157 cold, should I start studying now? Forum

[jasonleb1]

I just finished up my sophomore year (in college) and was wondering if this was too early to begin studying for the LSAT. According to what I've seen on here, doing more than 3-4 months of intensive studying doesn't have much of a benefit and I intend on taking my LSAT, at least my last LSAT, in the fall of my senior year. I got a 157 cold on the June 2007 LSAT. My score breakdown for the sections was:

Section 1: -12
Section 2: -6
Section 3: -6
Section 4: -4

I had a really hard time with time on the Logic Games/Section 1. I got all the questions I managed to answer correct with the exception of one question, but I had to bubble in C for most of the last half because ran out of time. I'd like to get (at least) a 170 when it's all said and done and that seems like a really big jump so should I begin studying now or wait until next summer? Will two summers worth of prep be too much?

[lsatkillah]

.

[Clearly]

Don't do it.

[McAvoy]

Cold as in you never looked at any materials and the test you took was the first time you touched anything LSAT related? That's a really impressive job, if so. Get a legit study plan together and 3-4 months should be more than sufficient for you to destroy it.

That said, if you have a lot of free time and are in a position to commit and take it this September, there's nothing wrong with that. You get three takes; assuming you're getting 4.0s and you're set on going KJD, fire away whenever you feel ready to commit.

But to your original question -- start studying now for the Fall 2015 administration? Hell no.

[bizzybone1313]

Don't do it.

wut you mean?

[malleus discentium]

You're in an excellent starting position to score 170+ in September if you study appropriately this summer. Whether this is a good idea in the scheme of things (getting WE/enjoying summer might be a better use of your time, and you'll be studying during the first part of the term, which is dicey if it even runs the risk of affecting your UGPA) is not as clear. But it's certainly doable. I wouldn't start now if you're planning to take it any later than December.

[jasonleb1]

Wow, thank you guys. That actually makes me feel way better. I thought a 157 was pretty mediocre (at least when shooting for a 170+) but if it's not that's a huge weight off my shoulders.

Yes, I took it completely cold. I've bought most of my study material already but I didn't look through any of it at all because I wanted to take my diagnostic completely clean. I'm not sure what KJD means. Do you mean going straight from school to law school? If so, that's the plan. I don't have any particular need to go immediately to law school but I don't have any reason not to. As for the GPA, I was a computer science major for my very first semester and got a C in Calc III and a B- in one of my programming classes but I've gotten all As and A-'s since. Without being pessimistic or optimistic, I imagine I'll graduate with anywhere from the high 3.7s to mid 3.8s. I'm also a minority (Puerto Rican/Cuban) if that matters.

As for my study plan, I actually made a thread for that back in late april when I originally planned to start studying but I went on vacation and got sick shortly after and I've only gotten back in shape now. Based on what I learned in that thread, the materials I'll most likely be using are:

4th edition of the Manhattan Bundle
LSAT Trainer (looks like a better alternative to the SuperPrep book)
Powerscore Bibles
Cambridge Ultimate LSAT Prep

I also watched a 7sage video for one of the logic game questions on my diagnostic after I took it and liked that a lot (and LG looks a lot more approachable now after seeing someone do one the right way). The only thing I'm not sure of is a schedule breakdown for studying. Obviously I'll be devoting most my time to logic games and logic reasoning but I'm unsure of the specifics beyond that.

I think I will take the September LSAT since I've already done my big summer trip and I don't have any other plans. I also don't go back to school until late August. I know I have the free time now but I have no idea what I'll be doing in a year so I think I should take advantage of this time I know I have.

[malleus discentium]

A 157 is a mediocre score in itself, but for having never taken an LSAT before it's very good. You have all the best prep materials and they are all you will need.

Getting WE and life perspective is a very compelling reason to not be a KJD (Kindergarten-JD) but it's not the end of the world to go straight through. As I said before, you should be focusing on your UGPA, which you can never fix once it's settled, not the LSAT, which you can. If you can keep up your GPA then go for it but do not sacrifice your UGPA on the altar of the LSAT.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =6&t=41657 is a solid schedule to use.

[McAvoy]

A 157 is a mediocre score in itself, but for having never taken an LSAT before it's very good. You have all the best prep materials and they are all you will need.

Getting WE and life perspective is a very compelling reason to not be a KJD (Kindergarten-JD) but it's not the end of the world to go straight through. As I said before, you should be focusing on your UGPA, which you can never fix once it's settled, not the LSAT, which you can. If you can keep up your GPA then go for it but do not sacrifice your UGPA on the altar of the LSAT.

Yeah, consider maybe even taking a few basket weaving classes from your local community college this summer to help inflate it, too. If you can get it to like a 3.9 and hit that 170 as a URM (I believe?) you're looking at serious T14 money.