So you just got your score back and you’re not happy; or, you decided to cancel in June. Either way, you probably have many questions about retaking. Answering those questions is one reason I always offer a free hour of tutoring, but I get some questions so frequently I decided to create a page dedicated to you potential LSAT retakers.
Retaking is Normal!
There are seven testimonials from seven very satisfied students on my homepage, and all but one of them retook the LSAT! Most of them came to me after they were disappointed with their scores or with other instructors, and even some of those who were with me from the very beginning had to retake the LSAT to get a score worthy of their ability. In any case, a disappointing score, depressing as it can be, need not keep you from the law school of your choice!
Law Schools Do Not Have to Average Your Scores!
If you talk to people who took the LSAT five or more years ago, or just random people about the LSAT – always a dangerous thing to do! – you might hear that “law schools will average your score.” This was the case some years ago, because the American Bar Association, the good people who compile the stats from different law schools, required that law schools report all of the LSAT scores of the students they accepted. Now the American Bar Association only requires that law schools report the best LSAT score of the students they accept. So consider the case of one student from my homepage: she initially received a 164 and was very disappointed. She retook the LSAT a got a 171! The law schools that accepted her usually do not admit students who receive a 167 or 168 – the average of her scores. In fact, it is usually in the law school’s interest to consider a student’s best score: my student, with her 164 followed by a 171, is actually a stronger candidate than an applicant who takes the LSAT once and gets a 170, because accepting the student who received a 171, even on the second attempt, gives the law school a higher average LSAT rank!
If you ask law school admissions officers directly, they will of course tell you that they consider all scores and all facets of an application. But law schools, like any other business or institution, want what is best for them. Considering an applicant’s best score is very often what is best for a law school!
I love working with retakers!
Students that have taken the LSAT once know what they are up against; they have suffered what they consider to be a defeat, but they have the grit and determination to keep trying. That in itself earns them my respect. While many of my students have succeeded on the first attempt – and almost all of those studied longer than they initially thought they would – the students that I consider my greatest successes, and the students that write the nicest testimonials, are the retakers!
Click here for some sage advice about retaking from the good people at www.lawschooi.com.
If you are not sure if you should retake, I would be happy to speak to you free of charge.
If you decide to retake, let’s get to work!
170 Plus 