Need Help on LSAT and Law School Application Timeline

ordinarypaint988

Hi Everyone!
I have had a pretty rocky road with studying for the LSAT... but I really want to apply this fall for law school. I graduated this May with 2 degrees/3 minors and a lot of work/internship experience (3.76 overall GPA on LSAC, 3.82 cumulative). I took the LSAT in June 2022 with a 147, and cannot for the life of me figure out how to study. I have been battling myself while trying to make a study schedule, whereas I will study for 8 hours at a time and then can't study for a few days afterwards. I do not have a goal score because I don't want to disappoint myself.

Anyhow, my next LSAT test date is September 8th. What do you think of me pushing back another month to October, and using these 3 months to study about 40 hours a week? Is early November too late to apply to school? I'm focusing on all 3 sections, but LR is my worst. My dream is to work in a federal position, and I promise I am intelligent and hard-working. I think the LSAT has really threw my self-confidence and urgency off as I thought I would be better at studying like I was in college. Thank you for your time and reading this, and I sincerely appreciate any and all advice.

LSATwillruinmysummer

Hi! I am not sure where you are located but I believe in Ontario you can apply to law school before you write the lsat. You just indicate on your application that you are writing the lsat and they review your file then. So you could re-write the lsat in October and begin your application in September etc. Some people even re-write in January. I am not 100% sure though as I am applying for the first time in the fall, this is just my understanding.

simonevolman

Early November is definitely not too late to apply. You're better off submitting a stronger application then, rather than a weaker application earlier on. But November is definitely still on the early side and you can work on all of the other parts of your application before you take the LSAT.

In terms of your studying I can definitely relate to feeling tired for days after long study days. I've also been attempting 40 hour weeks and its just not sustainable. The LSAT is an exhausting test. It requires you to practice consistently and to be able to think well. It's not a test you can memorize. There's no use in trying to practice when you're too tired because you won't be retaining the information. Please be more gentle with yourself. It is far better for you to do 2-3 hours a day than for you to do 8 hours and then be unable to study for the next few days. My best PT was on a day where I had given myself 2 days off because my brain felt refreshed. Space out your studying more throughout the week (or even throughout the day). You don't want to burn yourself out. Spending more time studying is not as beneficial as spending less time, but having that time be very focused and engaged. Good luck!!!

jameelyusuf1994

I think your best bet is to get a private tutor. Private tutoring is much better than group classes because a good tutor can focus on your specific strengths and weaknesses. The cost of private tutoring is well worth it too...you're already spending a ton of money on law school after all. Why not invest in a tutor who will help you get into the best law school possible.

You also have to understand that the LSAT is a standardized exam. It took me a long time to realize that the way you study for a standardized test is not the same way you study for your undergrad classes. Undergrad exams are mostly knowledge based--if you pay attention in class, take good notes, and do all the readings, you usually end up doing well in the class. The LSAT is a skills based test; you get better at the LSAT by taking it more and understanding the test. That being said, quality over quantity is very important when studying for the LSAT. A lot of people on here love to aggrandize their LSAT struggles, especially among friends and family. They like to complain about how much time they've put in for the LSAT. This circles back to the point earlier I made about getting a private tutor. You can study for 8+ hours and perpetually score in the 140s or 150s on your test if you are repeating the same types of mistakes over and over. A good tutor should be able to pick up on what types of mistakes you are making.