Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Categories
- 32.1K All Categories
- 27.1K LSAT
- 16.5K General
- 5K Logical Reasoning
- 1.3K Reading Comprehension
- 1.7K Logic Games
- 72 Podcasts
- 193 Webinars
- 9 Scholarships
- 193 Test Center Reviews
- 2K Study Groups
- 108 Study Guides/Cheat Sheets
- 2.4K Specific LSAT Dates
- 2 June 2024 LSAT
- 1 April 2024 LSAT
- 11 February 2024 LSAT
- 23 January 2024 LSAT
- 37 November 2023 LSAT
- 41 October 2023 LSAT
- 12 September 2023 LSAT
- 38 August 2023 LSAT
- 27 June 2023 LSAT
- 1 August 2024 LSAT
- 30 Sage Advice
- 4.8K Not LSAT
- 3.9K Law School Admissions
- 11 Law School Explained
- 9 Forum Rules
- 573 Technical Problems
- 280 Off-topic
Comments
Yes
How far away are you? If you are close, then it may be worth taking the test and getting a feel for the real deal. If you are nowhere close, then I would reccommend withdrawing. There is no need to take the test until you are ready.
I'd say yes. However, it's going to be undisclosed in January so just keep that in mind.
Yeah, it's close enough that if you're not scoring consistently where you want to be at this point I'd take January's LSAT administration. That gives you roughly 10 weeks to get closer to your goal so so you can go in confident and kill it. That's my plan anyway
Best of luck
Wouldn't you be applying a little late in the cycle (January)? Isn't it better to apply with a November score and then apply in December (and let your schools know that you're testing again in January?)
I'm scoring in the low 150's and my goal score is 165. I'm just worried applying with the Jan LSAT will be too late in the cycle. I haven't even completed the CC yet.
Thank you for the advice!
The schools I have talked to said they won't even look at my application until I submit the LSAT score I want them to look at.
Can you explain why taking the undisclosed LSAT would put me at a disadvantage?
You won't be able to see the test and review it or try to use it like a prep test and learn from questions you missed
If you are scoring in the low 150s and your goal is the mid-160s, you shouldn't take it in November. You should withdraw. If you do that, the earliest you could apply in this cycle would be February, I'd assume. That would put you at a disadvantage. Were I in your position, I'd withdraw and try to find a full-time job for a year before law school and plan on applying to start in 2020.
I don't have that option.
I’m curious why you don’t think that taking a year off between undergrad and law school is an option. I’m 38, have been teaching at universities for 8 years, and it would be an option for me (to forego another year). What’s the rush?
Yeah I had a feeling this isn't the answer you're looking for, but I agree with @msk12345 and @Louislepauvre. Your best solution is to take a year off to work after school and take the LSAT only when you're ready. You're not even close to your goal score now, so you shouldn't take the LSAT. However, January LSAT is too late for many schools.
You should spend some time on lawschoolnumbers.com and check out people's acceptance rates that applied in February at your desired schools to see how many have been accepted then. For regional schools, which is likely your aim at low 160s, it may be ok. But for more competitive schools, February is generally too late to have good luck both with acceptances and scholarship money. (I applied last year in late January and February, and got a lot of wait lists at what should be target and safety schools.)
Many schools also look favorably on people with work experience prior to law school. It would only help you in the admissions process to have a little more experience under your belt.
This discussion is exactly what I needed today. I am going to stop rushing and trying to force the process. I am enrolled to take the exam in November, too. Still scoring in the low 150's also. Like others, I feel pressured to apply and attend in the fall (2019). Some of the discussion back and forth, is helping to allay some of my worry about possibly not being able to attend this fall. This is a marathon; not a sprint.
If you have to take a gap year, it really really will be ok. As far as the job market, if you can't find what you feel is a good fit, find something just to pay the bills if you need to, and look into volunteering for a nonprofit, a campaign, etc. to make that year as meaningful for you and your resume as you can. It'll feel amazing to come in first thing on the next cycle with the score you want in hand. Heck, maybe something in your gap year will end up making for a killer personal statement. Best of luck!
Don’t worry so much about having relevant work experience (like working in a law firm or having a cool interesting job). I think law schools would see that you’re a year out of school and wouldn’t expect too much. If you’re concerned about that, you could do some volunteer at some cool non profits or tutor underprivileged kids or something. More importantly, you don’t want to apply with a low LSAT score. And how can you get a high LSAT score when you’re still in undergrad? For now, you have to focus on ending college with good grades, graduate, and then figure out the job. Take that year to boost your LSAT in the high 160s and 170s, then apply. My buddy took a year off and waited tables. He didn’t have anything impressive on his resume. And then he got a full scholarship to Brooklyn Law School, currently has a 3.94 GPA, and has one of the most prestigious public interest internships in the country lined up. That’s all to say, don’t rush this. This process is too hard to rush.
Agreed with the others above! You don’t need to have some impressive thing on your resume. If you work for a year as a barista and take your spare time to raise the LSAT, you’d be in so much better shape than trying to rush. I know it might feel disappointing or something for it not to work out to go straight into law school, but that year “off” could end up being so valuable. You can use the time to boost your LSAT enough to get in a higher ranked school or just get more scholarship money. A year off that gets you a $100k scholarship? What a freakin bargain!