing about this process and how it all works. Hoping you could clarify this for me!
Reply
- Becca says
  November 1, 2020 at 3:08 pm
  Basically can I send in everything else beforehand so that when my January score comes back I just have to send that in and then everything will be complete in time for deadlines?
  Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  November 5, 2020 at 3:07 pm
  Hi Becca,
  Thanks for the question! Schools don’t see withdrawals, so that’s nothing to worry about here 🙂 Second, you can submit everything beforehand, and then they wait until your LSAT score arrives to start the review process. Typically, if you have everything in before the deadlines and then the LSAT shows up a few weeks later is both standard and common, and not a problem. The LSAT will go automatically to your schools once it’s available, btw.
  If you aren’t ready for November, push it to January. Better to apply later with a high score than earlier with a lower one!
  Thanks!
  Reply
Lauren Butler says
October 27, 2020 at 12:55 pm
Hi thank you so much for this helpful post! It makes sense to me that it is worth waiting when my score could end up above the range they are looking for. My situation is that I scored a 164 in October but am very interested in UCLA and USC. I scored a 168 on a few practice tests and even as high as a171 once, and I hope with more practice I could get a 168-170 on the January test, but this does not put me above their ranges, only at or just over their medians. Do you think it is still worthwhile to ask them to wait for my second score? Or would I in that case be better off just applying with my current score, which is either just below their range or around their 25th percentile?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  October 27, 2020 at 2:57 pm
  Hi Lauren,
  Thanks for the message! I’ve been told repeatedly by law school deans that hitting the median is critical where possible, so given where you are right now I would shoot for that and retake.
  As far as applying early vs waiting, the rule — as we often talk about on our podcast — is that it is better to apply later with a higher LSAT score than earlier with a lower LSAT score. The highest score gets reported to the ABA; your application date does not. Plus, Your LSAT score is critically important and probably the most influential factor in your app, so anything you can do to make it as good as possible is key.
  And, once they see you are retaking, most schools will wait. But, you should write and ask them to wait on that new score either way as you don’t want to risk an early rejection before the new score comes in.
  Please let me know if that helps, or if you have any additional questions. Thanks!
  Reply
TA says
October 27, 2020 at 12:51 pm
Hi Dave!
I’m hoping for (and would really appreciate) your input on my situation! It’s somewhat similar to many of the others, but I figured it might be better to pose a specific question. I scored a 168 on the October exam, which was a relief in that I thought it went extremely poorly, but was still an underperformance on my part since my score range leading up to the test was between a 170-179, averaging in the mid 170s. I feel like I have to take it again (in January) or it’ll bother me that I didn’t at least try again to perform at my potential.
I’m almost done with preparing my essays, and my intention was to apply as soon as I got them polished. What I’m wondering is: will schools that I’m on target/at median for with this score (USC etc) still hold my application after I sign up for January? Or do schools make decisions on applicants with scores pending if the application as it stands would be an admit? I would want the retake to help me at schools where I would currently be waitlisted or rejected based on the Oct. score, but not hurt me by making me essentially a late cycle applicant at schools I’m on target for. Thanks so much!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  October 27, 2020 at 2:46 pm
  Hi TA,
  Thanks for the message! A few things here:
  * I completely agree with your decision to retake. With your prior scoring history, it would be a mistake not to try again. And especially at the schools you appear to be targeting, getting into the 170s will have a demonstrable and significant positive impact 🙂
  * Most schools will hold your app when they see a new score coming, but some won’t (they might have a form you need to fill out though, like Duke). In your situation, take control of the process and at the schools you want to consider you now, ask them to simply go ahead and examine you now. Some might not, but at least you will have made the request. Note that they might ignore you because they can tell you think you will score higher next time out, and if you do post a 175, they might want to yield protect and not accept you early. However, so what? Assuming you get closer to how you were doing, you probably will get into a “better” school anyway 🙂
  In short, you have a good plan and can make the request to be considered now where it’s appropriate. The likely outcome, thoughm, is you score higher next time and it becomes a moot point 🙂
  Please let me know if that helps, or if you have any additional questions. Thanks!
  Reply
  - TA says
    October 27, 2020 at 3:26 pm
    Thanks so much, Dave! Your advice helps immensely, and definitely tempers the worries I was having about applying/waiting/just waiting for next cycle altogether. 🙂 I’m glad making that request – whether or not the schools act on it – is an option for specific cases. Hoping that the retake goes my way!
