I started my prep earlier this year with not a lot of hours per week due to school, work and internships. I took a diagnostic in April and got a 151. I've been prepping more this summer and took another diagnostic last week. Which only went up to a 152. My goal is 160-165 and I'm taking it in August. Basically, I have a month, I'm honestly losing hope if it is possible. I'm in between two choices, grind as much as I can before August, or take the September test instead. I'm hoping to have all my applications submitted by Thanksgiving.
If anyone is in the same boat or may have any advice, it'll be greatly appreciated.
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I'm going to echo what SerinJ said and also say that you should try to reframe the August LSAT to "just another PT" in your mind. Sign up for September now/soon if you want to tack that one on because the deadline will hit before the August LSAT or plan on signing up for October.
You don't have control over time but you do control how you respond to the pressure you're under. My guess is that you've had some crappy thoughts that loop into themselves, or at least that's what happens to me when I'm under extreme pressure. This may sound stupid but schedule time for yourself to "feel" that pressure and not try to bury it. It can help you process that stress and accompanying thoughts while also setting a boundary of sorts. If you need to schedule multiple times a week to do that, go ahead and schedule that time but if you just try to bury it, it can consume your thoughts and time.
Tbh this sounds like the timeline is just too stressful. Stress leads to burnout, and tbh for me the LSAT isn’t something to “grind” and I need the time to ponder lol
Hello! Regarding your timeline, if you are 100% committed to completing your applications by Thanksgiving, you still have some great options:
Shift to September (or October): Taking the test in September or even October still allows you to submit your applications well before Thanksgiving. This gives you a solid 2 to 3 months of studying.
Take August AND a later test: If you feel you have made a massive breakthrough by August, you can take one on August, but leave the door open to retake in September or October if you want to try for a few more points.
Ultimately, you ideally want to take the official exam only when your PT scores are consistently hitting your goal range. Rushing the test just to apply a few weeks earlier usually isn't worth it if it means leaving points on the table.
Although some people do say that it didn't take a ton of time to reach their goals, way, way, many more people do spend a ton of time on LSAT to finally reach their goals. LSAT is a test of rewiring how you think, which simply requires a cumulative number of practice hours that you likely just haven't had the luxury to spend yet because of your busy schedule. It often takes a prolonged period of dedicated study to finally achieve a score you are happy with, so don't be too hard on yourself!