-11 Curve, September 2017 Waiter's Thread Forum

[icechicken]

Even if your goals are Yale or bust, there is no reason to cancel a score.

Agreed, with one exception. I would only consider cancelling if some bona-fide disaster - forgetting to bubble in answers for an entire section, getting sick and having to leave midway through the test, etc., caused me to miss a dozen questions or more. If I were 100% certain that some kind of problem like that is going to tank my score into the 140s, I would cancel, because it'll make the inevitable addendum about whatever happened more believable and because the sitting is now thoroughly useless as a diagnostic tool.

[Lalalsat96]

I remember reading somewhere that someone who closely follows LSATs said that there was evidence that they switched the LR experimental location between versions of the 3 LR test. IIRC he said it would be a first.

I think it's worth noting that across multiple sites people seem to agree that one of the 25q sections was super easy and the other pretty tough. However they are split on whether section 1 or 3 was easy. Given how standardized LR is i think it is more likely that they swapped the sections than the community being split down the middle and pretty far apart about the difficulty of the sections.

At least I hope so since if there is only 1 version I could be in trouble.

I had 2 26q LR sections and one 1 25 q LR Ssection though .... now im paranoid if i bubbled wrong

[sabraph]

I had a single RC section as my 5th section. The first 2 passages were okay but I took too long on the first passage. Then when that 3rd passage (judges candor), showed up I hated all of it. I didn't like any of the AC and sunk allllll my remaining time into it. I didn't even try to read the last passage, just did the fee questions on specific line and word references then penciled in guesses. I'm gonna guess I got the same score as June.

I had 3 RC, the 1st one seemed very difficult (25Q). The other two not so bad.

LG seemed fine to me, but one question tripped me off. I would guess that folks will worse on this LG than they are expecting.

I have exactly the same feelings as you, and I believe I have the same sections as you too. I think the 1st (25Q) and 3rd(26) LR is of median difficulty, and the 2nd one is relatively easy. But LG is kinda weird for me, maybe they are too short, and I worry about this part the most, while people are all saying that LG this time is very easy.
Can I know your score range of your last exam? Because I am thinking whether to cancel the score this time.

There is no way I am cancelling, because I have never seen a valid argument for it anywhere. I expect a 164 to 168 on this exam, but if I got lucky on some guesses it could be 170+. Even if you have a 170 on record, get a 160 on this one, and then retake in December, that's certainly no reason to cancel thus score. Even if your goals are Yale or bust, there is no reason to cancel a score.

I had a cancel for June but that was because I had a panic attack in the middle of the reading comp section. I think there are legitimate reasons to cancel however I definitely don't think you should make that decision based on how you feel afterwards. Hang in there! 20 more days!

[saf18hornet]

Even if your goals are Yale or bust, there is no reason to cancel a score.

Agreed, with one exception. I would only consider cancelling if some bona-fide disaster - forgetting to bubble in answers for an entire section, getting sick and having to leave midway through the test, etc., caused me to miss a dozen questions or more. If I were 100% certain that some kind of problem like that is going to tank my score into the 140s, I would cancel, because it'll make the inevitable addendum about whatever happened more believable and because the sitting is now thoroughly useless as a diagnostic tool.

An addendum for a cancel is the same as an addendum for, my score is 140 because I had a panic attack / misbubbled / shat myself during section 2. None are valid reasons to cancel.

[icechicken]

An addendum for a cancel is the same as an addendum for, my score is 140 because I had a panic attack / misbubbled / shat myself during section 2. None are valid reasons to cancel.

If you cancel, there's no chance of someone thinking that your explanation is post-hoc damage control. Heck, if you just cancel once and then get your target score on the 2nd take, you probably don't need an addendum at all -- the cancellation speaks for itself. Even if there's a only small possibility of a 140 hurting one's application it'd be nice not to have to worry, at all, about the optics of it during the emotionally-taxing process of retaking the LSAT and then writing a bunch of applications.

Meanwhile, there are no downsides I can think of to cancelling iff one is confident they scored terribly. Which ones are you concerned about?

