Advice/Words of Wisdom Please? Forum

[schand]

I took the June lsat yesterday... well attempted to. I had a panic attack (the whole nine yards- hyperventilating, headache, cloudiness) during the first section and just completely bombed it and canceled right away. I was completely ready for this exam and my nerves just got the best of me. I've never had this happen to me before, ever. My first question is has anyone had this happen to them before? What did they do to overcome it? Did they see a doctor? I feel so sheepish because I knew I was so ready for this exam. This absolutely sucks

My second question is now I have an absence June 08/cancel Feb 2010/cancel June 2010 on record. Ideally I want to try this again in October but am so nervous about doing badly on it and not having another chance. How bad does this look and is there any possibility taking it a fourth time in December? What would you do? Any thoughts, recommendations, or advice would be much appreciated.

[Ragged]

I don't think you can take it this October. Seems like you are stuck with June 08 result untill 2013.

[schand]

June 08 was an absence not a cancellation. To my knowledge you can have three cancellations in a two-year window. That means I only have two. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[LSATNightmares]

Don't know about the retakes, but in case you didn't see this forum I started: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=119804

I totally empathize with you, as it happened to me, too.

[kkklick]

You know what, I completely sympathize with you, because the exact same thing happened to me. My last PT before the test was a 170 on the infamous PT 59, I was brimming with confidence going in. First section was RC (my worst, so happy to get it out of the way) Unfortunately I finished 2 passages and had to blind guess the last 2 because I completely blanked on the economist passage. Then I felt, oh shit, all the practice I've done is officially for nothing after only the first section. I thought I was going to faint I was seriously considering getting up and walking out. Somehow, maybe because the next section was LR my favourite, I recomposed myself and managed to finish the test. Found out at the 5th section that the 1st RC was experimental, managed to finish it and did okay I think.

My words of wisdom are, write it in october, knowing what your shortfalls are. Fix them and somehow get rid of those nerves. The testing environment is very bad I agree, but you've been through it now, take some solace in that.

[Mr. Pablo]

Have you considered looking at the LSAC website, or calling them to ask? I'm sure you will be able to get a more definite, and certainly less snarky, answer from the people who make the rules, rather than some random person on an internet forum.

edit: as far as your eligibility to retake is concerned.

[schand]

Don't know about the retakes, but in case you didn't see this forum I started: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=119804

I totally empathize with you, as it happened to me, too.

LSAT Nightmares - Didn't it just seem so surreal? Do you plan on retaking? If so, when?

For everyone else - I really believe I studied as much as I could for this exam and was pretty confident in what I knew. How would you spend the next four-ish months coping/studying/mentally preparing for it again?

[mlbennani]

I took the June lsat yesterday... well attempted to. I had a panic attack (the whole nine yards- hyperventilating, headache, cloudiness) during the first section and just completely bombed it and canceled right away. I was completely ready for this exam and my nerves just got the best of me. I've never had this happen to me before, ever. My first question is has anyone had this happen to them before? What did they do to overcome it? Did they see a doctor? I feel so sheepish because I knew I was so ready for this exam. This absolutely sucks

My second question is now I have an absence June 08/cancel Feb 2010/cancel June 2010 on record. Ideally I want to try this again in October but am so nervous about doing badly on it and not having another chance. How bad does this look and is there any possibility taking it a fourth time in December? What would you do? Any thoughts, recommendations, or advice would be much appreciated.

This is straight from the LSAC Website: "Normally, you may not take the LSAT more than three times in any two-year period. This policy applies even if you cancel your score or it is not otherwise reported."
So I believe that you have reached a max of 3 attempts allowed, however it is within the 2 year period. So I would think you should be fine taking it in Oct. Hopefully I am not confusing you!

[schand]

Just called LSAC. The woman I spoked to said I could take it again one more time. She also clarified for me that if I got a letter from an admissions office asking for permission, they would allow me to take it even for a fourth time. How has anyone on here ever done that? If so, would you mind explaining what the process was? Thanks

[Mr. Pablo]

Just called LSAC. The woman I spoked to said I could take it again one more time. She also clarified for me that if I got a letter from an admissions office asking for permission, they would allow me to take it even for a fourth time. How has anyone on here ever done that? If so, would you mind explaining what the process was? Thanks

I would have to say that you would look to what you just did with LSAC: call or write to a school. Why are people so reluctant to ask the source of information?

[karasevda]

I'm in the exact same boat as you.

Was doing great on the PTs and my nerves got the best of me for the exam, unfortunately I have already taken it one time before and had another no show. But perhaps if I don't do well (still unsure) I will retake in Oct as well if its possible.

If I can give you one word of advice for next time, it is that you should perhaps limit your caffeine intake as much as possible. I honestly thought that had a huge impact on my stress levels. Green Tea would probably be a better substitute.

