I need LSAT Advice/Help, please! Forum

[nylost]

I am scheduled to take the LSAT on October 9th. Due to work/laziness/lack of confidence I have poorly prepared. I score in the mid 150's (153-156) without much work. I have not taken a course but have had some lessons with a horrible tutor in the past. I wanted to know if it were possible to postpone the October registration to December? Also does taking the LSAT in December (if it is possible to postpone) hurt my chances of enrollment for the upcoming FALL (2011)? I have a decent GPA of 3.6 and am shooting for Brooklyn Law, St. John's, Hofstra, New York Law. So basically, can I postpone to December and will it hurt my chances of applying to begin LS next fall?
Thanks in advance.

[Adjudicator]

It sounds like you are really behind schedule. You definitely do not want to take the LSAT unprepared, and there is not sufficient time to prepare for the Oct 9th test if you haven't really started yet. You could reschedule for December (for an additional fee) but yes, that will probably hurt your chances somewhat because by the time your application goes complete, you will be later than you ideally want to be. Not "late" for most schools, but not early, either, and being early is usually a significant advantage.

But, bottom line, you don't want to take the test without being prepared, so either take it in December or wait another year.

[nylost]

Thanks for the reply. Good to hear I have the option of re-scheduling I was not sure of that. I think I should just begin to work as hard as possible and take in December. Hopefully I will score high enough to ensure my acceptance.

[lennonist]

It sounds like you are really behind schedule. You definitely do not want to take the LSAT unprepared, and there is not sufficient time to prepare for the Oct 9th test if you haven't really started yet. You could reschedule for December (for an additional fee) but yes, that will probably hurt your chances somewhat because by the time your application goes complete, you will be later than you ideally want to be. Not "late" for most schools, but not early, either, and being early is usually a significant advantage.

But, bottom line, you don't want to take the test without being prepared, so either take it in December or wait another year.

I'd say take another year.

[nylost]

I'd say take another year.[/quote]

I wish I could but I don't believe it's possible for me. I understand the benefits in taking the year off, I even know many people who took 4-5 years after undergrad and ending up in top LS but it's not a good option for me. I know my abilities and my goals are not that difficult to achieve. St. John's/Brooklyn Law are my top choices my GPA is good enough I just need to break a 160 to ensure consideration. A year off would drive me mad and throughout my life procrastination has been my downfall. I need to just buckle down, study and take the LSAT. I feel another year will only hurt me. Everyone is different, I understand your advice is with respect to admissions. Thanks for your input

[2011Law]

If you score in the mid 150s with minimal practice, then I think you should probably aim pretty high, at least upper 160s. If you have a fair amount of free time, you could probably study enough to get that by Dec, but if not then you might want to just wait until next cycle. I don't see why anyone would settle for getting anything other than the best score they can get on this test. This test can get you into way better schools then the ones you are looking at, or at the least get you into the schools you are looking at for very little money.

[nylost]

If you score in the mid 150s with minimal practice, then I think you should probably aim pretty high, at least upper 160s. If you have a fair amount of free time, you could probably study enough to get that by Dec, but if not then you might want to just wait until next cycle. I don't see why anyone would settle for getting anything other than the best score they can get on this test. This test can get you into way better schools then the ones you are looking at, or at the least get you into the schools you are looking at for very little money.

Thank you for the response. I don't know, I guess I am seriously lacking in self-confidence.
I am thinking my best bet is seriously studying cutting the 'bs' and just taking it December.
At this point I`m just very relieved that I don't have to have an absence on my record or cancellation. I did not know I could postpone to a later date.

[rso11]

I am scheduled to take the LSAT on October 9th. Due to work/laziness/lack of confidence I have poorly prepared. I score in the mid 150's (153-156) without much work. I have not taken a course but have had some lessons with a horrible tutor in the past. I wanted to know if it were possible to postpone the October registration to December? Also does taking the LSAT in December (if it is possible to postpone) hurt my chances of enrollment for the upcoming FALL (2011)? I have a decent GPA of 3.6 and am shooting for Brooklyn Law, St. John's, Hofstra, New York Law. So basically, can I postpone to December and will it hurt my chances of applying to begin LS next fall?
Thanks in advance.

Actually, at this point the rescheduling deadline has passed; so you have to take the test. You can take it and cancel your scores right there though, and then reschedule for the December test.

[nylost]

I am scheduled to take the LSAT on October 9th. Due to work/laziness/lack of confidence I have poorly prepared. I score in the mid 150's (153-156) without much work. I have not taken a course but have had some lessons with a horrible tutor in the past. I wanted to know if it were possible to postpone the October registration to December? Also does taking the LSAT in December (if it is possible to postpone) hurt my chances of enrollment for the upcoming FALL (2011)? I have a decent GPA of 3.6 and am shooting for Brooklyn Law, St. John's, Hofstra, New York Law. So basically, can I postpone to December and will it hurt my chances of applying to begin LS next fall?
Thanks in advance.

Actually, at this point the rescheduling deadline has passed; so you have to take the test. You can take it and cancel your scores right there though, and then reschedule for the December test.

I was under the impression there was still an opportunity to re-schedule for a small fee?

[rso11]

I am scheduled to take the LSAT on October 9th. Due to work/laziness/lack of confidence I have poorly prepared. I score in the mid 150's (153-156) without much work. I have not taken a course but have had some lessons with a horrible tutor in the past. I wanted to know if it were possible to postpone the October registration to December? Also does taking the LSAT in December (if it is possible to postpone) hurt my chances of enrollment for the upcoming FALL (2011)? I have a decent GPA of 3.6 and am shooting for Brooklyn Law, St. John's, Hofstra, New York Law. So basically, can I postpone to December and will it hurt my chances of applying to begin LS next fall?
Thanks in advance.

