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Hey fellow 7sagers : )

I am seeing a lot of posts about people knowing they are not ready for the test but still taking it or realizing by answering their LSAT questions that they do not yet have a good grasp on fundamentals but are still taking the test. So if your average score of past 3-5 correctly timed stimulated practice test is not within plus or minus 5 of your ideal score. This post is for you.

A little background: I was once where you are, not ready for the test, but I was registered. I had already paid the $180 ( or whatever the exorbitant amount they charge us) and quite frankly refused to let my hard earned money go to waste. I mean, $180 is a lot of money! I was determined to at least get "something" out of that money I had already given to LSAC. I reasoned I could get some real time practice about how LSAT really was and somehow that would help me when I was finally able to take the test having studied to my full potential, at a later date of course. But then some "mentors" descended out of nowhere and helped me see where I was going wrong and I hope I can do the same for you and return that favor. So below I have listed five reasons you should not take LSAT this coming Saturday.

Why you should ditch LSAT this weekend :)

#1) Learning from other people who have taken the test before they were ready: It's more effective to learn from other people who have done something similar than to do the same thing and expect different results. When I have asked people who have taken this test before they were ready none of them have yet said to me "That was such an invaluable experience!". On the contrary I mostly hear regrets. I often hear "I wished someone had told me not to take the test. I just wasted my takes. Even though I am now ready, my real lsat score ended up being slightly below what I was scoring on my practice and I wish I had more takes left." You literally just have to ask around to see the regrets in people who took the test before they were ready to know that this idea of using a real take as a practice test is nothing compared to the value of having a few takes left and scoring your ideal score and getting into your dream college. Some people need to take it twice or thrice to just score within their practice range. So please err on the side of caution and give yourself that opportunity.

#2) Don't give your application a weakness it doesn't have yet: When you get down to submitting your applications, which one of us really wants to write about why one of our LSAT score was low?

#3) $180 is actually not a lot of money: Okay It's a lot of money if you think in terms of how most of us have to pinch money so we can work as few hours as possible and study for LSAT as much as we can. But If you take a look at the financial impact a good college can have on our lives, that $180 doesn't seem to be worth it to fuss over.The current lawyer I work for went to T20 law school and can make that much in less than half an hour, and this isn't even big law. So although that $180 seems a lot right now, the opportunities that can come from getting into a top college and having an amazing application which cannot happen without an LSAT score, is worth to lose that $180 now. Lets not throw good money after bad.

#4) That practice we all want to get this Saturday can be achieved in a library with JY's recorded voice as the proctor: is it exactly the same as real time? No. But if you adhere to it and don't cheat yourself, there is not much difference between a real proctored test and JY proctored test. Could bad things happen during the real thing? Yes. But you could prepare yourself for that too by taking it in places where its hard to take the test. The point being you can stimulate real test day, apart from unseen circumstances, pretty accurately. So don't use a real take for practice; use practice test for practice, and real test for when you are really ready.

#5) Maybe I can score a 170 on the real test?!!!!:(/i(/u)> I call this the "I am the Exception" feeling and I think this is actually a big one. Despite the evidence in front of us where our practice scores and our dream scores just do not match, somehow we get convinced we might get that 170 or who knows even that 180 if we just take this test. I think this happens because all us are actually very good students, who get mostly A's, or know we are smart because even when we didn't work hard we still managed to get that high grade. We have by now mastered the art of cramming the day before the test; surely if in college studying the night before could get me A+, I can study this week before the test and beat everybody just like I used to. While it might have worked in college, I am here to tell you sadly LSAT is different. Unlike cramming, LSAT requires us to develop good and efficient habits. It's not something we score on the test day, but something we have already scored in our practice test.

*So unless you actually attended Hogwarts and know some spells to ace this LSAT in a different way, I recommend using your practice test as a guide to know when you are ready. After all, is PT 80 going to be so different from PT 75-79 that your score will jump tremendously? Probably not. Maybe a little if you are lucky like some ( I have yet to hear a more than 5 point jump), but not by a lot.

