December LSAT or February LSAT?

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• 2 Likes

  10000019 Alum Member

  November 2017 3279 karma

  How far off your goal were you?
  How are you currently doing, have you taken a PT recently? What are you sectional scores?
  What schools are you aiming for? Many schools just care about your highest score.

  Personally, I would take the December as well. I'm not trying for HYS, and if I spent the money I'd like the extra experience and taking the chance that I'll get lucky.
• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  November 2017 edited November 2017 23929 karma

  Hi @"Sarah Jane L."

  My advice is to wait and take in February if you're not feeling ready for the December test. BUT -- work on getting your applications completed before then. I'd still submit the applications by Thanksgiving if you can (or at the latest just after the LSAT in those first few weeks of December). I know that it means you'd be submitting applications without knowing your score, but if at that point you're feeling more confident about your score, better to get the apps in before January. The schools will begin processing your application when they receive it, and it will remain incomplete until they receive your score. But at least once they receive the score your application is ready to be forwarded to committee for review. If you wait until after the February to apply, you're delaying the processing of the application by at least a few weeks. Plus it is right after the holiday break - many admissions offices are closed for the week from Christmas to New Year's - so there is always a ton of applications and mail when they return, so the processing time is even longer than it is in November.

  Bottom line: better to apply with your best application in February than with a weaker application in January. The benefit of the higher LSAT score and overall stronger application will outweigh the benefit of an earlier application with a lower LSAT score, at least for the schools that take February test scores. The main issue to note is that many schools do not accept February scores. So make sure to ask the schools if they will take a February score. So absolutely make sure the schools you're interested in accept February scores. If not, you may have to reconsider your timeline.

  Keep your options open for December. You have until the night before to withdraw and yeah, it sucks to lose out on 180 bucks but you don't want to take it if you're not feeling ready. Many people claim that it can make for good practice to sit for the test. And while I agree, I don't know if I'd recommend sitting for it if you're more than a few points from your target score on recent PTs.

  Hope this helps!
• akistotle Member ⭐ 🍌🍌

  November 2017 9382 karma

  @"Alex Divine" said:
  I'd still submit the applications by Thanksgiving if you can (or at the latest just after the LSAT in those first few weeks of December). I know that it means you'd be submitting applications without knowing your score, but if at that point you're feeling more confident about your score, better to get the apps in before January. The schools will begin processing your application when they receive it, and it will remain incomplete until they receive your score. But at least once they receive the score your application is ready to be forwarded to committee for review. If you wait until after the February to apply, you're delaying the processing of the application by at least a few weeks. Plus it is right after the holiday break - many admissions offices are closed for the week from Christmas to New Year's - so there is always a ton of applications and mail when they return, so the processing time is even longer than it is in November.

  @"Sarah Jane L." said she took the September test, so she has a score on her record.

  So I would not recommend that she should apply by Thanksgiving. If she does, the adcom may evaluate her application with her current score, which is very risky.
• 1 Like

  Alex Alum Member ⭐

  November 2017 23929 karma

  @akistotle said:

  @"Alex Divine" said:
  I'd still submit the applications by Thanksgiving if you can (or at the latest just after the LSAT in those first few weeks of December). I know that it means you'd be submitting applications without knowing your score, but if at that point you're feeling more confident about your score, better to get the apps in before January. The schools will begin processing your application when they receive it, and it will remain incomplete until they receive your score. But at least once they receive the score your application is ready to be forwarded to committee for review. If you wait until after the February to apply, you're delaying the processing of the application by at least a few weeks. Plus it is right after the holiday break - many admissions offices are closed for the week from Christmas to New Year's - so there is always a ton of applications and mail when they return, so the processing time is even longer than it is in November.

  @"Sarah Jane L." said she took the September test, so she has a score on her record.

  So I would not recommend that she should apply by Thanksgiving. If she does, the adcom may evaluate her application with her current score, which is very risky.

  Thanks @akistotle!

  I totally glossed over that in my advice. Ignore my advice @ @"Sarah Jane L."and rethink your timeline. You can take in December if you feel ready and retake in Feb (apply in the meantime if you think you did well enough) Or you can see if the schools you're interested in will accept February scores.
• Sarah Jane Alum Member

  November 2017 49 karma

  Hello @10000019,

  I was off by about 13 points of my target. I realized that my problem was not being prepared stamina-wise. I took many practice tests off of the LSAC books, and didn't include an extra section for each PT I took, so by the 5th section, I was toast.

  I haven't taken another PT (planning to this weekend), and have been reviewing thus far. I do fairly well in LG, I get about max 4 wrong in a section. For LR, I was mediocre, but I have been drilling the concepts that I was weak in, and feel more confident in that section. I average about max 10 wrong in that section. RC is my weakest, and I don't know if I can improve on it in time for December, so I've focused mainly on LR and accepted that if I get less wrong on LR, it can help account for my RC.

  Luckily, I have been given fee waivers for my 8/12 schools, but debating on whether to spend the money and take a chance on HYS, SLS, NYU. I appreciate your input! Thank you.
• Sarah Jane Alum Member

  November 2017 edited November 2017 49 karma

  Hi @akistotle and @"Alex Divine",

  Thank you for your guys' input in my situation. It definitely helps put it into perspective. I've heard that turning in applications earlier is better, but I also do not want to risk Adcom considering only my September LSAT score. Based on your suggestions, would it not help if I wrote an addendum indicating that I am retaking in December to accompany my applications (if I were to turn it in next week)?
• akistotle Member ⭐ 🍌🍌

  November 2017 9382 karma

  @"Sarah Jane L." said:
  Hi @akistotle and @"Alex Divine",

  Thank you for your guys' input in my situation. It definitely helps put it into perspective. I've heard that turning in applications earlier is better, but I also do not want to risk Adcom considering only my September LSAT score. Based on your suggestions, would it not help if I wrote an addendum indicating that I am retaking in December to accompany my applications (if I were to turn it in next week)?

