Shall I Shoot For Oct 2010 or Dec 2010 LSAT Forum

[hasskhan]

Hello People.


I've started studying for LSAT in August and just finished Powerscore LGB chapters on Linear games.

Haven't given a diagnostics yet but I'll be around 150 approximately. I need to know that for 99th percentile, shall I pace up and burn days and nights and give the exam in Oct , or shall I shoot for Dec ?

Can someone please list the pros/cons for giving the exam in Oct and Dec.
I fear that Dec LSAT means that my Law School will start in 2012.


Please Guide - Thanks.

[094320]

..

[kazu]

In my opinion the LSAT isn't something that you can raise by studying 24/7. For me, there was a certain limit of what I could get into my head per day - I think I studied around 4~5 hours a day for most of the week, with a couple days of 2 hours or less and also random entire days off here and there. Whenever I tried to force myself past that amount, I could literally feel my brain burning out and my productivity got really low really fast, sections would take unreasonably long & I would get a lot more questions wrong.

That being said, how much time will you have to study up to the October test, and then up to the December exam? Are there any particular schools that you want to go to? The December test will cause your application to be on the very late side if you intend on applying this cycle, which will mean that you won't be able to get into a lot of schools that would have accepted you in November. However, is there any reason you absolutely cannot delay your application for 1 year? I think most people here will agree with me that a higher LSAT & matriculating 1 year later is much, much preferable to a lower LSAT & going right now.

If I were you I'd register for the Oct LSAT and start studying now. Since you can cancel up to 3 weeks before the exam without it appearing on your apps to law schools, you should evaluate yourself at that point and figure out if you will be able to get the score you want by October. (At that point you should be hitting your target number, or at least very near it.) If you don't think you'll be able to do well, cancel your October registration and go for December, and applying next year.

[hasskhan]

First, Thanks to all of you for your gracious and quick replies.


Here is my situation:

From now till the test date, I can study up to 10 hours every day and 12 or more on weekends. However I have some event in mid of September that'll go around for 10 days. (Still, I shall be able to squeeze in at least one full length preptest on each of those ten days).

My target schools are only the Top 10.

Having said that, will I be able to get 175+ in Oct LSAT ? I've recently done my MS in Engineering (3.3 GPA and Undergraduate GPA is 3.72) and so I think I can take the load of studying round the clock for the LSAT as I mentioned above. I really don't want to miss this admission cycle as its a waste of 2 precious years of my life (next cycle's Law Classes will start in Aug 2012).


Please advice. (I like the idea of registering for the Oct exam but I want to know about my chances of catching up this admission cycle in Top 10 schools if I get a 175+ in LSAT).


Thanks.

[kazu]

3.72 is on the low side for YHS, although if you get 175+ your best bet would be H. Other than that, if you get that 175+ you should have a decent chance at CCN MVPB.

However, if you look on LSN there are occasional red dots in a sea of green, and usually these are apps submitted late in the cycle - January~February. I remember in particular this guy who sent in his apps in late January, I think, and got rejected/waitlisted everywhere except for Duke, even though he had a 175+ LSAT.

We can't tell you for sure whether you'll be able to hit 99% by Oct. You don't even have a diagnostic yet, plus everyone picks up the skills at a different pace & with different methods. However, if you do get a 150 diagnostic I do think it is highly unlikely that you'll get a 175+ by October. Possible, but unlikely.

I can tell you for sure that with the same score, applying early in the cycle give you much, much better chances than applying late in the cycle, which will be the case if you take the Dec LSAT and still intend to apply for Class of 2014.

[nyyankees]

the test is important. if you really want to go to a great school, you shouldnt do the disservice of letting time be the controlling variable. keep taking tests until you plateau off, at that point figure out where you are in the cycle process and go from there. I got a 153 on my first diag and finished with a 169, its def possible, just put in the work and youll get there

[Lafakad]

Hey man, I'm in a similar position as you (low diagnostic, engineering major with roughly the same gpa). I think that we can get our scores at least in the 170's with hard work. If any type of student can get a high score from our diagnostic, I think it would be an engineer. Gonna start today and go for that 170+

On a side note, is LG you're strongest section with RC and LR being weaker?

[09042014]

If money isn't a concern sign up for Oct, and if you aren't ready, don't show and take an absence.

[MrKappus]

You "shall" take in October and no-show if you're not ready. You SHALL.

[rbhesser]

Careful of burn-out. Just saying. I was in your same boat last year. I began at 158 at the end of July, and worked my way up to 170-174 scores consistently. Until the week before the Sept. test. I was studying 4-5 hours at least a day, and taking 1-2 tests everyday. I ended up with a 164 on the actual test, lowest score I had received in weeks. Now I'm trying again for next year, attempting to not make the same mistakes.

I also think that one of my biggest mistakes was just taking tests and not going into the bibles and learning the mechanics behind everything. My advice would be to shoot for Oct. but don't overstudy! If you have to take in Dec., then you do it. But aim for October. Good luck.

[hasskhan]

First - I think the title will be appropriate with Should instead of Shall


Second - In this limited time, my strategy is to attack the LSAT section by section ; Meaning that I will be finishing the LG bible and then start doing the LG sections from PrepTests. Then I'll move to LR bible and subsequently will start doing the LR sections from PrepTests. Same will be for the RC section. And then (hopefully by early september) I will start doing the full length tests. And if, by 2nd week of September, I start getting 165+ , then I'll go for Oct LSAT else I will settle for Dec LSAT.


Any thoughts on the above mentioned strategy ?

[MiamiUG]

Whenever I tried to force myself past that amount, I could literally feel my brain burning out and my productivity got really low really fast, sections would take unreasonably long & I would get a lot more questions wrong.

this

[ly2010]

Last year when I had to decide between the Sept/Oct or Dec. LSAT, I decided to take the Dec 2009 LSAT. However, because I felt that I had more time, I ended up not studying as much as I should/could for even the later LSAT. Ultimately, that made me just blow it off completely and take a hiatus all together. If I were you, I would just go ahead and plan to take the October and cancel if you do not feel like you did well. Good luck!