Hey everyone,
I'm in quite a pickle. I have only two LSAT attempts remaining. I scored a 166 on both the September and October LSATs, but I recently scored a 175 on PT 157 after consistently scoring in the high 160s throughout the summer. Unfortunately, I believe test-day anxiety negatively affected my performance on both official attempts.
My biggest weakness continues to be Reading Comprehension. My goal is to score in the 170s and attend a T-14 law school.
Given that this is my first PT score above 170, would you recommend taking the November LSAT and using one of my last two attempts, or postponing until January to improve my consistency in RC and applying next cycle?
I'd really appreciate any advice, especially from anyone who has faced a similar situation.
8 comments
Hi there! Since you got that 175 on a PT (congrats by the way, that is great!) it might be worth it to wait until January and postpone applying until next cycle. As long as you've got a job or other meaningful pursuit to do in the next year to put on your resume, there's nothing wrong with delaying a cycle! And given that you know you're now capable of a higher score, it seems like it would be worth it to wait. You don't want to use one of your last attempts in November, when you might not have time to adequately prepare, if you're just as willing to wait a cycle.
See if you can keep this PT score up as you continue to study, and work on your RC consistency as you mentioned! This is a decision that is totally up to you, in the end. If you have a score you're perfectly happy with now and schools in your target range that you'd be super excited about attending, maybe this year is the year. But if you feel like you can get this PT to translate to test day, and know that you'll need until January to do so, then there's nothing wrong with postponing a year to do the best you can. Trust your gut, and either way, best of luck!
@Josephine Hi Josephine, I'm in a similar boat as OP. Do you feel January might be too late for some schools and for scholarships? Is it possible to apply earlier but with a score hold?
@ryumi that is a great question! It really depends on what schools you're looking at, since some may be more sensitive to application timing than others. If you are able, I would check in with an admissions consultant and maybe make a post in the admissions section of this forum (if you haven't already).
From what I know (and take this with a gain of salt, because I'm not an admissions officer nor consultant), applying later in the cycle does potentially impact your ability to be admitted and get scholarships. At schools that give scholarships along with your admission letter, you might be losing out on a little potential money. At schools that decide scholarships later on, though, that might not be as much of a problem. I do know that admissions data suggests that you're in a much better place if you apply before winter break/the new year, and that generally applying by Thanksgiving is considered "on time." That may have changed a little this cycle, but it's certainly important to consider that you're potentially putting yourself at a disadvantage by applying in January.
Also, a note: schools will generally not look at your application until a score hold is resolved, as far as I know, so applying now with a score hold wouldn't make a difference vs applying after you have your score. It's all about the timing of when the admissions officer sees your application and decides, and that won't happen until after your score is reported and the score hold is resolved.
Definitely ask an admissions consultant, but as general advice, I believe it's true that applying in January can disadvantage you in admissions. It's not going to put you out of the running entirely, but it might lower your chances at some schools. Hopefully that helps!
I would consult with a doctor about beta blockers and postpone
@Matters i’ve considered this. i also get bad test day anxiety. have you tried it?
@peario Yes. I’ve used propranolol for 2/3 of my official administrations, and it makes a worlds difference
@Matters Do you have recommendations on the dosing and timing? I have also been prescribed some but I don't want to accidentally cause brain fog
I’d suggest taking the January test. You have more time to work on RC and minimizing test anxiety. A higher score typically yields better admission and scholarship outcomes, even if you have to wait a cycle.