Taking August LSAT and planning to take september

Angelina25

I have been studying on and off for the LSAT since January but have really started studying in May. I am registered for the August LSAT but I want to cancel since I am not close to my goal score. My BR is closer to my goal but I struggle a lot with timing.

However, I didn't know if it would be beneficial to take the test to get a feel for what its like to be in the testing center. I know you can score preview and cancel. But I'm not sure how admissions officers view cancellations. I plan to take again in September and then October if needed. I am applying this cycle and now I feel like I am behind. Any advice or help?

am.zona.13

I am in almost exactly the same situation. I began studying in January on and off but really began locking in during April and May so that I could take the June exam before Logic Games went away. I was great at LG but ended up changing my strategy during the test which cost me big time. Ironically, I finished the first two games the fastest I've ever completed them, then spent way too much time messing around on the third. This costed me picking up all of the points on the fourth game. My score ended up being about 6 points short of what I wanted which is almost certainly because of the 6 questions that I did not have time to complete.

This experience at a testing center and seeing what the ACTUAL exam environment looks like makes me feel a lot more confident for the upcoming August exam that I am scheduled to take. I signed up for the September one as well as an "insurance" if I was not feeling ready by the time August came around. I think I am going to end up cancelling August because I am really hitting my stride right now and think that by the time September comes, I will be at my peak.

My advice, I feel a lot more confident after seeing what the testing environment looks like and exactly what to expect. Nothing perfectly simulates the real thing besides the real thing itself I would say. As far as cancelling a score versus not, I personally feel comfortable being able to admit that I had a bad test day in my applications, and explaining to any admissions officer that it only made me work harder in the meantime and that my better score that I hope to get on my next exam will be a testimony to my resilience and discipline as a student.

sydneyasheppard

I am in a really similar situation. I am signed up for both August and September but I am not quite at my goal score yet on my PTs. I think I have ultimately decided to follow through with the August test and regardless of my score, take it in September as well. I think psychologically for me, the stakes will feel lower each time. What I mean by that is for the August test, I will know that if I don't meet my goal, that I will have another chance with September. For September, I feel that if I see any improvement from my August score I will be happy. I have lived with myself long enough to know my needs, since I have always been a nervous test-taker. If you think that using August as a trial run will help you in your journey, I think you can easily explain that to admissions if your score falls short of your goal. However, I know some people that would feel even more nervous having a score they were unhappy with follow them into the admission cycle. I don't think you can go wrong with your choice, especially since you said you were willing to take the October test if you needed to. Good luck!