URGENT: They cancelled the November LSAT at my location

[medialaw111516]

So, I just got the email below from LSAC stating that they are unable to offer the November test at my location due to equipment issues. This is after they already changed the location on Monday with no warning or email and I've been registered since August. I know that they can do this because it's their exam, but is this common now? Their solution is an impromptu paper test on December 8 or having us just take the January exam. I'm obviously panicking because I'm traveling for work the week of the new Dec 8 date, and my flight gets back at 11p.m. on the 7th, so if it is an early exam, I'm really worried about how that will go, however, I feel January is too late. Any help, suggestions or hearing from anyone this has happened to would be helpful.


LSAC


Dear Candidate,

We are writing to inform you that due to an unexpected equipment delay issue, we are no longer able to provide the November 25 LSAT at the time and location for which you had registered.

We apologize for this change and for the late notice – we know how important the test is and the work that you’ve done preparing for it. We have been trying for the past several days to see if we could make alternative arrangements that would allow the test to move forward at your location as planned, but we have not able to move the necessary equipment.

We would like to offer several options:

If you would like to take the exam as soon as possible, we will be offering a make up exam at multiple locations across the United States and Canada on Sunday, December 8. This will be a paper test and will be a nondisclosed administration. If you would like to pursue this option, we will contact you with a list of potential locations, and work with you to confirm your registration.
If you prefer to take the exam at a later day, we will work with you to ensure that you have priority registration for the January LSAT or any future LSAT of your choice. There will obviously be no cost to you for this date change.
If you prefer to cancel your November registration altogether, we will provide a full refund.
Finally, regardless of which option you choose above, we will provide you with 4 free score reports to the law schools of your choice (a $180 value), in recognition of the fact that we had to cancel your original test location.

Please complete this form letting us which option you would like to pursue and we will provide a response confirming your selection over the next week. Again, we are very sorry for this unexpected staffing situation, and we are committed to working with you to address your needs. We recognize that you may have questions or a unique situation, so please feel free to contact LSAC Candidate Services at LSACinfo@LSAC.org or 215.968.1001.

Kind regards,

Laurie Pugliese
Senior Vice President for Candidate Services
Law School Admission Council

Please do not reply to this email. Email sent to this address cannot be answered. To contact us, please send an email to LSACinfo@LSAC.org.

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Media,

Yes, it's been really common for this test, and it appears they had a major vendor issue that's causing the problems. Kellye Testy sent me a letter about it, which I've posted here: https://twitter.com/DaveKilloran/status ... 7069248512.

They've offered probably the best options they have available, so it's down to the choices you want to make here. Fwiw, any "makeup" or later test that's not on a regular testing date won't be any easier or harder than any other LSAT. Regardless, it's a rough situation when travel is involved, and I sympathize

[Moukieroo]

My test center also was forced to postpone, not giving us any information whatsoever until around 1:30, we were all waiting for an hour and no proctors ever showed up (Seaside location). Hotel staff came and distributed a printout they were told to give to each of us.

What is super funny is when I called LSAC for more information asking about some kind of travel/stay compensation the reply was: Unfortunately since this error was not our fault, we cannot provide anything like that
I then asked whose fault it was and they proceeded to try and blame it on the location itself and a vague issue with it.

The Hotel staff were extremely accommodation and confused themselves as to why the exam was canceled and said that it had nothing to do with their end.

It is crazy that LSAC is not taking responsibility AT LEAST in saying it was their fault and instead telling their staff to say it was the fault of an issue at the location????

I digress...

I have two questions concerning the situation:

1. I see that I can complete the writing portion of the test through the LSAC portal, this means that even though the administered makeup test will be paper we are not expected to do a writing portion on the make up day, correct?

2. I am looking for a plan for studying for the next two weeks, as I was a bit blind-sighted by the whole situation and was planning on taking the week off of studying (I am also taking the Jan 13 test). Do you have any recommendations other than taking PTs for coming up with some kind of makeshift 1.5 weeks self study plan?

Thanks!

[medialaw111516]

I'm with you Moukieroo! The lack of accountability for this whole situation is what's really annoying considering how important this test is to so many people's futures.

[KelseyWoods]

Hi Moukieroo!

1.) I believe that you will still be doing the writing sample online. Even in places where they currently only administer paper exams, the writing sample is still online so I assume it will be the same case for your makeup exam. (Although this is also a great question to go ahead and confirm with LSAC!)

2.) Here are a few posts with some great advice for the last 1-2 weeks before the test as well as how to effectively review practice tests:
https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/two-we ... -to-study/
https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/bid-33 ... r-quality/
https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/lsat-l ... them-work/

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Best,
Kelsey

[DisabledLawyer]

Hi fellow moved test takers! If you are a test taker with an accommodation impacted by the November 2019 cancellations/changes, I started a thread about just that! I suspect the issues disproportionately impacted test takers with accommodations and am collecting information to submit as an ADA complaint to the DOJ.

Find the thread here - https://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewtopic.php?t=31576

[medialaw111516]

Finally got to take the test today on the re-scheduled date and it could not have been more of a cluster . Material wise, I'd say it was fine, nothing crazy and it was a paper test, but the testing center and proctors were a different story. Question for anyone else that had a makeup date, did your proctor have you change the date from today's to November 25?

As for a synopsis of the test experience, we were moved from the original center we registered for to a hotel back when it was supposed to be the digital exam, but even after re-scheduling the test, we were still put at the hotel location. This would have been fine if the facility was equipped to handle the test. We were supposed to all test in one ballroom that was well lit and had decent conference tables, but about halfway through registration, they moved the rest of us downstairs to another room that was located across the hall from a loud party or meeting (and my proctors did not keep the doors closed). It also had these wobbly tv dinner style tables with a wood surface so uneven you could get a splinter. Their solution was to fold table cloths in half and put them over the tables, which just created another problem of people's pencils going through their answer sheets. I opted for splinters and just took that off.

As if the accommodations were not making focusing on the test difficult enough, the proctors were just down right incompetent and clearly knew nothing about the LSAT or LSAC. From making inappropriate jokes while looking through candidates ziplock bags and saying that sweatshirts and coats were prohibited items and making us leave them in the hallway on a different floor to forcing people in hoodies to "tuck them in like a hunchback," it was all bad.

The main proctor in my room was a piece of work. She read the material to us like we were in kindergarten, so slowly that it took approximately 30 minutes to read the opening statement...not even the instructions for filling out the forms. She also took an inordinate amount of time to pass out and collect booklets and answer sheets and refused to answer questions.Why does it take 2 people to walk around and pass out the same booklet? They didn't even split up and each take half they room, they literally walked together and one person handed out or collected the books while the other supervised. Inefficiency at its best.

In total, the set up took an hour and the whole test took a little over 5. Even when I took it at my preferred testing center WITH the writing sample it was not even a full 4. She also insisted we had to take the writing section and handed us the writing response form, but relented at the end after realizing there were no instructions for it and said it must have been scrap paper. Then they held us for another 25 minutes after they collected our books and the test was over just because it wasn't already a rough and long enough day .