I have also found myself in the same dilemma having only started studying in late July and was planning on taking the September LSAT. However, I do not feel anywhere ready to take it and know for a fact that taking it in December will certainly result in a much better LSAT score. As the person stated above, ideally I would like to have all my materials in as early as possible as well as score as best as I can. If I were you, I would prioritize getting a better LSAT score and feeling much more confident in your application rather than submitting application materials early and wondering 'what if I had a higher LSAT score'. Like you said, law school is not going anywhere and law school applications have been dropping in recent years (I don't know what this admission cycle is looking like at the moment), so applying in December is highly unlikely to be completely detrimental.

Don't rush into anything. I started studying in mid-July and plan to take the December LSAT. I was originally planning to take the September exam, but I was nowhere near being ready. I went from a 147 on my first exam (after reading the Powerscore bibles) and am now averaging 156 after about 2 months of somewhat intense studying (senior year in college). In short, until you are hitting your target score consistently, I wouldn't recommend sitting in for an official LSAT.

Thank you all for the input!

@ You make a very strong point about keeping the "Why X" essay in your back pocket if ED doesn't work out. I think what I'll do is write a why us essay only for the schools I am most passionate about. From what I've read, these essays can take up a lot of time that I could be using instead to study for my potential Dec. LSAT retake.

@.hopkins UVA. I may opt for UChicago ED instead if my October score is high enough. I am interested in both equally and have strong reasons for attending both. But like the article said, law schools may not care for the essay if I apply ED.

I could not agree more with your two points. Determination and patience really do win out in the end. I started with an even more discouraging 146 after having read the Powerscore Bibles. However, after some persistent studying, I not only managed to get a 161 for the first time in months earlier this week, but I managed to get a 168 earlier today after taking another PT. I was beyond ecstatic.

No doubt, my score's meteoric rise can be attributed to precisely what you describe: determination and patience. I will now be aiming to consistently score in this range, and hopefully reach my new target score of a 170. Baby steps.

Sicsemper that makes a lot of sense. If there is a finite number of set up types and inferences, then that would make recycling games a really useful studying strategy. I was just not sure because so far I have only done a few games. Thanks to all!

Ok thank you! I will definitely apply this advice. However, is becoming more accurate and quicker on recycled games an indicator that I will also improve on new LG's? I feel that, while my timing and accuracy have improved after only having done 16 LG's, that I still get that sort of 'shock' when I see a new problem and have no idea how to set it up initially and thus my timing suffers as a result.

Anyhow, I will certainly recycle LG's for the sake of cementing inference making techniques and for the sake of practice.

Thanks to all for the feedback!

@-1 Thanks for the suggestions! Unfortunately I haven't paid for the lessons on 7Sage (broke college student), but I do have access to all the practice tests so I'll work on those.

@ I started getting acquainted with the foundations of the LSAT between July and August but had no time to study thereafter because of college. I only started doing full on practice tests in December (about 9-10 at this point) and drilled specifically for LGs (using 10 tests) in September and very recently for LR (using 3 tests). I am getting really comfortable with the test at this point and have picked up on many of the patterns that the LSAT constantly exhibits. I no longer fear the test and am able to jump right into it with a confidence I certainly did not have before.

Hopefully I can continue to increase my score!

I used to be in the same boat! It would take me 35 minutes to finish one game. The important thing is to just keep practicing. Look at JY's videos, they really help.

I watch moot court competitions to give me something to tangibly strive for. This has really incentivized me and puts things into perspective; If those law students can stand up there in front of judges/professors and dodge and weave their way through oral arguments, not unlike the LSAT, then I need to do well on the LSAT!

My spidey senses are telling me the 25th.

@ I would suggest buying them all honestly. While the question difficulty does not translate across all of the PTs, the old RCs are still great for getting used to the subject matter and language. They're also a great way to practice developing good habits, techniques and your general approach to the section.

I would also add that the fundamentals do not change across LSAT tests. However, what makes the modern RC sections relatively more difficult is how much more carefully and closely you have to read each passage. That is, while letting structure and the main points guide you is still a valid strategy, you also have to be able to understand the details when particular questions ask about them, and you must understand the role that a word or phrase plays in the structure as a whole. These types of questions are a lot more difficult on the modern RCs in my opinion, yet they still relate to the overall structure and purpose of the passage. With practice, of course, this task becomes a lot less intimidating and you should see yourself improving on RC.

Hey, don't get discouraged. I was in a bit of a slump myself for the first two months. I kept working at it and it is only until recently that everything has really started to click. I've gone from a 146 diagnostic to now constantly hitting the upper 160s with the occasional 170+.

I would recommend that you blind review thoroughly and take as much time as you need. You do not need to time yourself on blind review. Then, what I do after blind reviewing is to check my answers on the Manhattan forums (https://www.manhattanprep.com/lsat/forums/). It's a great way to get explanations from others who have struggled on questions and see different points of reasoning. I know that I learn best from seeing questions explained in writing so this has really helped me a lot. Hope these tips help!

Yeah, I also skip a question if I can't readily discern the flaw in the argument. I find that it helps a lot to simply skip it and come back to it. Often times the question becomes a lot easier the second time around. This means that in the long run you save time by not sinking in precious time during the first go and you increase your chance of getting the question right the next time around simply because your brain may notice things it didn't notice the first time.

I felt that the two LR sections balanced themselves out. One LR section was definitely harder than the other, and RC and LG were fairly representative of the 70s.

I agree. The old RC sections are nowhere near as difficult as today's RC. If anything, the old RC sections are great for getting accustomed to and practicing the type of language and subject matter on the section, but the questions are far more straightforward in my opinion. The answer choices are also relatively more easy to eliminate via process of elimination than today's RC sections. I tend to average around -2/-4 on old RC sections but tend to average -6/-7 on today's RC.

I have recently wondered the same thing and I feel that maybe recycling a section from old PTs is a good way to not only accurately simulate test day with 5 sections, but also to help you review.

Yes! Are you taking the February LSAT?

On the contrary, my name has more to do with me subordinating the LSAT. Haha, I think your making an assumption with no substantive justification Al ;)

And thanks to everyone for the input! justrandom I know how you feel! I'm currently in college and therefore have to balance school and LSAT prep, but I hope to be ready on time. And sults I think that is plenty of time. I wouldn't look too much into your first ever LSAT without prep. It certainly is a completely different animal in terms of what it tests.

As for me, I'll definitely try and zero in on where I'm specifically weak in. I've identified NA and SA questions to be a challenge, especially under timed conditions.