    Thanks again 🙂
    Reply
    - Dave Killoran says
      October 27, 2020 at 3:38 pm
      Sounds good, and good luck!
      Reply
El says
October 23, 2020 at 12:37 pm
Hi, Dave,
I’m in a similar situation to some of the folks above. I took the Flex in August, flopped and canceled it. I just got my October scores back (173), but had been PT’ing 177/178 pretty consistently. Because there have been more deferrals for this year, I’m aware that schools may have fewer offers they can make, so I want to take advantage of sending my applications in early. I’m already registered for November, and have been doing some light studying in between October 3 and now, but I’ve done almost all the released PTs. Would it be worth it to retake in November to hopefully get closer to my PT average? Should I apply now and tell schools not to hold off on a decision? One of my main motivators for retaking would be increased scholarships. My undergrad GPA is 3.84 so I feel pretty solid about my candidacy, but I want to put my best foot forward.
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  October 23, 2020 at 7:26 pm
  Hi E,
  If you apply now and take November, pretty much every school will auto-hold your app while they wait, unless they think your 173 is a near auto-admit (and some might). So, keep that in mind here!
  As far as retaking, it depends on where you are applying, and that’s not listed here. If you are at or above the 75th LSAT median at the school, it may not be worth your time to retake as you will have met what most are looking for. And at the HYS holy trinity, you can never really tell what they want anyway, so it’s really hard to say how much of a difference it would make. If those are your goal schools though, I can see a retake being useful.
  Not sure that helped, but hopefully it did!
  Reply
  - El says
    October 26, 2020 at 10:34 pm
    Dave,
    Yes it did—thank you! I’m generally applying to T14, with a few exceptions based on geography. The 173 puts me at or above the 75% for all but HYS, which generally feel like a shot in the dark to me anyway. One of the other things I’m worried about is something you mentioned in a recent podcast–that it looks like the pandemic+Flex combo is producing a bubble of higher test scores, so I’m worried that will devalue the 173 a bit in the application cycle this year. Every PT I’ve done in the past 6 weeks has been 175+, but I’m very aware of the high percentage of test-takers that encounter regression in subsequent sittings at 172+. Any other insight you have is *very* appreciated–I know you’re super busy!!
    Thank you!
    Reply
    - Dave Killoran says
      October 27, 2020 at 1:34 pm
      Yes, that helps, thanks! I’d say retake here since the T14 is your goal and you want to try at HYS and you are seeing 175+ regularly. Plus, there’s no doubt that the new stats from the October LSAT in just the last few days suggest even more high scores, so that’s another factor tilting me towards a retake for you here 🙂
      Thanks and good luck!!
      Reply
      - El says
        November 7, 2020 at 6:13 pm
        Dave,
        I just retook the flex this morning so fingers crossed!!! Coming off a 180 from C2 so at least I went in feeling confident (despite missing some silly questions today).
        Thank you for your encouragement!
      - Dave Killoran says
        November 7, 2020 at 6:31 pm
        That’s awesome, congrats to you!!
      - El says
        November 24, 2020 at 9:19 am
        Dave,
        Just posted a 177! Thank you for the encouragement!
      - Dave Killoran says
        November 24, 2020 at 12:40 pm
        Great job, congratulations!!!
Distressed Applicant says
September 14, 2020 at 1:45 pm
Hi
I took the LSAT last year without much prep because I wanted to see how I would do (really dumb move). I got a really bad score, In the bottom 10% and I never took the written portion of that particular test because I scored so poorly. I never intended to use it to apply to law schools. My cumulative GPA is mediocre (3.49, with my grades improving a lot in my junior and senior year, my last semester I got a 3.9). That being said I know that a killer LSAT is kinda my only shot at getting into the law school of my dreams. I have decent extra curricular, worked multiple jobs, International Student, on campus leadership etc. I am currently prepping hard for a retake of the LSAT Flex on November 7th and perhaps an attempt in January2021 too. I’ll be applying to mostly Canadian schools and their deadlines are usually earlier (Nov 1st and Dec 1st) meaning that at the time I send my application the only LSAT they would have on record is my November attempt from last year. I am worried about how law schools will view my first LSAT score. Is there any way I can prevent it from being reported at least until I get a better score in November?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  September 14, 2020 at 2:14 pm
  Hi Distressed,
  Thanks for the message. Unfortunately, no. Your best bet is to delay submitting your apps until as late as possible, and then to hope the schools realize another take is coming sand then simply hold your file (this is common, and the most likely thing that happens here). But, regrettably, there is no way to erase that score or have it not show 🙁
  Thanks,
  Reply
Kiara Imrit says
March 17, 2020 at 5:51 pm
Hello,
I just received my LSAT score and unfortunately got a point lower than my first one. i already sent my applications to the schools and i also missed the deadline to register for the April lsat. Since my score is below the median and i am desperate to go to law school this academic year itself. can I still register for the june lsat and send an email to the schools to wait for my score or will it be too late, considering the fact now that i have plenty of time now since it is almost end of the semester and then i graduate. What will be the best strategy here fot law schools to still consider me? I am completely lost on what to do at this point. some advice would be great.
