what happens if i retake the LSAT in Feb?

[testtaker113]

hello,

i am looking for advice.. i wrote the lsat yesterday and wow. it was a random experience... i dont even know where to start in terms of the test.. mostly because of our proctor. the exam started over 45 mins late as she did not have the “materials”- and so we were all waiting around (and a girl threw up from nervousness in the hallway while we were lined up for the 3rd time to get in.. awesome!) we started the exam about an hour and fifteen minutes late and by that time my bladder was going nuts.. i was 10 mins into my first section (reading comp- it was brutal!) and realized i needed to pee.. it was awful. i totally panicked and thought that was the end for me as i would have to go to the washroom…i was bombing the RC and trying to decide if i should just go to the washroom and suck up the loss… then, a miracle happened. the proctor (who did not have a time keeping device), accidentally gave us FIVE minutes extra (she was calculating time based on the clock on the wall and mixed up…) when i looked at my watch and realized it had been 35 mins and we were getting 5 extra mins i raised my hand and rushed to the bathroom. i came back with enough time to go over the last questions on the first section.

the proctor was unreal. she could barely collect and redistribute the tests and was so lax it was disturbing to people.. she didnt formally tell us when we should start.. she would just say “turn to section one and you have 35 mins” and people would be like “did you say go?!” it was the most unstandardized LSAT i have ever taken.. our break was about forty five mins by the time she collected and redistributed the tests.. (she also managed to find a “timer” from the college we were writing at so began using an “official lsat timer.” it was a joke! i honestly think she was intoxicated or something.. she kept saying strange jokes and was not doing ANY oversight to make sure people were putting down their pencils, looking ahead at sections, etc… (both of which were occurring because the conditions were SO lax).

we didnt finish the end of the writing sample until well after 3pm as it took forever to collect the exams and hand out the writing samples, etc… this woman should never proctor an LSAT again. i lucked out with the xtra 5 for bathroom break, but wow.. her proctoring threw many for a loop!

however, all things considered, i think i did alright.. i am wondering a few things.. a) if enough people complain about the proctor and the extreme irregularity of the testing conditions will LSAC let us cancel our scores without showing it as a cancel?/ what do they do in a situation where there are so many violations by the proctor that it is hard to know where to start... ? also, if i decide to keep my score and re-write in Feb will law schools consider my Dec mark and then wait and consider my Feb mark? or will they just wait until Feb after I write my second LSAT to consider my application? (at this point i feel like I need to rewrite just to have another experience that is hopefully not so convoluted, and because i did not score where i would have wanted to on the games...)

any advice is greatly appreciated and welcomed!!

[Anne]

i am wondering a few things.. a) if enough people complain about the proctor and the extreme irregularity of the testing conditions will LSAC let us cancel our scores without showing it as a cancel?/ what do they do in a situation where there are so many violations by the proctor that it is hard to know where to start... ? also, if i decide to keep my score and re-write in Feb will law schools consider my Dec mark and then wait and consider my Feb mark? or will they just wait until Feb after I write my second LSAT to consider my application? (at this point i feel like I need to rewrite just to have another experience that is hopefully not so convoluted, and because i did not score where i would have wanted to on the games...)

Wow, it definitely sounds like you guys had quite the issue with the proctor. If you feel it negatively affected your experience and overall score, I would definitely submit a complaint to LSAC. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with exactly what happens in a situation of this kind (although my gut tells me that if your scores get cancelled by LSAC due to test center irregularities, it probably won't show up as a cancel, but will likely have some other notation. I couldn't find any information on it on the LSAC website or elsewhere). Hopefully someone else on the forum has had personal experience with this kind of situation and can provide some insight! Here's the website for reporting irregularities, if it helps: http://www.lsac.org/policies/test-center-problem-policies.asp

Regarding your other questions:

if i decide to keep my score and re-write in Feb will law schools consider my Dec mark and then wait and consider my Feb mark?
That depends on the school. Most schools, if you tell them that you are retaking the test, will wait until they have both of your scores (otherwise, they would be considering an incomplete application, which schools are loath to do). However, if you do not tell them that you are retaking the test at a later date, they may very well consider and render a decision before your February score is even available which would make retaking the test pointless.

or will they just wait until Feb after I write my second LSAT to consider my application?
I answered this above, but to reiterate: If you tell schools you are retaking, they will wait until all your LSAT scores are in.

Hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions!

[marina]

I think you must have taken your test in the same location as I did!  Same experience.  Very frustrating. 

[johnfendral]

As I feel rewriting is the best option to opt for currently.

[Kelly Swift]

 


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