@annminkim224 I'm proud of you for following in the foot steps of many high scorers before us and making the hard, but correct decision. It was so inspiring for me when I found 7Sage to hear stories of people with 151 diagnostics scores who eventually were able to reach the 170s. YES! We got this! Harvard, here we come :D
@annminkim224 I'm proud of you for following in the foot steps of many high scorers before us and making the hard, but correct decision. It was so inspiring for me when I found 7Sage to hear stories of people with 151 diagnostics scores who eventually were able to reach the 170s.
@annminkim224 I've finally mustered up the courage (& come to my senses) to sit out this cycle! I've been too prideful to admit that I'd need more time to reach my goal score. It's encouraging to see a lot of people study ~9+ months to reach 170+. I thought I was doing something wrong, especially when all I was reading was 3 months/20+ point increase stories on TLS.
I've finally mustered up the courage (& come to my senses) to sit out this cycle! I've been too prideful to admit that I'd need more time to reach my goal score. It's encouraging to see a lot of people study ~9+ months to reach 170+. I thought I was doing something wrong, especially when all I was reading was 3 months/20+ point increase stories on TLS. Thanks for your words of wisdom and making this thread! @gregoryalexanderdevine723
@rebcharris194.c.harris I was deciding whether to postpone myself (I was originally scheduled to take the test in September), and I was right on the verge of this realization. This post was exactly what I needed to confirm my decision, and feel good about it too.
It’s almost funny how everyone goes through this. It’s such a dramatic decision, it was for me anyway. Then you realize, oh wait, literally everyone is doing this, haha. It’s good to know you’re not alone!
@kmarie7664 I am about 5-7 points off where I want to be.
This really depends on which 5-7 points you’re talking about. Each point is exponentially more challenging than the last, so those points could represent a really large gulf depending on what you’re aiming for. To put that into some perspective, It took me about three months to break into the 160’s from a 150’s diagnostic. From there, it took me another year to break into the 170’s.
@kmarie7664 I appreciate your input, and am heavily thinking about postponing. How far in advance do I have to make that decision?
No problem! I think the LSAT change date / refund deadline in August 30th. And I think September 23rd is the withdraw deadline. I'd just confirm that on LSAC.org. I am currently not registered for any LSAT, so I'm not 100%.
@gregoryalexanderdevine723 My rebuttal to that is I think it makes more sense to just go to a library (with moderate noise and paper shuffling) take a timed PT with the 7Sage proctor and see how you do. My guess is that score won't be much different than if you had just taken it, but this way you save a take. I don't deny that this won't simulate ALL of the real test day experience. For one, you'll never be able to replicate the feeling of "Jiminy Crickets, this is the real deal!!!" Even so, I don't think it is worth giving up one of your sacred 3 takes.
This is everything. Not to mention taking this approach saves you nearly $200 lol.
So I think there are two main schools of thought on this question. And I see it quite often and have thought pretty long and hard, weighed the pros and cons, and come to a few conclusions:
First, I always think it is better to wait until you are confident to go into the testing center and write a test that reflects your potential; not just what your average is at that time.
Second, and sort of tying into the first, people rarely score higher on the real test than the PTs. On average, I think people usually score their last 3-5 test score's average. And it is quite often for takers to score 3 points or so lower than that... Being the prudent person I am, I would recommend waiting until at least your last 5 PTs are averaging where your ultimate goal lies. For example, if your goal is a 173. You may want to wait until your last 5 tests were a 175, 174, 171, 173, 175. Something like that anyways....
Lastly,
@kmarie7664 Am I hurting anything other than possibly wasting time?
I think you are potentially wasting a take. And you can't get takes back. I have a close friend to me who sort of used 1 of her takes as a sort of glorified PT to see how she would fair under the pressure and so she would know what to expect... She then bombed her next take and then had to desperately rely on her 3rd take to be the one that did it. The stress it caused her was awful.
The point is that you might need all of your takes just to get you to the goal once you're already consistently scoring your average. So don't waste one a second before then. In short, I think you are wasting a take, at least for the most part.
The second school of thought will argue that a trial run can be a useful thing. Now you'll know what to expect and possibly learn from any errors made under the gun. Heck, you might even get lucky and score 5 points higher than your average....
My rebuttal to that is I think it makes more sense to just go to a library (with moderate noise and paper shuffling) take a timed PT with the 7Sage proctor and see how you do. My guess is that score won't be much different than if you had just taken it, but this way you save a take. I don't deny that this won't simulate ALL of the real test day experience. For one, you'll never be able to replicate the feeling of "Jiminy Crickets, this is the real deal!!!" Even so, I don't think it is worth giving up one of your sacred 3 takes.