Thank you
Kiara Imrit
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  March 17, 2020 at 6:56 pm
  Hi Kiara,
  Whether the school will use June depends on each school, but fortunately we have a helpful reference here: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/top-100-law-school-application-deadlines/
  S0, if you school is one that uses the June LSAT for any purposes, you’d be fine; otherwise the primary purpose would be to use it to get off the waitlist, as described here: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/the-law-school-wait-list-and-the-june-lsat/. However, it’s likely that at least some of your schools will use June, so study hard for that LSAT.
  One other note: with the coronavirus, there is a reasonable chance some deadlines will be extended, so be on the lookout for those. I’ve seen a few mentioned already!
  Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!
  Reply
Addy says
February 18, 2020 at 11:38 pm
Hello,
I first took the LSAT in November and scored a 145. I have been out of school for almost 3 years and I took a prep course but I felt like I did not get as much out of it as I could have and did not take as many PT as I should have to prepare. My biggest struggle is timing. I retook January and actually ended up getting one point lower… I got into a minor car accident a few days after Christmas which disrupted my ability to study. I considered withdrawing, but did not. Also the testing center where I took the test in Jan was in a gym of a community college adjacent to a basketball court that had people going in and out and slamming doors for the entirety of the test, and it was very noisy (not making excuses but I definitely have potential to do so much better)
I was signed up for Feb, but withdrew because I knew I needed a much higher score, and am now going to take in March 30th, so I have a few questions:
1. Will the one point lower score from Jan reflect badly on my applications as they can see all scores? Do I need to submit an addendum about why I did worse the second time and that neither score is indicative of my true abilities?
2. How should I address applying to schools that have March 1, March 15 and early April deadlines? Should I go ahead and submit with my 145 and then write them asking to please hold a decision until March scores are out? ( I have an idea of what you’re going to say but some of these posts are older than others and I just wanted to ask based on my situation (:
I wholeheartedly plan on scoring / believe I can score at least 10 points higher for the March test (PT 153 recently with a goal score of 155-158 reach) I just signed up for the online Powerscore class that starts next week and ends right before the March test! I am someone who needs a more regimented schedule since I also work full time, self study was not benefiting me.
I have a LSAC GPA of a 3.0 (3.2 Undergrad GPA but they counted a class I had to have academically forgiven) I am not applying to any T25 schools.
Please let me know if you have any extra advice as well – I am looking forward to honing in on my skills with the Powerscore class starting next week.
Thank you!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  February 20, 2020 at 7:08 pm
  Hi Addy,
  Thanks for the message! Sounds like January was definitely not a good environment for testing, so let’s see if we can help with your next take:
  1. No, the happy news is no one cares 🙂 Law schools only care about the high score these days, and this has been proven repeatedly. That’s what they report, so that’s what matters! No addendum needed, one point is insignificant.
  2. That’s exactly what you should do: get your apps in before the deadline and then let them know another take is coming, and one that you expect will improve upon your current high score.
  Bonus: since you are retaking, your plan should be to use the course as it is scheduled, and then also approach your exam with some of the thoughts in here: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/retaking-the-lsat-what-to-do-differently-to-raise-your-score/. You have a big advantage in that you have familiarity with the LSAT, so this time it becomes all about making sure you really understand the ideas as well as possible, and can quickly recognize what to do. that takes work, but you are already on your way, so work hard for the next few months.
  Good luck!!
