LSAT Policies for 2006-07 Cycle (due to change in ABA policy)

[spud1987]

Yeah.  It seems a fair bet that most (if not all) schools will eventually move to accepting the higher score.  It's just a matter of time.

I know.  It seems to me that schools like Duke are going to suffer by being one of the only top schools not to take the higher score. 

[stc34]

Yeah.  It seems a fair bet that most (if not all) schools will eventually move to accepting the higher score.  It's just a matter of time.

I know.  It seems to me that schools like Duke are going to suffer by being one of the only top schools not to take the higher score. 

Anyone know about UTexas? Deloggio says they're going to take the highest.  But it wasn't on this thread.

[jps584736]

Okay, so as most of us know the ABA changed their policy and it know only considering the higher score in their data.  After seeing an older thread that compiled a list like this I thought it would be helpful to make a list for the 06-07 cycle on how schools are going to be looking at multiple LSAT's.  A lot of schools haven't come out with official decisions but if we start a list now we can complete it by the time we begin submitting apps.  So everybody contribute if you can, start asking schools and lets get this list completed.  As you can see we have a long way to go but I'm confident LSD can do it! 

1. Yale - Averaging
2. Stanford - Taking higher score
3. Harvard - No decision yet
4. Columbia - Taking higher score
4. NYU - No decision yet
6. Chicago - Taking higher score if took lsat twice, average if took lsat three times 
7. Penn - 5+ point difference for higher score consideration
8. Boalt - Taking higher score
8. Mich - Takes higher score, still considers average
8. UVA - Taking higher score
11. Duke - Averaging
12. NU - Taking higher score
13. Cornell - Taking higher score
14. GULC - Taking higher score, look favorably on those who took test once
15. UCLA - No decision has been made 
16. Texas - Taking higher score
17. USC - Taking higher score
17. Vanderbilt - ?
19. George Washington - ?
19. Minnesota - Taking higher score
19. WUSTL - Taking higher score
22. BU - Taking higher score
22. Iowa - Taking higher score
22. Notre Dame - Taking higher score
22. Wash and Lee - ?
26. Emory - ?
27. BC - Taking higher score, considers all
27. William and Mary - Taking higher score
27. Illinois - Taking higher score
27. UNC - Taking higher score
27. U Wash - Averaging
32. Fordham - No decision has been made
32. U Wisc- Taking higher score
34. BYU - Taking higher score
34. UC-Davis - No decision yet (probably going to average)
34. Georgia - Taking higher score
37. George Mason - ?
37. IU-Bloom - Taking higher score
39. Ohio State - Taking higher score, want an explanation for significant score differences
39. Wake Forest - ?
41. Florida - No decision has been made 
42. Maryland - No decision has been made 
43. American - ?
43. SMU - Taking higher score
43. Tulane - Averaging
43. Alabama - ?
43. Arizona - No decision has been made
43. Hastings - Taking higher score
43. Colorado - ?
50. UConn - ?
50. Baylor- ?
51. Case Western - Taking higher score
53. ASU - Taking higher score
53. Cardozo - Taking higher score
53. Florida St - ?
53. Cincinnati - Taking higher score
57. Utah - ?
58. Brooklyn - Taking higher score
58. Temple - Averaging but considers highest
60. Chicago Kent - ?
60. Missouri-Columbia - ?
60. Pitt - ?
60. Tennessee - Taking higher score
60. Villanova - Taking higher score
65. Loyola-LA - Taking higher score
65. Rutgers-Camden - ?
65. Kentucky - ?
65. Miami - Averaging
65. San Diego - Taking higher score
70. Loyola-Chicago - No decision has been made
70. Seton Hall - Taking higher score
70. Denver - Taking higher score
70. Houston - Still deciding
70. Kansas - ?
70. Nebraska - ?
70. Oregon - ?
77. IU-Indy - ?
77. Lewis and Clark - ?
77. New Mexico - ?
80. Depaul - Undecided
80. Rutgers-Newark - 10+ score difference for consideration
80. St. Johns - Taking higher score
80. St. Louis - Taking higher score
80. Buffalo-SUNY - ?
80. Oklahoma - Taking higher score
80. Richmond - ?
87. Louisiana State-Baton Rouge - No decision has been made
87. Mercer - Taking higher score
87. Northeastern - ?
87. Penn St - Taking higher score
87. Pepperdine - Taking higher score
87. Santa Clara - Taking higher score
93. Seattle - Taking higher score
93. Hawaii - ?
93. San Francisco - No decision has been made
93. Toledo - ?
97. Georgia St - ?
97. Miss - ?
97. S Carolina - No decision has been made
97. Pacific - Taking higher score

Thank you so much for providing this list. 

However, I think the list needs an update.  Perhaps a new thread should be started in this regard. 

My communications with admissions officers have resulted in the following inclusions/revisions of the above list.

Northeastern, Pitt and Wake Forest will take the HIGHER score. 

