Handscoring Request for Digital Test?

[dbuen787b]

Hi, I recently took the January LSAT and my score came back much lower than I expected. I know of course that the test is fickle like that and that there is a chance that I just underperformed and that the curve was not generous. However, I still want to get a regrade for the fact that my tablet stopped working in the middle of the test and I got a new one, and that I felt really really good coming out of it (score seems inconceivable).

So my question was if there is a handscoring procedure like the one one could request when the test was in paper. I searched online and that option with the 100 dollars and score report sent by physical mail is the only one I found. Is it the same procedure for the digital LSAT, or is it not possible anymore now?

Thank you!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi, I recently took the January LSAT and my score came back much lower than I expected. I know of course that the test is fickle like that and that there is a chance that I just underperformed and that the curve was not generous. However, I still want to get a regrade for the fact that my tablet stopped working in the middle of the test and I got a new one, and that I felt really really good coming out of it (score seems inconceivable).

So my question was if there is a handscoring procedure like the one one could request when the test was in paper. I searched online and that option with the 100 dollars and score report sent by physical mail is the only one I found. Is it the same procedure for the digital LSAT, or is it not possible anymore now?

Thank you!

It really doesn't exist any more. The old handscoring option was built around the belief that optical readers could make an error when scanning your answer sheet. Now, there is no answer sheet and no scanning, and you input those answers. So, the only thing to "handscore" is the digital readout, which is what was used to produce your score in the first place. Is that reasonable? Of course not. Machines make mistakes and have malfunctions, and it's entirely possible there was a problem here. You should write them with this concern and inquire as to whether they would review your results for a malfunction, especially because you had a tablet issue. They might then give you a sort of handscoring option where they review the data file, so it's worth a shot.

Please let me know what happens. Thanks!

[dbuen787b]

Hi Dave, I ended up sending them an email asking for a sort of handscoring option based on the tablet malfunction that I explained before here and they just replied. This is what they told me:

“The entire scoring process is digital, and it includes a rigorous verification process to ensure that each test taker's data is recorded and matched to the correct account. As part of the verification and scoring process, each tablet swap is reviewed to ensure that all answers were recorded. We do not release scores until we have reconciled the data for each test taker who experienced a tablet swap. The score you received is based on all the data that was recorded on both tablets.” Basically, their system cannot fail so no option to rescore. 2021 cycle here we go!

Anyways, thank you and keep up the good work pushing LSAC to be more accountable. We plebs appreciate it.

[Dave Killoran]

Lol, thanks!

This phrase is so scary since they clearly believe this: "Basically, their system cannot fail so no option to rescore."

I know this how they feel, but the blind faith in technology completely fails to account for the fact that humans design these systems and they can make errors in the program. Or as they said at Cherbnobyl, "You're confused, RBMK reactor cores don't explode."