Should I Cancel My January LSAT Score?

[0] A big congratulations to everyone who took the January LSAT.

[1] That alone is a huge accomplishment.

[2] But if you're not so sure about how it went, you're probably wondering, should I cancel my score?

[3] Don't worry, you're not alone.

[4] Almost every test taker wrestles with this decision, and today, I'm going to help you make the right one.

[5] First, for those who don't know me, my name is Steve Schwartz.

[6] I've been teaching the LSAT since 2005.

[7] And I personally increased my own LSAT score from a 152 to a 175.

[8] Now, the good news is you don't have to make this decision blindly.

[9] If you opted for score preview, and I really hope you did, you have all the information you need to make an informed choice.

[10] Score preview lets you see your actual score before deciding whether to cancel.

[11] That's a total game changer, and honestly, it's something that I think everyone should use.

[12] Let's talk about why LSAT score preview is so valuable.

[13] First, it removes all the guesswork.

[14] Instead of relying on your gut feeling, which, let's face it, is almost always wrong after a test like the LSAT, you get to see your actual LSAT score instead, and that clarity alone is worth the fee.

[15] Secondly, it lets you make an informed decision.

[16] If your score meets or exceeds your goals, you keep it.

[17] If it's far below what you were aiming for, you can cancel it.

[18] It's as simple as that.

[19] And the third thing is score preview gives you peace of mind.

[20] You get to walk into test day knowing you'll have the flexibility to cancel only if it's necessary.

[21] And that kind of confidence can really help lower your stress.

[22] It's available to everyone, whether it's your first LSAT or your fifth.

[23] So if you're taking the LSAT again in the future, make sure you add score preview before the test.

[24] It's worth every penny.

[25] Now let's talk about the cancellation process.

[26] If you have score preview, here's how it works.

[27] Once scores are released, you have six days to decide whether to keep or cancel your score.

[28] If you don't take any action within those six days, your score is automatically reported to law schools.

[29] But keep in mind that once you cancel your score, it's final.

[30] There are no take backs on this.

[31] Law schools will see you took the test and canceled, but they won't know what your score was.

[32] Now, the big concern when it comes to canceling is, will canceling your score hurt your chances of getting into law school?

[33] For most people, the answer is going to be a big no. Admission officers understand that one cancellation isn't a big deal, everyone has an off day, and a single cancellation won't raise any red flags.

[34] But if you cancel multiple times, it could start to look like a pattern.

[35] Schools might wonder why you're struggling to finalize your score.

[36] And remember that every cancellation still counts as an attempt towards your lifetime limit of seven LSATs.

[37] So you don't want to waste one of your LSAT attempts unnecessarily.

[38] Now, if you'd like my help getting ready for the LSAT, if you don't want to have to take it seven times, or even if you have already taken it seven times, that's okay.

[39] My team and I would be glad to help you out.

[40] At LSAT Unplugged, we offer live online LSAT classes via Zoom, on -demand video courses, small group coaching, and one -on -one coaching.

[41] We have a lot of experience working with retakers.

[42] We could help you on a new personalized study program between now and the next LSAT test date you're aiming for.

[43] If you're interested in finding out more, you can check out the links below this video to book a call with me and my team.

[44] We'd be glad to help you out.

[45] Now, here's how to use your LSAT score preview to make the best decision about whether to cancel.

[46] Step one is you compare your score to your target school's LSAT ranges.

[47] If your score is at or above the 25th percentile, you're probably in good shape to keep the score.

[48] But if it's below, that's when you might consider canceling.

[49] Step two, look at your practice test results.

[50] If your score is consistent with or better than your PT average, it's usually worth keeping.

[51] But if it's way below your practice test average and you're confident that you could do better, Canceling could make sense.

[52] Step three here is think about your long -term strategy.

[53] Law schools only care about your highest LSAT score on record, so keeping a lower score won't hurt you.

[54] It just gets ignored.

[55] Canceling, however, removes the opportunity to establish a baseline.

[56] And step four, check your plan for retaking the LSAT.

[57] If you know you're going to retake it soon and you're confident you'll improve, canceling might be the right move here.

[58] But if you're unsure about retaking or you're up against tight deadlines, keeping the score may be safer.

[59] Now, canceling should really only be reserved for specific situations.

[60] If your score preview shows a score way below your target range, if something went seriously wrong on test day, like a tech issue, you were sick, a bad proctor, you weren't able to finish an entire section.

[61] And finally, if you're absolutely confident in your ability to retake and significantly improve your score.

[62] And if you'd like that confidence, if you're planning on a retake, again, check out the links below to book a call with me, my team.

[63] We'd be glad to help you out on your journey to scoring a 170 plus on your LSAT retake.

[64] Now, another question I get a lot is, do I need to explain a canceled score in my application?

[65] In most cases, the answer is no. A single cancellation does not require any special essay.

[66] Admission officers can, of course, see your score on your record.

[67] They see canceled scores all the time, and drawing attention to it with an addendum can actually do more harm than good.

[68] The only time you might need to write an addendum is if you've canceled multiple scores and need to explain extenuating circumstances like an illness or a family emergency.

[69] But even then, keep it short and to the point.

[70] Don't over -apologize or offer unnecessary excuses.

[71] Adcoms care way more about your highest score and the rest of your application.

[72] Canceling is a tool, but it's one you should use sparingly.

[73] For most people, keeping the score, even if it feels imperfect, is the smarter long -term choice.

[74] Anyway, folks, that's all for now.

[75] I hope you found the video helpful.

[76] If you'd like my support on your journey to retaking the LSAT to scoring 170 +, you can check out the links below this video to book a call with me and my team.

[77] We'd be glad to help you out.

[78] And in the meantime, I wish you all the best and take care.