[sabraph]

An addendum for a cancel is the same as an addendum for, my score is 140 because I had a panic attack / misbubbled / shat myself during section 2. None are valid reasons to cancel.

If you cancel, there's no chance of someone thinking that your explanation is post-hoc damage control. Heck, if you just cancel once and then get your target score on the 2nd take, you probably don't need an addendum at all -- the cancellation speaks for itself. Even if there's a only small possibility of a 140 hurting one's application it'd be nice not to have to worry, at all, about the optics of it during the emotionally-taxing process of retaking the LSAT and then writing a bunch of applications.

Meanwhile, there are no downsides I can think of to cancelling iff one is confident they scored terribly. Which ones are you concerned about?

Yes to all of this ^. Generally applicants don't (and I won't) write an addendum for a single cancel. An addendum and a cancel are two completely different things. I would much prefer a cancel and a 170 than a 140 and a 170.

[Barry grandpapy]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

[appind]

An addendum for a cancel is the same as an addendum for, my score is 140 because I had a panic attack / misbubbled / shat myself during section 2. None are valid reasons to cancel.

If you cancel, there's no chance of someone thinking that your explanation is post-hoc damage control. Heck, if you just cancel once and then get your target score on the 2nd take, you probably don't need an addendum at all -- the cancellation speaks for itself. Even if there's a only small possibility of a 140 hurting one's application it'd be nice not to have to worry, at all, about the optics of it during the emotionally-taxing process of retaking the LSAT and then writing a bunch of applications.

Meanwhile, there are no downsides I can think of to cancelling iff one is confident they scored terribly. Which ones are you concerned about?

Yes to all of this ^. Generally applicants don't (and I won't) write an addendum for a single cancel. An addendum and a cancel are two completely different things. I would much prefer a cancel and a 170 than a 140 and a 170.

+1 imo a cancel is typically better than a low score as it shows self-awareness unless you are unsure how bad/good you did.

[sev]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

'twas a plurality. I'd say we need a runoff*.

*not a serious poll suggestion.

[sodomojo]

An addendum for a cancel is the same as an addendum for, my score is 140 because I had a panic attack / misbubbled / shat myself during section 2. None are valid reasons to cancel.

If you cancel, there's no chance of someone thinking that your explanation is post-hoc damage control. Heck, if you just cancel once and then get your target score on the 2nd take, you probably don't need an addendum at all -- the cancellation speaks for itself. Even if there's a only small possibility of a 140 hurting one's application it'd be nice not to have to worry, at all, about the optics of it during the emotionally-taxing process of retaking the LSAT and then writing a bunch of applications.

Meanwhile, there are no downsides I can think of to cancelling iff one is confident they scored terribly. Which ones are you concerned about?

Yes to all of this ^. Generally applicants don't (and I won't) write an addendum for a single cancel. An addendum and a cancel are two completely different things. I would much prefer a cancel and a 170 than a 140 and a 170.

+1 imo a cancel is typically better than a low score as it shows self-awareness unless you are unsure how bad/good you did.

Aren't y'all overthinking it a little bit?

I mean yeah, technically speaking, you're probably right.

But what are the odds an admission decision comes down to between solely your 140/170 and another dude's cancel/170?

I suppose 140 is a little extreme, but I imagine the point is valid if there's a minute chance you did well and then end up with say a 150 or 160.

[181plz]

Checking in over here..

This was my 4th take. I've been wondering if I have the energy for a 5th one if I still don't make it. With that being said, I felt better about this test than any other one

[Walliums]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

I was gonna suggest favorite halloween candy, but since it's still september, maybe your guilty pleasure "basic" fall item (e.g. Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin bagel, caramel apple on a stick)

[chewinggum]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

I was gonna suggest favorite halloween candy, but since it's still september, maybe your guilty pleasure "basic" fall item (e.g. Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin bagel, caramel apple on a stick)

I second this!

[wmbuff]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

I was gonna suggest favorite halloween candy, but since it's still september, maybe your guilty pleasure "basic" fall item (e.g. Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin bagel, caramel apple on a stick)

I second this!

Oktoberfest beer....

[Barry grandpapy]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

I was gonna suggest favorite halloween candy, but since it's still september, maybe your guilty pleasure "basic" fall item (e.g. Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin bagel, caramel apple on a stick)

I second this!

