Registering for the LSAT Four Times Forum

[GiveMeARiver]

I graduated in December from a decent public school with a 3.23 gpa planning to apply to law school during this admissions cycle but decided to sit out a year because of my fouled-up LSAT situation. I have two absences on the record because of extenuating circumstances, in the latter absence, and a panic attack before the former absence. On my third attempt, I took the test after staying up all night with a suicidal roommate and the flu and only scored a 150 (despite regularly pt'ing in the high to mid 160's). I'm going to register for the June LSAT (two years from my first registration), quarantine myself from outside distraction and hopefully get a score closer to my pt average.

My question to TLS nation is: Will a mid-160's score on a fourth attempt look too suspicious for schools like Wake Forest and UNC? My extracurriculars are pretty good (moot court team, president of college dems, legal internship) and my LOR's are probably ok but that damn 3.23 worries me. Should I just go into construction work and forget about law school altogether? Any helpful feedback is more than appreciated!

[Mack.Hambleton]

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[wealtheow]

you definitely need to see if you can get your anxiety in check before you attempt this test again. i would imagine june is a little close for that - don't put such pressure on yourself (since that will just make the anxiety worse). as someone who has struggled w/ anxiety my whole life, i understand the havoc it can wreak on even seemingly rote tasks. take the time to evaluate what the root of it is and try to study in a way that abates it rather than exacerbates it. good luck!

[JJ123]

See about getting on an anti-depressant if your anxiety is that bad.

If that isn't an option, there are other things you could do. I would never recommend someone do anything illegal. I have heard that drugs like Valium can help people with test anxiety. And I've heard that these drugs can be found in some places besides pharmacies.

Some people might think it is a good idea to do a few practice tests on any anti-anxiety medication before they take the real test.

[goldenflash19]

4 time LSAT taker here, no effect at any school I applied to, except maybe at Stanford

[Pragmatic Gun]

I have a similar concern. I've already registered for the June LSAT (I got waitlisted, as there are no open spots).

I took the test twice already. The first time was a 162, Dec. '12, and the second time was a 167 Dec. '13. I just took a PT today (I haven't done serious LSAT training since my last LSAT) and scored a 169. I'm on Columbia's reserve list and NYU's waitlist. Even if I score higher, I fear not being taken off the waitlist. Will the fact I took the test twice already count against me? I would prefer to not wait another year for the next cycle.