  Reply
Kiara Imrit says
January 30, 2020 at 1:01 am
Hello,
I am in a really torn situation. Since I am a double major, I have a lot of classes to take and last semester I almost didn’t have time to prepare for my LSAT in December because I was taking 18 credits at school and also preparing for my application. I also tend to have test anxiety and I scored a 128 which is definitely not reflective of my abilities and i also have a 2.4 GPA. It led me to such a GPA because of some personal issues and I had a really bad semester which affected my GPA. I didn’t apply in late December as planned, due to my very low GPA and LSAT score and thought of waiting till I am retake the LSAT in February which I know I will do a lot better and with my killer personal statement I can make it to a law school, however, I am still confused whether or not to wait to send in my application before or after I get my score which will already be in early March. In my case, I don’t know which one is best for me to get a higher chance of getting admitted. I also do not want law schools to look at my first poor LSAT and GPA and make a decision off of that.
If you could help me that’d be of so much help to make a decision!
Thank you
Kiara
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  January 30, 2020 at 7:08 pm
  Hi Kiara,
  you need to wait on sending in your app until your score is about to be released. Otherwise you risk an immediate rejection. Yes, schools should wait seeing that you have a later score coming but some might not and we want to avoid that possibility! So, I’d wait on it 🙂
  Good luck and focus on the February test!!
  Reply
  - Kiara Imrit says
    February 3, 2020 at 6:15 pm
    Thank you so much for the advice! However, some schools have a deadline until March 1st and the Feb LSAT scores don’t get released until March 17th. So, is it better to send my application before the deadline but still let them that I am retaking the LSAT and request them to wait till I get my score so that I do not risk immediate rejection?
    Best,
    Kiara
    Reply
    - Dave Killoran says
      February 6, 2020 at 6:08 pm
      Schools with a March 1st deadline will typically wait for February results. This is common 🙂
      Reply
jenni12043 says
January 28, 2020 at 10:57 pm
Hello!
I registered for the January Lsat and later withdrew because I was scared. After withdrawing I went to sign up for the February test and realized I had missed the deadline. I want to start school in the Fall and my only option is to sign up for the March test. Isn’t that too late? Should I turn my applications in with my first lsat score of 140 and gpa of 2.8, with a good addendum and excellent personal statement and let them know I am retaking it? or wait till I get my score back in April before submitting my app? What should I do? Will schools even except me so late?
sincerely,
a stressed girl
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  January 29, 2020 at 11:54 am
  Hi Jenni,
  Thanks for the message! March is not too late for many schools, and we have a list here that should help: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/top-100-law-school-application-deadlines/. As you can see there, plenty of schools will even take the June LSAT 🙂 However, there are many schools on that list (especially T14 schools) that won’t accept March, so part of this will come down to where you want to go. With your current numbers, your chances for admission aren’t great, so if I were in your shoes I’d take March and shoot for the highest score possible. If you need any help preparing, that’s what we do so we’d be happy to talk to you more about it.
  Thanks and good luck 🙂
  Reply
Sandra says
January 7, 2020 at 4:40 pm
Hi There!
I have been studying and going through this process since last March and have had a harder than usual time with the LSAT. I took the test in July and cancelled my score. I took it in October and recieved a 161, but I was scoring a lot higher than that in my practice tests so opted to take it again in November. I, unfortunately, scored lower in November (to my surprise) and so am going to take it again in just a short week. I have turned in all of my applications but am not sure what to do about having them hold my applications or not until this next score comes back. Do you have any advice on this? I don’t really see myself doing much worse than I did this past time around, but am not sure how much my score will actually increase. Is a month a HUGE deal in terms of acceptances and rejections?
My dream school told me they are only looking at the highest score which puts me right at the 25% right now. And I have the option of requesting to hold (as mentioned above multiple times). I have had some people tell me to roll the dice if I am confident about my written application and interview (which I really am)! But if I do happen to do better, then could that point or two help me?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  January 7, 2020 at 6:32 pm
  Hi Sandra,
  Thanks for the message! If your dream school is one where you are at 25%, then tell them to hold off and wait for your new score. Even a single point increase is worth the extra time 🙂
  As for other schools, if you LSAT is at their median or above, go ahead and ask them to consider you now. Then, if you get a higher score they can consider that as well (and if they’ve accepted you, you can update them wit the new scores since that will affect your financial offers).
  So, I’d generally wait depending on the school. Thanks good luck on the test next week!
