September vs December LSAT

learningphile

Hey yall (from Texas),

I am registered for the September LSAT, but I am wondering what yall think about pushing

I am doing 0 LG and -1 to -3 on RC. However, for LR I range from 0/-1 to -5/-6 but usually -3 each section. Therefore, I am ranging from 168 to 174ish. The variance I mostly attribute to time on LR. I get done with my round 1 with only about 2 minutes usually. My blind review is almost always 176-178, and I don't see any major trends as far as missing question types. My thesis is that I have the fundamentals--my variance is due to speed.

However, I have been out of school for four years now, so I work all day and then come home and study. I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s (and I don't see the point of pushing up into my theoretical maximum). BUT I don't want to score in the 160s just because I went too slow on one LR section or had a bad day.

I always hear it is better to apply earlier rather than later for T14 schools because of scholarships. However, would it be better for me to foolproof LR and get a 173ish in December or have a bad day and get a 168ish in December??

Also, tips on improving speed? I am already videoing my LR takes. A friend recommended using an interval timer and doing questions from the question bank at a level 1 difficulty in under 40 seconds, level 2 50 seconds, level 3 65 seconds, level 4/5: 80 seconds but then forcing myself to skip if I take longer than the limit to train myself to take the appropriate amount of time on each question difficulty type. Thoughts?

username

I have the same problem. I'm thinking September and then auto retaking in December, basically. Too worried I'll have a bad day or get sick on the December test and be stuck without recourse.

Alex

@learningphile said:
Hey yall (from Texas),

I am registered for the September LSAT, but I am wondering what yall think about pushing

I am doing 0 LG and -1 to -3 on RC. However, for LR I range from 0/-1 to -5/-6 but usually -3 each section. Therefore, I am ranging from 168 to 174ish. The variance I mostly attribute to time on LR. I get done with my round 1 with only about 2 minutes usually. My blind review is almost always 176-178, and I don't see any major trends as far as missing question types. My thesis is that I have the fundamentals--my variance is due to speed.

However, I have been out of school for four years now, so I work all day and then come home and study. I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s (and I don't see the point of pushing up into my theoretical maximum). BUT I don't want to score in the 160s just because I went too slow on one LR section or had a bad day.

I always hear it is better to apply earlier rather than later for T14 schools because of scholarships. However, would it be better for me to foolproof LR and get a 173ish in December or have a bad day and get a 168ish in December??

Also, tips on improving speed? I am already videoing my LR takes. A friend recommended using an interval timer and doing questions from the question bank at a level 1 difficulty in under 40 seconds, level 2 50 seconds, level 3 65 seconds, level 4/5: 80 seconds but then forcing myself to skip if I take longer than the limit to train myself to take the appropriate amount of time on each question difficulty type. Thoughts?

This told me all I need to know: "I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s"

You will absolutely, 110%, be better off applying with a 170+ in December rather than a 168 in September.

I've gotten quite good with LR by drilling the hardest questions or the questions that were giving me trouble and re-doing timed sections. I know if I miss questions on retakes that I definitely have some underlying weaknesses causing it. I then study them during BR for as long as I need to fully understand them. If your problem isn't with one questions type, then I don't think your time is best spent doing question type drilling, not at least until you uncover a pattern.

tringo335

@"Alex Divine" said:

This told me all I need to know: "I don't feel like I have the time necessary to get more time on LR sections before the September test to get more consistency on each LR section. I am most concerned about the range I am seeing. I know I am fully capable of mid 170s"

You will absolutely, 110%, be better off applying with a 170+ in December rather than a 168 in September.

I've gotten quite good with LR by drilling the hardest questions or the questions that were giving me trouble and re-doing timed sections. I know if I miss questions on retakes that I definitely have some underlying weaknesses causing it. I then study them during BR for as long as I need to fully understand them. If your problem isn't with one questions type, then I don't think your time is best spent doing question type drilling, not at least until you uncover a pattern.

I agree completely with this. With a 170 I don't think applying in December will be a detriment to you. I've read that 'early' is Halloween; 'on time' is Christmas and 'late-ish' is Valentines Day if you want to think in terms of Holidays for the application sphere.

kjsmith914

Same exact boat you are. I'm wondering if I should sit for the test and retake, or withdraw given that I don't feel ready.
How bad does a cancellation really look?

Alex

@kjsmith914 said:
Same exact boat you are. I'm wondering if I should sit for the test and retake, or withdraw given that I don't feel ready.
How bad does a cancellation really look?

I forgot who said this, but one of the prominent admissions consultants said something along the lines of "A cancellation looks better than a bad score but not as good as just one score..."

learningphile

Thanks for the input everyone. I'm leaning towards pushing back now. Gonna do my best up until week of though to make sure. To clarify, a "cancellation" means sitting for the test and cancelling afterward--not simply deciding not to take beforehand, correct?

Alex

@learningphile said:
Thanks for the input everyone. I'm leaning towards pushing back now. Gonna do my best up until week of though to make sure. To clarify, a "cancellation" means sitting for the test and cancelling afterward--not simply deciding not to take beforehand, correct?

Correct. That would be what is commonly referred to as a withdrawing.

kjsmith914

@"Alex Divine" That is really helpful. Thank you. Do you recall where you heard this? Was it a podcast or webinar or something?

Alex

@kjsmith914 said:
@"Alex Divine" That is really helpful. Thank you. Do you recall where you heard this? Was it a podcast or webinar or something?

No problem! I'm fairly certain I read that in a book. I believe it was Ann Levine's admissions book.