January LSAT

[Mw12345]

Hi,

Do you guys think taking the January LSAT and applying as soon as you get the score back is too late to get into schools within the top 40? Also, do you think most scholarships will be gone? This cycle is kind of unpredictable or new regarding the SCOTUS decision and then all of the proctoring/testing issues across the fall LSATs so far, so I was wondering what your take on this would be. Thanks for your time!

[Jeff Wren]

Hi Mw,

Personally, while I don't necessarily think it is too late, it's also not ideal.

Having said that, the best thing to do is to get the best LSAT score that you can (even if that means taking it in January) and going from there.

Generally, getting a better (for example, at least 3 points) LSAT score is more important than applying earlier in the admissions cycle.

Worst case scenario, if you don't get into the school(s) that you really wanted or don't get the scholarships that you wanted, you can always hold off until next year and apply early next year since you've already gotten the good LSAT score, which is the hardest part in applying. While having to wait another year to start law school may be an inconvenience, I personally would consider doing so if I wasn't happy with my acceptances/scholarships, but others may have different priorities. Remember that LSAT scores are good for five years.

Here's a link to a discussion on this topic from 2020.

viewtopic.php?t=31431