Recently a student reached out to us via Facebook about the Saturday Sabbath LSAT administration, also known as the Monday LSAT. As you know, for the October, December, and February LSAT official administrations, people that observe the religious Saturday Sabbath are given the opportunity to take the test on the Monday following the Saturday administration. A lot of misinformation is floating around about what it means to take the test on that Monday, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to clear a few things up for advisees who might have questions about the Monday tests.
Myth: The Monday test is the same version of the test as the Saturday administration. There are a couple of versions of this rumor, but rest assured none of them are true. The Sabbath administration is always a different test than the Saturday administration– so there is no way to cheat on the Monday administration by getting on the internet and seeing what people say about the Saturday test.
Myth: The Monday test is easier than the Saturday test. Just like a current student score is comparable to anyone else’s score from the past five years’ worth of LSAT’s, the Sabbath administration is testing the same skills that any current LSAT test is targeting, without exception. The same patterns, methods, and strategies apply on the Sabbath test.
Myth: The Monday test only has four sections. Definitely not– four plus an experimental, like all administered LSAT’s.
Myth: The Monday test is not as “official” as the Saturday tests, and admissions officials will treat it differently. This rumor probably springs from the fact that the Sabbath administration tests are not disclosed; if a student takes the Sabbath test, he or she will not be able to see that test later (the way the Saturday June, October, and December tests are released), and there will be no reported “percentile score” (which indicates what percentage of people did better or worse than the student on the test). Admissions officials treat the Sabbath official score (120-180) as correlating with the percentile from the Saturday administration– and since percentiles do not fluctuate much from test-to-test, that seems reasonable. If your advisees are leery, they should keep in mind that the February test is also undisclosed; in the past, the LSAC has indicated that they maintain some undisclosed tests so they are able to keep some question pools unreleased in case of need (speculatively, for overseas tests, experimental sections, or emergency-related testing).
Myth: I can just take the Monday test if it works better for me. Prospective test-takers need to submit an official letter in order to qualify for the Sabbath observation, and after they do so they cannot take a Saturday administration, even in the future. Here’s the LSAC’s word on the subject:
“If you observe a Saturday Sabbath, you may take the LSAT on other days of the week, usually Monday, or during the June administration. You may register for a Saturday Sabbath observers administration online, but a reporting hold will be placed on your file and no admission ticket will be available until LSAC receives a letter written on official stationery from your minister or rabbi confirming your religious affiliation. The letter must be received by the late registration deadline for the test date. If it is not received by that deadline, your registration will be rescinded, your test fee refunded, and you will not be able to test on that date. Once you submit the letter, it is valid as long as your file remains active, and it will not have to be resubmitted.”
Letters may be mailed to:
LSAC
Test Administration
PO BOX 2000-T
Newtown PA 18940
or faxed to 215.968.1277.
The submission of a fraudulent letter will be treated as misconduct or an irregularity.
LSAC policy stipulates that once you test on a Saturday Sabbath observers test date, you will not be permitted to subsequently register for a regular (Saturday) LSAT administration. If you later attempt to register for a regular administration of the LSAT, LSAC will automatically reassign your registration to the Saturday Sabbath observers administration, provided there is a testing center within 100 miles of your requested site. Otherwise, your registration will be canceled and a full refund issued.
So… what does it mean for you advisee if he or she is taking the Monday administration? Well, it means they are going to prepare just as thoroughly as they would prepare for a Saturday administration, using the same tools and strategies and methods. The only benefit they get from taking the Monday administration is the freedom to observe the Saturday Sabbath– so they should not worry about negative repercussions. They are taking the whole, tough, long LSAT, officially. The downside is that they will never see the actual test, putting them in the same boat as February Saturday test-takers; if they decide to take it again it’s more difficult to understand what might have gone right or wrong. They should be sure to get enough full length practice tests in while preparing so they have a strong idea about what is going on with their official performance.
