I took the LSAT in Sept and only got a 150, I am taking it again in Dec and think I can pull it up a lil but nothing over a 155. I am studying but I work two jobs right now and am limited overall with what I can do.

the thing is that I have a very high GPA (3.81) from UC Berkeley, where I double majored. I have tons of work experience, and have worked for the same non-profit for the past 5 years. I am also very active in the community and my letters of rec are pretty good.

I just don't think that I can pull above a 155. So what are my options here? what are my chances? do you all think I can get into a Tier 1 school? if so which ones do you all recommend applying to?
thank you for helping destress me

Take the LSAT when you are ready. (Unless your wife said she will divorce you if you do not apply this year)

The thing is that I am a 30 year old female who went back to college a bit later in life, and I already feel like I have my age working against me when applying to law school and when I finally get out and apply for jobs... so I feel like I MUST take it this Dec and live w/ the #

If you can get 3.8 from Berkeley, you are compeletly capable of scoring above 160+ (even 165+). You just have to work hard at it and you might not be ready in Dec...It can be hard if you have ft jobs or kids to take care of, but sometimes you just have to prioritize things. I think if you can score above 165, you have a very good chance of getting into boalt, at least UCLA.

If you think you are already in the "older" pool of applicants, another year is not going to hurt your chance. I don't think a 33-year old would have any advantage over a 34-year old applicant.

anything below a 165 is a waste of that gpa. it would be really sad if you applied with a 15x and ended up at cal western. don't sell yourself short because you think you are too old. that's crap. what difference would one more year really make?

Thank you very much for the kind words. I have honestly been a nervous wreck. The thing is that I get the material, I am taking Blueprint and once I get a section down or a type of question down, I do pretty well but it takes me such a long time to 1) get it 2) my timing is still SO SLOW. I have not been able to finish a single section on any of my practice tests.

I just think that with my schedule I have to spend a great deal more time studying. I do have most of January off, so I can spend a good deal of 3 weeks on just this exam. Do you all think that I should take the February one even if I put it off one more year? or should I just take the June one? what are the pros and cons w/ the February exam?

I know, I feel the same way. Thank you for the kind words. I worked REAL HARD for that GPA, and graduated w/ honors in both of my departments. I went to community college night school full time while working 60 hours a week just so I could transfer to Berekeley in a year. I don't want to waste my GPA or the letters of rec that some great professors are writing for me. I just feel stuck right now and don't know what to do. So of course posting here is not really going to help things, but I really want some advice because I am somewhat clueless to the process. Please see my comment above this one about my questions regarding the February exam. Thank you again

the cons with the february exam is that its pretty late in the cycle. that isn't the end of the world, and with a good score and your gpa you would have a lot of great choices, but maybe not as great as if you got the great score in december. it might mean more for scholarship money than acceptances since schools give a lot of it out already. i think taking it feb would be fine, but don't go to law school if you are still in the 150's. you will still be able to take it once more and i think patience will pay off for you.

Wait a year. I'm skeptical that there is such a thing as an aspiring lawyer only capable of scoring 155 on the LSAT. With a 3.8 from Cal? Even more unlikely.

You can't handle the stress of two jobs and trying to cram to the best of your ability in just a month. If you can't afford to take time off work, space your studying out over the next several months. Take next summer's LSAT and apply early for next cycle.

The long term benefits will greatly exceed the short-term costs if you wait one year. I know it can be hard, but squeeze in an hour or two of studying 4-5 days a week take it in June. Not only will you have the advantage of applying early next cycle, but you will also have a better LSAT score(I went from a 147 to a 165). Besides, the schools you want to apply with a 155 will most likely give you a hefty scholarship with a 165+. So even if you leave your job right now, the benefits will still greatly exceed the costs.

It's not an easy decision to make, but good luck.

I don't want to sound too much like a commercial, but TestMasters is a great course in my opinion. Consistent with my advice that you wait until next June to take the LSAT, I also think you should look into taking TM beforehand. I took the full-length course which cost something like $1450. As a middle ground, I would say look into taking their intensive Saturday-Sunday course that is coming up for the December test. That way you can learn some improved techniques and then focus on self-studying over the next six months. After taking the full TM class, I think the optimal and most cost-effective way to study would be along these lines. 16-hours of professional instruction and then countless self-diagnostics.

I agree with some of the posts above. Wait another year, give yourself enough time to prep and then just take it whenever you are ready. If you are ready by Feb then that's great, but if not, June is great for next year.

I had the same problems when I first started studying for LSAT. You can fix them by practicing real PTs and then go back and review the questions. I know it doesn't sound magical, but keep practicing and you'll get a good score. You have to believe in yourself.

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I don't think being a nontraditional student will hurt you. If anything, doesn't it make you stand out from the crowd a bit? Law schools claim they are interested in diversity. If you can wait another year, you might as well. A 150 isn't going to get you in anywhere great -- but try lawschoolpredictor.com and see. I'd love to have an extra year to prepare, but I really need to get started. My whole life is on hold and I'm sick of it...