Is It Worthy to Take a Semester off for the LSAT?

Comments

• jknauf Alum Member

  January 2017 edited January 2017 1741 karma

  How come you are in such a rush to take the LSAT? My advise would be to focus on your GPA and worry about the LSAT later.
  
  It sounds like you are pretty deep in your studies though if you are scoring in the 160s? Is that the case?
• danielznelson Alum Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  January 2017 4181 karma

  I wouldn't put off a semester to study. I would study after you graduate, so you can focus on one thing at a time. Assuming you will be graduating in May, you'll effectively have a semester's worth of time to study for the LSAT for the next cycle. If I'm thinking correctly, putting off a semester wouldn't help you apply for any earlier cycle and would at best position for the cycle you probably would've been ready for anyway had you waited to study for the LSAT post-graduation.
• TheMikey Alum Member

  January 2017 4196 karma

  Don't take a semester off. Either manage your time well during the semester and study for the LSAT as well (it's very possible..) or take the LSAT once you graduate and have time to full-time study.
• 1 Like

  Cant Get Right Yearly + Live Member Sage ⭐ 🍌 7Sage Tutor

  January 2017 27899 karma

  Agreed with @jknauf and @danielznelson .
  
  Focus on your GPA for now. The additional major downside of taking a semester off rather than studying after graduation is that it forces you to commit to a timeline and take what you can get, ready or not. After school, you won't have an upcoming semester looming over you, and you'll be able to exercise discretion in when you take the test.
• H.al1997 Member

  January 2017 318 karma

  Good question, and one a lot students think about. I have 8 classes left, and I plan to graduate and apply for law school by December 2017. I decided to take 3 classes this winter, a combined language course in the spring (2 classes), and 3 classes in the fall. I plan to write most likely in September, if not, December. I just started to study for the LSAT this past week.
  
  By spreading my classes out, it allows me to make more time to study for the LSAT.
  
  I feel like taking a semester off may be worse because what I heard from other students who used the spring/summer to study for the LSAT was that they got lazy and or were unmotivated. I think the best thing is to find a balance, even if that means you have to go part-time in study which I was really considering. It might take a lot of trail and error, like I am experiencing now, but I'm hopeful it will come together.
• cam Alum Member

  January 2017 349 karma

  I wouldn't take the semester off. Delay the LSAT a cycle if you need to though. I take classes via distance education, and thought that back loading my term would be a smart move (e.g. classes start Jan 30th for me instead of Jan 6th)...and haven't put in nearly the time that I had expected between burnout and a bit of laziness. Honestly, I haven't even matched the amount of time I put in when I was in 6 credit hours plus working 40-50hrs a week despite having a lot more free time. Being busy forces you to manage time effectively.
• mk940808 Alum Member

  January 2017 209 karma

  Don't! Almost all the T14 law schools ask if you've taken any interruptions in your education and saying that you took a semester off for the LSAT will undoubtedly make you look really bad.