Test Accommodations Good News/Questions

[BYUgrad06]

I have ADHD pretty bad, so I had to apply for accommodations for the Sep test.  I was granted the following:

-17 extra minutes for each timed section (time and a half)
-17 extra minutes for the written section
-15 minute break between sections 3 & 4

Is this normal?  Was I given the usual amount of extra time for someone with ADHD?  Do they usually give more or less?

[mrdunson]

That seems like a pretty standard calcuation, but are you looking for more? 

[BriGuy1818]

I would DESTROY the LSAT with 17 extra minutes a section.

[BYUgrad06]

dang man, extra time would be nice...keep in mind that your score will have an asterisk by it so adcomms will know you were given extra time. Could be good, could be bad.

How could that be negative?  Wouldn't having an impairment/disability but me at a bigger disadvantage with just 35 minutes a section, or could the extra 17 minutes help level the playing field?  I appeal to the latter.

[BYUgrad06]

no no no

on the actual test you will be either even with others or advantaged depending on how bad your disability is.

however, you might be disadvantaged (or you might not...i'm no pro) when it comes to the actual admissions process. Admissions officers will know that you received extra time on the test(LSAC puts an asterisk by your score when it is sent out and i think an explanation as well) and might say, well he got a good score with extra time, but will he be able to keep up with a disability of that kind in law school? if you're applying to T14 schools they might not think you'll be able to...anyway, thats just a thought and by no means fact.

If you have a documented disability, aren't they supposed to provide accommodations?  It would seem that it could help add diversity to a law program, no?  I would hope not, as it wouldn't be fair. 

[mrdunson]

Law schools will give you extra time on exams too, by the way.

[Migrate]

I was at a mock admissions process with dean of admissions from Michigan Penn Virginia and Chicago, and someone asked whether disability accomodated LSAT will affect their admissions. They obviously said no, but it was pretty apparent that they were so exstatic about that (your application will have "disability accomdated" printed right on it). This puts you at a double bind. If you do well, then they might think that you got around the system. If you did bad, then they really won't like your application. Level playing field would mean, for example, non-native english speakers like me getting a dictionary next to the LSAT because I don't have a good command of english. If you can do fine with regular time, I would go for that.

[Majmun]

who ever said law school admissions are fair?

Well they certainly can't ding someone on the basis of a documented disability.  Even if it's not a law (which I'm pretty sure it is), the ADA would have a field day taking a case like that to court.

Seems to me that the danger lies more in the fact that they will not be able to use the LSAT as a reliable objective measure, thus negating the positive upside of a high LSAT score, rather than direct discrimination.  To the OP, I doubt a law school will consider ADHD as a potential source of diversity.

[walkaway]

 I would think that the disability would look better as a factor for admissions if you completed the LSAT in regular time despite the availability of accommodations. Because then you could write your PS or DS on the fact that you've overcome your disability and are able to succeed:) If you took it with the accommodated time, I don't think that they would be able to deny you admissions based on that fact, it would just be something that they consider when evaluating your LSAT as an indicator of your success in law school--possibly, although I have idea, placing more emphasis on your UGPA.

If I were in your situation, I would try and get my score as high as possible undertime, and then consider if the higher score that is possible with the extra time is worth the * near on your report.

[walkaway]

Being white doesn't mean you're middle/upper class.