Haha, love this man

This is an awesome post :)

I will also be taking the January test since I don't think I will make a good score on the November test. Most schools are March in their deadline which gives you ample time to have all your materials turned in along with your test before hand. I would study extremely hard for these next 2 months and using more recent Pts and follow the advice of making sure your pts are in perfect simulation of the actual test. A better score will stand out more I believe in January than a low score being used earlier in the enrollment cycle.

I would like to join. How do I go about this?

you could push the test to January and use these next few months to study really hard. January is not too late to take the exam

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Make sure you confirm with each school what the latest LSAT test they accept is, they usually say this in the application instructions. Also check the regular admission deadlines. I think if you're applying really close to the deadline you may be at a disadvantage. SMU deadline is 3/1. A&M is 5/31. Houston is 3/15.

Personally, I think if the deadline is in March, Feb is cutting it a bit close. But if the deadline is in May or later, you'll probably be okay.

You may want to take the November test and see what happens - and then if you're not happy with the score - you can still submit your application and note that you'll be taking a future examination - then they'll put a hold on your application until the new score comes in. This way you'll at least have your apps in relatively early.

This is really helpful, thank you.

You definitely don't need that long to study if you grasp the information quickly and well. I would just do a ton of practice problems for the next few months and BR everything. I only studied for about 1 month, started at 130 and now I'm in the 150's. I have one more month left to study and in that month I know I will be able to hit at least low 160's. So in 2 months of studying I know I will have improved 30 points considering I improved 20 points in just one month.

Thank you for sharing this. I also have ADHD and for the life of me cannot get past a -9, usually end up getting -12 on sections. it is very difficult for me to understand without re-reading over and over again and then I begin to daydream. Definitely time for me to switch it up!

Interested

Thanks!!!

This is awesome! Would you happen to have any tips and pointers like this for the LR sections?

I am in the exact same position as you. I will be taking the Nov test with a score at about 150-153. also URM. You should do ED if you feel confident and content with your score and if you know all your other materials will be as best as you can make them. This is what I am going to do. If I don't feel good about my score I am going to retake in January and know that I can score even higher given the extra 2 months to study. Chances are still pretty high of getting in around January as long as you can bring your score up from the low 150 range, and also considering the school you want to go to. Check out the Law School Predictor on 7sage. It has the stats for all the schools and your chances of getting in.

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Which schools are you applying to?

I'm applying to multiple schools throughout Texas. a few are SMU, A&M, University of Houston, and University of Texas

It seems like you are in a position where you really have to hustle and be a go-getter in receiving letter of recs. If I were you I would take up volunteer work somewhere and be diligent and persistent in making connections with all who oversee. I would find any opportunity to search for people all around who have higher titles and start becoming good friends with them. You have to go out there and find a way to build connections with people of good status so that you can eventually ask for letter of recs. This might take a little while and will probably be difficult, but you have to do what you have to do. Otherwise I would also advise that you do what UCLAplease stated and reach out to old professors explaining your situation and offering to treat them for coffee or to schedule a meeting to address your goals and allow them a chance to get to know you, worst answer you're going to get is a no.

I'm taking the November LSAT knowing that I will most likely have to take it again in January because of life circumstances that didn't allow me to study that much. I'm also applying for Fall 2022. I don't think January will be too late at all. Lots of ppl think that It might be but mostly all schools cut off is in March. So why would our chances be much lower for getting into school when they are accepting through March. As mentioned above, you should probably take it in November like I'm doing, hope for the best, and then know you have January to take it as well if you don't do too well :)

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I had LR-RC-LG-RC

I actually thought the LR was on the tougher side (not impossible, but I struggled a bit more than I'm used to), the first RC was so easy but the second I thought was tough. I'm really really hoping the first RC was the actual one and that the second was the experimental. The LG was fine, nothing crazy.

Good luck to everyone who us about to take it, and to everyone who has- congrats on finishing! :)

I felt the exact same way! the LR was pretty damn difficult for me, and the first RC was easy but I got so stuck on the 2nd RC. Fingers crossed the first RC will be it!!

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Take a step back from studying and take 10 min and listen to this meditation video.

I have taken the LSAT 2 times (2019, 2020) and will be taking it a 3rd time this Saturday. I have been self studying as well. What I can say is the 1st 2 times I took the test I used a book and my 3rd go round I used 7sage. I do not score high on standardized test. However, my journey on studying is a love/hate relationship. I haven't scored high at all and I am saying that to say I am still taking it Saturday because I know I will get in some where this time go around even if its not in the top 100 schools. My GPA, resume, and personal statement will carry most of the weight. A lot of this test is confidence and you have to be accepting to your progress even if it is not what you want it to be. You may also want to consider taking a gap year. I took one and it was the best decision I could have made. Do not beat yourself up. Be persistent, be confident, and do not become overwhelmed. If you do, just listen to the mediation video. It has help my nerves for this upcoming test as well. I wish you the best of luck on your journey and I hope this video helps with some of those nerves.

This is a great mediation. Very helpful to do this meditation everyday leading up to the test and on test day.

