Need Advice

Ali Berro

So I've been studying for the LSAT for nearly two months now. Only in the past two weeks have I actually done more rigorous work to progress my studying. I've increased 10 points in the last week alone. With this being said, the reason I've studied like this is because I work 2 jobs and take 5 classes, plus extra circular activities at school (I took a week off of school and work, which financially killed me). My current average is 154, but I know if I take at least 4-6 months to dedicate all my focus towards the LSAT, I can score a 165+. So my question is, should I take the LSAT on Saturday and perform average, or take a year off and hopefully perform exceptional. It might sound like an obvious answer, but I just want to get into law school and get this shit over with. I legit no longer care about getting into Tier 1 or Tier 2 schools, I'm too fucking stressed to waste another year of my life because of an exam.

Alex

@"Ali Berro" said:
So I've been studying for the LSAT for nearly two months now. Only in the past two weeks have I actually done more rigorous work to progress my studying. I've increased 10 points in the last week alone. With this being said, the reason I've studied like this is because I work 2 jobs and take 5 classes, plus extra circular activities at school (I took a week off of school and work, which financially killed me). My current average is 154, but I know if I take at least 4-6 months to dedicate all my focus towards the LSAT, I can score a 165+. So my question is, should I take the LSAT on Saturday and perform average, or take a year off and hopefully perform exceptional. It might sound like an obvious answer, but I just want to get into law school and get this shit over with. I legit no longer care about getting into Tier 1 or Tier 2 schools, I'm too fucking stressed to waste another year of my life because of an exam.

Congrats on the 10 point improvement! That's actually a very admirable increase given your busy schedule.

Sounds like you've got too much going on and are pretty burnt out. Not caring anymore what schools you get into is a big problem. Not just because of the importance of said schools, but because it speaks to your mindset too. What score you get, and what school(s) you get into and subsequently attend, will be one of the biggest deciding factors in your future as a lawyer. Don't let the temporary stress force you into making a bad decision that will have permanent effects.

You know you're capable of that 165, so don't let anything get in the way of achieving that score. 2 jobs, 5 classes, and LSAT prep seems like an impossible amount of responsibility to juggle. So your stress is certainly warranted and very understandable. Focus on school and work for now; take a break, and plan to take and apply next cycle.

I understand that delaying and prepping for longer than you planned may feel like a waste, but it isn't at all. Far from it actually! What would be a waste is rushing to take the exam, possibly attending a law school with suboptimal employment opportunity, and graduating in 3 years only to be another unemployed kid with a law degree. The opportunities you'll have with a 165 LSAT will be literally worlds apart from those you'll have available with a 154. Shoot, even if that increase takes 5 years, it's arguably still worth it.

Besides, you've only been studying for a couple of months. Many people prep for 6 months to a year, and in many cases longer in order to hit their potential.

Best of luck, Ali!

Ali Berro

@"Alex Divine"

I appreciate the sincerity in your reply. I agree whole heartedly with your statement; my mindset is diluted. When I actually step back for a moment and take a breather, I realize that taking the year off would be substantial for my future. And yet, a part of me is saying "fuck it, get it over with." Conflicted is an understatement, my friend.

Seeking Perfection

Here is the way of looking at the LSAT which I have always found most motivating.

The decision to go to law school is the decision to take part in a two stage high stakes competition.

The first is admissions. GPA and LSAT score are the most important features of the admissions competition. Of the two, LSAT is more important, and usually by the time you decide to apply to law school the LSAT is the factor you have more influence over. The way you can influence it is through hours and hours of tedious study. Most people put in some time studying like you have and then take the test. They then apply.

Then there is the second stage of the competition, law school itself (especially 1L year exam grades). In law school, nearly everyone is trying as hard as they can since they see that their jobs and ability to pay off hundereds of thousands of dollars in debt depend on doing well. They also usually don't have other obligations like a full time job or non-law school classes at this time. So everyone is fully engaged and on a levelish playing field. But, exams are graded on a bell curve. Only a certain percentage of every class will do well enough to get a desirable employment outcome. At higher ranked schools that percentage is much higher.

So how can we maximize our chances of success in this two tiered fight. We can spend more energy on the first stage. If you study intensively for 6 months, you have an advantage over those who study for 2 months. In law school, you can't do that because everyone has the sam amount of time to prep for finals. You are in a fight to get the job you want. You will face the fight eventually, but you will be a lot more likely to win it if you do more of the fighting right now on the LSAT before the others are fully aware of the stakes. You can use the extra points to either go into more manageable debt by accepting a scholarship or get into a school where you need to do less well in the second stage.