How Does The Monday @ 12:30 (June, and now July) differ from the Saturday @ 8:30 LSAT?

170ORBUST9192170ORBUST9192 Alum Member
in General 65 karma

Hello 7Sagers,

I am taking the February 10th LSAT. It will be my 3rd 8:30am LSAT (but second with an actual score, as I cancelled my score my first go-around September 2016). My next LSAT will be either the June or July one - both of which are administered Monday at 12:30.

How have you all found studying/preparing for that test different from studying/preparing for the "typical" 8:30am test? I can provide more details on what exactly I mean, but I feel like readers will get what I mean.

Comments

  • JerryClarke242JerryClarke242 Alum Member
    602 karma

    If you are a morning person like me, it may be hard to adjust your study schedule and body clock. I find it difficult because I'm so used to taking power naps to re-energize in the afternoon and now I have to experiment with different study times because I've never taken a June test. But if you prefer the afternoom you should be fine.

  • 170ORBUST9192170ORBUST9192 Alum Member
    65 karma

    @JerryClarke242 said:
    If you are a morning person like me, it may be hard to adjust your study schedule and body clock. I find it difficult because I'm so used to taking power naps to re-energize in the afternoon and now I have to experiment with different study times because I've never taken a June test. But if you prefer the afternoom you should be fine.

    Glad it isn't just me over-thinking this. I am a morning person too. What I've been thinking of so far as a way to "re-adjust my body clock" is this:

    Go to bed super late (like 12-2am Saturday morning) then get up around 9:30 Saturday morning, do the same Saturday night and Sunday night, and then for Monday, the test day, getting up at 9:30am after getting 8 hours of sleep, and head to the test center.

    What I am trying to do via this strategy is mirror my "awake hours" prior to the typical 8:30am start time - I typically get up around 5:30am for those, so I should aim to be awake 3 hours before the test time.

    The only downside to adopting this strategy is that Monday mornings will be miserable for me, as I'll only be able to get up at 9:30am on the test day lol.

    But an upside I just thought of that actually is getting me kind of excited for the June/July tests is that I can do some serious studying over the weekends (Friday, Saturday & Sunday night, on-top of during the day Saturday & Sunday), a study habit that could translate well into preparing applications and then ultimately law school.

  • JerryClarke242JerryClarke242 Alum Member
    602 karma

    @170ORBUST9192 said:

    Glad it isn't just me over-thinking this. I am a morning person too. What I've been thinking of so far as a way to "re-adjust my body clock" is this:

    Go to bed super late (like 12-2am Saturday morning) then get up around 9:30 Saturday morning, do the same Saturday night and Sunday night, and then for Monday, the test day, getting up at 9:30am after getting 8 hours of sleep, and head to the test center.

    What I am trying to do via this strategy is mirror my "awake hours" prior to the typical 8:30am start time - I typically get up around 5:30am for those, so I should aim to be awake 3 hours before the test time.

    The only downside to adopting this strategy is that Monday mornings will be miserable for me, as I'll only be able to get up at 9:30am on the test day lol.

    But an upside I just thought of that actually is getting me kind of excited for the June/July tests is that I can do some serious studying over the weekends (Friday, Saturday & Sunday night, on-top of during the day Saturday & Sunday), a study habit that could translate well into preparing applications and then ultimately law school.

    Sounds like an interesting experiment, good luck!!

  • PhDtoLaWPhDtoLaW Alum Member
    59 karma

    I too am really worried about the 12:30 time for the June test. I'm definitely a morning person. It's really difficult for me to do anything mentally demanding after maybe 3 or 4PM. I've actually considered putting my test off to September just because I feel like I'd do substantially better at 8:30 than at 12:30.

    But ... I have four months to prepare. I can probably adjust to a later test time over four months. I hope.

  • xtinextinextinextine Member
    edited February 2018 861 karma

    OMG I didn't even realize that the June test is on a Monday afternoon... I've decided to postpone a cycle so having to take the June test wasn't even a concern until now. Definitely don't like the idea of having to ask off work for the LSAT. :worried:

    I also don't like the idea of extra time in the morning before the test...I feel like that's extra time I'd be doing some hardcore last minute panicking. I've taken the test before, too, so I'm used to sitting at 8:30 for the real thing... But I like what you commented about mimicking the hours before the test! I'll have to do that!

