Hi everyone,
I am taking the LSAT next week (Feb 8th), and am feeling very discouraged and losing a lot of confidence in myself. I'm from Canada and want to apply to a law school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where they accept mid 150s-160s. So my goal for this LSAT is around those scores. I've been planning to take the LSAT since last August (2013), with the intention of taking it in October, and then December, and eventually delaying in until this Feb. I'm in my last semester of undergrad, and I have been struggling with keeping up my GPA and studying for this exam (but who isn't?) I don't want to further delay the exam because the application deadline is the beginning of March, so this is my last chance to take it. I've been studying consistently since the beginning of Jan (having already taking a PowerScore course and 7sages course previous to that), but my scores are not where I want them to be. I haven't gotten above a 150, and took a PT yesterday and scored a 146 (the worst I've ever scored). This is really destroying any confidence I have for the LSAT and am honestly just embarrassed because I have been working really hard at this. I've tried different strategies and approaches to see if my scores would improve, but to no avail. My LSAT is in a week, and it's completely unrealistic to think my scores will improve within a week. So I'm at a stand-still because I have been studying very hard, I've been focused, and following the routine that 7sage recommends (waking up at the same time everyday, exercise, eating healthy, etc). Has anyone else struggled with this? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated! I'm totally panicked.
**Please note - I am ONLY applying to Canadian law schools!
Comments
I also am in severe panic mode
but i already applied and this is my second cycle
so what my strategy is is to do PT every two days and kill it with learning from the explanations the mistakes i made and writing them down in my own explanation to make sure I DONT MAKE those same damn mistakes again and to hope that god will take care of the rest on test day
I def wish I had more time I also pushed the test back three times you are not the only one.
Candice, I had a quick question about the whole 'cancelling your score' thing. What if I'm not sure about my score after I write the LSAT? Is that just the risk people take to avoid having a bad score on their transcript? I really liked your idea of getting out of the 'feb bust'! It's definitely not the end of the word if I have to take it again, so might as well give it a shot!
A couple of things. The advice above about NOT having the "February or bust" mindset is super important. You aren't scoring where you want; if you go into this test thinking "this is my only chance!", you will probably end up really disappointing yourself.
Ask yourself why it is so important that you go to law school this coming fall. Is it because it is your only realistic tips, or is it only because you hate the idea of having to wait?
If you can find a way to re-adjust your mindset to thinking of beginning fall of 2015 as okay, there are some ENORMOUS advantages you will be able to benefit from.
1. More study time -- and an entire summer to study WITHOUT taking classes (this makes an enormous difference if you're truly motivated!)
2. The ability to go into the test without the feeling of "this test or bust!"
3. The best thing -- in my mind -- is actually having the time to get a GREAT score -- and thereby possibly opening up GREAT scholarships. Think of it this way: if you scrape by with a score that can get you in this year, but could have waited just one year and gotten a score that got you in comfortably AND got you a half or better scholarship (and often it's just the difference between a few LSAT points), you could end up "earning" between $40k and $150 (depending on how much your school's tuition is) just for waiting a year! Not to mention the possibility of making yourself eligible for schools you might never have thought yourself capable of getting into.
Bottom line: breathe. Relax. It's not the end of the world. Instead of running into this test at breakneck speed, take a step back, and figure out how to tackle it in such a way that you can be 100% prepared to succeed.
Good luck with everything.
P.S. in today's law school climate, having a retake doesn't really matter; VERY few (if any) schools can afford to "average" your scores; they're looking at your TOP score (the only one they are required to report to USNews).
UHHHH
I am not getting the score I Want but I am gone work tirelessly till feb 8 - this is the second cycle I am trying for! Good luck everyone
and I am always imaging myself in 1 L dammit!
However, the same is true for University of Connecticut, Albany Law School, Quinnipiac Law School and Drexel Law School.
You should call around to your list of schools and ask if they will accept the June LSAT. I was totally shocked when my #1 school said YES and confirmed they pushed back the application deadline.
It wont hurt to ask ) Lots of luck!
I like to imagine myself (and every LSAT student) as the karate kid and weirdly I actually see the LSAT as Mr. Miyagi...or maybe 7sage is Mr. Miyagi...or maybe it's a combination of both. Let's say I only give myself one month to learn karate/Mr. Miyagi. I think one month is enough but all I know is that I hate Mr. Miyagi. Why is he so strict? Why is he so weird? Why does he make me do such weird shit? One month goes by and really I'm still not very good at Karate and I know nothing about Miyagi. I extend it to three months and I learn all about Miyagi's sad past and his outlook of the world. I begin to open up and understand him and why he thinks about certain things. Month four comes around and I realize Miyagi is actually teaching me life lessons and I'm getting down the foundations of karate!
Several more months go by and karate/Mr. Miyagi becomes my life (we're still talking about the LSAT). Mr. Miyagi teaches me the crane move which is super duper hard and I struggle with it but I have time to practice. Come tournament day I walk in to the karate center knowing that if I do well, it's because I EARNED it. I'm not gambling on a good outcome, because of the time and effort I put into it the odds are in my favor. Therefore, I am confident.
So let's say you only give yourself a few months to study, you still haven't learned the LSAT through and through yet (you don't even know that there is a crane move!). I think everyone can get an amazing score if they just give themselves enough time and are motivated.