[traehekat]

If I can give you one word of advice for next time, it is that you should perhaps limit your caffeine intake as much as possible. I honestly thought that had a huge impact on my stress levels. Green Tea would probably be a better substitute.

I also found this to be true. I had a 5 hour energy before the LSAT and I was completely jittery the entire time, almost to the point where it was really distracting me.

Also, I don't really recommend doing any questions right before the test in your car or anything while you are waiting. YOU NEED TO RELAX. Bring something to read and don't even think about the LSAT until you get in the room. Once you start taking the test, you have to find that balance between relaxed and focused. You don't want to be so focused that you are pouring over every single word and second guessing yourself, but you don't want to be so relaxed that you have to keep rereading the questions because it isn't sinking in.

EDIT: Oh, and you should probably just stay away from this forum leading up to the test. TLS is a wonderful tool for preparing to take the LSAT, but it can also be an enormous source of stress and anxiety.

[clubba]

...Found out at the 5th section that the 1st RC was experimental...

How do you know that the 1st section was experimental and not the 5th section?

[Ragged]

...Found out at the 5th section that the 1st RC was experimental...

How do you know that the 1st section was experimental and not the 5th section?

They say that experimental is always before the break. Which kinda makes sense.

[LSATNightmares]

Don't know about the retakes, but in case you didn't see this forum I started: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 6&t=119804

I totally empathize with you, as it happened to me, too.

LSAT Nightmares - Didn't it just seem so surreal? Do you plan on retaking? If so, when?

Yeah, I did feel as if things got surreal. During the LG section, I started thinking to myself, "Is this really happening? Am I really in the LSAT exam?" Barring a miracle, I'll probably retake in October, as I want to apply this year.

[alex_cryp]

I'm probably retaking in October. I got sick and went ahead and took the test anyway. I know for sure I didn't do my best in any sense, but I'm going to let the score ride and learn from my mistakes.

Quick question for those of you that cancelled during the test. Why would you cancel after only a couple sections? If you know you bombed it, why not go ahead and finish it out--get the full experience. More knowledge for the next time around and then cancel later? I mean a cancel is a cancel.

If you felt totally prepared for the test and you went to the test in good health/decent rest, then it is all in your head. That first section could have been the experimental, and then the second section could be the absolute hardest section of the test, if you don't complete the test you'll never know. Don't let one section/one game/one reading passage/one lr question own you and stop you from doing your best on the rest of the test. Just view everything you do as unrelated. Each question is a new opportunity to show what you know and nothing else in the world exists, then when the test is over, you can look back and evaluate those shortcomings.

[moandersen]

EDIT: Oh, and you should probably just stay away from this forum leading up to the test. TLS is a wonderful tool for preparing to take the LSAT, but it can also be an enormous source of stress and anxiety.

100% true. I bombed my first time taking. I freaked out, couldnt concentrate, etc.... so to help prepare for the second time around, I took a month off after the test to recharge. then i did a section during the week whenever I had time (maybe 2-3 sections per week), and did a PT on the weekend. I knew the stuff pretty well, just needed to put less pressure on myself. This whole time I never came to this website because I knew it could provoke insanity. the week leading up to my retake, i developed pneumonia, which blew, but during the actual test i was more concentrated on breathing/not coughing than freaking out, which was nice. i improved a good amount over my first try, but still a little below my average. if i was healthy, i believe i could have rocked that test.

so my advice is to get really sick so that the last thing on your mind is freaking out. if you cant, and you pretty much know your stuff already, take a more casual approach.

[schand]

If I can give you one word of advice for next time, it is that you should perhaps limit your caffeine intake as much as possible. I honestly thought that had a huge impact on my stress levels. Green Tea would probably be a better substitute.

I also found this to be true. I had a 5 hour energy before the LSAT and I was completely jittery the entire time, almost to the point where it was really distracting me.

Also, I don't really recommend doing any questions right before the test in your car or anything while you are waiting. YOU NEED TO RELAX. Bring something to read and don't even think about the LSAT until you get in the room. Once you start taking the test, you have to find that balance between relaxed and focused. You don't want to be so focused that you are pouring over every single word and second guessing yourself, but you don't want to be so relaxed that you have to keep rereading the questions because it isn't sinking in.

EDIT: Oh, and you should probably just stay away from this forum leading up to the test. TLS is a wonderful tool for preparing to take the LSAT, but it can also be an enormous source of stress and anxiety.

Really good point. I had a huge frapp before I took the exam and in retrospect it really affected me. And yes, I did do problems in the car and totally was freaking out this past week. I don't think I could have studied more lsat material than I did, but I for sure didn't prepare for the mental aspect of it, which I think is 50% of the battle.