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Amazingly, I have heard those exact lines before. More than once.
I’ve also heard thousands of times, “I way underperformed, I am doomed.” Indeed, I’ve heard from about 40 people in the last 20 hours who think just that. There are hundreds more out there who think the same right now.
For so many reasons, you can’t fail the LSAT. And because I have seen the following scenario unfold so many times, I wanted to give some facts. Not an overblown peep talk or a feel good story. Just a few basic facts.
Fact 1: Schools will only care about your highest score. It is the only score that goes to USNWR. The mandate on the admissions office is to only care about your highest score (Yale might be the one exception).
Fact 2: Taking the December test is not late. Admission officers are are just getting off of the road from travel in December, and are starting to really focus on the heart of their file reading and decision making by January.
Fact 3: If you apply in January because you took the Dec. LSAT, no school will hold that against you as a “they did not apply early we must yield protect them.” You are fine on YP if you take the December LSAT.
Fact 4: So many people walk out of the LSAT thinking they did worse, only to see their score is right at what they were test-taking. It is a highly natural feeling.
Fact 5: Going to the law school of your dreams in a journey as much as it is going to be a destination. I can’t tell you how many times Karen and I have seen people start far below where they wanted to, keep moving forward, and get their desired results. There are so many different ways to get there that any one test score underperforming is essentially meaningless.
This isn’t a post-game defeat speech . I just wanted to say I have seen this scenario play out so many times IN FAVOR of the applicant who walked out of the test center feeling down. Hang in there because the results are worth the continued effort and focus.
