With the December LSAT a few days behind us, we thought it would be helpful to take a look back at reactions to the test sections, and to provide the important dates going forward for test-takers.

So, how was the test?

We've seen pretty mixed reactions across the Internet. Since LSAC does not allow discussion of the details of questions, most of the reactions seem to suggest one particularly tricky logic game and one reading comprehension section with challenging wording. Others report difficulty with one of the logical reasoning sections, but it's too early to know if that was an experimental section or not.

When will scores be available?

For those with LSAC accounts, scores should be released via email on January 6th. With LSAC closed for the holiday, it's unlikely that scores will be released even a few days early. As for those of you without LSAC accounts, they plan to send scores by mail starting January 13th.

Can I cancel my score?

Yes, you have through this Friday, December 13th to cancel your score. The proper way to do so is to submit a written request to LSAC using this form: http://www.lsac.org/docs/default-source/jd-docs/scorecancellationform.pdf?sfvrsn=2. You must fax or send by expedited or overnight mail; LSAC will not accept the requests by email. The fax number and address can be found on their site: http://www.lsac.org/jd/lsat/score-cancellations#written

Now, more importantly, should I cancel my score?

Most likely not. The odds are your test performance on Saturday was not a complete disaster, and as such, you should wait to see how you scored. If you were ill on test day or made errors when filling in your answers, then canceling your score does make sense.

Ok, that helps, but what if I did not score as well as I hoped?

The next test date is February 8, 2014, and you can register until close of business on Tuesday, January 7th. This offers some of you the chance to see your October scores before making a decision to register or not, but we would recommend signing up as early as possible to secure your testing center. And if you feel that you need to retake the test, but February is too soon, then LSAC also offers a test date in June 2014.

Looking ahead to Saturday's test, Strategy's Ben Olson has several tips for how to round out your LSAT preparation.

Friday Game Plan

Because the LSAT is a skills-based test, there’s little you can do to improve your score overnight. You can’t cram this one. But in many ways, that’s a good thing. You can’t lose your skills that quickly either. In short, by Friday afternoon, don’t plan on doing anything else LSAT. The hay is in the barn, as some people say. Take it easy. Watch a movie.

And don’t even stress about getting the perfect night’s sleep. No one does. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, put in another movie. Eventually, you’ll get tired and fall asleep. That’s better than stressing about not falling asleep and then kicking off the covers at 2:00 am in the morning and stomping down the hall because you’re still awake.

Before you hit the hay (no illicit shift in meaning here), print out your ticket, secure your photo, and put all your pencils, IDs, snacks, and other goodies in your zip lock bag. Your ticket should be unsigned.

Saturday Game Plan

On Saturday morning, eat a slightly larger than normal breakfast, but only slightly. You don’t want to get tired (or go into cardiac arrest) in section two from eating an oversized, cheese-stuffed IHOP omelet. The test often doesn’t start until 10:00 or 10:30 am, which means the break isn’t until noon or so. And that’s the first time you can eat.

Some students like to print out a few practice questions (http://strategyprep.com/timer/sample-test.pdf) to take right after they arrive at the test center. You technically can’t take those questions into the building, but you can do them outside, in your car, or in a nearby building. This warm-up can get you in the right mindset for the test so that your first few questions start off without a hitch.

December vs. February

If you’re signed up to take the December LSAT, but you already know that you’re unlikely to get the score that you need for the schools you’re applying to, and you already know that you’re going to take the February LSAT, seriously consider not taking the December LSAT. In this situation, the December LSAT score will appear on your record and is unlikely to help you. And it could hurt your application if any of your schools average scores.

The one big downside with taking the February LSAT, for those applying this year, is that many schools don’t accept it because it’s too late. And for the schools that do accept it, many don’t take it seriously because your application is so late in the process. Granted, more schools accept the February LSAT now because of the recent drop in law school applicants, but it’s still rather late in the cycle.

Withdrawal Deadline

You have until midnight (EST) on Friday to withdraw from the test. You will not get a refund, but nothing will appear on your record. If you try to withdraw after midnight, a cancellation will appear on your record. One cancellation is not a problem, but if you’re not planning to take the test in December, you should withdraw before midnight.

With late registration for the December LSAT closing in just three days, we thought it would be helpful to compare the test locations here in Washington, DC. For this upcoming date, test-takers can choose between the centers at American, Catholic, Georgetown, Howard, and the University of the District of Columbia. To help you choose which one fits yours needs, the list below has all the basic information we've been able to gather from past test-takers.

American University

• Location: 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
• Type of room: Lecture hall
• Number of test-takers: 50-75
• Clock in room: No
• Temperature: Optimal
• Lighting: Optimal
• Noise Level: Very quiet
• Rule enforcement: Yes
• Desk space: Optimal
• Timing: Proctors kept accurate time
• Start time: Usually 1 hour or so after scheduled test time

Catholic University

• Location: 620 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20064
• Type of room: Small class room
• Number of test-takers: 0-25
• Clock in room: Yes
• Temperature: Cold
• Lighting: Optimal
• Noise Level: Average
• Rule enforcement:Yes
• Desk space: Relatively small
• Timing: Proctor kept accurate time
• Start time: Usually 1 hour or so after scheduled test time

Georgetown University

• Location: 3700 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20057
• Type of room: Small class room
• Number of test-takers: 0-25
• Clock in room: Yes
• Temperature: Optimal
• Lighting: Optimal
• Noise Level: Very quiet
• Rule enforcement: Yes
• Desk space: Relatively small
• Timing: Proctor kept accurate time
• Start time: Usually 1 hour or so after scheduled test time

Howard University

• Location: 2400 Sixth Street NW, Washington, DC 20059
• Type of room: Lecture hall
• Number of test-takers: 50-75
• Clock in room: Yes
• Temperature: Optimal
• Lighting: Optimal
• Noise Level: Quiet
• Rule enforcement: Yes
• Desk space: Relatively small
• Timing: Proctor kept accurate time
• Start time: Usually 1 hour or so after scheduled test time

University of the District of Columbia

• Location: 4200 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Type of room: Large class room
• Number of test-takers: Over 100
• Clock in room: Yes
• Temperature: Warm/Hot
• Lighting: Optimal
• Noise Level: Very quiet
• Rule enforcement: Yes
• Desk space: Optimal
• Timing: Yes
• Start time: Usually 1 hour or so after scheduled test time

By now, you've probably seen the headlines about the decline in LSAT test-takers. After releasing the October scores early last week, the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) also sent out updated data showing that 33,673 people sat for the exam. Compared to the October 2012 test date, there was an 11% drop in tests administered. The decline from 2009, when more than 60,000 people took the October test, is even more dramatic, with the Wall Street Journal estimating a 45% difference.

You're not alone if the numbers are causing you concern, but John A. Byrne has an interesting take on why this decline may be the best case for law school we've seen in some time. In the years immediately following the recession, not only did the number of LSAT test-takers spike, but so did the number of law school applicants. The influx of law school students meant that the legal field was saturated by new JDs searching for work after graduation.

For the last few years, all we've seen in the news is that these graduates are struggling to find employment in the field, so the decline in people pursuing legal careers is of benefit to those of you still competing for entrance into competitive schools. As Byrne points out in his article, the smaller applicant pool means that those competitive schools are slightly less competitive than they once were. And just like applications may yield more positive results, it's likely that career prospects will follow the same trend in the next few years as the market for legal jobs stabilizes.