June LSAT? Forum

[insd]

Hello everyone,


I've begun my LSAT preparation, but because the semester is nearing its end, my prep has been very limited. I will be able to really focus on prep starting in May, but the registration deadline for the June LSAT is around May 11, so I'm not sure if I'll feel ready by the time the deadline rolls around.

So my question is: should I take the June LSAT or wait for the October? The reason I'm so unsure is that after doing a lot of lurking, I've come to realize that applying early is very important. I feel even more compelled to apply early because of my slightly low GPA of 3.49 (by the standards of the schools I'd like to attend). I'd like to apply for UCLA, USC, Uchi, NYU, and UHawaii, with maybe a few other t-14's in there, but I think I'll really need to nail that LSAT. Would taking the October test push back my application date so far as to really hurt my chances?


Thanks in advance!

[Mr.Binks]

The answer to all your questions depends on where your PTing at the moment. If you have not taken a diagnostic test yet, then I can almost assure you that you will want to push back to October. October will still put you in with plenty of time for early admission, but of course, earlier is better.

Also, what have you done to prepare? It doesn't seem as if you've done too much yet, based on your post. Are you URM? ....

So many questions

[insd]

I haven't started PT'ing. I'm going over the LG and LR Bibles right now. I did take a diagnostic a few months ago though and scored a 159 cold. I'm not URM. Yeah, I guess it would probably be best to wait it out til October if I don't feel ready.. I was just a little uncertain of the answer, because I did try to look in other forums for a similar question, but there were a lot of mixed answers. A lot of people said before Thanksgiving is still considered early, but then a lot of others said within two weeks of when the apps come out, so I was a bit unsure.

[Mr.Binks]

I haven't started PT'ing. I'm going over the LG and LR Bibles right now. I did take a diagnostic a few months ago though and scored a 159 cold. I'm not URM. Yeah, I guess it would probably be best to wait it out til October if I don't feel ready.. I was just a little uncertain of the answer, because I did try to look in other forums for a similar question, but there were a lot of mixed answers. A lot of people said before Thanksgiving is still considered early, but then a lot of others said within two weeks of when the apps come out, so I was a bit unsure.

The thing is, if you take the October, you will make it in time for ED deadline for most schools. However, you will have to have all of your other shit ready by then (e.g., applications ready to submit, LORs, PS, etc).

Of course, June does offer some competitive advantages, such as a later start time, no other class work/tests going on, etc. But if you're aiming for 170s and whatnot, then you're gonna probably want to wait, unless nearly all of your mistakes are coming from LG, which is quite easy to improve on.

[Tiago Splitter]

If you're only a junior you need to gun for straight A's the next three semesters, then sit out a year so that all four years are calculated into your LSAC GPA.

[Mr.Binks]

If you're only a junior you need to gun for straight A's the next three semesters, then sit out a year so that all four years are calculated into your LSAC GPA.

Good point.

[schoolvandy]

If you're only a junior you need to gun for straight A's the next three semesters, then sit out a year so that all four years are calculated into your LSAC GPA.

Good point.

Well, any updates to the transcript are sent directly to the school, therefore updating your LSAC GPA with the particular schools you applied to. Plus, by the time spring comes around, the GPA after that semester will only move +/- x.x3 or x.x4 at most.

[rinkrat19]

Somewhat off-topic, but important: if you're waiting until the registration deadline, you may be very limited as to testing site. In some states you can sign up a month or two in advance and still have to take it in another state because all the sites are full. I signed up for an October test in August and had to take the farthest away of 3 locations in my state.

[Tiago Splitter]

If you're only a junior you need to gun for straight A's the next three semesters, then sit out a year so that all four years are calculated into your LSAC GPA.

Good point.

Well, any updates to the transcript are sent directly to the school, therefore updating your LSAC GPA with the particular schools you applied to. Plus, by the time spring comes around, the GPA after that semester will only move +/- x.x3 or x.x4 at most.

He has three semesters left. Applying in the fall only guarantees schools will see grades through the end of junior year. Straight As should get him up over a 3.6. As someone who applied with a 3.49 I would have killed for a 3.6.

[insd]

If I applied for Fall with a 3.49, but didn't get into the schools that I was hoping for, could I reapply next cycle to the same schools with my updated (hopefully better) GPA without it affecting the schools' decisions? I'd like to go straight to law school following graduation, but I do realize that my GPA will hurt my chances a bit for t-14.

Somewhat off-topic, but important: if you're waiting until the registration deadline, you may be very limited as to testing site. In some states you can sign up a month or two in advance and still have to take it in another state because all the sites are full. I signed up for an October test in August and had to take the farthest away of 3 locations in my state.

I live in Hawaii so there's only one testing site. I don't think it'll fill up, but this is something to consider as well.

I haven't started PT'ing. I'm going over the LG and LR Bibles right now. I did take a diagnostic a few months ago though and scored a 159 cold. I'm not URM. Yeah, I guess it would probably be best to wait it out til October if I don't feel ready.. I was just a little uncertain of the answer, because I did try to look in other forums for a similar question, but there were a lot of mixed answers. A lot of people said before Thanksgiving is still considered early, but then a lot of others said within two weeks of when the apps come out, so I was a bit unsure.

The thing is, if you take the October, you will make it in time for ED deadline for most schools. However, you will have to have all of your other shit ready by then (e.g., applications ready to submit, LORs, PS, etc).

Of course, June does offer some competitive advantages, such as a later start time, no other class work/tests going on, etc. But if you're aiming for 170s and whatnot, then you're gonna probably want to wait, unless nearly all of your mistakes are coming from LG, which is quite easy to improve on.

I think I'll go with this advice. On my diagnostic, I actually did the best in LG with 5 wrong, 4 of which I guessed on because I ran out of time. I need to improve the other sections, though.

[Tiago Splitter]

If I applied for Fall with a 3.49, but didn't get into the schools that I was hoping for, could I reapply next cycle to the same schools with my updated (hopefully better) GPA without it affecting the schools' decisions? I'd like to go straight to law school following graduation, but I do realize that my GPA will hurt my chances a bit for t-14.

Yeah this would work out just fine. Your GPA won't keep you from the T-14 if you break 170 on the LSAT.

[insd]

If I applied for Fall with a 3.49, but didn't get into the schools that I was hoping for, could I reapply next cycle to the same schools with my updated (hopefully better) GPA without it affecting the schools' decisions? I'd like to go straight to law school following graduation, but I do realize that my GPA will hurt my chances a bit for t-14.

Yeah this would work out just fine. Your GPA won't keep you from the T-14 if you break 170 on the LSAT.

Thanks! I feel that this advice is appropriate in light of your sn. I am looking to break 170, so October it is! Thanks for the advice everyone.