Test Date Ambivalence

8characters

Hey,

It'll be my first time taking the LSAT and I could use some advice. My plan was to take the September 27th test, but I'm having some doubts. The factors influencing my decision are:

Pros (for September Test):
1. Right now I've taken off work and have a minimal class load, all conducive to getting some thorough studying done. If I take it any later I'll have to go back to working a bunch of hours a week, and won't have nearly as much or as intensive study time.
2. Getting it out of the way- studying for this thing is a massive time commitment, and as much fun as argumentation and logic can be, being immersed in the LSAT day in and day out for three more months seems daunting at best.
3. I'm averaging a 170-172 consistently on Prep Tests, and while I'd like to score higher than that I'm afraid of the plateau and the burn-out that three more months could bring on.

Cons:
1. I only found 7sage a couple of weeks ago- and while powering through modules and PTs, my score has gone up (I was in the 165s-169s before starting). A lot of JY's comments and the general vibe around the site seems to caution against taking it too soon or going at too fast a pace to cover the curriculum. I'll be done with the modules in a week or so, but I'm concerned moving so fast may be costing me some attention to detail- which I'll need to be in the high 170s.
2. Test and Pre-test stress and jitters- getting closer to the date has got me freaking out. It hasn't changed my scores, and it may just be my response to any test date, not just a relatively close one. Still, I wonder if that's a sign of unpreparedness or just part of the experience.


I'd appreciate any and all advice to help me evaluate the options. Any clarity on the test preparation process/ timeline/ move from the low 170s to the high would be kindly appreciated.


Thanks,

Nova

rasaluja1

Pre test jitters are real, so see how you feel around Friday, after a few days -- you might just currently be anxious. September 5th is the deadline for pushing back the test, so don't make any hasty decisions just yet.

** The worst thing will be taking the test and getting a score that you KNEW could have been better with a little more work. With that being said, it's up to you to decide if you are confident about your 170-172 range (in terms of consistency) and, more importantly, comfortable with that score.

7sage is a great resource. If you feel you need to complete the lessons thoroughly to reach your desired score, then push it back. The work situation you described simply depends on your time-management skills and, well, luck -- will your employer, again, allow you to take extensive time off?

** Personally, I've noticed that if I speed through the Lesson videos at 1.4+ speed the value of what JY is preaching to me decreases -- it goes over my head. SO I advise don't do that, in general, in case you are or were planning on 2.0+ speeding your way through the lessons.

CFC152436

What's your breakdown? Any particular section that you're struggling with? What are your scores on BR? I know most people like to hit the 175+ range on PT's a few times before taking the actual test, especially because there seems to be bit of a under-performance phenomenon when it comes to the real deal.

Anyways, I would take the test when you feel ready (and that would be up to you to decide). If you feel confident heading into September, take it then; if not, push it back until December. 3 months is a long time, but it would be easy enough to coast through a month and a half before picking up the intensity on the home stretch. That should prevent any potential burnout effect.

8characters

The September 5th push-back date is (great) news to me, and I appreciate the range of scores/intensity of study advice.

Thanks, fellow LSATers!