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Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:09 pm
by goterps123
Deadline's are coming up. Retaking is not an option. If you read this and are inclined to reply with retake, please don't. It's a waste of my time and yours. From VA, ties to southeastern VA and DC. Undecided where I want to practice.
Baltimore (15k a year off)
Catholic (15k a year off)
Syracuse (20k a year off)
Cincinnati (No initial money off but they have reduced rate tuition of 29k i believe)
Penn State (Sticker)
WL at Richmond
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:10 pm
by goterps123
Also would entertain the possibility of transferring to somewhere like Georgetown if I did well enough 1L year
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:11 pm
by Winston1984
Why can't you re-take? What are total COA for each school? What kind of law would you like to practice?
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:15 pm
by goterps123
I've taken it twice and have test anxiety which ultimately made my score suffer. Was PT'ing 5-7 points higher than each time I took the official. Have a public interest background but I guess primarily interested in IP and environmental law
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:15 pm
by BigZuck
Retake
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:16 pm
by Gooner91
goterps123 wrote:I've taken it twice and have test anxiety which ultimately made my score suffer. Was PT'ing 5-7 points higher than each time I took the official. Have a public interest background but I guess primarily interested in IP and environmental law
How will that impact you on law school tests? Might be worth getting it under control before attending?
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:19 pm
by Nova
Please do the math yourself. 3(Tuition + fees + COL - scholarships)
Just eyeballing it, it looks like Bmore is your best offer. PSU and Cinci at those prices are def not worth it.
goterps123 wrote:I've taken it twice and have test anxiety which ultimately made my score suffer. Was PT'ing 5-7 points higher than each time I took the official. Have a public interest background but I guess primarily interested in IP and environmental law
take it again in june anyway
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:20 pm
by Nova
goterps123 wrote:Also would entertain the possibility of transferring to somewhere like Georgetown if I did well enough 1L year
(is bad at tests)
(entertains idea of doing exceptionally well on all their finals)
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:20 pm
by goterps123
I do fine with normal testing. I attribute it to the LSAT being a test where yes, you are familiar with what will be asked. However, you don't know the context/content of any questions beforehand. Normal tests you will at least know the information
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:21 pm
by Gooner91
goterps123 wrote:I do fine with normal testing. I attribute it to the LSAT being a test where yes, you are familiar with what will be asked. However, you don't know the context/content of any questions beforehand. Normal tests you will at least know the information
What other tests have you had anxiety in your life?
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:24 pm
by Mullens
If you are unwilling to re-take the LSAT then you probably should not attend law school. All of these options will leave you with six figures of debt and no more than a coin-flip's chance at even becoming an attorney, much less one with a large enough salary to even service your massive debt. Please don't destroy your future.
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:24 pm
by Nova
goterps123 wrote:I do fine with normal testing. I attribute it to the LSAT being a test where yes, you are familiar with what will be asked. However, you don't know the context/content of any questions beforehand. Normal tests you will at least know the information
the lsat is the same recycled garbage over and over again
how did you study?
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:24 pm
by star fox
You clearly have the ability to score higher since you did on the PTs. You should get your test anxiety under wraps and go for it again. Good luck and follow your dreams of achieving a higher LSAT score.
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:24 pm
by goterps123
Honestly none. Of course everyone gets a little nervous on some tests in undergrad, but with the LSAT I experienced anxiety that literally made it difficult to concentrate
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:26 pm
by Gooner91
goterps123 wrote:Honestly none. Of course everyone gets a little nervous on some tests in undergrad, but with the LSAT I experienced anxiety that literally made it difficult to concentrate
Maybe you were just underprepared? Did you practice under test day conditions?
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:27 pm
by star fox
goterps123 wrote:I do fine with normal testing. I attribute it to the LSAT being a test where yes, you are familiar with what will be asked. However, you don't know the context/content of any questions beforehand. Normal tests you will at least know the information
This makes me think you haven't really studied the lsat in enough depth. The questions are the exact same from year to year. Just because the subject changes from goats to bicycles doesn't mean they aren't asking you to figure out the same thing.
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:30 pm
by ManoftheHour
Retake.
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:30 pm
by Gooner91
goterps123 wrote:Honestly none. Of course everyone gets a little nervous on some tests in undergrad, but with the LSAT I experienced anxiety that literally made it difficult to concentrate
You obviously want to do good on it and have but some time in considering you took it twice. Did you study the same way each time?
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:31 pm
by goterps123
I took over 20 practice tests and under timed conditions in addition to taking a course. On test day it's always different because you know in the back of your mind this one really counts, as opposed to the others just being practice
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:33 pm
by Gooner91
goterps123 wrote:I took over 20 practice tests and under timed conditions in addition to taking a course. On test day it's always different because you know in the back of your mind this one really counts, as opposed to the others just being practice
Did you study the same way each time?
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:35 pm
by star fox
goterps123 wrote:I took over 20 practice tests and under timed conditions in addition to taking a course. On test day it's always different because you know in the back of your mind this one really counts, as opposed to the others just being practice
I would imagine there's that same sort of pressure that comes with 1L exams. Key difference being you can't try up to 3 times in a 2 year span to get it right (and even if you take three straight administrations in a row you still only have to wait a year and a half to try again). Show how committed you are to becoming an attorney right now. Get that score. Get a big scholarship somewhere or go T14. In the meantime go get a job (are you K-JD? ) and build a resume. You may even decide you don't have to go to law school to get what you want in life after all.
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:35 pm
by goterps123
The first time I took a course and not as many practice tests. Second time around (a year later) I didn't take a course and focused more on test-taking. Ironically, I scored 3 points lower on the second one despite PT'ing the same in each of the prep times leading up to the test
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:37 pm
by goterps123
And no not K-JD. Graduated in May '13. Took time off to study for the LSAT and now full time intern in DC
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:38 pm
by timbs4339
Issue spotters are the same way, you "know" there will be a negligence question, but last year it was about car crashes and the year before slip and falls, just like during the LSAT you know there's going to be a certain number of each question type. Continue your job and work on test anxiety. The exact same stressors are on you during 1L finals because you know your performance will make or break the first few years of your career. Don't even get me started on the bar exam.
Re: Need to decide soon
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:38 pm
by Gooner91
You have put so much time and effort in to do get on the LSAT, you have proven that you can do it by your practice tests. Do you think if you focused the same time and effort on overcoming anxiety you would be able to? You overcame the LSAT and now you are faced with a new challenge to put the two together.