  Reply
Monica M says
December 4, 2019 at 9:57 am
Hi there,
I have taken the January 2019 and this past November test, and am not feeling super confident in my November test, so am considering re-taking again in January 2020. I still want to send my applications in this month with whatever my November score is, but I have to register for the Jan LSAT before Nov scores are released, so either way, I will most likely have a pending LSAT on my applications. If I were to be wait listed at any school, would the reporting of a higher Jan score influence my wait list status? I’m trying to weigh the pros and cons of re-taking in Jan and risking getting a similar score, or just sitting with my Nov score regardless of what it is. I really don’t feel comfortable postponing applications under the score release of the January LSAT due to more limited financial aid availability once the spring rolls around.
What are your thoughts?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  December 5, 2019 at 5:35 pm
  Hi Monica,
  Thanks for the message! In reference to: “If I were to be wait listed at any school, would the reporting of a higher Jan score influence my wait list status?” The answer is a resounding YES, it will have an effect. Higher LSAT scores are game changers, both for admission, getting off the wait list, and financial offers. This very specific article about the June LSAT discusses the phenomenon: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/the-law-school-wait-list-and-the-june-lsat/. If June can help, January surely can, and even moreso.
  Let me also address this portion: “I really don’t feel comfortable postponing applications under the score release of the January LSAT due to more limited financial aid availability once the spring rolls around.” The bottom line is that it has been repeatedly proven that applying later with a higher LSAT score is better overall (including financially) than applying earlier with a lower LSAT score. Why is that? Because schools have to report LSAT scores but they do not have to report application dates. This article discusses the implications, and shows how higher LSAT scores have an impact: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/does-submitting-an-early-law-school-application-improve-your-chances/.
  I once listened to the Penn admissions director talk about how even a one point increase was worth taking January over an earlier LSAT. Hard numbers talk, applications dates don’t 🙂
  Thanks and good luck!
  Reply
Bea says
September 22, 2019 at 11:02 am
Hello!
Thanks so much for an informative post and continued question answering! I’m a bit on the fence about how to proceed with this as well. I am a non-trad student and Navy veteran. I finished my undergrad in 2018 (while Active Duty) with a 3.71 and will complete an MA this semester. Many years ago before my Navy days, I got some atrocious grades from a community college, resulting in a 2.9 LSAC GPA. I took the LSAT last year and scored a 154 and then tested again yesterday. Based on how it went, I’m anticipating only slightly better results. I do intend to apply to a few T14s so I’m wondering, based on these factors, how critical would it be for me to retest in November assuming I could boost the score?
Thank you!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  September 24, 2019 at 3:25 pm
  Hi Bea,
  You must retake if the T14 is your goal. A 2.9 GPA is what they will use, and a score in the mid-150s won’t get you into any of the T14s, despite the offsets with your career and later degree. I’m sorry to have to relay that info, but at least you know where you stand. That allows you to focus on the next test knowing it’s important, so put your full effort into it!
  Good luck!
  Reply
Chloe says
September 20, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Hello! I’m getting nervous about my personal statement. How much will it matter if my personal statement is not great or my why law portion is not a great reason? I have really high numbers but I’m nervous I’m going to have an average personal statement and get rejected in spite of my high numbers.
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  September 20, 2019 at 1:41 pm
  Hi Chloe,
  Softs like your PS are far more likely to get you rejected than accepted. As is often said, they are looking for reasons to keep you out, and an average PS won’t kill you, but a poor one will. But why would you ever settle for less than a great statement? There are a myriad of resources on this topic that are free, such as at The Ultimate Law School Personal Statement Resource List. Further, there are multiple programs we offer that specifically are designed to help you produce a great personal statement, as listed at: PowerScore Law School Admissions. Given the financial impact that getting into a better school can have, and the increased financial package offers that better applicants receive, it is far better to spend some time and money up front creating a great statement since it can often be repaid many times over when all the options are on the table.
  Thanks!
