Law Admissions/LSAT Q&A!

[Dave Killoran]

This Monday, November 19th, we are hosting a free online seminar with our good friends at Spivey Consulting where we will take questions on admissions and also briefly discuss the November LSAT. Also, you can sign up for the seminar at:

• Law Admissions/LSAT Q&A with PowerScore and Spivey Consulting Group!

If you'd like us to address a specific question, feel free to post it below and I'll add it to the roster!

Thanks and we hope to see you there!


With the seminar now completed, the video has been posted here:

• LSAT and Law School Admissions Q&A Webinar with PowerScore and Spivey Consulting

[AskBelieveRecieve180]

Hi there
First of all, thank you so much for doing this!
I was wondering if you guys could touch on the application process for prospective students applying for the second time around with a new LSAT score? For example, how different should the personal statement be, or how different should the application be in general?

Thanks again! Can't wait for this.

[Dave Killoran]

Hi there
First of all, thank you so much for doing this!
I was wondering if you guys could touch on the application process for prospective students applying for the second time around with a new LSAT score? For example, how different should the personal statement be, or how different should the application be in general?

Thanks again! Can't wait for this.

I will add it, thanks!

[T.B.Justin]

What is the best structure for writing addenda on run ins with the law

[mtc5893]

Is the registration for this closed? I am having trouble registering; when I click register, and then try to checkout it brings me to an error page.

[Dave Killoran]

Is the registration for this closed? I am having trouble registering; when I click register, and then try to checkout it brings me to an error page.

Nope, it's open! Might be the volume right now though—lots of people are registering currently

If it doesn't work for you shortly, let me know and I'll get it handled manually!

[Publius1787]

What is the best structure for writing addenda on run ins with the law

This is definitely a question that is of interest.

[Dave Killoran]

What is the best structure for writing addenda on run ins with the law

This is definitely a question that is of interest.

It is on the list and will be addressed

[prometheus1992]

First, thanks a ton for putting together that Q&A. You guys and the folks from Spivey are really outstanding, and the entire video is really a must-watch for any LS applicant.

I did, however, find some of the answers a little unclear on the impact of LSAT retakes. Karen from Spivey suggested that schools do in fact take note of all scores and that "timing matters" in terms of the time between test administrations. I also thought she said that an addendum might be needed for those with 4+ takes, which I took as perhaps meaning this is viewed as a negative.

She did acknowledge that the highest score is the "true score," but what she was saying seemed to imply that schools were maybe a bit apprehensive about an applicant with 3-5 takes, which would seem at odds with what I've heard from elsewhere on PowerScore forums—that multiple takes are a non-issue (and even from Mike Spivey during the seminar, who bluntly said the "cat's out of the bag" regarding retakes and only the highest score is considered).

I know this subject has been addressed ad nauseam and I don't intend to revive a dead issue, but I'm hoping that someone might clear this up. Thanks!

[Dave Killoran]

First, thanks a ton for putting together that Q&A. You guys and the folks from Spivey are really outstanding, and the entire video is really a must-watch for any LS applicant.

I did, however, find some of the answers a little unclear on the impact of LSAT retakes. Karen from Spivey suggested that schools do in fact take note of all scores and that "timing matters" in terms of the time between test administrations. I also thought she said that an addendum might be needed for those with 4+ takes, which I took as perhaps meaning this is viewed as a negative.

She did acknowledge that the highest score is the "true score," but what she was saying seemed to imply that schools were maybe a bit apprehensive about an applicant with 3-5 takes, which would seem at odds with what I've heard from elsewhere on PowerScore forums—that multiple takes are a non-issue (and even from Mike Spivey during the seminar, who bluntly said the "cat's out of the bag" regarding retakes and only the highest score is considered).

I know this subject has been addressed ad nauseam and I don't intend to revive a dead issue, but I'm hoping that someone might clear this up. Thanks!

Hey Prometheus,

Thanks for the kind words—we appreciate them!

I think Karen was trying to cover a lot of bases there, and she was trying to walk the line of "only the high score matters" vs "don't just take the LSAT ten times—it looks weird." As Mike said later, they both worked with a student who took it 6 times and got in to two T6 schools using that last take, so clearly it's not a problem taking it multiple times.

I've talked to multiple deans who say 4-5 retakes is not uncommon to see any more, and they don't expect an explanation because they assume the goal is to get the highest possible score to look as attractive as possible. Even 6 isn't abnormal, and so I look at 6 as the number where the law school deans say, "If you take it more than 6 times, we are kind of wondering if you are a glutton for punishment, or whether you simply don't see that things aren't getting better. So explain to us your reasoning for going forward." I think that's what Karen was getting at: it's not that 5 or 7 or more takes is "bad," it's just that law school deans figure that at some point in the first 5-6 you would produce a score that was indicative. If you are going to keep taking it after that point, they want to know what you are seeing in that to justify that time/energy.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!