Absolutely love this! Definitely have to always keep fighting, which the LSAT makes really hard to do at times. Congrats and best of luck in law school :)

Thank you :) It actually is my number one bc of its location and community. I know I want to stay in CA (I grew up in LA and already spent enough time on the east coast after college when I worked in NYC for a few years haha). And I really prioritize community, which I've heard is amazing at Berkeley, especially for students of color. I applied to a bunch of schools for negotiation purposes, but I went into the process knowing that Berkeley was my top choice. I'm super grateful that it all worked out.

I have considered retaking solely for financial aid purposes, but I don't think it's worth the toll it might take on my mental health. I got really depressed while studying and am worried about going through that again. I figure that I'll either do big law to pay off loans or take advantage of Berkeley's LRAP program & public loan forgiveness.

I experienced a four-hour delay at my test center. I ended up leaving during the break because I realized my concentration level wasn’t the same after such a long delay. I reached out to LSAC regarding a make-up test or at least removing the canceled score from my file. They said that because I was exposed to the test, the canceled score would need to stay on record and I would not be able to make it up. They initially also denied my request for a refund over the phone, but I kept pushing and they ended up issuing one.

You only have to complete the writing section once. The option to complete it becomes available after your first time taking the LSAT. At that point, you can take it whenever you want. Just try to do it before you submit apps so there isn't a delay.

I have the same question. I’m also wondering if it’s okay to combine addendums/additional statements in apps that provide the option to upload only one additional document.

It might depend on the school. I've heard some admissions reps say that they don't really bother looking at your old PS, unless you refer to it or something.

I emailed lsaccomplaint@erikareanne495.org the night of the delay asking to be scheduled for the makeup test and they never responded. I called today and they initially just said no because I sat for the test, even though I left during the break and canceled my score. I started to explain that I didn't know that I could get a retake if I would've just left and that it seems unfair that this wasn't transparent and communicated to all test-takers at the testing center, only the ones who had their phones to call. I think she felt bad, so she told me to email my situation to lsacinfo@erikareanne495.org. I did, and they responded within an hour, denying my request for a retake but issuing me a refund. I'll take what I can get, even though this whole situation sucks.

Thank you for this thread. It's really helpful to know how much time people have spent studying so that you can set realistic expectations/know that it really depends on your individual circumstances. As I was planning my study schedule, I kept reading online that 6 months was about enough time to study, or even 3 months if you study full-time, which created a lot of false expectations on my end. It definitely has taken a lot longer, which I wish I would've known to mentally prepare myself and plan accordingly. My answer to that question now is that it's hard to really know how long it will take you and just know that it can take a VERY long time.

I don't think it's necessary to know what kind of law you want to practice. In fact, I've heard admissions officers say that it can actually hurt your application if you claim to be passionate about something but lack relavant experience to support your claim.

I'm in a very similar situation and have the same questions. I don't know if it's better to submit applications in December or retake the LSAT in January and apply afterwards. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you :)

This is very encouraging! Thank you for sharing and congrats :)

Scores are out

@drbrown2259 I like that rule! Thank you for sharing.

@maizinburly527 Yes, very helpful to remember there are some easy freebies that shouldn’t be questioned! Pick it and move on!

I have the same problem. I tend to really overthink the easy questions, making them harder than they are. I’m still working on changing this, but I think what’s helped is taking a step back and remembering that there are easy questions and that those questions have obvious (or at least, more obvious) answers. No need to make it more complicated than it actually is.

@analivaldez480 I have a very similar experience! I worked in NYC after college for 2 years and got really homesick. I moved back home to LA in January and started working part-time in March, but quit in July to study full-time. I was planning to write an addendum explaining that I was studying during the gap period, but I’m worried that the time off/not working will hurt my application. Thoughts?

I think it’s a good idea. One of the admissions reps at Stanford called it a miss opportunity to not do the optional essays (aside from the diversity one, which depends on your circumstance).

It will definitely change. I’ve been to a few admissions panels where deans at top schools made clear that they will definitely be looking at the writing portion now since it will be legible.