Is this doable?

AChris1210

I just made the decision to take the Feb LSAT and apply to the University of Nebraska (I live locally and don't want to move, plus tuition is $15,000/year.)

My diagnostic score was 145. UNL's median LSAT score is 158, so I'm shooting for anything above that. Is this doable in a month? I'm not working so I can study as much as I need to.

Thanks.

Wind-Up Bird

Have you gone through the full curriculum? I'll be honest... While 158 is a fairly modest goal, I wouldn't throw away a perfectly good attempt with only a month to study and a diagnostic score so far below your target.

Don't sell yourself short. If you can wait for the next application cycle, you'll be able to work through the core curriculum, finish ~50 practice tests, and potentially score so much scholarship money that you'll be coasting through law school for free.

AChris1210

Thanks. My hesitation to wait another year comes from the fact that I'm 41, so I'm already feeling like I'm too old

AChris1210

I've been through about 20% of the curriculum so far.

Sprinkles

@"Wind-Up Bird" said:
While 158 is a fairly modest goal, I wouldn't throw away a perfectly good attempt with only a month to study and a diagnostic score so far below your target.

Don't sell yourself short. If you can wait for the next application cycle, you'll be able to work through the core curriculum, finish ~50 practice tests, and potentially score so much scholarship money that you'll be coasting through law school for free.

Pretty much.

Q.E.D

Hey @AChris1210. @"Wind-Up Bird" makes a good point. Getting a bad score and having to retake anyway is gonna sting. Just picture waking up and signing into LSAC.org to see that turd after you've been biting your nails for a month in anticipation. You're not that old. Assuming you don't have potentially debilitating health probs (e.g. RA) cramping your productive lifespan, why rush?

sarahmelton6

I think the process of preparing for law school is important. If you give yourself more time to prepare, you will have developed some good study habits, gotten great advice from others and just generally be better prepared. I was hoping to begin law school at the age of 35 but will probably enter when I'm 37. I understand not wanting to wait too long. You can always register for the February LSAT and cancel it the night before if you decide against taking it. Do you have the rest of your application ready?

combsni

In May, my diagnostic was a 147 and I just scored a 170. It's possible!

apublicdisplay

That is doable considering you could dedicate the majority of your time to logic games. Aside from being the easiest section to improve, it takes little more than constant repetition to be honest.

Bevs ScooterMinion

My recent experience and quasi-similar situation (my local, law school of choice's median LSAT score is 155, and I cannot move due to hubby's job, and I have a family in public schools) compels me to answer with an emphatic "NO." Studying for one month is a waste of time and anxiety. And 41 is NOT old.

I came to 7Sage on Nov 1 (already registered and PAID for the Dec 2016 sit), when I discovered I was "studying" under another system for 3 months, which turned out to be a COMPLETE waste of time and resources. It was not possible to get all I needed out of the Core Curriculum from my lousy diagnostic of 147 in under 5 weeks.

I was trying to zoom through the CC AND take PTs, which equated to my scores going DOWN from a measly 147. Not good.

Plus, my family (kids) wanted to kill me because I was such a frantic, anxious, moody basket case every minute of this few weeks.

The week of Dec. 2nd, I finally admitted to myself that I was nowhere close to being ready to take it 'once and done,' because the fine mentors here at 7Sage advised me to save my first take for later (even though I was studying and paid for Dec 2016 sit, I had almost already planned on sitting in June 2017 as a backup score).

So, I withdrew my Dec 2016 sit I think 3 or 4 days before I was due to take it, and I'M SO GLAD I AM TAKING LONGER TO STUDY for my first LSAT sit. I've been going through the CC ever since Dec. 2 (after a week's break for the nausea to subside--$200 is no joke to burn--and found peace with my decision), as well as becoming re-motivated to kick the sh*t out of the LSAT come June 2017's sit.

I AM LEARNING SO MUCH MORE taking my time with CC than those few, precious weeks could have ever helped me to realize. I've just started the Sufficient Assumption section (today) and it's quite possibly my new favorite section. Ok, yes, now I'm an LSAT nerd.

I could have saved myself so much aggravation had I decided to admit to myself that I was just not ready in a short time. All I had to do was see what my PT scores were telling me.

I'll still be assembling my application package (with my target LSAT score) beginning after June 2017 LSAT, to enter law school Fall 2018, which is 4 months before my 50th birthday. So, no, 41 is not old. Admittedly, I don't feel old right now at 48. Age is just a number to me any more.

It's hard to wait, no doubt, but trust me when I say: if you are able to take your time with your LSAT study, definitely choose that route.

Either choice you make, the very best of luck to you.

Cant Get Right

It's definitely possible, but "possible" is a really flexible word. For an overwhelming majority, that kind of increase just doesn't happen in a month. The other consideration is that if you're just now starting, you are already racing to get your app in before the deadline.

However, if I'm in your shoes and I've got all 3 takes left in me, I'm actually tempted to go for it. If you're not PTing near your target score by test day, you should definitely withdraw at that point, but for now, I say hit it hard and see what happens. Even if you need to delay when the time comes, you've got a month of intensive studying under your belt to kick start your process. You've got just enough time to finish the curriculum and take a couple PTs. Why not see what happens?

AChris1210

Thank you all!