Retake June or September?

mes08

As you can see from the title, I'm having a dilemma and I'd really appreciate any thoughts/advice you might have. I'm retaking the LSAT after having a disappointing score in December. I've decided that after nearly a year of studying for the LSAT, I don't want to get a score less than 168. I feel like I'm capable of it and I've seen a slow but steady improvement since I started studying again in February.

However, because test day scores are +/-3 points, I want to be averaging a 170+ before taking the real thing. Right now, I'm still averaging in the upper 160s and haven't been able to consistently score above a 170. It's mid April and I thought I should see how I do on the next two PTs. If I'm scoring 170+ I thought I should go ahead and register for June; otherwise, continue studying until September.

Are my two most recent PTs sufficient for me to base my decision on and/or should I simply wait until September? What do you guys think?

Nilesh S

The rule of thumb is the average of your last 3 PTs... also...you should probably pose this question a week before the June exam... there is plenty of time from now till then and in my view at least, any decision at this point would be premature...

blah170blah

^^ Word. KNOPE OUT

shine.on.me

I'm in a similar dilemma. I'm dealing with some personal crap in my life right now, suffering a little bit of burnout, I want to score low 170s, and I am debating between a retake in October or December. I hate being patient but I am planning on seeing where I am at in September and make that decision from there. I would recommend the same as @Nilesh S wait to see where you at to make a final decision.

brna0714

Hey! I guess I've already offered my 2 cents during one of our study sessions but I just wanted to add that you absolutely don't have to decide now. I've been debating the same thing and have resolved to put it out of mind completely. I'll focus completely on studying right up until the point when I have to decide. You can take the test when you feel like you can reach your potential, whenever that may be. You've scored a 172 on a PT before, you absolutely can do it and maybe removing the deadline will take some of the pressure off and help you reach that potential. Happy studying!

mes08

@Nilesh Normally I would agree, but I'm living in Turkey and the LSAT isn't offered in June or September. I'm going to have to fly to Munich and I can't afford to wait til a week before to buy the plane tickets or they'd be crazy expensive. But I get your point that it's too early to think about it. I'll probably register sometime in May and then if I don't feel ready, I can always pay the fee and change the test date.

Thanks for the advice guys!

emli1000

Focus mostly on improving your score if a week before the June LSAT you're not reaching your goal then postpone the LSAT until Oct or Dec. No need to rush getting this test out of the way so early if you're still not scoring near your target score.

brna0714

I didn't consider the flight situation. You could decide based on your next few PT scores, maybe you should consider taking some of the newer/newest tests to make sure you're getting an accurate assessment of where you stand.

VegMeg55

@mes08 I'd kill to be in Turkey right now! I stayed for a month last summer and was supposed to go again this year... but then the damn LSAT ruined everything, as per usual. My advice is to wait until you're 100% sure you can get the score you want/need. A few LSAT points could make a big difference in scholarship offerings and I think with the 1 year+ of effort you've put into the test, you owe it to yourself to push for the score you deserve. I think it's very wise to register in May anyway and potentially change the test date if you don't feel comfortable. I've done that before and didn't regret it at all. The October test will still keep you competitive in the admissions process so you won't really lose anything by waiting those extra couple of months, except perhaps for a more worrisome summer in Türkiye Cumhuriyeti. In the end, it's always better to go with your instincts. If you don't feel ready then just postpone it. Good luck!

Nilesh S

Yeah... decide as far down the line as feasible them.

mes08

@brna0714 I think I'm going to continue the same schedule as planned and wait until mid May to decide. I don't think that'll be too late to make a decision in terms of plane ticket prices going up. As for taking the more recent PTs, we're skipping ahead the next few weeks and regardless of whether I take it in June or September, I think it's best to wait until I take the most recent ones. Maybe I'll take one of the most recent ones though

@VegMeg55 I'm pretty sure I'm gonna follow your advice and go ahead and register and change the date if needed. Hopefully you'll get a chance to come to Turkey once the LSAT is done with. As I'm sure you already know, it's a fascinating country!