#6) Confidence: ( I know I said five reasons but its actually six. Five just made for a better Title of the post ;) ) I know from taking enough PT's that confidence can play a big role into the score I am going to get. The more confident I am, the faster I will end up going through questions and finish everything on time. But the funny thing about confidence is that it has to come from ability. If you are not yet able to answer questions correctly and fast, you are either going to be over confident in which you will answer things incorrectly or you are going to be under confident and stressed, and you will also end up answering things incorrectly. Confidence in LSAT is great when it comes from acquired ability, it doesn't work the other way around and it can definitely hinder you if you are not confident because you know you are not ready.

I know this is not the news most of us want to hear, especially when we are registered to take the test in a few days. But I hope this gives you at least a few points to consider. The rest is up to you of course. Good luck in whatever direction you end up going. Much much love.

I would like to add an inspiring story for people who don't want to wait till the next application cycle to take the test:

I once met a Dentist who told me that he waited three years to get into UC San Francisco, which is the #1 Dental School in United States. During those three years he faced constant doubt from himself because of how hard it was for him to score high on that test and the pressure from his family who thought he was just wasting time. But he didn't budge. And now that he has graduated from the top Dental school and makes a lot of money, no one remembers that time. His family doesn't and he certainly doesn't. He is very happy he made that decision and gave himself the best opportunity he could to succeed and he has succeeded.

I wish only success and the best for all of you. Good luck <3

26

Everyone is nervous about this coming Saturday - right? It's not just me?

I have been studying for at least a year now, and am as prepared as I'll ever be. But I'm still a big pile of nerves going in. Not so much about the exam setting and real test conditions, but for what will actually be on the exam. J.Y. says to stay calm and not panic in the event of an unusual/surprise question, but even if one is to remain calm, you still need to be able to work your way through the question. I can stay calm. But I'm worried about getting "stumped."

Everyone writing the December exam, please share your feelings! I'm so up and down, emotionally, that I can't even sit still. And it's only Tuesday. SOS.

1

Hey All,

I will be taking the June 2017 LSAT. Currently, the materials I have are LSAT trainer + Bibles + PT 70-79 as well. I am currently finishing my masters and so December is super hectic for me. But I will begin studying January, which gives me a little over 5 months of studying. I plan on studying about 3 hours/6 days for 18 hours. I am stuck between 7sage and taking a class (BluePrint- A friend of mine loved the class and went from a 143 to a 167!). I do get test anxiety so being held accountable in a classroom setting is much more suitable for me at least. But I am still doing the Starter pack with 7sage and maybe upgrading to ultimate.

My goal is a 165-170. I took a pt and got a 151 timed. My UG GPA is sort of on the lower end :( (fooling around as an undergrad) it is a 3.5. My masters GPA is a 3.8 and I know they could care less about this grade or at least its not as important as undergrad. My dream school is George Washington U. and Northwestern ! :D So I am very prepared to start studying. Also, if you live in NY, in the city or lower westchester area, I'd love to study in barnes and noble or Starbucks! My plan is June 2017, However, It will come down to my average scores around the test date meaning I am open to taking the September one instead. We'll see.

0

Hey guys, I just have a simple question. Im planning on doing about 7 LR questions and an easy game before the test on Saturday and I was wondering if we should warm up outside at the testing center or at home before we leave the house? Also, if anyone can think of any easy Logic game, i'd appreciate it haha. I want something simple on test day just to get my brain going. (Same for LR.) Thanks!

0

Bring your questions! David, aka Accounts Playable, will be offering office hours this week. David is a wealth of LSAT knowledge, so don't miss the chance to pick his brain!

Office Hours with David

Thu, Dec 1, 2016 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM EST

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

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4

I've just decided to postpone taking the december lsats! I scored a 161 on the september test, after consistently scoring in the high 160s on pts. However while prepering for a retake i broke through the 170s and decided i might as well aim higher!! I'm trying to get my hands on pt c2. Does anyone know where i can find it??

0

Hello, so I'm looking for another recommender now and got a reply from one of the profs I contacted and...

He said he is ill (has serious illness he said) now and just got back from hospital.

(He also retired from teaching.)

He was the 2nd best prof I knew and since the best prof I know may not be available, I really hoped that I could get a letter from him.

I don't know...normally I would not ask or bother him but I may not be able to find another prof...

What should I do?

Can I still ask him to write a letter or should I not bother him?

0

Hey! I'm just trying to get an idea of what information i'll need on test day to fill out the forms properly?

will we get enough time and guidance on this on test day?

I'm sure others are wondering too.

