Time...help...

Comments

• 4 Likes

  c.janson35 Free Trial Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 2398 karma

  It seems like you're arbitrarily placing a huge time constraint on yourself when you can just delay the test to (at least) December. I would definitely consider that option before you freak out and choose option 1 or 2. When you start studying you'll see for yourself that this is actually a common LSAT flaw!
  
  Assumes, without providing justification, that the only options are 1 and 2 and must therefore choose one or the other.
  
  Give it some thought. Good luck!
• 11 Likes

  Pacifico Alum Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 8021 karma

  Yeah if you're serious about becoming a lawyer then you should take the LSAT seriously and not create unrealistic and untenable scenarios for yourself.
  
  Also, please don't joke about suicide on here or in general. If you're serious and doing it as a cry for a help then please talk to someone either here or in your personal life. If you're joking, that's just not cool dude.
• 2 Likes

  Alejandro Member Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 edited July 2015 2424 karma

  Don't pay attention to people who don't know about the LSAT or law school preparation and tell you otherwise. Even if they are close to you and they really think they know what is best for you, they don't in terms of LSAT prep.
• 1 Like

  ddakjiking Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 2116 karma

  Yes. Why are you giving yourself only two months to study for this test?
  
  
• 1 Like

  CrazyAmbitious Alum Member

  July 2015 edited July 2015 44 karma

  I think it depends on what score your trying to reach... a friend of mine, who is currently in law school , only spent 3 months studying. He scored a 156 using blueprint.. that being said he's not in a big name school nor is it terrible..
  
  Similarly, I started studying towards the end of last month when I signed up for 7sage. I had planned on October yet in seeing how long it was taking me to work through the curriculum, I'm holding off for December. I have a crazy ambition of achieving a score near 170 lol
  
  I was in a similar mind set as you thinking it was either October or nothing lol but just as @Pacifico mentions, if I want to be a lawyer, need to take this test seriously and do it with my full potential rather than half ass it to meet some time restraint ...
  
  I say wait till December. It will do you wonders and will allow you to really let all the lessons sink in and allow you ample time to work through the prep tests which are going to be vital in prepping for the real thing.
  
  I went through the panic dance, don't let it take over lol better to do your best than to half ass the start of your career lol breathe. Study. And everything else will fall into place
• 2 Likes

  blueyayfree Alum Member

  July 2015 164 karma

  Yeah I'd counsel waiting until you're sure you can get a good score, which might imply waiting until next year's cycle to apply. If you're under pressure from other people to get into law school right away (I know a lot of people in this position with respect to grad school generally), you can make some pretty good arguments against such pressure, particularly in the case of law school and the LSAT. Just think of it in terms of ROI. If you invest say another year of your time to studying and defer law school for a year, and are able to get a really good score, you are literally printing future income for yourself in the form of scholarships and (potentially) a high-earning career. On the other hand, if you force yourself to take the test before you're prepared, and aren't able to get into as good a school as you probably can, well you get the picture. I haven't done this analysis, but I doubt there is a realistic case for a discount rate high enough to imply - in purely financial terms - that it's a rational decision to force yourself to apply now and give up those future benefits in order to graduate from law school one year earlier and (I guess? not even sure of the rationale here) receive your post-law school income one year sooner.
  
  The fact that so much weight is put on the LSAT practically begs you to invest heavily in doing well on it.
• 1 Like

  goalis180 Alum Member

  July 2015 edited July 2015 531 karma

  @beyondsudi let me assure you of a few things. First, 2 months is setting yourself up for failure, and that is the truth. Second, I want to let you know that this is the most important test you will be taking in pursuit of a legal career, so don't sell yourself short by giving yourself an unreasonable amount of time. Third, I am an Egyptian American, and English is not my first language, so I was in the same thought process as you. With all that said let me now attempt to make you feel better. When I was putting myself down, and reading everywhere that some people never break a certain barrier in their practice, I kept believing that was gonna be me because I thought I was not smart enough, the language barrier seemed far too great, I would never get better, along with a million other excuses for why I was never gonna do well enough on this test. I told my father I was going to take the test in December, and he said that I was taking time off to enjoy my summer, as he did not understand the work that goes into achieving a high score. Now here is the most important part, are you ready? I literally just threw all that crappy disappointing, unproductive stressful thinking out, and got to work. What I discovered was the language barrier was not that great, the LSAT is absolutely learnable. I scored a 148 on my diagnostic, and after I studied a bit I went back to look at some of the questions I got wrong, at one point I started to laugh because I was just like "how the hell did I get to this answer lollol." Anyways don't fill your head with things that will hinder your success, and DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT.
  
  Just remember this, if it is important to you, you will find a way, if not you will find an excuse.
  
  Just fail forward my friend. Everything is in your hands, and you must trust in yourself even in the most bleak moments. Use every tool you can, ask questions, post discussions, but just remember fail forward.
• Heart Shaped Box Alum Member ⭐

  July 2015 2426 karma

  First of all, let me just say that you guys are awesome. I literally just joined this site less than 24 hours ago and I am overwhelmed with all the responses/encouragements (in spite of some ppl just don't get a joke It warms my heart to see that ppl are just so eager to help. I appreciate all the comments guys.
  
  well, I didn't really "choose" to give myself this little time cuz i didn't really know that 2 months for an exam is considered "not taking it seriously" until when I finally started looking into the application process last week. So yeah, had i known this earlier, i would have postponed my Europe trip and started preparing in May..and I agree with you guys that it's the thought of not being able to enroll by next fall pushes me sigh up for it in this unrealistic fashion. Cuz if you think about it, even next fall it's more than a year from now on, and if we can't get in by then, we are really talking an over-2-years delay here. When you do the math this way, plus the age of being close to 30, yeah, here we are talking right now.
  
