Deciding when to take the LSAT

Comments

• 3 Likes

  ccwilso4-1 Free Trial Member

  May 2014 30 karma

  Hey Miranda,
  
  I have been studying since this time last year, Ive often wanted to give up but reconsidered my motivation which would not allow me to give up. There's alot of things that you need to learn for the LSAT and as crazy as it sounds it may take an extremely long time to fully wrap your mind around everything. If I were you I would get to studying rigorously now and come September, decided if you feel prepared for the October LSAT, if not, thats okay just keep studying and keep deciding a month before the upcoming test dates whether or not you're ready. It may or may not take you a year, but if I were you I would not take the exam until you're fully prepared. I have taken the test a few times, when I wasnt ready and definitely regret doing so.
• 2 Likes

  chrijani7 Alum Member

  May 2014 827 karma

  I (and likely many others) feel your pain. The good news if you are close to your score range then you likely do not need to put off the test for that long and may be able to take it September or December for 2015 admissions. Some people need lots of time, while others may not... it all depends on your habits, studying rituals, and your target score.
  
  That being said, there is another issue in regards to your fear of life getting in your way and discouraging you. To be blunt, if it were that easy to discourage you pursuing your desired career, then you may not want to pursue that bad. Trust me, I have been studying for roughly 5-6 months total, with 3 months last summer and a little over 2 months this summer. I thought I would be ready for the June test, but reality is I am not. I am not looking to get into law school until 2015 anyways, so I postponed the test to September. As much as I hate myself for not being ready, after I reached out the consensus was to not bother writing the test until you are 100%, which you will know from PT performance. That being said, just take your time to get it done right. As soon as you are consistently at or near your target score, look into registering to the next possible test date. If WORSE comes to worse, you can always pay the $100 to rebook with no penalty and give yourself another 3 months.
  
  Hope this helps.
• 1 Like

  turnercm Alum Member ⏰ 🍌

  May 2014 770 karma

  agreed with both above comments! take the test when you're ready. you're ready when you start scoring in your target range on preptests.
  
  i took the test in december and was aiming for june. i'll be taking the september test instead. i started 7sage about two months ago and realized i needed more time to get the concepts down. waiting a year isn't that bad because you've got 4 test dates to get the lsat score you want! that's plenty and now is great time to start!
  
  the key thing is getting started and being consistent. you won't know your target score until you've studied the materials, so rather than wait, just get started now and commit to learning until you get it down. aim for a date, study for that date, and when the date comes around, decide if you need to take it or wait.
  
• 1 Like

  goegoe10 Alum Member

  May 2014 56 karma

  I'm planning to study for about 8-9 months. At first it was 6 months. I started studying in January, and that point I was aiming to take the June test. I changed my mind about a month in. I put in the amount of hours that the study schedule asked for month when I realized it would take too much of a toll on me to continue at that pace.
  
  Studying for 1 year is easier for work and life than studying for a few months (less hours per day). I can say for sure that a 1 year schedule would be significantly more comfortable for me.
  
  Delaying for another year is still an option for me. If by August/September I am not scoring at the level I need, then will delay my application to the next year. Yes, it would be a bit disappointing, but I'm not too worried never taking the test. If something gets in the way of me taking the test next year then I probably didn't want law school that badly.
• mirandajessie2 Alum Member

  May 2014 6 karma

  Thanks for all of your comments! They really helped clear things up. Now I see that delaying when I take the test is not really such a bad thing, considering my target score and my work life and extracurriculars. I think studying for a target date and then deciding if I need to take it or wait is a great strategy that I will use.
• miriruchert Alum Member