Thanks!

0

In another thread, about Logical Games, which I didn't want to hijack:

@BinghamtonDave This is a set that doesn't allow an ounce of hesitation or misreading.

Because this is a skill that's absolutely required for success in law school.

Right? ... Right?

And to anyone, including the LSAC, who says, "Maybe not specifically, but LSAT scores correlate well with success in law school," my response is that you do not understand the distinction between necessary and sufficient conditions.

And somewhat separately, but still within this discussion's title: it's 2016 and not only are we taking multiple choice exams on paper, we're writing essays in pencil?! Is meekly accepting being treated like a child -- or a criminal -- a criterion for success in law school?

1

I have been getting the same consistent scores for over a month now and have been happy with my score, but I took a PT two days ago (two days in a row) and went down 4 points on both of these days..not sure why? i know for a fact im drained but im not too convinced that this is the reason why my score went down two days in a row exactly -4. what do i do up until the test day? I plan on taking two more practice tests (tomorrow and wednesday) but also nervous to see the same low score I got two days ago? i saw on a few forums that its normal to randomly go lower the last week before the lsat but i also saw on other forums that the last 3 PTs is a good representation of what I would be getting on test day

1

Hey everyone!

I started the core curriculum on Sept. 26th and so far I've only completed about 10 percent of all the curriculum. I'm currently on the Weakening/Causation questions which are giving me a hard time. I'm a junior/senior in undergrad and I'm planning to take the June 2017 exam. However, I feel that I'm moving too slowly because I have to balance out all my other work while putting in 2 to 3 hours 4 to 5 days a week of prep. When I do study, I'm usually doing question problem sets in which I manage to complete only a few because I take a lot of time typing everything up in a word doc while blind reviewing to fully comprehend the problem (which I truly recommend because it really does help with learning). Should I take it slow and keep doing this, or should I just move on to another section and try to finish the core curriculum as my main priority? I have 7 months until the June LSAT, but at this pace it seems as if I'm never going to finish the core curriculum in time to start doing practice tests lol.

I know some of you will tell me to just go at it slowly and take my time and wait until I'm at my target score, even if it means taking a year off after undergrad. I have seriously considered this and it is an actual possibility for me. However, I'm graduating undergrad a bit behind as it is, and delaying law school will only extend my years of schooling into my late twenties which I truly would not like to do (I just want to work!!). What do you guys think?

0

hello all ,

I've sort of resigned myself to the fact that i probably wont hit my goal score of 158-60 on test day but its to late to postpone.. I'm registered for feb but I'm feeling a little cynical about December. I've already applied to a few schools so I'm sort of locked in.

what would all of you recommend for someone whose scoring 10/23 on LG? a mixed bag of timed games?

most of the time my achilles is simply my nerves. i get paralyzed when i see a hard game and all the fundamentals seem to slip away.

thanks

0

I am not looking for any scholly money...my priority is to get admission from ANY t14 law schools so that I can start school in Fall 2017. I am taking both December and February exams and I was wondering if I have little chance for those schools with February score even if I have median LSAT and 75% GPA? I am also an international (but have Undergraduate degree from a top US university. I heard it's harder for international applicants to get admitted.

0

Hello All–

I'm working on an addendum to include with a few of my applications about a decent difference (6 points, 10 percentile) in scores between 2 consecutive takes. Any feedback would be appreciated, here's what I have so far:

------------------------------------------------------------

During the June 2016 LSAT administration, I experienced several compounding issues that resulted in a score I feel is unrepresentative of my ability. Due to a large number of test-takers, the check-in, seating, and test material distribution processes took a significant amount of time. There was an approximate two-hour period of time between entering the testing room and commencing the first section of the exam, during this period I was unable to drink water or use the restroom. Although I was able to access my water during the break, I was already experiencing physical symptoms of dehydration that only worsened during the second half of the exam. As my physical condition worsened, my performance on the exam was significantly affected; notably in the final section of the exam, where I missed more questions than the first three scored sections combined.

