Is it worth retaking the LSAT if it means applying later?
It should go without saying that your LSAT score is one of the most important parts of your law school application.
However, a lesser-known fact is that the timing of your application can play a massive role too. Earlier applicants enjoy large boosts in their chances of admission, and potentially tens of thousands of dollars in additional scholarships.
But what if you find yourself deciding between the two? Is it worth delaying your application to retake the test?
Before we dive in, I recommend first reading our previous blog post “Should I Retake the LSAT,” as it overlaps with many of the points discussed below.
The TL;DR from that article is that you should ask yourself three questions when deciding whether to retake the LSAT:
1. Do I think I can score better?
2. What score do I need?
3. How many times have I already taken the test?
The first question is by far the most important of the three - a better LSAT score is almost always worth it, as each additional point is potentially worth tens of thousands of dollars in additional scholarships.
This post essentially adds a fourth question to that calculus for situations when your retake is happening after applications have already opened:
4. How much will applying later hurt my application?
Because a delay can have a different impact on your application depending on where you are in the cycle, let’s explore this fourth question through the lens of when the potential retake date would be.
August:
If the first 3 questions point to a retake, go for it! August scores usually come back in late August to early September, so you should have no trouble applying in September/October, which is considered an early application.
September:
September scores usually come back in late September, which gives you plenty of time to apply by mid to late October if you have the rest of your application in order. This early in the cycle, delaying your application a few weeks to get an extra 2-3 points (assuming you think you can - see question 1) is almost always worth it.
October:
October scores usually come back in late October. If you can have the rest of your application 100% ready to go by score release, you could comfortably take the October LSAT and still apply relatively early in the cycle. If your practice test scores are telling you you could do better, and you’re confident the rest of your application will be ready to go on score release, an October retake can be a great choice.
November:
This is where things get a bit dicey. November scores tend to come out around Thanksgiving, which is roughly considered the threshold for an early application. At most schools, the “penalty” for applying in early December won’t be too harsh, and will generally be outweighed by a higher LSAT score. However, given their volume of applicants, the most competitive schools may penalize you more harshly for applying later.
January:
If you’re considering a January test, you likely took either the October or November tests and are asking yourself this question around Thanksgiving or earlier. January scores come out in early February, which is right on the cusp of many of the most competitive schools’ deadlines. There’s no way around it: applying in late November is far better than applying in early February. Because of the lack of a December test, choosing to wait until January presents one of the largest “late application penalties” of any test date. You have 3 general options here:
If you’re 100% sure you could do much better on the LSAT, you could roll the dice and wait for the January test and apply in February.
You could wait to apply next cycle, giving yourself enough time to comfortably retake the test and put together a stellar early application. If you’re unhappy with your LSAT score, but not confident that 2 extra months is enough time to guarantee improvement, this should be your top choice.
If your score is good enough to get you into schools you’d be happy to attend, ideally with some scholarship, you can apply as is in November/ early December. You could still plan for a January retake and submit the score to any schools that waitlist you or from which you haven’t heard back by early February.
February:
Most schools (but not all) will still accept an application in late February when February scores come out. As discussed above, this is too late in the cycle at the most competitive schools, but not necessarily at less competitive ones. As long as you’re not aiming for the T-14, this isn’t a bad hail-mary if you’re unhappy with your score and need to start school that year.
April:
Applying in May is very, very late at the vast majority of schools. If you truly don’t care about scholarships (you should!) and are targeting less competitive programs, the April test is a viable option. Still, I would not recommend it unless you have a compelling reason why you need to start law school that August.
June:
Just apply next cycle.
Feeling lost? Book a free strategy call below and we’ll use our experience with thousands of students like you to walk you through this decision.