Also, 5-7 points is a lot to achieve in 6-7 weeks. I think it is much more reasonable to wait until December and be ready to walk in there are kill it! And perhaps most importantly, your confidence will be there because you'll have consistently been scoring 5-7 points higher than now.
This is helpful. I have a question. I am about 5-7 points off where I want to be. I have registered for the September test. Is there any harm in me taking September and then possible December? Some thing in me just wants to take September. Am I hurting anything other than possibly wasting time?
I think the hardest part for me was realizing that. Especially as a competitive person who has always done well in school. Unfortunately, it took me far to long to stop deriving self-worth from my test scores before I realized this... Glad you seem to agree :)
@rebcharris194.c.harris This post was exactly what I needed to confirm my decision, and feel good about it too.
No problem! That makes me incredibly overjoyed to hear! I was going through making the same decision right before I wrote this. It was the best decision I made in a long time, but also the hardest. Though, once I made it I felt like a weight had been lifted (my self imposed deadlines mostly) and I began to feel good about it. :D
I know the majority of us here are great students, and it is hard to let down your pride and admit that this test is hard.
THANK YOU. I was deciding whether to postpone myself (I was originally scheduled to take the test in September), and I was right on the verge of this realization. This post was exactly what I needed to confirm my decision, and feel good about it too.
@476.rizeq It's crazy how this exam makes our minds think lol. Very well put Alex.
Thanks! :)
And boy are you right! It is so crazy how this exam messes with our minds. Mindset is so critical for doing well on this test. I can't believe I ever fell into the mindset of thinking all I needed was 3-4 months to reach my potential.... I must have been drinking the TLS kool aid, lol.
To get us back on track I will say that since I've decided to postpone a few weeks ago, I have been much more effective in my learning. I no longer have the artificial stress of an LSAT test date constantly over my head. I no longer feel like I don't have time to go back and watch that 3 hour lesson I don't understand 100%.
I also feel way more hopeful and optimistic. Because now I really know when I go to take the real deal, I will be ready.... Not hoping I will be ready.
Lastly, my entire mindset has changed and with that my goal has gone up. When I was planning on taking in Sept/Dec my goal was a 168. My mindset was "OK, I can miss 4 questions per section. If I can get LR down to 3 then I'm aloud to miss an extra RC and LG question....."
I was essentially calculating and accepting failure! I was condoning myself to do less than my best and that was making me really.... blah feeling.
Postponing was the best decision I have made in a while!
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108 comments
2018 cycle fam checking in! :)
@annminkim224 I'm proud of you for following in the foot steps of many high scorers before us and making the hard, but correct decision. It was so inspiring for me when I found 7Sage to hear stories of people with 151 diagnostics scores who eventually were able to reach the 170s.
Yaaaaay!! 2018 cycle fam <3
I've finally mustered up the courage (& come to my senses) to sit out this cycle! I've been too prideful to admit that I'd need more time to reach my goal score. It's encouraging to see a lot of people study ~9+ months to reach 170+. I thought I was doing something wrong, especially when all I was reading was 3 months/20+ point increase stories on TLS. Thanks for your words of wisdom and making this thread! @gregoryalexanderdevine723
That's so cool Allison, so happy for you. You'll have to show us all around this time next year!
@allisongillsanford643.gill.sanford That would be amazing! You and your webinar are so inspiring! Thank you so much. Good luck in Cambridge :)
@gregoryalexanderdevine723 can't wait to see you on campus!! we start orientation on Wednesday...
Truer words have never been spoke (about the LSAT anyways, lol)
It’s almost funny how everyone goes through this. It’s such a dramatic decision, it was for me anyway. Then you realize, oh wait, literally everyone is doing this, haha. It’s good to know you’re not alone!
This really depends on which 5-7 points you’re talking about. Each point is exponentially more challenging than the last, so those points could represent a really large gulf depending on what you’re aiming for. To put that into some perspective, It took me about three months to break into the 160’s from a 150’s diagnostic. From there, it took me another year to break into the 170’s.
Exponential.
Me too! It was one of my favs after school.... I still remember that catchy up-beat theme song :)
It's basically our 7Sage theme song of being kind and helpful to each other ! :D
Omg, is he really wearing an Arthur T-shirt?! LOOL that show was my jam back in the day. @gregoryalexanderdevine723
Duh! How could I forget.... $200 bucks saved :D Seems like postponing is a win-win!
No problem! I think the LSAT change date / refund deadline in August 30th. And I think September 23rd is the withdraw deadline. I'd just confirm that on LSAC.org. I am currently not registered for any LSAT, so I'm not 100%.