  But I understand wonderland is one thing, reality is another. Like the song by the Rolling Stone that sometimes "you just can't always get what you want". Just kinda in the process of forcing myself to accept the reality by being told a straight-up "NO" (in a good way) from ppl who have experiences in this field.
  
  I will study hard between now and exam day and still go take it that day since I've already signed up and paid for it. And I'll still be fighting hardest on the "battlefield" that day (Note: another joke/metaphor here, not a real battlefield so no blood or death of any kind, some ppl you just never know But, on the back of my mind, I will be open and ready to cancel the test after taking it if (which probably will) I don't feel confident about the result afterwards. Just to get a feel of the real exam experience without having a bad score on the record.
  
  Again, thank you so much everyone. Thank you for your comments, concerns, and encouragement. It means a lot. Thank you for making a new bee feel welcomed and included in this challenging yet memorable journey
• Heart Shaped Box Alum Member ⭐

  July 2015 2426 karma

  Btw, how do i change my profile pic without having to go through that Gravatar website? Can I just upload a real pic of myself instead?
• 1 Like

  brna0714 Alum Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 1489 karma

  As far as I know, Gravatar is the only way to change your picture but you can upload a picture of yourself via their website.
• 1 Like

  nye8870 Alum ⭐

  July 2015 1749 karma

  Time .. ha ha. All good things are worth waiting for, so I hear. Go to the Oldies post and you will find many people who truly understand patience. If I could buy a 170 I'd do it, but they are not for sale, just like happiness.
  You're gonna do great, if you put in the time.
  
• Heart Shaped Box Alum Member ⭐

  July 2015 2426 karma

  figured out the profile pic thing! Thanks!
• 1 Like

  jyang72 Alum Member

  July 2015 844 karma

  @beyondsudi, Hi 哥们儿（Bro), I am a Chinese too and I practiced the LSAT for almost a year. LSAT is the most important part in your Law school admission. It either makes or breaks your law school admission. After I practiced LSAT, I realized that this is a great method to prepare you to cope with dense logical thinking and difficult passages which you will absolutely encounter in law school. Give yourself at least half year and make sure you are able to get the score you want. If you are aspired to be a lawyer, then you have to crush this test. Good luck, email me if you need any help.
• 1 Like

  Gia_Henry Alum Member

  July 2015 94 karma

  One of my professors said she studied for a month and got a 169. Some people are just already ready,without much prep. I, on the other hand, have been studying for almost 2 months and am still testing in the low 140s. Everyone is different. I am having to completely change the way I think, and it has been a struggle. I have learned so much from my studies though. I suggest, take a test, under timed conditions, and see where you are. You can take the test in December and still get into law school next fall. Good luck!
• Pacifico Alum Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 8021 karma

  Some people have diagnostics in the 99th percentile, but that is extremely rare and even if you have a 160+ diagnostic on an older test doesn't mean that will translate to success in the 70s. There is no substitute for hard work and dedication.
• 1 Like

  7sagelsatstudent180 Alum Member

  July 2015 932 karma

  I had my biggest jump in score recently... About 4 months after starting intense practice... After 2 months I had a respectable score but now I can probably score in a range that will get me into an elite school and I still have two more months to go... You can still take in October with two months of prep but December wouldn't be bad either
• 1 Like

  7sagelsatstudent180 Alum Member

  July 2015 932 karma

  My goals were modest in the beginning but after seeing what friends and people with similar backgrounds and stats did on tls, I stepped up my expectations and performance in practice... Now it's time to perform
• Heart Shaped Box Alum Member ⭐

  July 2015 2426 karma

  Sounds like December might still be an option?
  
  Just from reading about it here and there, many ppl suggest that the early decision is important for those who know they are not a beast, which I myslef, definitely belong to that group. And they said the real ideal time for early decision is to take the LSAT in june, latest October. That's why when I read that and I'm like, god I'm running out of time. It says that December it's okay, but no longer considers early application. And February is definitely out of question. It's pretty much late for everything.
  
  I'm just quoting what I have read. What is you guys opinion in terms of application process/timing and such?
  
• 1 Like

  c.janson35 Free Trial Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 2398 karma

  @beyondsudi it doesn't matter how early you apply if your application is burdened by a low score. An application with a higher score submitted a couple months later in the cycle will provide you with a better chance of admission and make you more likely to receive some sort of scholarship.
• Pacifico Alum Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 8021 karma

  Early decision with a low score will likely get you dinged completely. And outside of NU and a couple other schools, early decision is by far the worst decision you could make because it takes away your leverage for scholarship negotiation in exchange for only a small boost if any. Schools use ED to grab eager 170+ scorers who can help them bolster/protect their medians.
  
  Furthermore, save yourself the money and heartache and just switch your exam to December (it's cheaper to switch than take both) because you will not be at your best by October.
• Heart Shaped Box Alum Member ⭐

  July 2015 2426 karma

  Agreed. I'll study hard no matter what. Just trying to see if there really are some advantages in terms of time in this process like ppl say (assuming w a decent score) And I'll look into that switch exam day thing as well. Didn't know there is an option for it. Thanks for the tips!
• 1 Like

  emli1000 Alum Member Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 3462 karma

  Please don't do this to yourself. You will avoid so much unnecessary stress by taking the test later in Dec. or in Feb.
• Southb11 Alum Member

  July 2015 3 karma

  I agree with what most have said, just take it in December. Be patient, be kind to yourself.