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Advice on Study Timeline

MissLSATMissLSAT Alum Member
edited August 2019 in General 219 karma

Hello 7Sage! Like many of you, my LSAT story has been long and a bit complicated. I won't bore you with the details of my LSAT history, but here are some of the key points to give you context on where I am now:
- I graduated college in 2016, started working full time as a paralegal in a big law firm immediately after, and began my LSAT studies in November 2016. I received a 139 on my diagnostic and bought the 7Sage Ultimate+ package. While working long hours and commuting (driving) several hours a day, I was only able to work my way through the SA & PSA section of the CC by March 2017. I tried restarting the curriculum and my studies twice since then, but with no real success.
- I will be leaving my job this fall to prioritize the LSAT and plan to study full time for a month or two and then transition to a part time job for the remainder of my studying.

I plan to re-start my LSAT studies again starting October 1. When going through the CC, I plan to do half (or more if needed) of the problem sets for each problem type, and leave the other half of the problem sets for drilling. Assuming that my diagnostic is still at a 139 and my goal is 168+, is taking the test in April 2020 with a likely retake in June/July 2020 reasonable? The study timeline/breakdown would be to finish the CC by end of December, foolproof for January, and PT for February/March/April. I'm familiar with the post-CC strategy webinar, and intend on following that structure when I'm at the PT phase. I believe I've read that PTing is ideally a 6 month process, so if you think a June/July first attempt with a likely retake in September is more reasonable, please let me know! Some things motivating me to first take the LSAT in April 2020 are (1) with the renewed limit on LSAT takes, the April test would count in a different testing cycle and wouldn't count toward my 3 takes in a single testing year (so theoretically I could retake three additional times after that in the fall), and (2) I would like to ideally be done with the LSAT before returning to my job mid/end next summer.

Thank you in advance for the advice! I'm really excited to finally do this properly and to work with you all over the next several months! :)

*edited for length

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Comments

  • MissLSATMissLSAT Alum Member
    219 karma

    Bumping this in case anyone has advice :smile: thank you in advance for your help!

  • LogicGamesApprenticeLogicGamesApprentice Member
    11 karma

    Also interested in what people think --I had no idea the testing limits had been renewed. Don't schools still consider the total amount of times you have taken the LSAT still? For example if you have taken it three times, the fourth time wouldn't have as much influence, despite being in a different year?

  • MissLSATMissLSAT Alum Member
    219 karma

    @5hundredonblack The new testing limits can be found at the following link under "How many times may I take the LSAT?" - https://www.lsac.org/lsat/taking-lsat/lsat-faqs

    Here's the summary:

    "Starting with the September 2019 test administration, test takers will be permitted to take the LSAT:

    • Three times in a single testing year (the testing year goes from June 1 to May 31).
    • Five times within the current and five past testing years (the period in which LSAC reports scores to law schools).
    • A total of seven times over a lifetime.
    • This policy is forward-looking, not retroactive. Tests taken prior to September 2019 will not count against these numerical limits."

    My understanding from listening to various consultants and tracking the last two admissions cycles is that yes, schools will see all of your scores, but they only care about your highest score (for purposes of USNWR reporting) and taking it four vs. three times won't put you at a disadvantage. I'd like to give myself the chance to take it as many times as needed (only if it makes sense of course given where my PTs would be at), which is why I brought up the potential April first take (since it falls within the June 1 to May 31 2020 testing year).

    Let me know if that helps!

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