Web Exclusive

Blizzard conditions across the region closed 70 law school admission test centers and threw kinks in some students’ plans to take the LSAT last Saturday.

In the District, where the National Weather Service estimated about 27 inches of snow fell on Friday and Saturday, testing centers at American, Catholic, Howard and U.D.C. were closed due to inclement weather.

Wendy Margolis, a spokeswoman for the Law School Admission Council – the organization that administers the test – said more than 5,500 students were affected.

“This is something people look forward to, and when the weather gets in the way, it can be stressful,” Margolis said. “This isn’t what anybody wanted. It was out of our control.”

Margolis said it was up to the test’s administrators to determine whether their center should close due to inclement weather.

The test center supervisor assesses the situation at their center, determining whether “the test takers [can] get there, the supervisors [can] get there,” and then they confer with LSAC, she said. The closures were determined on “a case-by-case basis.”

The February offering is usually the smallest test administration date, Margolis said, as most students apply for law school in the fall.

Several make-up tests will be scheduled and those unable to test at canceled sites this weekend will be notified by e-mail about their options, Margolis said.

“We normally have to schedule the space.well in advance,” she said. “We have to see what space is available, and because of the snow, not everyone is at those spaces right now.”

Margolis said ideally the rescheduled tests would begin this weekend but tests will probably happen on different dates throughout February.

Students who cannot make it to a make-up exam will receive a refund or a free test next year.

GW Law School Dean Frederick Lawrence said the school received a number of calls last week from students concerned about the canceled tests.

“We told all who inquired that we will not penalize applicants

because of test cancellations due to weather,” Lawrence said in an e-mail to The Hatchet. “Based upon what LSAC has published on its website, it is likely that there will be make-up tests given in the next several weeks.”

GW’s application deadline is not until March 31 but Lawrence said if make-up tests could not be scheduled until late March, the University would consider extending our deadline into April.

Senior Miguel Salazar was able to take the test on Saturday at Georgetown. He said at first he was relieved he would be taking the test after three months of studying, but afterwards he felt “a bit bothered” the test was not canceled.

“Taking the LSAT in the blizzard conditions was very challenging and stressful,” he said.