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Hey yall (from Texas),
I am registered for the September LSAT, but I am wondering what yall think about pushing
I am doing 0 LG and -1 to -3 on RC. However, for LR I range from 0/-1 to -5/-6 but usually -3 each section. Therefore, I am ranging from 168 to 174ish. The variance I mostly attribute to time on LR. I get done with my round 1 with only about 2 minutes usually. My blind review is almost always 176-178, and I don't see any major trends as far as missing question types. My thesis is that I have the fundamentals--my variance is due to speed.
However, I have been out of school for four years now, so I work all day and then come home and study. I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s (and I don't see the point of pushing up into my theoretical maximum). BUT I don't want to score in the 160s just because I went too slow on one LR section or had a bad day.
I always hear it is better to apply earlier rather than later for T14 schools because of scholarships. However, would it be better for me to foolproof LR and get a 173ish in December or have a bad day and get a 168ish in December??
Also, tips on improving speed? I am already videoing my LR takes. A friend recommended using an interval timer and doing questions from the question bank at a level 1 difficulty in under 40 seconds, level 2 50 seconds, level 3 65 seconds, level 4/5: 80 seconds but then forcing myself to skip if I take longer than the limit to train myself to take the appropriate amount of time on each question difficulty type. Thoughts?
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9 comments
@kjsmith9141 said:
@gregoryalexanderdevine723 That is really helpful. Thank you. Do you recall where you heard this? Was it a podcast or webinar or something?
No problem! I'm fairly certain I read that in a book. I believe it was Ann Levine's admissions book.
@gregoryalexanderdevine723 That is really helpful. Thank you. Do you recall where you heard this? Was it a podcast or webinar or something?
@berthstefan671 said:
Thanks for the input everyone. I'm leaning towards pushing back now. Gonna do my best up until week of though to make sure. To clarify, a "cancellation" means sitting for the test and cancelling afterward--not simply deciding not to take beforehand, correct?
Correct. That would be what is commonly referred to as a withdrawing.
Thanks for the input everyone. I'm leaning towards pushing back now. Gonna do my best up until week of though to make sure. To clarify, a "cancellation" means sitting for the test and cancelling afterward--not simply deciding not to take beforehand, correct?
@kjsmith9141 said:
Same exact boat you are. I'm wondering if I should sit for the test and retake, or withdraw given that I don't feel ready.
How bad does a cancellation really look?
I forgot who said this, but one of the prominent admissions consultants said something along the lines of "A cancellation looks better than a bad score but not as good as just one score..."
Same exact boat you are. I'm wondering if I should sit for the test and retake, or withdraw given that I don't feel ready.
How bad does a cancellation really look?
@gregoryalexanderdevine723 said:
This told me all I need to know: "I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s"
You will absolutely, 110%, be better off applying with a 170+ in December rather than a 168 in September.
I've gotten quite good with LR by drilling the hardest questions or the questions that were giving me trouble and re-doing timed sections. I know if I miss questions on retakes that I definitely have some underlying weaknesses causing it. I then study them during BR for as long as I need to fully understand them. If your problem isn't with one questions type, then I don't think your time is best spent doing question type drilling, not at least until you uncover a pattern.
I agree completely with this. With a 170 I don't think applying in December will be a detriment to you. I've read that 'early' is Halloween; 'on time' is Christmas and 'late-ish' is Valentines Day if you want to think in terms of Holidays for the application sphere.
@berthstefan671 said:
Hey yall (from Texas),
I am registered for the September LSAT, but I am wondering what yall think about pushing
I am doing 0 LG and -1 to -3 on RC. However, for LR I range from 0/-1 to -5/-6 but usually -3 each section. Therefore, I am ranging from 168 to 174ish. The variance I mostly attribute to time on LR. I get done with my round 1 with only about 2 minutes usually. My blind review is almost always 176-178, and I don't see any major trends as far as missing question types. My thesis is that I have the fundamentals--my variance is due to speed.
However, I have been out of school for four years now, so I work all day and then come home and study. I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s (and I don't see the point of pushing up into my theoretical maximum). BUT I don't want to score in the 160s just because I went too slow on one LR section or had a bad day.
I always hear it is better to apply earlier rather than later for T14 schools because of scholarships. However, would it be better for me to foolproof LR and get a 173ish in December or have a bad day and get a 168ish in December??
Also, tips on improving speed? I am already videoing my LR takes. A friend recommended using an interval timer and doing questions from the question bank at a level 1 difficulty in under 40 seconds, level 2 50 seconds, level 3 65 seconds, level 4/5: 80 seconds but then forcing myself to skip if I take longer than the limit to train myself to take the appropriate amount of time on each question difficulty type. Thoughts?
This told me all I need to know: "I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s"
You will absolutely, 110%, be better off applying with a 170+ in December rather than a 168 in September.
I've gotten quite good with LR by drilling the hardest questions or the questions that were giving me trouble and re-doing timed sections. I know if I miss questions on retakes that I definitely have some underlying weaknesses causing it. I then study them during BR for as long as I need to fully understand them. If your problem isn't with one questions type, then I don't think your time is best spent doing question type drilling, not at least until you uncover a pattern.
I have the same problem. I'm thinking September and then auto retaking in December, basically. Too worried I'll have a bad day or get sick on the December test and be stuck without recourse.