  May 2014 edited May 2014 180 karma

  While I really don't love to study as prolonged for the LSAT as many people around me might think (I postponed four times since june 2013) I now strongly believe that it was the best choice every time. I have four kids and found out I had to move, purchase a house the first time I postponed, then I became pregnant (with my fourth) and was too sick/had not studied enough come september. By November I started contractions early and my gut told me not to force the dec test. My son was born dec 16, 2013, one month early. My favorite part about all these life events is that they kept me from taking the test when I had studied ineffectively and was not ready. My goals are lofty and I am immensely grateful for having found 7sage and now finally I am on the right path. I learned that it is paramount for you to be clear on what score you expect of yourself and not to take the test unless you score higher than the target score in your PTs. There will not be a miracle come test day. The one thing I love about this test is its predictability (compared to the countless tests I had to take to graduate from high school in germany---very stressful!) I commend anyone for knowing what they want and then not wavering until they succeed! I am proud to be part of this community.
• cubiasd1-1 Alum Member

  June 2014 7 karma

  I actually started studying for this test about two weeks ago for the September LSAT because I was advised it was the best to go because I would be more focused. I know I am giving it my greatest effort in achieving a high score but seeing everyone's posts about the time they took is giving me some doubt. Do you think it would still be possible to achieve a reasonable score?
• anne2hoang Free Trial Member

  June 2014 edited June 2014 226 karma

  I just started studying. I registered for September LSAT to remind myself to study rigorously. Once I hit my desired score, and can repeat that score, I know I am ready. Worse comes to worse, I can always reschedule to the December LSAT, but that is my plan B.
• cole.w.murdoch Alum Member

  June 2014 228 karma

  Cubiasd1, I think it would be well within the realm of possibility to achieve a high score. I started studying at the same time as you. While I did poorly on the diagnostic(didn't pay attention to my time), I feel vast improvements already and am getting close to perfect on every problem set. I think you need to evaluate how well you are currently completing and absorbing the curriculum. Luckily I have a foundation in logic (philo major) so it seems to be fairly understandable so far. If you start doing the PT's and are not seeing an improvement you may want to consider reviewing the curriculum on the places you are falling short and making a decision from there. Until then, all the best in your studies.
• 3 Likes

  raytranr Alum Member

  June 2014 105 karma

  Definitely take your time - there is no "overnight success" possibility with the LSAT. The first time I took the test (3 years ago?) I prepared for 3 months - and it was not enough - but I acted out of fear because "I had to do it otherwise I would never have time to do it later" and it was "part of my plan" and there was "no other time" - and I didn't do so well. Fast forward to this year, I decided to start preparing for it and have been for about 3 months, and I'm doing A WHOLE LOT BETTER (first time = low 160s now low 170s). This "extra time" meant that I was able to be very productive (travel the world, make money, get a higher score, etc) - and it means a how different caliber of law schools/scholarship potential.
  
  After 3 months of work and an "if not now then when / do it and get it over with / but what about the plan" battle in my head, I postponed to the September test because I have not been consistently hitting my highest score. It's a decision that I don't regret, but sometimes just mope over (and when I sometimes have the "if only I just did well the first time" thoughts) and I refocus by thinking of the following:
  
  - I imagine graduating from law school with a mountain of debt and thinking: man, what I wouldn't do for some way to work intensively for three months to get rid of this debt/get rid of some of this debt (how bad would the "if only I had just studied for those few extra months for those points" feeling be then?)
  
  - I imagine going through three years of law school, unhappy, thinking "I wish I went to X law school instead" and thinking "I would do anything to reshape the course of where things are going" (and then the "if only..." thought)
  
  - Having talked to people going through law school ... if I can't tough out trying to ace the LSAT, how in the world am I going to deal with law school exams? Can't win the marathon if you are winded after a warm-up jog.
  
  - Finally, I remember that I deserve "the very best" and that I need to put in the work and time to invest in myself. You've already been swimming and you are halfway across the ocean; you can stop at an island for a breather and to chart out your next steps - by why on earth would you decide that you've made it and stay on that island? Don't throw away the work you've already put in, and remember you deserve more than "halfway." Think - if I want people to take me serious in law school and after law school, I should at least take myself seriously before law school and do everything I need to do.
  
  Don't give up - and let's be real - having to "re-plan everything" in your schedule is nothing more than a real life logic game, and is WAYYY easier than the LSAT.
  
  Hope this helps!
• 1 Like

  cvanekelenburg Free Trial Member

  June 2014 5 karma

  True and wise words Ray!