0

Just finished my first timed practice LSAT after having finished core curriculum. I never did the diagnostic one timed so this really was the first ever long testing, timed, sit down session I had with the LSAT, so throw in some factors of some mid-test stress about time and what to do, whether to skip or not etc. I got a 157, and then got a 166 after blind review (did this all in one day). Realistically, am I going to get better with both scores? Do people learn to navigate the time better and the timed test scores increase? Or am I going to lurk in the general area of what I just got in regards to the timed test? What are your experiences

0

Hi guys,

I am currently in the section of 2nd RC section within the lecture. And just this weekend, I went back to LR again just to take a look, I felt less confident about my ability to handle these questions.

As such, I was wondering how you can do drills about them while in for instance, this week RC and next week LG.

I suppose reading prep book such as the one from Manhattan in the meantime maybe a good idea?

Thoughts?

0

I understand. You're going to take an important test. It's not the most important test though. That one is called the February LSAT.

Just kidding. This is likely the last LSAT you'll ever take.

I'm only trying to remind you that for something this important, there are second chances. That's not true for a lot of other important things in life, so that's something to feel good about.

For most of you, you already know what score you'll get. Take your last three recent properly administered LSAT PrepTests (e.g., 77, 78, 79) and average your scores. You'll get plus or minus 3 points of that average.

There is nothing separating you from that score except the mere passing of a few day's time.

You are as prepared as you can be. You have already seen everything those crafty LSAT writers will throw at you and you've amply demonstrated your ability to respond with craftiness of your own.

Saturday will be just another PT day and the December 2016 LSAT will be just another PT. PrepTest 80, in fact, when the LSAC releases it a month from now. And how different could that be from PT 79 and PT 78 and PT 77 and on and on and on.

You are ready.

Even for those few insanely difficult curve breaker questions. Every LSAT has them. Every student who has ever taken the LSAT before you has encountered them. You have encountered them on your PTs and you will encounter them again on Saturday. Do what you've always done: skip. Keep moving.

Good luck!

If you happen to be in NYC, come grab a drink and something to eat on us:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/7sage-post-december-lsat-celebration-tickets-29407211762

13

The December 2016 LSAT is gonna be https://media.giphy.com/media/YmiL1QKb89fPi/giphy.gif

Despite that jawesomeness, there's always a little anxiety before test day. And it's okay to be a little nervous, but it really isn't warranted. If it's test day, that means all the work is already done. At this point, you're not starting the LSAT, you're finishing it. The LSAT doesn't happen in a test room on test day. The real LSAT happens in the months and sometimes years leading up to test day; it happens in libraries and on desks and breakfast tables, in coffee shops and on trains, and in the curriculum and drills and PTs and BRs and seemingly endless reviews. All of your points have already been earned, and what's left now is simply a formality. We'll all see each other on the other side to try and determine which sections were experimental, but first, let's meet up and see each other off right!

Wednesday, November 30, 7pm EST

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/370060317

You can also dial in using your phone.

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7
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Monday, Nov 28, 2016

16876

Feeling tired

I took the OCT 2015 lsats for the first time and I did absolutely horrible . I only received at most 3 1/2 hrs of sleep and went to do the exam on an empty stomach . Within the second section I just wanted the test to be over with ; I also guessed on a majority of the LG games . I ended up scoring a 139. I started studying again and decided to take in September 2016 . I felt like I was better prepared ; I took a full time Power Score course , studied from 4-7 hrs a day and the whole nine yards . I made sure I got a good night rest the day before and ate before taking the test. I ended up scoring a 140. I don't know what else to do , I really need assistance smh .

0

Hey,

This might not be appropriate to ask here but...

How to explain to them if you want to take another test/extend the test?

I have already postpone my June, September test actually and I explained to them all of the advice here and I also explained the score remains for 5 yrs and how important the score is etc.

But it seems like I cannot convince them anymore about postpone so I am kind of pushed to take the test.

I told them that if I cannot get the score that I want, I want to work&study for another take, but they said it is impossible.

I understand what they say too and because they are not as young as my friends' parents, I also feel like maybe I should give up if I do not get a decent score on December and support them instead of pursuing my selfish dream.

I am going to take the December test but...if possible I hope I can take 2nd or even 3rd test if the score is not good. In that case how should I explain to them? Saying nothing is actually not an option because we share our stories basically.

I feel really bad since they have supported me a lot so far...and not sure what to do now.

The best is to get a decent score on December test, but from my PT scores...especially the one on PT79, I'm not sure...

What would do/say?

Sorry for the unorganized sentences...appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks

0

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