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Test Time- 12:30 arrival or 12:30 start time?

clarkermclarkerm Alum Member
in June 2017 LSAT 49 karma

Printed out my ticket for the June LSAT's this morning. On the ticket it says "report no later than 12:30". I thought the exam started at 12:30?

What time are y'all arriving at the test center?

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Comments

  • Mellow_ZMellow_Z Alum Member
    1997 karma

    If the ticket says "report by x", you want to be there by that time for check-in. I'd say half an hour earlier than that just to allow yourself some wiggle room in case you have trouble finding the building or classroom.

  • dantlee14dantlee14 Free Trial Member
    617 karma

    The exam never starts right at that time. It could be anywhere from 30 mins to an hour or more after you arrive, depending on how many people show up at the testing center and how slow your proctors are. I'd arrive about 15 mins early; if you arrive way early, sometimes they'll send you straight to the testing room, and you just have to sit around nervously waiting for a full 60-90 mins with no phone or anything to distract you.

  • Daniel.SieradzkiDaniel.Sieradzki Member Sage ⭐
    edited June 2017 2301 karma

    From experience, I can tell you that the time listed on the ticket is the time that you need to be at the testing center by. The actual test itself may not begin for quite a while after that. Depending on the number of test takers, it can take considerable time to check everyone in, have everyone fill out their information, get everyone seated, explain the rules, and do other things. This is actually why the LSAT instructions say that you should plan to spend most of the day at the test. That is rarely the case, but it is something to keep in mind.

    I agree with @dantlee14 that showing up 15 minutes early is a good idea, especially if you do not know the exact location of the testing center. It is also a good idea because you never know about traffic conditions. However, showing up earlier than that can be a mistake. Some of the other test takers will be very stressed out and it is not always a fun environment to be waiting in. 15 minutes early will ensure you are not late and will also allow you to avoid the anxiety of the other test takers.

  • AlexAlex Alum Member ⭐
    23929 karma

    Yup.... Agreed. Rather sit in the car for an extra 15 not being stressed in traffic!

  • clarkermclarkerm Alum Member
    49 karma

    Thank you all!!

  • imharrisimharris Alum Member
    466 karma

    @morganrclarke when i took the february test i showed up half an hour early. the proctors didn't start checking people in until the time listed on my admissions ticket (8:30a in february) and it took them over 45 minutes to check everyone in. once i was checked in and in my assigned classroom it was another 15 minutes before everyone was settled in and they started reading us the instructions. another 30 minutes for instructions and filling out the front part of the answer sheet. we started the first section of the test at approximately 10a.

    the main problem this raised for me was meeting up with my friends after the test... no phones meant i couldn't reach out to anyone about the late start. i thought i would be done between 12-1p and we'd agreed to meet/celebrate at a nearby bar. when i hadn't arrived by 2p they all assumed i had bombed and ran away!

  • rafaelitorafaelito Alum Member
    edited June 2017 1063 karma

    @"Daniel.Sieradzki" @imharris After they checked everyone in were people allowed to use the restroom? I think it says once you are checked in you can't use the restroom until after section 1 but if that's true, it's rather cruel of them to spend that much time checking everyone in and not let them use the restroom before the exam starts.

  • Daniel.SieradzkiDaniel.Sieradzki Member Sage ⭐
    edited June 2017 2301 karma

    @RafaelBernard That is a really good question. I think we were told to use the bathroom before being checked in. However, this was not really an issue because there were only about 5 people at my testing center. It took like 5 minutes to check everyone in.

    If you are at a major testing center, I could see this being a big issue. That being said they may not want everyone rushing to a single bathroom and waiting in line, which could add even more time to the process. Because the bathroom has to be very close to the testing site, there might only be one bathroom available for use. The campus where I took my test has like 15 bathrooms, but only the one nearest the testing site could be used.

    This is likely why people recommend simulating real test conditions and monitoring your bathroom habits. Ideally, you want everything taken care of before you check in. It might be a gross issue to some, but it is still an important one.

  • imharrisimharris Alum Member
    466 karma

    @RafaelBernard we were not allowed to use the bathroom after we checked in (at least not until after the test started). but the line to check in was very similar to the line at an airport gate. everyone was in a hurry to wait. i didn't get in line to check in till 9a.

    the bathroom issue is real. hydrating the day before can help by eliminating the need to drink a bunch of water the morning of the test.

  • rafaelitorafaelito Alum Member
    1063 karma

    @imharris thanks and damn okay LSAC. so they seem to be strict about not allowing people to go to the bathroom after you check in. I didn't want to believe it.

    yeah... hydrating the day before for sure. Also, I've been adding 30 minutes between my last bathroom break and when I actually start my PT. That has definitely helped in case anyone else is reading this for interest. Extending that to an hour will probably help even more.

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