Self-study
Hi everyone! I’m currently waiting on my LSAT score (released next week), but I’m trying to plan ahead and would really appreciate some guidance.
My goal schools are South Texas College of Law Houston and Thurgood Marshall School of Law. My last full practice test was a 138, but I didn’t take many full tests after that and focused more on studying.
I’m in my early 30s and a mom, and I think I’m putting pressure on myself because of my age. I’m debating whether I should retake the LSAT in June and study intensely for a chance to start Fall 2026, or take more time to properly prepare and apply for the next cycle.
I’ll be working part-time starting next week, but I will still have time to study consistently.
For those who have been in a similar position, would you recommend pushing for a June retake or taking more time to build a stronger score? I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences!
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@Cristina180
Thank you for the advice. Will do!
I’m a father in my 30s and based on my own stats I know I’m not ready for a June exam. I also feel like I am running out of time, but as most people our age or older have said, age is just a number in this situation.
Now, assuming that your analytics are accurate, you are not ready for an LSAT exam either. I think when it comes to drilling you have only just started.
I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’ll be real with you. No fluff. You should aim for January and potentially get a tutor. I would also blind review every dang question twice and do more untimed questions followed by timed sections in about a month or two depending on how well you are grasping the untimed questions.
If you are not ready by the end of October for a January exam (October is right around the corner but far enough away to make real progress), then I would aim for the next cycle and apply early and get it over with.
@PoeBoiMcGee
I really appreciate the honesty and straight feedback. thank you! I think you’re right that I’m still early in the process with drilling and consistency, especially with full timed practice.
I’m trying to step back and make sure I don’t rush just because of timing pressure, and instead actually build a solid foundation. I’ll seriously consider your advice about a longer prep timeline and possibly bringing in more structure.
Thanks again for taking the time to lay it out clearly.
I’m in my 40’s. Take the time you need to be prepared.
@YosefWolff thank you! I will
It’s better to take the time to be truly prepared than to rush and regret it later.
@YosefWolff i am I my 40s too with little ones. We can do it!
@Cristina180 👏👏👏
Comforting to find this thread! I'm 31 and pregnant, due in August. The imposter syndrome here is real!
I haven't even taken a PT yet and have just been studying and practicing. You're doing great! I know this comment isn't helpful or anything... but you got this!! :)
@LexieFarrier
Aww this actually is helpful, thank you for sharing that. And congratulations on your pregnancy 💛
It really helps to know I’m not alone in feeling the pressure and imposter syndrome.
You’re doing great too! especially with everything you have going on. We’ve got this! :)
I am following this. I am on the exact boat. Except I am wondering if to go ahead and take it in June or study more appropriately and take it in August or September. I am also in the Houston area, so those two are my schools, and U of H law, too! We should connect!
@montalvomaura
I decided I’m gonna take my time and study more. Especially since it’s too late now for June lol I’m down to connecting and studying!
@LawBoundMom awesome! ill send you a chat!
I am in your same situation and I have been many times before. I think you will help yourself by getting comfortable with sitting for the exam. It doesn’t matter how many times you take it. What matters is that you take it and you feel good about your score. If you want to sit for it again do it. But trust you will have to remember the feeling you will have once your score comes back and even once you finish the exam will only show us we need to put more work in. As for your age we are only delayed a bit not denied. So, if you have the money or waiver take it but make sure the next one to four exams count and you take something away from it. Just be kind to yourself because we are our only competition. What’s for us will always be. Congratulations mama! You are going to be great!
@vernicelove
Thank you, I really appreciate this.
New goal getting more comfortable with taking more PTs before I take it again.
And I love what you said about being delayed, not denied. Definitely helped me shift my mindset. I just want to make sure my next attempt is with better preparation.
Wishing you the best too! We’ve got this!
@LawBoundMom absolutely!!!! Took me a minute to understand it too. Definitely get comfortable. I sat for so many exams and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say I got 169 or 154 or higher just to beat their score. We don’t all have the same fingers. And I e learned some people are just great test takers. Just bet on you…you will definitely surprise yourself! So glad you opened up! I needed this too!
@vernicelove I love this! we are our only competition!
I have not been in your same situation, but I would recommend waiting. I would plan to take the test in August and then retake it if needed in September.
I'm an independent tutor and I find that people who put a lot of pressure on themselves and give themselves a really short timeline consistently improve much less than those who are more patient.
Aside from that, I also would be very hesitant to apply this cycle with your June score (and also hesitant with an April score). Even if you get into your goal schools, you are not going to be in a competitive position to receive scholarships. They could have already given out most or all of the scholarhsips that they have available.
Scholarships are also massively important - especially ouside the top ranked law schools. So, I would recommend taking the summer to study (still get started right away) and then applying broadly at the start of the fall. Even if you know which schools you want to attend schools will often match scholarships for other schools. For example, back in 2017, I was accepted to Duke and Michigan which had nearly the same ranking. Duke offered me $0. I waited months thinking the scholarships hadn't been determined and then read online that they had been sent out much earlier. Michigan accepted me and offered me $150,000 in scholarships immediately. I emailed Duke expressing how much I liked their school, but said that it wasn't financially viable for me given the comparison to Michigan and the scholarship that Michigan had offered me. I attached a copy of Michigan's scholarship offer. The next day, Duke matched the $150,000 scholarship. So, if Duke had been my dream school and I had only applied to Duke or if I had applied late in the cycle and had not been accepted to Michigan because their class was full or not given a scholarship because their scholarship money ran out, I would have paid $150,000 more for my law degree.
South Texas College of Law has a tuition of $46,800 per year, but I would not recommend that anyone who isn't independently wealthy pay that. That's more than $140,000 in tuition over 3 years. Very few of their graduates appear to get the kind of Big Law jobs that would have salaries that justify that tuition. That said, many of their students have large scholarships and are paying much less than that. That could be a great outcome. But to get it, you have to get the setup right. That means you need an above median LSAT, to apply broadly to similarly ranked or located schools at the start of the cycle, and to be prepared to negotiate.
@Kade_Katrak
Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of this out. I really appreciate it. The scholarship perspective especially gave me a lot to think about, because I hadn’t fully considered how much timing and score impact that side of things.
What you said about pressure and short timelines also resonated with me. I think I might be putting that pressure on myself because of my age, but realistically I do want to put myself in the best position possible long-term.
Your example with Duke and Michigan was really helpful too! It definitely opened my eyes to how important it is to apply early and broadly, not just focus on a couple of schools.
If you don’t mind me asking, based on my starting point (around a 138 practice test), what kind of timeline and score range would you realistically recommend aiming for before applying to maximize scholarship opportunities?
@LawBoundMom Your goal score just depends on what schools you want to attend and your GPA.
I would go to Law School Data and see what scholarships people with your same GPA and various LSAT scores have received at each school you are interested in. Generally, you want your LSAT score to at least be above median at a given school to start getting some significant scholarship offers, but if your GPA is below median, you might need your LSAT score to be even higher to compensate.
I would plan to use the whole time until August to study. If that gets you to where you want, that's great! If not, I would keep studying and retake the test. Most people get a boost near the beginning of their studying as they get familiar with the different question types and how to approach each of them. After that, progress often slows down. But, as long as you are getting questions that are initially difficult for you to click and make sense, you are making progress even if it seems slow.
Good luck! And feel free to reach out if you need help/advice.