There’s never a “perfect” time to take the LSAT. We normally like to say the best LSAT to take (or even the easiest LSAT) is the one you’ll have the most time to prepare for.  However, every four years, the entire world suddenly takes a deep interest in American politics and, as pre-law students who might eventually make the jump from interpreting the law to creating laws, your Logical Reasoning practice time might become split between real practice LSAT questions and debate coverage. Election years are stressful for everyone, but even more so if you’re also taking the November LSAT just a few days after November 3, while the sitting president is locked in a contentious struggle to maintain power … actually, you know what, this just sounds like peak 2020. 

All of this is to say, congratulations to all November LSAT test takers! It was a surely difficult time to prep for the LSAT amidst [stretches out arms in a sweeping gesture] everything. The November LSAT was another LSAT-Flex, with LSAC administering tests over five days. We won’t get scores back for another two weeks—which could make or break your Thanksgiving dinner conversations—but we can still give our early impression of the exam based on reports from the interwebs and our students. 

Much like the current state of our government, test takers can’t agree if the November LSAT-Flex was too hard or too easy. Some believe the Logical Reasoning and Logic Games section were suspiciously easy, with many breezing through most of the questions, save for a few tricky ones. The larger consensus is that the Reading Comprehension section was the real roadblock made of dense, longer-than-usual (?) passages. Students are comparing the difficulty level of the exam to be in the low PT-70s or high PT-80s. When compared to the disclosed May 2020 LSAT-Flex, test-takers thought the November LSAT was roughly in the same league.

This disagreement is probably a natural result of how these LSAT-Flex exams work. For each LSAT-Flex administration, LSAC has been using multiple previously undisclosed exams, and recombining the sections from those exams to form new, Frankenstein’s monster LSAT-Flexes. So one test taker may get easier Logical Reasoning and Logic Games sections and a totally brutal Reading Comprehension section, while another test taker might get a comparatively mild Reading Comp section and harder Logical Reasoning and Logic Games sections. Especially with an LSAT-Flex administration as large as November’s, there may have been 20 or more possible LSAT-Flex exams used when it’s all said and done.

While we won’t get too deep into specifics—because LSAC is basically the NSA—we can still briefly talk about the LSAT question topics. The real concern on everyone’s mind is whether there were any mauve dinosaurs on the November LSAT. Alas, we haven’t heard of any. What we did find were games on fair trade coffee, oversight and finance committees, and geese (sidenote: geese are mean). Reading comp passages were a bit more diverse with subjects including Renaissance art, silkworms, value theories, Canadian parks, and human rights. Honestly, if your future was not riding on your ability to synthesize and analyze the passages, some people might actually enjoy the bits of trivia gained in the RC section. Over in the Logical Reasoning section, some students encountered questions on Edgar Allen Poe and safety standards.

Aside from the sprinkling of reports from students accidentally disconnecting from their proctors, the November LSAT-Flex seemed to have concluded with few big mishaps. The biggest concern amongst students were interruptions from noisy roommates, family members, and anxious pets. It’s worth reminding everyone now that, should you decide to retake the LSAT, LSAC is reimbursing students up to $125 if you need to rent a hotel or Airbnb to take your exam at. However, you must apply for this accommodation by the accommodation deadline for the LSAT you’ll be registering for again. 

Speaking of retaking, you might be in post-LSAT crisis mode right now and wondering if you should cancel your score and register for the next LSAT date. First off, don’t spiral. A huge weight has just been lifted off your shoulders. Have a drink or two. Maybe binge the current season of “The Bachelorette.” Definitely don’t doomscroll. 

Now, if you’re still set on canceling your score, let’s get the logistics out the way. You can cancel your LSAT score within six days of your LSAT test date. The deadline to cancel your score online will be 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the sixth day after your LSAT date. Simply log into your LSAC account to cancel your score. If you’re a first-time test taker, you can choose the Score Preview option to view your score on the Score Release Date before deciding to cancel. The cost is $75 if you didn’t sign up by the first day of testing (November 7, in this case). You can find out the pros and cons of canceling your LSAT score here, as well as what law schools think of canceled scores. Long story, short version: law schools don’t really care about lower scores, so it doesn’t make sense for most test takers to cancel their score. Either way, if you’re leaning towards retaking the LSAT, schedule a free consultation with an LSAT Advisor to discuss your options and the best way to change your LSAT prep to get a higher LSAT score!