Any benefit to applying in June over October?

MrSamIam

Hey everyone,

Long story short, the plan was to sit the October test. I ended up moving it to December, from which I withdrew. The new plan is to take the June test, and apply for the 2017 cycle.
My question is, is there any benefit to taking the June test over the October test? From what I've gathered, by applying around June, you end up competing with less people, for more seats. I've also read that there isn't much of a difference.
In any case, I don't intend on registering for the LSAT until I am absolutely certain that I am ready.

On a totally unrelated note, do you guys take notes while watching the videos in the curriculum? Just curious. That is currently what I am doing and I am starting to realize that it is slowing me down drastically - can't tell if it's helping or not...

asifie

Hey, I'm in the exact same situation. I'm considering whether taking it in June, and then leaving the possibility of taking it a second time in October, would be more beneficial than going in October then December. If you take it in June, you get 4 months to prep for October vs. roughly 1 month from October to December. There are so many factors to consider from this alone. But I really want a strong first PT score and I know at the very least I would do better by however much if I waited until October for my first go. But delaying until October when you could conceivably take in June will mean applying later in the cycle...

I think you just have to see how you're progressing PT wise to make a decision. But the factor of test centers filling up is also something you have to keep in mind.

lsatings

Yes, in terms of application logistics: you can apply sooner to your schools and you can get the lsat done sooner and have the summer to work on your application materials.

stepharizona

The application window doesn't open up until September, but using June to be one of the first ones in can be good, however many schools don't review the first set until early Nov or late Oct from my understanding. Some schools like UChicago still actually will take a June score for the Fall, as long as you are a top scorer.

Pacifico

You can't apply in June for the following year because apps aren't open yet. The big advantages for June are that you get two good backups in the fall and Dec tests, if you don't need those you'll have a head start and plenty of free time to work on your essays and such, and June is an afternoon exam.

MrSamIam

Sorry guys, what I meant to ask is whether there are any advantages in sitting the June LSAT over the October exam. Thanks for the advice and information.

Petrichor

The June test starts about 4 hours later (close to noon, EST) so you can sleep in. I also felt that the test was easier; but since the scale is harsher I guess that balances things out. If you are in school the June test might give you more time to focus on studying right before the test, but the Oct test gives you the option of studying over summer without school work. June test, on average, have around 2/3 the number of Oct takers, I couldn't get into the location I wanted for Oct but June test was 20 min walk away from my residence and had fewer overall test takers.

MrSamIam

@Petrichor Thank you for the information! Most of those advantages do not apply to me. I graduated last may, so summer-study is irrelevant to me. Strangely enough, I had no trouble registering for my location of choice in October. Then again, the nearest testing center is a 20 minute drive from my home.
I guess at the end of the day, it's all about whether or not you're PTing your target score consistently.

nicole.hopkins

@MrSamIam said:
I guess at the end of the day, it's all about whether or not you're PTing your target score consistently.

Yup!

MrSamIam

@nicole.hopkins Thank's for confirming my "theory," haha. Oh and your BR lesson was great!

J.H. Song

@MrSamIam To your original question on what advantage sitting in June gives you. I'd say applying earlier gives you a very small advantage if everything else is the same. However, if waiting for October would have any positive impact on your test (increase in score, better preparation, confidence), then it is certainly worth waiting. Most schools are not going to first-glance admit border candidates anyways, so applying early hardly gives you an advantage for admissions.

gs556

@MrSamIam said:
My question is, is there any benefit to taking the June test over the October test?

I faced this exact decision. I picked June over October because I felt that the longer I dragged on my study period, the more I risked burn-out. That was a personal decision and you may not have that consideration, but for me, it was the right choice.

MrSamIam

@"J.H. Song" Thanks for the input. That's what I figured as well. At the moment, the plan is to take it in June if I am scoring consistently in Harvard's LSAT range. It's killing me that I have the GPA for YHS, but my LSAT score leaves a lot to be desired.

@gs556 Thank you! Considering that I am in the same boat as you were, June seems like my best bet. Like I mentioned in your Harvard acceptance thread, my top target school is Harvard. I am willing to push myself for another year, but I am practically on the verge of burning out. Either way, I don't intend on sitting the exam until I can consistently score in the 170+ range.