Do I need to take a prep course?

[jayhawks135]

I have extremely limited exposure to the LSAT, because I'm PhD student right now, and haven't really thought about it much/been around people taking it a lot. I read somewhere that I should take a diagnostic exam, so I took the old June 2007 exam and the score converter says I got like a 167 on the exam. I'm trying to decide if I should sign up for a prep course this summer/next fall (I don't have to actually apply next year, since my PhD funding runs for 3 more years) or if I can just study enough this summer to be ready by October.

Basically I only want to go to law school if I can get into one of the top 5 programs. I have heard from a work colleague that I would need around a 172-180 on the exam to get into a program like that. Is it unreasonable for me to expect to reach that range if I study? Is it worth it to shell out the money for a prep course (keeping in mind I'm a grad student, so I don't really make very much money)? I honestly have no idea.

FWIW, my undergrad GPA was pretty good (I think 3.8-3.9 or so), so I think the LSAT will be my main barrier? No idea, though, would love input if I'm being unrealistic here.

Also, does anyone know if law schools care about your graduate GPA? It's not really that important, just curious.

[BethRibet]

Hi Jay,

Your GPA and present LSAT combo (if your prep test is indicative) now position you well for admission to the top 20. For the top 5, admissions is never 100% precise (occasionally people beat the numbers/medians, based on experience, diversity factors, or a compelling personal statement), but yes, in your shoes, I would want to hit 170. If you're aiming for the top 3, more in the neighborhood of 173-175. The prestige of your undergraduate institution will also affect the perceptions of some admissions committees, so if you want to a highly ranked school, that gives you a boost, and the opposite if it's less known or regarded.

I would try the following:

Take a couple more prep tests, a week or two apart, under timed conditions. If you don't drop *below* 167, but stay in that range, you can give yourself a month or two in early summer to see if practice will get you up. If you're sometimes scoring lower, than you might get help sooner, to make sure you've got plenty of support.

If finances and time are scarce, an alternative to a prep course would be self-study with some tutorial texts (from PowerScore, I recommend the "Bible" series). If you're not bridging that gap by late July, then yes, I would go ahead and invest the time in a prep course, or if you can spend more money but want more focused help, work with a private tutor for 5-10 hours (which is more expensive, but more directed towards the areas you want support with, so it's time-efficient).

Not everyone needs a course (not that we're not happy to have you!), so my only caution is to not wait too long to seek either a teacher or tutor -- make a decision by early August, if you think you need a boost for the October test. If you're generally doing well on your own, but occasionally want a little guidance about a particular question, feel free to visit us again at the Forum.

Hope this helps!
Beth

[jayhawks135]

Thank you that was super helpful! I'm looking into getting the bible series now!