  Hmmm. There is a risk that adcom might not read your addendum and evaluate your application based on your score. Writing an addendum might give the adcom a bad impression. The adcom will wait until they see your new score anyways, so I think you should wait.
• Caleb.rohr.church Alum Member

  November 2017 72 karma

  @"Alex Divine" said:
  Hi @"Sarah Jane L."

  My advice is to wait and take in February if you're not feeling ready for the December test. BUT -- work on getting your applications completed before then. I'd still submit the applications by Thanksgiving if you can (or at the latest just after the LSAT in those first few weeks of December). I know that it means you'd be submitting applications without knowing your score, but if at that point you're feeling more confident about your score, better to get the apps in before January. The schools will begin processing your application when they receive it, and it will remain incomplete until they receive your score. But at least once they receive the score your application is ready to be forwarded to committee for review. If you wait until after the February to apply, you're delaying the processing of the application by at least a few weeks. Plus it is right after the holiday break - many admissions offices are closed for the week from Christmas to New Year's - so there is always a ton of applications and mail when they return, so the processing time is even longer than it is in November.

  Bottom line: better to apply with your best application in February than with a weaker application in January. The benefit of the higher LSAT score and overall stronger application will outweigh the benefit of an earlier application with a lower LSAT score, at least for the schools that take February test scores. The main issue to note is that many schools do not accept February scores. So make sure to ask the schools if they will take a February score. So absolutely make sure the schools you're interested in accept February scores. If not, you may have to reconsider your timeline.

  Keep your options open for December. You have until the night before to withdraw and yeah, it sucks to lose out on 180 bucks but you don't want to take it if you're not feeling ready. Many people claim that it can make for good practice to sit for the test. And while I agree, I don't know if I'd recommend sitting for it if you're more than a few points from your target score on recent PTs.

  Hope this helps!

  I am in a similar situation and this advice is tremendous! I am wondering how I submit my application without sending my September score? I looked over the schools I want to apply to and all but 1 very reach school does not accept February LSAT scores. And you know what? I'm fine not applying to that school if it means getting a higher score on the LSAT. I will also keep my options open for December. Getting all my applications submitted and having just to send my LSAT score would be a big amount of stress off of my shoulders. Combined with your helpful answers on other posts. I have made a decision I am happy with. Settling for a lower score even if I'm done with the LSAT by December would feel like wasting the year or so I've been studying for this test. Thanks again!
• Alex Alum Member ⭐

  November 2017 23929 karma

  @"Caleb.rohr.church" said:

  @"Alex Divine" said:
  Hi @"Sarah Jane L."

  My advice is to wait and take in February if you're not feeling ready for the December test. BUT -- work on getting your applications completed before then. I'd still submit the applications by Thanksgiving if you can (or at the latest just after the LSAT in those first few weeks of December). I know that it means you'd be submitting applications without knowing your score, but if at that point you're feeling more confident about your score, better to get the apps in before January. The schools will begin processing your application when they receive it, and it will remain incomplete until they receive your score. But at least once they receive the score your application is ready to be forwarded to committee for review. If you wait until after the February to apply, you're delaying the processing of the application by at least a few weeks. Plus it is right after the holiday break - many admissions offices are closed for the week from Christmas to New Year's - so there is always a ton of applications and mail when they return, so the processing time is even longer than it is in November.

  Bottom line: better to apply with your best application in February than with a weaker application in January. The benefit of the higher LSAT score and overall stronger application will outweigh the benefit of an earlier application with a lower LSAT score, at least for the schools that take February test scores. The main issue to note is that many schools do not accept February scores. So make sure to ask the schools if they will take a February score. So absolutely make sure the schools you're interested in accept February scores. If not, you may have to reconsider your timeline.

  Keep your options open for December. You have until the night before to withdraw and yeah, it sucks to lose out on 180 bucks but you don't want to take it if you're not feeling ready. Many people claim that it can make for good practice to sit for the test. And while I agree, I don't know if I'd recommend sitting for it if you're more than a few points from your target score on recent PTs.

  Hope this helps!

  I am in a similar situation and this advice is tremendous! I am wondering how I submit my application without sending my September score? I looked over the schools I want to apply to and all but 1 very reach school does not accept February LSAT scores. And you know what? I'm fine not applying to that school if it means getting a higher score on the LSAT. I will also keep my options open for December. Getting all my applications submitted and having just to send my LSAT score would be a big amount of stress off of my shoulders. Combined with your helpful answers on other posts. I have made a decision I am happy with. Settling for a lower score even if I'm done with the LSAT by December would feel like wasting the year or so I've been studying for this test. Thanks again!

  Of course! Happy to be of some help. Before I decided to apply to law school, I was considering business school and other grad school options. As a result, I bought and read about 5-6 admissions books on law school. So I learned a great deal from those books and I'm glad I can pass on the knowledge.

  You can't actually submit an app without sending a score already on the record; they will be able to see it. However, you can submit your app and let the admissions office know you are planning on sitting for a retake, and ask them to hold off evaluating your app until your Feb score is in (for the schools that accept Feb scores).

  I think you're making a great decision on doing all you can to get and apply with the best score. I've never heard anyone who regretted taking the time and applying with their best score!

  Good luck