This is everything. Not to mention taking this approach saves you nearly $200 lol.
@gregoryalexanderdevine723 I appreciate your input, and am heavily thinking about postponing. How far in advance do I have to make that decision?
@kmarie7664 ,
So I think there are two main schools of thought on this question. And I see it quite often and have thought pretty long and hard, weighed the pros and cons, and come to a few conclusions:
First, I always think it is better to wait until you are confident to go into the testing center and write a test that reflects your potential; not just what your average is at that time.
Second, and sort of tying into the first, people rarely score higher on the real test than the PTs. On average, I think people usually score their last 3-5 test score's average. And it is quite often for takers to score 3 points or so lower than that... Being the prudent person I am, I would recommend waiting until at least your last 5 PTs are averaging where your ultimate goal lies. For example, if your goal is a 173. You may want to wait until your last 5 tests were a 175, 174, 171, 173, 175. Something like that anyways....
Lastly,
I think you are potentially wasting a take. And you can't get takes back. I have a close friend to me who sort of used 1 of her takes as a sort of glorified PT to see how she would fair under the pressure and so she would know what to expect... She then bombed her next take and then had to desperately rely on her 3rd take to be the one that did it. The stress it caused her was awful.
The point is that you might need all of your takes just to get you to the goal once you're already consistently scoring your average. So don't waste one a second before then. In short, I think you are wasting a take, at least for the most part.
The second school of thought will argue that a trial run can be a useful thing. Now you'll know what to expect and possibly learn from any errors made under the gun. Heck, you might even get lucky and score 5 points higher than your average....
My rebuttal to that is I think it makes more sense to just go to a library (with moderate noise and paper shuffling) take a timed PT with the 7Sage proctor and see how you do. My guess is that score won't be much different than if you had just taken it, but this way you save a take. I don't deny that this won't simulate ALL of the real test day experience. For one, you'll never be able to replicate the feeling of "Jiminy Crickets, this is the real deal!!!" Even so, I don't think it is worth giving up one of your sacred 3 takes.
Also, 5-7 points is a lot to achieve in 6-7 weeks. I think it is much more reasonable to wait until December and be ready to walk in there are kill it! And perhaps most importantly, your confidence will be there because you'll have consistently been scoring 5-7 points higher than now.
Good luck!
This is helpful. I have a question. I am about 5-7 points off where I want to be. I have registered for the September test. Is there any harm in me taking September and then possible December? Some thing in me just wants to take September. Am I hurting anything other than possibly wasting time?
I think the hardest part for me was realizing that. Especially as a competitive person who has always done well in school. Unfortunately, it took me far to long to stop deriving self-worth from my test scores before I realized this... Glad you seem to agree :)
No problem! That makes me incredibly overjoyed to hear! I was going through making the same decision right before I wrote this. It was the best decision I made in a long time, but also the hardest. Though, once I made it I felt like a weight had been lifted (my self imposed deadlines mostly) and I began to feel good about it. :D
Good luck and good job making the right decision!
I know the majority of us here are great students, and it is hard to let down your pride and admit that this test is hard.
THANK YOU. I was deciding whether to postpone myself (I was originally scheduled to take the test in September), and I was right on the verge of this realization. This post was exactly what I needed to confirm my decision, and feel good about it too.
And it is important to remember that studying long and hard for this test doesn’t make you less smart than the kid who studied 3 months and got a 172.
YES YES YES!!
Thanks! :)
And boy are you right! It is so crazy how this exam messes with our minds. Mindset is so critical for doing well on this test. I can't believe I ever fell into the mindset of thinking all I needed was 3-4 months to reach my potential.... I must have been drinking the TLS kool aid, lol.
It's crazy how this exam makes our minds think lol. Very well put Alex.
To get us back on track I will say that since I've decided to postpone a few weeks ago, I have been much more effective in my learning. I no longer have the artificial stress of an LSAT test date constantly over my head. I no longer feel like I don't have time to go back and watch that 3 hour lesson I don't understand 100%.
I also feel way more hopeful and optimistic. Because now I really know when I go to take the real deal, I will be ready.... Not hoping I will be ready.
Lastly, my entire mindset has changed and with that my goal has gone up. When I was planning on taking in Sept/Dec my goal was a 168. My mindset was "OK, I can miss 4 questions per section. If I can get LR down to 3 then I'm aloud to miss an extra RC and LG question....."
I was essentially calculating and accepting failure! I was condoning myself to do less than my best and that was making me really.... blah feeling.
Postponing was the best decision I have made in a while!