  Reply
Malajah Suriani says
September 5, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Hello Dave,
I am wondering what to do about early admission for SMU Deadman School of law. I did take a look at the website you mentioned (lawschoolnumbers-GREAT source of information, so thank you) and see that SMU has a median of a 3.63 GPA and 161 LSAT. I scored rather low for my LSAT at 145 (I also had this problem in high school with a low ACT score) however, when I went to university I graduated magna cum laude and have a 3.89 GPA…my question is even with strong personal statement, and other areas of admission (such as work experience) would you recommend I retake the LSAT? Or is it a good idea to write an addenda and explain my low score? Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  September 5, 2019 at 2:27 pm
  Hi Malajah,
  Thanks for the message! While your GPA is excellent and will help you, it’s going to be a tough path at SMU with the 145. Their 25th percentile LSAT score is 155, and at a full 10 points below that, you are really in a position where it will be hard for them to admit you no matter how good your personal statement is. So, I’d really look to retake the LSAT and do whatever you can to get above 150. That won’t be a guarantee, but at around 151 or so, students with your GPA are getting admitted, so they’ve shown they will accept students with those numbers.
  The fundamental issue here is that your LSAT and GPA are black-and-white numbers that law schools have to report to the ABA and ultimately US News. That’s not the case with personal statements, work experience, application dates, or letters of rec, and so those things don’t come close to LSAT/GPA in terms of weight and impact. It’s a sad state of affairs, but that’s the way it works :/
  How did you prepare for the LSAT? Is there some avenue you could try here that you didn’t before?
  Thanks!
  Reply
Melissa says
July 22, 2019 at 4:44 am
Hi! I took the LSAT in January 2019 and scored a 156 . I was a nervous wreck about logic games but I tried my best. I ended up on 6 waitlists at t20s (I knew it was a long shot) and was ultimately rejected from all but 2, which I have not heard from yet. I’ve been studying for a retake and am very scared that my score won’t improve by much due to my inability to finish a LG section. I’m gonna buckle down but there’s a chance that I won’t be prepared by September to retake the LSAT (if my score doesn’t improve a ton). I’ll be out of the country starting in mid-october for work so the more attractive alternative is to wait until January when I can travel to Europe from Africa for the retake since coming to the US for the November LSAT would be cost prohibitive and draining (although I’m willing to make sacrifices if it comes down to it). I’m mulling over these options and wonder what I should do: register for the September LSAT and try my best? Or wait until January to retake? How much of a disadvantage would I be in if I apply late in the cycle versus applying earlier with a potentially weaker score? Do you think there’s still time to turn things around for a marked score improvement by September? Should I submit my apps in the fall no matter what? Etc etc. Sorry for being long winded but these questions are driving me nuts; please help!
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  July 24, 2019 at 10:31 pm
  Hi Melissa,
  Thanks for the message! This may seem like a tough choice, but to me there’s an easy decider here: which test allows for you to do as well as possible? I’d much rather have a high LSAT score that comes in later than a lower score from an earlier test. After all, law schools report your score, not when you took it 🙂 In other words, the score is a black and white comparison tool whereas the date of application is a lot less determinative. And if that doesn’t sway you, I’ve heard from multiple T14 deans that the higher score is worth the wait (if that is needed). So, if you need to wait to January to get that higher score, it’s okay!
  As far as whether there is still time to improve your score, there’s zero doubt about that: yes 🙂
  And last, submit your apps once you have that new, higher score.
  Thanks!
  Reply
Sharday Keita says
June 14, 2019 at 9:09 pm
Hello,
If you take the lsat after you’re accepted to law school, can they take their decision back? I got accepted into a law school before I retook my lsat. Will the grade affect my standing?
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  June 14, 2019 at 9:13 pm
  It won’t! Law schools don’t care about other scores, and I’ve seen many students take this approach and have never seen a single offer rescinded. On the contrary, often students are able to use a higher score to improve their financial aid package!
  Reply
Elena Dreese says
April 27, 2019 at 11:51 pm
Hello!
I feel like I am in a big dilemma. I rushed into take the LSAT and scored in the bottom 10% and was not motivated to retake it. I then applied to law schools and went to a bottom tier school for one semester and a half. Do I have the option of retaking the LSAT to get a better score I’m satisfied with and even apply to a new school?
Thanks,
Elena
Reply
- Dave Killoran says
  May 7, 2019 at 5:17 pm
  Hi Elena,
  There are always options, but I would say your case is unique. I would call some of the law schools that interest you and talk to them about their perceptions here. They might ask you to retake the LSAT and then apply fresh, or perhaps go for a transfer. But in any case, your 1L grades from the school you already attended will be key–if you did not do well, you are most likely out of luck at higher ranked schools. So, that’s the first thing to look at.
  Good luck!
  Reply