It's ok to take it now to get the full experience and test your actual exam ability now, to get a feel of the exam and to allow yourself the opportunity to apply what you know without putting too much pressure on yourself . This can truly help you when you retake in January. You will have gone through the process before and will know exactly what to expect when you retake the test. This is exactly what I am doing. I'm taking the exam Sunday, I am not completely prepared, I know I am retaking in January and I am using this exam this Sunday as part of the learning process and for the experience. It's also ok to just take it in January, do whatever feels right to you and follow your instinct. Whether to do or not to do is not up to anyone else and the decision should confidently be made by you without any regret.

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i'm struggling as well! I don't feel prepared at all for the November, and considering fully going through the 7sage program for January, or just take it in November anyway. I've been studying since May and have had the worst journey, I'm hoping the Jan. will be my last one. Does anyone have advice about taking the test even if you're not ready?

I am in the same position. I will be taking the exam for my first time this sunday and know that I am not fully prepared. I am planning on taking it again in January. Many people say do not take in November and just wait for Jan, but I view it differently. I am taking the November exam to get the experience and applying to the best of my ability what I can apply. There's a chance I can surprise myself and there's nothing wrong with taking the exam more than once. If you want to wait till Jan then follow your gut, but if youre open to testing your mental strength and skills even now just so you can get a real taste of the exam, I think that's great and will help you become more comfortable with the second take of the exam in Jan.

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Powerscore Reading Comp really helped me improve my score from -15 and my best on my recent PTs are -5. It will help you lookout for what it asked often and give you strategies on how to approach the questions and a reading strategy. I still struggle the most with the comparison passages but it helped me improve my RC score fast

How long did it take you to get through the book? Did you also use powerscore book for LR?? I'm really bad at that too so I am wondering if powerscore may be good for both.

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November is a bit short to build a method that works for you, but I usually have been going -4 or less, typically less. I think the thing that helped me most was reading for View, Structure, Argument, and Main Point, rather than trying to actually fully understand what's written or the concepts in front of me. If you look at the RC questions, most of them have to do with the different views, the structure or organization of the passage, arguments that are raised, or the author's main point.

A lot of people struggle because they try to actually understand the entire passage, and sometimes that's possible, but more often it's a time sink and will just confuse people. If you try not to get too in-depth, and focus on reading it a little more abstractly, being able to recognize those things I mentioned, you can answer most questions (and know where to find the answers to questions that ask something specific), than if you read and have no real gameplan. You don't even need to notate much either, just try and get a mental note on where these things are, and practice your first few passages doing this untimed and slowly start timing yourself more. You'll likely find a drastic change.

And if you can't even find those things I mentioned untimed, then that tells you that you need to start from square 1 and build up. The good thing is that RC, as with any other part of the LSAT, is incredibly learnable, and if you don't do as well as you'd like, you can always retake the exam. Do your best, but hopefully this gives you a direction to go in. All the best!

This is very helpful, I will try to approach RC using more of this abstract method for these next few days. Thank you

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How long are you taking on passages vs questions? Are certain passages giving you trouble? Are you assuming to much about the passage and not staying in a MSS/MBT mindset?—80% of the questions have a MSS feel to them, in my opinion. This requires the reader to not make any assumptions about passage. Read it, absorb structure, points, views and evidence. And hit the questions without presuming anything.

I'm taking like 7 to 9 minutes on the paragraph and then another 7 or so minutes on the questions. I'm only able to finish 2 reading comps sometimes 3 during timed. I don't make any assumptions as I read the paragraph, but once i get to the questions I have trouble with all the most strongly supported.

I can relate. Perhaps we may be more intensely and emotionally influenced than some others. Normal or not, those emotional extremes can hinder us from keeping a strong stable mindset and mental state. I personally know that I have a weakness with my intense emotional states and so I have to constantly work at recognizing when I get into that dark toxic place. I have to remind myself that I need to work at being mentally stronger and realize that I truly don't have to sink into such a low place when I get so many answers wrong. I have to remind myself that if I just keep pushing, no matter how many I get wrong, I will eventually get it. And if I don't get it, then I must be proud of myself for trying the absolute best I could. We have to learn to control our emotions and try to think more rationally. It will truly make a difference.

Do whatever you feel you are most comfortable and confident with. Time is never truly wasted especially if it's for something you really want. If you know you can work hard and make mid 170's in a year, then wait a year. A year could make a huge difference. Otherwise, you are taking a gamble regardless because you will not truly know whether you will be able to get into Harvard or not with your GPA. If I were you I would shoot for my dream, even if that dream didn't come true I would be proud that I tried and gave it my all. I think either way, you won't go wrong. You may end up not getting into Harvard, you may. Just prepare for that and be okay with the outcome as long as you did your best.

I will get a 160 or more on my November exam. No doubt about it, and once I do I will look back and tell my old self, see I knew you could do it =)

I am in similar situation. I am currently at 150 and need to increase to 160 in 2 weeks. I am also focusing on logic games since they are easiest to learn while including a little bit of time each day left over to LR and RC