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

[skeeball]

Is anyone else nervous about the effect this new rule is going to hae on the overall applicant pool?

At first I was a little happy to hear the change, because with my scores averaged, I was just below the medians at some of my schools, but now I'm a little higher. But if the average score of the applicant pool at all my schools is going to go up anyway....

[stc34]

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.

The open-loop assumption pervading this topic is whether the USNews methodology will track the ABA reporting requirements.  It's a reasonable assumption that it will, but has anyone actually confirmed this?  I was under the impression that USNews got their data directly from the schools rather than from the ABA-reported data (which self-reporting is what led to the consternation regarding Baylor this season, for example).

If the USNews methodology does in fact end up mirroring the ABA reporting requirement, then schools that continue to average won't be penalized by USNews at all, since they can elect to admit by one standard and report another, more favorable one.  Actually, schools always had this option of choosing to admit by different standards, except it previously worked to their disadvantage in USNews.  Now, if the assumption is correct, the situation has been reversed.

Schools were compelled to average multiple scores before because they had to.  They couldn't just send in the higher scores to USNWR.  So it seems that they'll now have to send to USNWR the higher score.  It would be odd if they could all just decide what to send in.

[stc34]

Schools were compelled to average multiple scores before because they had to.  They couldn't just send in the higher scores to USNWR.  So it seems that they'll now have to send to USNWR the higher score.  It would be odd if they could all just decide what to send in.

Not sure what point you're trying to make in response to what I said.

The question isn't whether schools report whatever they want - it's who dictates the measure to be reported.  It's widely assumed that USNews follows the ABA/LSAC guidelines, but I've yet to see confirmation of this.

Beyond that, my point was that if USNews does in fact adopt the new ABA/LSAC guidelines in their methodology, then schools that continue to average in their decision process will not in fact be penalized by doing so, since their reported numbers will always be greater than or equal to the numbers used as the basis for admission.

I'm not sure I understand you're last point.  Consider this: One candidate has a 162 and another has an average of 160 (but a 155 and 165).  If a school took the candidate with the 162 because the other had an average of 160, the school would take a hit for not taking the candidate with a high lsat of 165.

[jps584736]

Schools were compelled to average multiple scores before because they had to.  They couldn't just send in the higher scores to USNWR.  So it seems that they'll now have to send to USNWR the higher score.  It would be odd if they could all just decide what to send in.

Not sure what point you're trying to make in response to what I said.

The question isn't whether schools report whatever they want - it's who dictates the measure to be reported.  It's widely assumed that USNews follows the ABA/LSAC guidelines, but I've yet to see confirmation of this.

Beyond that, my point was that if USNews does in fact adopt the new ABA/LSAC guidelines in their methodology, then schools that continue to average in their decision process will not in fact be penalized by doing so, since their reported numbers will always be greater than or equal to the numbers used as the basis for admission.

I am 99.9% sure the ABA data is used by US News.  While the admissions officer at Penn State was generally unhelpful, she did in fact tell me that the ABA data is channeled to US News.

"You are correct that the ABA has agreed to allow the law schools to report the highest score.  This information in turn is released to the US News and World Report."

Now, I guess it's still possible US News gets their data elsewhere, but that's highly unlikely when you can just collect data from the ABA.  I've heard this point made before by opponents of the new rule, but it seem like wishful thinking.

Beyond this, I agree with stc34's point.  Schools who continue to average will be hurt, however slightly, by this rule.

[jrosh]

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[jps584736]

Emory will consider the highest score if there's a 10+ difference between the highest and lowest score. 

UConn will be AVERAGING.

I would change Penn State back to ? because they are indicating to me that they will average, or at the very least not take the highest score. 

If anyone can quote an email or recall a conversation you had recently with a PSU admissions officer saying that they will take the higher score, that would be appreciated and viewed as confirmation.

Seton Hall keeps on telling me they will consider the average and the higher score, which implies that they won't consider the lowest score.  Perhaps they are taking the average between the average and higher score.  What I do know is that this is not a deviation from last year's policy.

[stc34]

Emory will consider the highest score if there's a 10+ difference between the highest and lowest score. 

UConn will be AVERAGING.

I would change Penn State back to ? because they are indicating to me that they will average, or at the very least not take the highest score. 

If anyone can quote an email or recall a conversation you had recently with a PSU admissions officer saying that they will take the higher score, that would be appreciated and viewed as confirmation.

Seton Hall keeps on telling me they will consider the average and the higher score, which implies that they won't consider the lowest score.  Perhaps they are taking the average between the average and higher score.  What I do know is that this is not a deviation from last year's policy.

Does anyone know what Emory's policy was last year? I applied to Emory last year and was rejected.  However, I have a 10 point difference between my lsat scores, and so if this 10 point policy is new for this year, I can have hope that I may get in.

[sjor]

Is Stanford's policy really to take the higher LSAT score?  According to their website:

Stanford applicants for autumn 2007 admission must take the test no later than the December 2006 administration. If the test is taken more than once, the scores will be averaged to account for the normal increase expected when an applicant repeats such a standard examination. We will accept scores up to five years old.

[jps584736]

If you have a 10+ point improvement, most schools would be hard pressed not to take the highest score.  Even under the old system, it was widely acknowledged that, regardless of what a school's official policy was, they would be hard pressed not to take the highest score if there was a huge difference.  Of course, there is the USNews pressure and what not, all of which are relieved now, but I personally don't think Emory or any other school would simply ignore a 10 point increase under the old system.  You chances may be slightly better, but not by that much.

A lot of websites haven't updated their FAQs yet.  I think a lot of them have computerized numbering systems to avoid writing a section all over again each year (that is, replace 2006 with 2007 with a software program).  The same is true of BU than it is of Stanford.  They haven't updated their FAQs yet, in my opinion.  They usually don't do that until Sept., so keep watching for updates.  Also, it would be hard for them to change admissions policies now that the season is about to begin.  I trust what an actual admissions officer tells me over the phone now.  That's probably the final authority.

[spud1987]

Is Stanford's policy really to take the higher LSAT score?  According to their website:

Stanford applicants for autumn 2007 admission must take the test no later than the December 2006 administration. If the test is taken more than once, the scores will be averaged to account for the normal increase expected when an applicant repeats such a standard examination. We will accept scores up to five years old.

Ya, I saw that on Stanfords website too, but Deloggio says that they're taking the higher.  I'm hoping someone will call them to find out for sure.