I need your advice 7sage users!

jocelyndelapaz95

So, I took my December 17 LSAT and received a 135. I self-prepped and had anxiety once i took the exam. I decided to join 7sage and prepped through this course until the Feb exam. I felt confident during the exam but time was running out so I had to guess on a few questions. My main question is, is it a bad thing if I take off an academic year to focus on getting a better LSAT score? I graduate with my undergrad degree in May 2018. I just want to make the right decision because I know many schools do not accept June LSAT scores for the fall.

Thanks 7Sagers !

sunflowersandlaw

you can totally take a gap year after you graduate. Is that what you mean? Gap years are definitely normal. I wouldn't take off an academic year / delay a semester for the test, though. I think that's generally frowned upon if the test is the ONLY reason why you're pushing a semester back. Otherwise, gap years are definitely okay!

ElleWoods77

Taking off a gap year is totally normal. I am going on to my third year off after working for two years and I am glad I did it . 4th year was brutal, and I got some good experience at my former job . I think a year off would be beneficial so you can put all your focus on the LSAT. I found studying while working full time wasn’t doable for me so I could not imagine how hard it is to study during your final year.

Kermit750

Taking a gap year is totally fine. If you're taking off an academic year before you graduate just for the LSAT I would strongly suggest against that. There's time for you to study for the LSAT after you graduate, right now your focus should really be your GPA. I graduated last May and I'm taking a gap year and will be applying next cycle.

acsimon

Ditto to the above. I’m surprised that you had the resolve to try the 3-month turn around. Shoot for sept!—A.c.S

FixedDice

Yes. Chances are it will be a quite bad decision.

1. There is no guarantee you will get the score you want even if you study for a whole year.
2. Most respectable law schools will want to see an addendum for a gap year. My hunch is that admission comittee members will not be very happy to see an applicant who took a break from undergraduate education just for the LSAT.

Leah M B

Echoing the others above. If you mean graduating in May and after that, taking a year to study for the LSAT - yes, absolutely that is a fantastic plan. Although I don't know what your plans would be for work, but I would recommend at the very least working part time during that year, if not full time.

The average age of incoming law students is 25. Many, many students work for a year or more before going to law school, and many law schools favor students that have work experience. Personally, I am almost 34 years old and probably pushing back a year. That means I would be 35 if I start school in fall of 2019. It's a bit daunting, but people do it all the time.

If you mean delaying any part of your undergraduate education though - no, don't do it! You should just go ahead and finish up your undergrad. There's plenty of time for law school later.

Seeking Perfection

@jocelyndelapaz95 said:
So, I took my December 17 LSAT and received a 135. I self-prepped and had anxiety once i took the exam. I decided to join 7sage and prepped through this course until the Feb exam. I felt confident during the exam but time was running out so I had to guess on a few questions. My main question is, is it a bad thing if I take off an academic year to focus on getting a better LSAT score? I graduate with my undergrad degree in May 2018. I just want to make the right decision because I know many schools do not accept June LSAT scores for the fall.

Thanks 7Sagers !

A gap year after graduating before law school sounds like a great idea. It's fairly common too.

I would recommend getting at least some part time job, but maybe a full time job to go with your studying for the year since you might as well gain work experience and do something to fill the time not spent studying. Additionally, if you can snag a job you don't hate that will take some pressure off to get the score you want within a year and maybe let you save up some money.

studyingandrestudying

@jocelyndelapaz95, A part-time volunteer experience might be another option.

m.c lshopeful

Work isn't as exciting and fun as going to school can be but if you want to go a good school it might be the best option. It kinda depends on the score you get this test. What was your PT average leading up to the test? 150+? If you are still scoring in the 140's, then I'd definitely take certain considerations into account when making a decision. If you haven't even taken enough PT's to know your average or drilled enough then I would examine your study schedule to see how you could make more time. I wouldn't recommend something that is so intense or crammed because it just takes some nights of sleep for this stuff to enter your head. Cramming might just build a backlog that crowds your memory, and then you'll find yourself waking up in the mornings for 2 weeks after the test having learned something new again about the LSAT during your sleep hahaha There is a certain amount of sustained attention you have to give when doing a PT, but you can break up the blind review for your own breaks of time. Also, instead of TV or Youtube, just watch the videos from the core curriculum in the logical reasoning sections... I am still surprised how much you can learn about arguments in written form from playing with letters and arrows!

So, I think you'll either have to wait until your score comes back to have enough information to make a decision or if you have a way to make a pretty good estimate on your score based on recent PT's you might also have enough information to make a decision.

If it's difficult in your area to find a job for only a year or at least one that will offer you the experience you want, there are always opportunities to teach English abroad. I did after I graduated and it was great. There are one year contracts, you will be able to save some money, and you will most likely have a schedule that will allow you adequate time to study the LSAT. You'll probably even meet people from all over the world visiting/living/working there and make some great relationships. I imagine it could only look good for showing you've had some perspective-widening experiences, especially if you are young and right out of university at 22. Just thoughts if you decide to work and don't feel like walking your resume into every crappy place you actually don't wanna work at haha

Ohnoeshalpme

Get your degree first, take a gap year after you graduate, get a part-time job, spend possible free time studying for the LSAT at a nice leisurely pace.

Habeas Porpoise

Definitely graduate first, then take a gap year.

I'm taking a gap-year right now (graduated June 2017), and am volunteering part-time. I interned full-time in the summer while working through the CC, and stopped working just as I took my first post-CC PT in September. I started volunteering in December.

Overall it's been great and allowed me to focus on the test while letting me feel as though I'm not stuck at home studying all-day. I'm fortunate though -- my parents are happy to have me home. If I were still living in my rented space I'd probably be working part-time instead of volunteering.

You just want to make sure you're committed and use your time well, but that goes without saying whether you're working/volunteering or not.