Oktoberfest beer....

I'm thinking:
Oktoberfest
pumpkin spice
candy apples
that girl scout popcorn
cinnamon apple cider
candy apples
peanut brittle
campfire smores

ahh, fu$# I'm at a loss. I'm open to suggestions/revisions of this list

[Walliums]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

I was gonna suggest favorite halloween candy, but since it's still september, maybe your guilty pleasure "basic" fall item (e.g. Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin bagel, caramel apple on a stick)

I second this!

Oktoberfest beer....

I'm thinking:
Oktoberfest beer
pumpkin spice
candy apples
that girl scout popcorn
cinnamon apple cider
pecan pie
peanut brittle
campfire smores

ahh, fu$# I'm at a loss. I'm open to suggestions/revisions of this list

Swapped out one of the duplicate candy apples for pecan pie

[april_ludgate]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

I was gonna suggest favorite halloween candy, but since it's still september, maybe your guilty pleasure "basic" fall item (e.g. Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin bagel, caramel apple on a stick)

I second this!

Oktoberfest beer....

I'm thinking:
Oktoberfest beer
pumpkin spice
candy apples
that girl scout popcorn
cinnamon apple cider
pecan pie
peanut brittle
campfire smores

ahh, fu$# I'm at a loss. I'm open to suggestions/revisions of this list

Swapped out one of the duplicate candy apples for pecan pie

halloween/halloween stuff maybe?

[Barry grandpapy]

Looks like we have a winner. I'll change the poll to the next poll suggestion

I was gonna suggest favorite halloween candy, but since it's still september, maybe your guilty pleasure "basic" fall item (e.g. Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin bagel, caramel apple on a stick)

I second this!

Oktoberfest beer....

I'm thinking:
Oktoberfest beer
pumpkin spice
candy apples
that girl scout popcorn
cinnamon apple cider
pecan pie
peanut brittle
campfire smores

ahh, fu$# I'm at a loss. I'm open to suggestions/revisions of this list

Swapped out one of the duplicate candy apples for pecan pie

halloween/halloween stuff maybe?

drunk update

[wmbuff]

Well, I had my first disappointing score dream. Probably had something to do with my wife, cat, and dog conspiring to twist me into a pretzel while I slept.

[saf18hornet]

An addendum for a cancel is the same as an addendum for, my score is 140 because I had a panic attack / misbubbled / shat myself during section 2. None are valid reasons to cancel.

If you cancel, there's no chance of someone thinking that your explanation is post-hoc damage control. Heck, if you just cancel once and then get your target score on the 2nd take, you probably don't need an addendum at all -- the cancellation speaks for itself. Even if there's a only small possibility of a 140 hurting one's application it'd be nice not to have to worry, at all, about the optics of it during the emotionally-taxing process of retaking the LSAT and then writing a bunch of applications.

Meanwhile, there are no downsides I can think of to cancelling iff one is confident they scored terribly. Which ones are you concerned about?

Yes to all of this ^. Generally applicants don't (and I won't) write an addendum for a single cancel. An addendum and a cancel are two completely different things. I would much prefer a cancel and a 170 than a 140 and a 170.

+1 imo a cancel is typically better than a low score as it shows self-awareness unless you are unsure how bad/good you did.

Aren't y'all overthinking it a little bit?

I mean yeah, technically speaking, you're probably right.

But what are the odds an admission decision comes down to between solely your 140/170 and another dude's cancel/170?

I suppose 140 is a little extreme, but I imagine the point is valid if there's a minute chance you did well and then end up with say a 150 or 160.

This is what I'm saying as the OP. Admissions officers on this site and elsewhere in their publishing's have said they treat them no differently. Cancel or low score.

[Mikey]

Pumpkin spice is overrated

[Ntp73821]

Pumpkin spice is overrated

Mikey. Take it back.

[Mikey]

Pumpkin spice is overrated

Mikey. Take it back.

no

[OldSpeedoGuy]

Pumpkin spice is overrated

Fall is overrated

[wmbuff]

Fall is overrated

I bet you have air conditioning.