    When I was PTing for the December test, I would take PTs on the weekends around 12pm. It was more convenient for me schedule-wise. I personally didn't have any issues adapting to taking the actual test at 8:30am. Haha maybe because I'm a night owl? It looks like you guys are all morning people. :lol:

    @170ORBUST9192 said:

    Go to bed super late (like 12-2am Saturday morning)

    :sweat_smile: yeah that's my normal bed time

    Good luck next week!

  • 170ORBUST9192170ORBUST9192 Alum Member
    65 karma

    @xtinextine said:
    OMG I didn't even realize that the June test is on a Monday afternoon... I've decided to postpone a cycle so having to take the June test wasn't even a concern until now. Definitely don't like the idea of having to ask off work for the LSAT. :worried:

    I also don't like the idea of extra time in the morning before the test...I feel like that's extra time I'd be doing some hardcore last minute panicking. I've taken the test before, too, so I'm used to sitting at 8:30 for the real thing... But I like what you commented about mimicking the hours before the test! I'll have to do that!

    When I was PTing for the December test, I would take PTs on the weekends around 12pm. It was more convenient for me schedule-wise. I personally didn't have any issues adapting to taking the actual test at 8:30am. Haha maybe because I'm a night owl? It looks like you guys are all morning people. :lol:

    @170ORBUST9192 said:

    Go to bed super late (like 12-2am Saturday morning)

    :sweat_smile: yeah that's my normal bed time

    Good luck next week!

    Thank you for the input. Happy to hear you did not see much of a difference between taking the test at 12-12:30pm and 8:30am.

    I really think it's just neuroticism on my part even giving me the inkling that taking the test at 12:30pm is going to be world's different from taking it at 8:30am (said neuroticism should help me fit in as a lawyer though...)

    Hope to hear other people chime in on strategies for how they re-adjusted themselves for the June Monday afternoon test.

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    My first attempt was june of last year, and I've since taken twice at 8:30, so I can give you a first hand comparison. I didn't notice any fatigue or mental lapses in june, although I was EXHAUSTED when I walked out at 7 (it was a new testing center and took them a while to get started). However when I retook at 8:30 in Sept. and Dec I do think I was more alert and probably a little less fatigued during sections 4 and 5. I can't say definitively that that was due to the time of day, or my greater stamina from extra months of studying and taking tons more PTs.

    I think it's definitely beneficial to adjust your sleep schedule slightly if possible. Taking a 5 hour test after already being up and under stress for 5-6 hours is not ideal. Obviously avoid taking any afternoon naps starting, like tomorrow!

  • tylerdschreur10tylerdschreur10 Alum Member
    1465 karma

    Sidebar, does anyone know why they vary the times? It seems like 8:30 across the board would be better for all parties. Maybe in case of 3rd shift workers who can't get time off and want to go to law school and escape the sweatshop??

  • 170ORBUST9192170ORBUST9192 Alum Member
    65 karma

    @tylerdschreur10 said:
    My first attempt was june of last year, and I've since taken twice at 8:30, so I can give you a first hand comparison. I didn't notice any fatigue or mental lapses in june, although I was EXHAUSTED when I walked out at 7 (it was a new testing center and took them a while to get started). However when I retook at 8:30 in Sept. and Dec I do think I was more alert and probably a little less fatigued during sections 4 and 5. I can't say definitively that that was due to the time of day, or my greater stamina from extra months of studying and taking tons more PTs.

    I think it's definitely beneficial to adjust your sleep schedule slightly if possible. Taking a 5 hour test after already being up and under stress for 5-6 hours is not ideal. Obviously avoid taking any afternoon naps starting, like tomorrow!

    Thank you very much for the informed response.

    Really is one of those things where like, if I just sack up and take 40 PTs, after that experience the time of day I take the test won't matter much.

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