Actually, at this point the rescheduling deadline has passed; so you have to take the test. You can take it and cancel your scores right there though, and then reschedule for the December test.

I was under the impression there was still an opportunity to re-schedule for a small fee?

Really? Where'd you see that? I'd actually be interested if such an offer existed, since I'm feeling much less prepared than I'd like and am almost certainly going to retake in Dec anyway. LSAC says this:
--LinkRemoved--

[nylost]

I was just going on the responses I got here on my post. I also read somewhere as I googled that you can reschedule up to 2 days prior to the exam...
If this is not true I guess all I can say is,
FML

[lennonist]

I was just going on the responses I got here on my post. I also read somewhere as I googled that you can reschedule up to 2 days prior to the exam...
If this is not true I guess all I can say is,
FML

dude, just don't show up if you're not ready. it doesn't count as an attempt (yet is visible on your record)

[nylost]

I was just going on the responses I got here on my post. I also read somewhere as I googled that you can reschedule up to 2 days prior to the exam...
If this is not true I guess all I can say is,
FML

dude, just don't show up if you're not ready. it doesn't count as an attempt (yet is visible on your record)

I already have one from being very ill with strep throat in June

[northwood]

go there.. sign in, and either take teh test and cancel, or leave. Having more than 1 absence will hurt your score, as it will portray you as being wishy washy, or non commital..

Depending on where you want to apply to, having multiple scores may not hurt your cycle.

[nylost]

So I have an absence for the June LSAT and now I am not 100% confident about taking it next weekend.
I don't want another absence. If anyone could give me any input? Should I just take it? I should be able to score a 153-157 at this point although I am confident with a month or 2 of actually studying I can break 160. December would be ideal with respect to scoring the best but I am under the impression that postponement is not available. So now I am left with this issue,
go there let the score stand and re-take it in December? Go there and either take it and cancel or just sign in and leave? A year off is not an option for me. Any advice is welcomed as I am clueless at this point and need some guidance D: A year off is not an option for me.
Also I am from New York and I desire are to attend one of the following LS, they're in order from most realistic to long-shot.
New York Law, Hofstra, St. John's, Brooklyn, Yeshiva/Cardozo, Fordham.

[nylost]

So it seems I either have to have an absence, cancellation or take the test and score what I score (mid 150s).. help anyone?

[tourdeforcex]

hmm

tough situation indeed.

two consecutive absences wouldn't look too good. so would not easily advise that

a cancellation could work, just make sure you let the schools know of a good reason.

from what i understand schools weigh LSAT heavily so unless you believe you can score 157-165 on test day, maybe canceling is the best answer.

[nylost]

Thanks for getting back to me.

I am just curious, how does 1 absence, 1 cancellation look?
Better than 1 absence, a lets say 154?

I think my best bet right now is just took keep taking timed practice tests up, work on my mistakes and see what I am scoring and judge by that.

[tourdeforcex]

for your 1 absence 1 cancellation vs 1 absence 154 question, it's dependent on how good you are at explaining things, something i'm not very good at. so if it were me, i'd prefer the 154 situation. but why do we need to be pessimistic about this, you still have time. the test is not tomorrow. why not 157 or 158?

to offer tactical advice on specific sections, i would need to know how you're doing. generally, if you're pretty even on all three sections; i'd say focus on LR. b/c we have two sections. meaning the effort you put in, pays off twice during the test. review the questions you get wrong on each practice test. is there a pattern? getting a lot of strengthen questions wrong? spend 3 hours understanding why the right answer is the right answer and why the wrong answer is the wrong answer. are you running out of time? (then skip the longer text-heavy "parallel the reasoning and go back at the end) LG is also learnable and improvable in a short amount of time. not great at a specific type? (for me i'm not good at grouping) then skip that if that's the first game, do the rest well, then go back. practice every game you get a lot wrong on 3 times before the test.

[nylost]

thanks for the advice.
So it's better to have 1 absence, 1 low score rather than 1 absence 1 cancellation and 1 score breaking a 160??

[BlueDiamond]

Unless you are going like T6 you might as well just take it next weekend. Outside of those schools almost no school heavily weighs a lower score as long as your second score is competitive because that is the only score they report to the rankings. Who knows; maybe you'll be able to get a 160 and be fine for Hofstra.

[kaftka juice]

Unless you are going like T6 you might as well just take it next weekend. Outside of those schools almost no school heavily weighs a lower score as long as your second score is competitive because that is the only score they report to the rankings. Who knows; maybe you'll be able to get a 160 and be fine for Hofstra.

+1
you can always re-take, but you never know what you can get if you don't try.

[The Gentleman]

A year off is not an option for me.

I would urge you to reconsider this. ^ Taking some time off between UG and LS is generally a positive thing. I too was a lazy underachiever throughout most of UG, but I've managed to acquire quite a bit of perspective and maturity since then. Even if you end up as an unemployed liberal arts grad (as I was for awhile), there's still a lot a value to be had in time off. Best of luck with your decision this week

[northwood]

taking a year off is a good thing. Its been 2 + years since i graduated with my master degree, and I didnt realize how burnt out from university level work I was until after I had some time away from it.. If you think you may be brain fried, take the year, explore any options that seem somewhat interesting to you, and enjoy life ( being a grown up is more fun than people think- and as long as you keep you commitiments to a minimum, theres not a whole lot you are responsible for ( assuming you dont have kids, or have to take care of a family member)