While we don’t expect (or wish) anything bad to happen to you on your LSAT test day, it’s always wise to be prepared. As Founding Father (and O.G. Lightning Thief) Benjamin Franklin once remarked between glasses of wine, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
So let’s talk about it. What can go wrong on the LSAT? And what can we do about it?
LSAT Test Day Problems
Real Problems vs. Fake Ones
First, it’s important to diagnose whether you’ve got a real, full-blown, maybe-I-should-cancel-my-score crisis on your hands.
The ugly truth is that there are a lot of little “hiccups” that can and will happen on LSAT test day. Most of these are not worth canceling your score over!
Will you make several mental mistakes? Perhaps misinterpreting part of an argument here, or spending a little too much time on a question there? Yep.
Will you have a “deer in the headlights” moment where you freeze, have a 5-second panic, and have to reread (or re-reread…) that sentence you were just looking at? Yup.
Will you finish your exam and, despite the fact that you were well-prepared, still feel like you completely bombed for some reason? You might!
The human mind is a funny thing. Before you tread the path of panic and despair, try to assess the situation objectively. Did you have an actual, test-destroying crisis, or just a bad emotional reaction?
If you’re not sure, LSAC gives you six calendar days to decide on score cancellation. Use that time to assess whether cancellation of your score is actually warranted (more on that later).
Technical Difficulties – Please Stand By
Sadly, one of the most common issues students experience in this brave new world of remote testing is technology-related snafus. Maybe your webcam doesn’t turn on, or your computer freezes. Or – perish the thought – your internet goes out!
Here, again, we’ll defer to our wise Uncle Benji: prevent, prevent, prevent. It’s hard to predict every eventuality, but let’s cover some common sense ways to avoid an LSAT tech catastrophe.
1. Check Your Hardware
Is your computer in good working order? Is your charging cable intact or is it starting to fray? (Mac users know this pain.) Does your laptop battery hold a charge? How are the batteries in your wireless keyboard/mouse?
Further Reading
2. Check Your Connection
Bring your computer to whatever location you’re going to take your exam. How close are you to the internet router? How many Wifi “bars” is your computer showing?
And while we’re on the subject, how reliable is that connection? Consider doing a “hard reset” of your modem and router a day before to make sure everything is running green.
What if your home internet goes down while taking the LSAT? We wouldn’t recommend keeping your phone in your testing room, but picture this: Your room shares a wall with another room. On the other side of that wall is your handy dandy phone, with the Wifi hot spot armed and ready. In the event everything goes kaput, bing bang boom, you make the switch!
3. Check Your Software
Make sure your computer operating system is the latest version and won’t auto-update and reboot you mid-exam.You should also have the latest version of LSAC’s testing software installed on your machine. Follow LSAC’s recommended “enhanced system check” before LSAT test day.
What Could Go Wrong, Did Go Wrong. Now What?
Tech Issues
However, even with all the above precautions, it’s still possible for things to go wrong on your LSAT test day. If you do have a technology or connection issue during your exam, follow these three steps:
1. Take a Deep Breath
Self-explanatory. It’s going to be ok.
2. Communicate the Issue
If you can’t reconnect, give LSAC a call (1.800.336.3982). Have this number, along with your LSAC account number and LawHub login information, all written down on your desk for any LSAT test day emergencies.
3. Take Another Deep Breath
If you can get the issue resolved and resume testing, you will understandably be rattled. Just move forward, one word at a time, one question at a time. You can decide on whether to cancel later. For now, just do your best!
Proctor Pains
While your LSAT proctoring experience will likely go smoothly, we’ve all heard the horror stories. Exams that don’t start on time. Proctors gone AWOL. Or they’re just plain mean!
If you encounter any of this, there are two simple steps to follow:
1. Communicate Politely and Clearly
Even if a proctor is unprofessional, responding in kind will not do you any favors. Be open to the fact that some virtual proctors are outsourced overseas. What you perceive as coldness or rudeness may just be a communication barrier or cultural difference.
2. Document. Document. And Document.
Try as best as possible to divorce your emotions from the situation. Write down factually what happened and how it affected your test. Still, while we hope that bad virtual proctors will soon become a thing of the past, LSAC is receptive to these types of complaints and will usually provide some sort of accommodation or solution.
With that being said, let me shout out my pal B. Franks one last time: Prevention is king. If you’re worried about your proctor falsely accusing you of something through the webcam, try to clear your room and remove whatever distracting or suspicious objects are in your background.
Basically, if you can lessen the odds of a misunderstanding in the first place, you’ll have less to worry about.
In-Person Testing Problems
If, on the other hand, the above concerns were enough to turn you off from virtual testing permanently, we need to talk about LSAT testing center logistics.
“I’m Late! I’m Late! For a Very Important Date!”
There’s a lot of upside to taking the LSAT in person, but it does introduce a host of other things that can go wrong. How long will it take you to get ready, eat breakfast, and get out the door? What will the traffic be like? Where will you park? Will you have trouble finding the building (or room inside the building) where testing will take place?
If this all sounds daunting, consider two simple solutions:
- Make a time estimate for everything. Then double it.
- Take a “field trip.” Drive to the testing center, figure out where to park, actually walk inside and verify that you’re at the right place.
Honestly, we’d recommend doing both of these things, but at the very least, make sure you do Number 1.
And if you’re still running late? Communication is key. Pull over safely, call the testing center (you stored the number in your contacts, right?), and explain the situation. Depending on how late you’re running and how charitable the person is on the other end of the line, things might work out for you just fine.
To Cancel or Not to Cancel
Finally, the question we’re all here for. When should you actually cancel your LSAT exam?
Let’s start with an obvious one: You have an emergency – medical, environmental, or personal – that does not allow you to finish the exam, or severely hampers your ability to think or focus on the task at hand. In this situation, you’ll want to cancel your score.
Another situation that may warrant cancellation?Yyou have a quantitative dip in performance. Let’s say you normally do all four passages in a Reading Comprehension Section, but on test day you mentally lock up and only finish 2.5.
Or perhaps you plan poorly and leave five entire questions blank at the end of a Logical Reasoning Section without even filling in guesses. These are quantitative dips in performance that will very likely impact your final LSAT score. Consider canceling in this case.
Finally, what if you were just “kind of distracted”? Your dog was barking in the other room. Your roommate’s phone kept ringing in the other room. The guy in Apartment 4D was playing his bass guitar.
The truth is that these are tougher calls. Even with some light distractions, you still may have achieved the score you’d be happy with. Take a couple of days to consider whether the distraction was truly crippling, and how it affected your performance in those moments. (And if you have a time machine, take your dog to your parents, remind your roommate to silence their phone, and talk to that guy in Apartment 4D about your upcoming exam. I’ve heard he’s pretty chill.)
Final Thoughts
Again, nobody wants to even imagine that something will go wrong on test day. However, planning is your best friend. Make a rough game plan or at least understand how you can advocate for yourself just in case.
Here’s to a smooth and snafu-free LSAT test day! Good luck!
Remember, if something does happen, don’t worry. You can always retake the LSAT.
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