Study 2 months take October or wait till December... Forum

[MGH1989]

mind you I am deadest on fall 2013 admission. My class load isn't strenuous mind you, so I can devote a good amount of time to studying during the semester.

[Nova]

How much prep have you done? What are you practice testing at? What is your target score?

Perhaps you should prep like you are taking it in Oct till Sept 4th (deadline to sign up with out late fee) and then reevaluate whether you will be ready in another month.

[cc.celina]

Agree with Nova. No harm in studying now and deferring if you're not PTing where you wanna be.

[MGH1989]

How much prep have you done? What are you practice testing at? What is your target score?

Perhaps you should prep like you are taking it in Oct till Sept 4th (deadline to sign up with out late fee) and then reevaluate whether you will be ready in another month.

Zero. I guess its really a matter of do I want a better LSAT score which taking the December LSAT would undoubtedly give me, vs being able to send in applications early.

[cc.celina]

Well, you still have a while. I only prepped for about 3.5 weeks and hit my target score. You might surprise yourself with how much you'll improve. It's possible that you could have the score you want AND apply early. Cake + eating it is the way to go if you can

[JohnV]

Do the schools you want to apply tell you if they average or not? Some schools outright do not average and will only consider your top score (however, they see both) so it may be in your best interest to take Oct. and Dec. regardless.

[Nova]

Do the schools you want to apply tell you if they average or not? Some NEARLY ALL, IF NOT ALL, schools do not average and will only consider your top score (however, they see both) so it may be in your best interest to take Oct. and Dec. regardless.

Averaging would be too detrimental to a school's ability to game USNWR. No one wants to handicap themselves agaisnt the rest of the field.

[jmart154]

You have two and a half months. Why not study now with the mindset of writing in October? Regardless of whether or not you have a relatively easy term in the fall, it is easier to study when you know there is absolutely nothing else term-work wise you have to focus on.

[cc.celina]

Regardless, if you're not scoring at a range that will get you into the schools you want to go to, it seems a bit silly to apply before a solid score in Dec, right? Out of concern that they ding you on the basis of the lower score before you retake? I'm just a 0L though so this might be incorrect.

But yeah study now. LITERALLY no downside.

[Nova]

IMO, If you are below the medians,
a few more LSAT points >> Applying around Thanksgiving

If you apply and tell them you are retaking, they will likely just set your app to the side.

[JohnV]

Do the schools you want to apply tell you if they average or not? Some NEARLY ALL, IF NOT ALL, schools do not average and will only consider your top score (however, they see both) so it may be in your best interest to take Oct. and Dec. regardless.

Averaging would be too detrimental to a school's ability to game USNWR. No one wants to handicap themselves agaisnt the rest of the field.

For reporting purposes I'm sure they all take just the top score. There seems to be some debate as to whether the average score is still viewed when deciding among candidates, although it would seem that the "hollistic" and averaging strategies some schools claim to take would be counter-intuitive and serves more a rhetorical benefit than a practical one, so it's probably true that no one really averages.

[Nova]

Do the schools you want to apply tell you if they average or not? Some NEARLY ALL, IF NOT ALL, schools do not average and will only consider your top score (however, they see both) so it may be in your best interest to take Oct. and Dec. regardless.

Averaging would be too detrimental to a school's ability to game USNWR. No one wants to handicap themselves agaisnt the rest of the field.

For reporting purposes I'm sure they all take just the top score. There seems to be some debate as to whether the average score is still viewed when deciding among candidates, although it would seem that the "hollistic" and averaging strategies some schools claim to take would be counter-intuitive and serves more a rhetorical benefit than a practical one, so it's probably true that no one really averages.

I agree. In the end, I would rather have a 165->172 than a single 171. How much better a single 172 is than a 165->172, idk. I suspect not much. So yeah, taking both is credited if OP feels ready for Oct. http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 2&t=181170

Personally, I planned on taking Oct '11 but was not ready. I decided to wait, and Im glad I did. My cycle went as well as I could have expected. Of course, Ill never know how much better it would have been had I applied before Christmas.

[MGH1989]

Appreciate the advice from everyone who chimed in. Will play it by ear and study for Oct and see where I am before I have to make any financial commitment.

[Br3v]

Agree with Nova. No harm in studying now and deferring if you're not PTing where you wanna be.

[MikeTZ]

when u apply using the oct score, it gives u a better chance at getting in a better school. early applicants may receive a scholarship too since there are so many spots open. the longer you wait (like feb or june), the fewer spots, the harder it gets. applying in oct gives u a better chance a better school, one that might not have accepted u in dec or feb