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Related Discussions
First diagnostic... Should I write in June?
TheAnxious0L
Alum Member
I wrote my first diagnostic today and surprised myself with a 154. Definitely not the score I want on test day, but happy to start in the 60th percentile. I've signed up for the powerscore two month in-person class, and im currently working through the 7sage curriculum. Is it overly ambitious to want to write the test in June? And is there any benefit to writing in June vs September ?
Comments
Ultimately depends on your goal. If your goal is the mid-160s it could be possible to achieve that by June. If your goal is to reach your maximum potential score, it is very unlikely you will be able to do that in two months.
My score jumped 8 points after completing the core curriculum in ~6 weeks. I'm up another 4 points after another month of PTing.
It's been said over and over by the many wise sages here to not test until you truly feel ready. I fully agree with this. So much progress can be made by truly, whole-heartedly, committing yourself to mastery. That will take time.
Two months is almost certainly not enough time to reach your full potential. Sage Nicole Hopkins said in her webinar that you should score above your target score 10 times before taking the real test. To me, that seems entirely reasonable.
As to the question of the benefit of testing in June as compared to September, there are some but I'm not sure they outweigh the performance gains you could achieve. Testing in September instead of June is not going to impact your application cycle. You will still be able to apply in the October sweet spot.
Thank you @AllezAllez21 ! That helps a lot. I spoke with the powerscore instructor today he recommended I write in June because I would "forget" everything by September. But I'm aiming for the 170s, so I'd rather spend more time perfecting what I know than rushing. Thanks for taking the time to respond !
You would "forget" everything by September? The LSAT isn't like an undergrad test where you memorize facts and regurgitate on test day. Frankly I question the credibility of anyone who gave you that kind of advice. You're working to improve your analytic and reasoning skills here, something that you carry over not just through law school but through your working career. As someone who has been through an in-person class before 7sage, I think what you're doing is a complete waste of your time and energy. Stick to one course and see how you progress. I don't know what your goal is but don't expect an easy significant jump in your score in just three months.
I'd like to add the point that if your dream law school has an early admission, it's likely the'll take the September score (I say this because I know the school I'd like to go to takes it). I was dealing with taking the June vs. September test and decided to take the September because I knew Id have more time to prep. However, you know yourself better than anyone else, so if you feel confident in your abilities on the test, I say get this piece of the application taken care of. Good luck studying!
Awesome diagnostic with a lot of potential!
The answer is there is no answer. There's no way to know which is why it's best to take the test when you're consistently scoring at or above your goal!
Good luck
Yeah, I was confused by this too hence why I put it in quotes. I'm doing two courses because I have really bad test anxiety. Powerscore let's me write the test in a group setting, which helps me get use to it for test day. I know it seems redundant, but I bombed the sitting I took two years ago because of my anxiety. I really want to go to Columbia and I want a 170+, so I'll learn this course inside out and use PowerScore to practice taking the test in exam-like conditions.
Thank you! I studied for it two years ago, but haven't looked at an exam since. Bombed it when I wrote it with a 145, which was the lowest I've ever gotten so I'm making the LSAT my life until I love it haha. June or September doesn't make too much of a difference to me and I prefer Sept...the instructors comments yesterday just kinda threw me off.
This is such a helpful metric!
Great diagnostic, @"Idil.Beshir", very exciting! I got a similar score on my first diagnostic, but I'm planning on writing in September---just want to be sure.
Good luck out there!
That is a very big red flag...
Hahaha I came here to say the same thing. I would get a refund immediately if possible; the tutor is obviously incompetent if he truly said this.
Agreed.
Make sure you know which tests they're administering. If they're giving you 30's or 40's then fine, but if they're having you take 70 - 80 or something, you've got to get out of there. They are going to do serious harm by exposing you to the most valuable PT's before you're ready. You can never unsee these once you take them and losing those tests would be absolutely devastating.
Oh no
we're only doing four exams and we started with October 2007. We're doing June 2015, June 2010 and October 2012. Okay maybe I will withdraw. I just know with my study skills, I need a classroom setting. Any other recommendations ?
You can also check at some of your nearby universities' testing centers. Many will host mock LSATs where they'll administer a test just as though it were the real thing, and many of these will be lead by real LSAT proctors. So this is as close a simulation as you can get.
I think, if money might not be too big of an issue with you, maybe you should sign up for the June test and if you are not ready within a couple of weeks before the test I would withdraw. No harm done. But if you are ready, you would be signed up.
I don't think your goal score is too ambitious because I think there is no such thing as taking too long to achieve your goal or the goal to high. Just take it when you feel that your PT score reflect on average what you would like to perform on test day.
Hi!
I agree with the general sentiment here. Don't rush your studies to achieve your target score. You are embarking on a journey. You decide when to get off. But enjoy the ride along the way!
Choose when to take the test not off of an arbitrary date, but off of a score. When are you consistently PTing where you want to score on the real test, THEN you should schedule. Don't schedule and say "I will be PTing at X before this date". It's a recipe for disaster. (I've been there)
I'm a newbie, and will be doing my diagnostic this Saturday. I decided not to sign up for June because I need the maximum results from my studying. September is probably a safer bet for the best results, based on what others have said. I'm considering taking the December or February exams. It depends on how I feel about my progress as those months approach. If my PTs are stellar and I feel extremely confident in my strategy and understanding of what's on the test, then I will go for it. However, I also want to nail my personal statement and I work full time.
While I don't particularly want to be studying forever for this exam, I like the way 7sage gives me access for months, vs. 1500 for two months at other courses. Also, I think longer-term studying with less cramming gives me the best results. Pacing myself will feel relatively stress-free, opposed to chasing down a 2 month deadline.
I plan to do the opposite actually - follow 7Sage first and then if I have issues not being resolved through the course, I may consult a private tutor for a few sessions.
I would wait. You can do better. One thing I've learned is that your really need to put in the hours to let your brain just saturate the information. I wanted the June test too. There is no way (I bought the ultimate package). Now I'm wondering if I'll be able to really take the Sept one. We at least have until Dec. as the last resort. And the higher the score the more tuition can get paid.
If you paid for this site, you owe it to yourself to do your absolute best. You can't apply before September anyway (for most schools I believe).
Don't power through it. This exam determines where you will go, which determines the connections you will make and the jobs you will get offered.
Good luck and hang in there!
I like @Mellow_Z 's suggestion of going off of a goal score. I went in once I was hitting well above my goal. I didn't quite get the score I wanted, but I would not have wanted to sit for the test with any less studying than I did.