Rutgers Newark is taking the HIGHER score.  She did not talk about a 10 point improvement standard.

Seton Hall and BC seem to lean towards averaging. 

Seton Hall: "The ABA policy does not change the proper evaluation of LSAT scores, so we will continue to examine all scores in context.  We have always considered the higher score in our admissions process."  Note how pretentious of an answer that is.  Who says your way is "proper?" A vast majority of law schools disagree with you. 

BC: "As per recent changes with the American Bar Association (ABA), Boston College Law School will now be REPORTING the highest LSAT score. However, the admissions committee will still look to review all scores submitted in support of one's application. If there is a large difference between scores, we ask applicants to write an addendum to explain the difference."

These neatly worded responses can mean a number of things.  First, it could mean they're taking the higher score but don't want to limit themselves to avoid setting a standard.  It could mean they want an explanation, even if it's an admission of anxiety or laziness.  Finally, they could be averaging.

Penn State is giving me the runaround. 

For those three schools (Penn State, Seton Hall and BC), it would be helpful if someone could post a quote of an email response they recieved, preferably lately since the policies probably won't change now that we're closing in on admissions season.  We can decode the responses and maybe determine their motives. 

But as a general rule, it does seem that most schools are taking the higher score.

[spud1987]

Thanks for the info, I added it to the master list.  I don't like these schools that are giving unclear answers, it just makes me nervous. 

[stc34]

I got 3 interesting answers today.

UTexas gave a really long answer; they mentioned the new ABA rules (saying, "I'm sure you know about..."), but they essentially said something about "we'll continue to look at the whole package; take it all into account, etc".  They didn't say "We're taking the higher score". 

Emory said they're taking the average unless the difference is 10 points or more.

Baylor said they're averaging.

[skeeball]

Do you think that it will matter if you re-took before they announced the new rule?

[stc34]

Do you think that it will matter if you re-took before they announced the new rule?

No, that won't matter.

[jps584736]

Thanks for the info, I added it to the master list.  I don't like these schools that are giving unclear answers, it just makes me nervous. 

Yeah, I've noticed that schools who aren't taking the higher score generally give you a long-winded explanation that leaves open the possibility for anything to happen.  On the other hand, schools that will use the higher score pretty much just tell you "we will be using the higher score."  The schools that are giving unclear answers are probably part of the philosophical minority who still believe in averages (I'm sure there were some schools who opposed the ABA rule, though most schools probably went along with it).  The problem for these schools, however, is that they're going to suffer in the US News rankings if they continue averaging, so there's a cost involved here.  And I think that uncertainty is being reflected in the responses they're sending out to prospective applicants.

[Groundhog]

Thanks for the info, I added it to the master list.  I don't like these schools that are giving unclear answers, it just makes me nervous. 

Yeah, I've noticed that schools who aren't taking the higher score generally give you a long-winded explanation that leaves open the possibility for anything to happen.  On the other hand, schools that will use the higher score pretty much just tell you "we will be using the higher score."  The schools that are giving unclear answers are probably part of the philosophical minority who still believe in averages (I'm sure there were some schools who opposed the ABA rule, though most schools probably went along with it).  The problem for these schools, however, is that they're going to suffer in the US News rankings if they continue averaging, so there's a cost involved here.  And I think that uncertainty is being reflected in the responses they're sending out to prospective applicants.

I'm not sure there'd be enough of a difference that they'd actually affect LSAT averages or USNWR, as there aren't that many people that scored dramatically better the second time around, and those people have usually been given special thought anyway. I think they're probably just undecided on their admissions policies after the ABA's reversal.

[spud1987]

Thanks for the info, I added it to the master list.  I don't like these schools that are giving unclear answers, it just makes me nervous. 

Yeah, I've noticed that schools who aren't taking the higher score generally give you a long-winded explanation that leaves open the possibility for anything to happen.  On the other hand, schools that will use the higher score pretty much just tell you "we will be using the higher score."  The schools that are giving unclear answers are probably part of the philosophical minority who still believe in averages (I'm sure there were some schools who opposed the ABA rule, though most schools probably went along with it).  The problem for these schools, however, is that they're going to suffer in the US News rankings if they continue averaging, so there's a cost involved here.  And I think that uncertainty is being reflected in the responses they're sending out to prospective applicants.

I'm not sure there'd be enough of a difference that they'd actually affect LSAT averages or USNWR, as there aren't that many people that scored dramatically better the second time around, and those people have usually been given special thought anyway. I think they're probably just undecided on their admissions policies after the ABA's reversal.

I think you're probably right.  Although I could see the policy hurting schools that average (Duke, Yale) if they continue to average.  Numbers are a big part of USNWR rankings and after a few years I think it will be the norm for people to take the test twice.  There won't be any change for next years rankings (because they use last years data for next years rankings) but this could have some effect in a few years.  I don't think it will be significant enough to knock Yale from the number 1 spot though.