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[simplycatalina]

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[nickb285]

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[simplycatalina]

Reverse splitter = Someone who needs to retake the LSAT.

I'm going to in June but I thought I'd apply to some schools this cycle to see if I can get in.

I work full time and have a lot of other responsibilities so it's not the easiest thing to do.

[nickb285]

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[simplycatalina]

Even if you can get in now, you will get in fewer places and with less money than you will following a retake. Since you're already planning on retaking for next cycle, you may as well devote your time to studying.

I know it's a pain in the ass, but it's doable. I worked full time and took a prep class two nights a week, while studying independently the rest of the week, for about a month and a half. Raised my score from a diagnostic of 160 to a 169 at test time (despite screwing up the timing and leaving a couple questions totally blank). Because of that, I've gotten scholarship offers at places I wouldn't have even gotten into with a 160.

Just set aside a bit of time every night, and save your application money for when it's going to benefit you the most.

But the thing is, I already studied like crazy and raised my PT average to 170. I took a Blueprint class the first time, and had tutoring and self studied the second time. I took it in October and got a 159 and December and got a 160. I just underperform on test day and I'm not sure what's wrong with me. I'm afraid that the same thing will happen again.

[TripTrip]

Seriously. Do you do virtually proctored PTs?

[nickb285]

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[simplycatalina]

Seriously. Do you do virtually proctored PTs?

Yes, I do. I don't know what my problem is. I just have test anxiety and don't know what to do about it.

[simplycatalina]

That's tough, but you're not the only one who underperforms relative to PTs. Clearly your study methods, while they did a good job of teaching you to understand the questions, were lacking in the simulation of an actual test. How did you study? Was it section by section or full PTs or both? And when you did full PTs, did you sit in an uncomfortable chair with nothing but a pencil and a nondigital watch and someone giving you five-minute warnings and the oppressive, desperate silence of a testing room?

What you need to do is study in a manner that's as close as possible to the actual conditions of test day. You've got the skills to get the questions right, now you just need the skills to perform to your potential on test day.

I studied both section by section and with full PTs. I took a Blueprint class for October and managed to get my average up to 167-169. These tests were all proctored as well. I was obviously unhappy with my actual October score, so I self studied and had tutoring for December. I then got my average up to 172ish. I took a ton of PTs in all different conditions--I even ended up having to take one on the roof to get away from loud children. Even on this test I got a 169. So I have no idea what happened to me again. It's just really frustrating and I'm starting to give up hope. And yes, everyone keeps telling me "retake, retake, retake" but I just don't want to waste another 6 months of my life for the same exact thing to happen again.

[nickb285]

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[simplycatalina]

Hmm. I hate to say it, but I don't have many ideas then. I would post in the LSAT Prep forum and see what other people with a similar issue have done. It's a shitty situation, but if there's something new you can try, you might as well go for the third time being the charm.

I know, I'm going to try retaking and figuring out what else I can do. In the meantime, I was going to apply and see what happens. I have a 3.8 GPA from Berkeley so I was hoping that I could perhaps get into a few schools. I know George Washington University is a major reach, but I've heard they're splitter friendly.

[nickb285]

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[simplycatalina]

Take a look here: --LinkRemoved--

You didn't say exactly what your LSAT was, so I put in a range of 160-162 with GPAs of 3.7-3.9. No T14 school accepted more than 11% of the applicants in that range; looks like you'd have about a 1 in 3 shot at Minnesota and about a 1 in 4 shot at GW. You're in at ASU if you want to go to Phoenix, though. Aside from that your odds are not good anywhere in the T30.

If you could raise your LSAT to even a 165, you'd have a pretty good shot at GW and a couple others in that range, and just about everything outside of the T20. Of course, if you could bump it to 169 like it was for your practice test on the roof, you're looking at a decent-good shot at just about everything outside of HYSCCN.

Whatever it takes, that LSAT needs to come up before it's worth it to apply.

If I think I could potentially raise it in February, would it be worth doing that and then applying this cycle?

[nickb285]

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[simplycatalina]

If I think I could potentially raise it in February, would it be worth doing that and then applying this cycle?

Honestly, I wouldn't. Given that a February retake would put you at the end of the cycle, plus the fact that you're still looking for a solution to your test-day problems, I don't believe that February will give you a very good shot. Not to mention that this is your third and final LSAT attempt, so it needs to be the absolute best that you can do.

Take some time, figure out how to work around your test stress or whatever it is, study, and retake in June. Then apply early in the cycle to everywhere you want to go.

Alright, that's what I was leaning towards. I was thinking of applying to schools I have fee waivers at now just to see if I can get in. I figure a 1 in 3 or a 1 in 4 shot isn't that horrible if I'm not paying for the apps. Then I can study and retake in June. Thoughts on that plan?

[nickb285]

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