Thursday, March 12, 2020
Taking the LSAT Under Special Circumstances
Taking the LSAT Under Special Circumstances Taking the LSAT is a huge step in your quest for a career in the litigation world. In fact, its necessary for almost every law school application out there! So, what if you need to take the LSAT under special circumstances? Perhaps you cannot test on the Sabbath, and need to register for the test on another date. Is that possible? Or, perhaps you simply cannot afford the LSAT fees. What can you do about it? Below, youll find some information about taking the LSAT under these very special circumstances, and the steps needed to complete your registration if you fall under one of these categories. Sabbath Observers If you happen to observe the Sabbath on Saturdays, and thus, cannot take an exam on that date, then what are your options if youre trying to get into law school? LSAC (Law School Admission Council) has already make arrangements for you. If you check the LSAT test dates, youll see that the test is offered another day of the week every time its given on a Saturday. Typically, those days are Mondays. You can register as a Saturday Sabbath Observer (instructions online), but a hold will be placed on your account until LSAC receives a letter from your rabbi or minister on official stationery that explains your religious affiliation. Lets say your rabbi isnt the timeliest of sorts. Youll have to be persistent in your request, then! All letters must be received by the late registration deadline for your test date, or you will not be able to test on that date. Sure, youll get your cash back, but you may miss the application deadline for your school of choice. Better ask early! Letters will be kept on file for you, so you wont have to ask for a new one if you decide to push your LSAT test back to another date or want to retest. And for the record, if you are taking the LSAT on a Sabbath Observers test date, you will not be able to take the test on a regularly scheduled test date (on a Saturday) in the future. If you register for a Saturday test date, LSAC will automatically bump your testing date to the Sabbath Observers testing date. Need your rabbi to send in a letter for you? Heres the address and fax number where he or she can send the document: Address:      LSAC Test Administration                       PO BOX 2000-T                       Newtown PA 18940 Fax:              215.968.1277 Fee Waivers Not everyone is made of money, am I right? Yes, I am. It can get very pricey when you break down the cost of the LSAT. From registration fees to the Credit Assembly Service (CAS), which is LSACs service that summarizes your undergrad work and combines documents with LSAT score and writing sample to create a report to send to law schools, your LSAT experience can get very expensive. The good news is that if you qualify, you can get some of your fees waived. The following are included in a LSAT fee waiver, which will be good for two years from the date of conditional approval by LSAC: Two LSATs (test dates must fall within the two-year waiver period)One registration for LSACs Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which includes the Letter of Recommendation Service, the LSAC Evaluation Service, and access to electronic applications for all LSAC-member law schools;Four law school reports included with the Credential Assembly Service, available only after final approval of an LSAC fee waiver;One copy of the Official LSAT SuperPrep ®. Not included? Things like test date changes, late registration, hand scoring, paper copies, etc. So, how do you know if you qualify? LSAC keeps it simple: if you absolutely cannot afford to pay for the exam, then you qualify. And theyll know because when you submit your application (at least six weeks prior to your registration deadline), youll need to provide tax forms and other financial materials so they can review your case. If youd like to request a fee waiver prior to taking the LSAT, there are three ways to go about it: Online: Requesting a fee waiver through the online application is the fastest, most convenient method. Youll need to either have an existing LSAC.org account or be willing to create one. If you dont want to fill out the information online, you can download an application and mail it in. By Phone: U.S. or Canadian citizens can request a fee waiver packet by calling 215.968.1001 six weeks before the registration deadline. In Person: Go to your nearest law school admission office or prelaw advisor at least six weeks prior to the registration deadline to request a fee waiver packet.
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