Push Back Test Date Again?

[Jaswell]

Hi y'all,

So I have a really bad case of pushing back my LSAT test dates. I am planning on applying for law school admission for Fall 2016 and was originally going to take the June LSAT. I just graduated college in May and I didn't really study so I decided to take a Powerscore Course and take the LSAT in October instead. The closer to October it got, I realized I hadn't been taking the course very seriously or doing the homework on time like I was supposed to because I am working 2 jobs and was just too tired. I decided to withdraw from October.

Now I'm registered for the December test and really haven't had the time to study properly at all, and my LSAT is basically at 150...(which is what I pretty much started with before "studying"). I am considering pushing the test back AGAIN until February (or just taking the Dec test and retake in Feb for sure) but I'm so scared I wont get accepted because it's too late in the application cycle. I emailed all the schools I'm applying to and they all accept Feb scores but they said they do rolling admissions so they recommend applying by January the latest. I really don't know if I can study diligently enough with only about 3 weeks left before the Dec LSAT to increase my score ideally to 160 (so I could maybe get some scholarships?), but I don't want to ruin my chances by waiting until Feb and it being too late. By the way, I'm applying to and would mostly want to go to either USD, Cal Western, or Pepperdine and my GPA is 3.47 from USC. Any suggestions? Hate being a procrastinator ): LSAT studying is much harder than I thought.

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Jaswell,

Thanks for the questions! I think I can help you out here (and by the way, I really appreciate all the info about how you've been preparing—it makes it much easier to give you good advice ).

My suggestion to you is that you delay taking the LSAT until February (and maybe take December; see below for my question on that). I'm basing that a lot on you saying that you haven't had time to study properly, and with only three weeks to go (and probably still working two jobs) I'm not sure you have time to make the leap that you want. Now, you could do the "Take in December and then retake in February" strategy as well. The only concern I would have about doing that is if you've got a prior LSAT take on your record. If you do, then December would be your second take, and February would be your third, and you would then have used up all three of your takes within a two year period, meaning that according to LSAC you can't take it again for a while (unrelated side note: I really hate that policy!). If you have no prior LSATs on your record, then you could take December and February with no worries (see this article on retaking the LSAT for more info on how law schools really only care about your high score, so if December is about average for you and February is 10 points better, it won't be an issue at all).

If you only take the February LSAT, I know that pushes your score release date back, but I in admissions the general rule is that the benefit of a higher LSAT score outweighs the benefit of applying earlier. The LSAT has that much power and weight in this process.

If you get a 150 in December, based solely on the numbers you will be in at Cal Western. At Pepperdine and USD you'd typically need a higher score, so shooting towards the 160s is a good goal (and every point counts not just for admissions, but as you mention for scholarships too).

One good thing about where you are right now is that you know that finding the time and energy to study can be difficult. So, as you move forward, there won't be any surprises there. You can do this, and you know what it takes in terms of effort. We're here to help—just let us know what we can do for you.

Thanks and good luck!

[Jaswell]

Thanks for the quick reply Dave! You rock! So if I got a higher score in Feb you really don't think that would take me out of the running for admission since it's so late in the process? Also as far as studying goes for December/Feb, do you think it's a better strategy to go through and finish all of the homework from each chapter and do the practice questions they have or just hammer out practice tests and review the answers I miss? Thanks so much!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Jaswell,

Great, glad I could help!

The way I look at it is that if you score a 150 in December (or even 155), your chances at Pepperdine and USD are not great, unfortunately. So, in all likelihood, you are going to have to take it in February anyway. If you look at it solely as a time vs score debate, I've heard this repeatedly from admissions deans: your LSAT score is of paramount importance. So much of this process is now driven by rankings, and the rankings are dependent on LSAT and GPA, and thus when push comes to shove, if you apply later but have better numbers, your chances are better overall. When it's October vs December, I usually say that just 2 points is enough to make it worthwhile. Here, it's higher than that, maybe 4 points. But that's well within your grasp, hence my recommendation.

I'd finish the lessons up first—you need to make sure that you have isolated all the question and reasoning types and are solid on those. then turn to the tests and do as many of those as you can. And, don't just review the ones you miss, review the ones you answered correctly as well, in order to make sure you did each one as efficiently as possible.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

[Jaswell]

Perfect, great tip for studying, I'll get started (SERIOUSLY this time lol) tonight. And yes thank you! You definitely solved my dilemma, you're amazing!

[frankwojtasiak]

Hi,
So I am in a VERY similar situation. I am active duty military stationed in Italy and am currently in an online prep course (number IV I believe). I am registered for the December LSAT and am practice testing around 149/150... I am looking at schools in the San Diego area and think I have a good shot at Cal Western either way. However, I am also looking at USD, Oregon, University of Denver, Gonzaga, and a couple others that are about 154-156ish median LSAT scores. My undergrad GPA is 3.09 and I know I obviously need to do my best but I am worried that I won't do much better than a 150. My question is I guess if I do not score well (even though I know most schools accept the higher score) will taking it again (and potentially doing similar) hinder me from the opportunity to attend one of the aforementioned schools that are ranked higher. I know that I have prior service going for me and I will actually finish my masters degree in March but I do not want to depend on these things as I also know that they are not very weighted in the admissions process. Overall, I am worried I will not do very well this December, yet do not want to REQUIRE a February score because of admissions priority deadlines. Please help with any advice.
Thanks, Frank

[David Boyle]

Hi,
So I am in a VERY similar situation. I am active duty military stationed in Italy and am currently in an online prep course (number IV I believe). I am registered for the December LSAT and am practice testing around 149/150... I am looking at schools in the San Diego area and think I have a good shot at Cal Western either way. However, I am also looking at USD, Oregon, University of Denver, Gonzaga, and a couple others that are about 154-156ish median LSAT scores. My undergrad GPA is 3.09 and I know I obviously need to do my best but I am worried that I won't do much better than a 150. My question is I guess if I do not score well (even though I know most schools accept the higher score) will taking it again (and potentially doing similar) hinder me from the opportunity to attend one of the aforementioned schools that are ranked higher. I know that I have prior service going for me and I will actually finish my masters degree in March but I do not want to depend on these things as I also know that they are not very weighted in the admissions process. Overall, I am worried I will not do very well this December, yet do not want to REQUIRE a February score because of admissions priority deadlines. Please help with any advice.
Thanks, Frank

Hello frankwojtasiak,

Feel free to clarify further, but I think you have partially answered your own question. If indeed some of those schools prefer to have a c. 155 LSAT score, then having a 150 may not be helpful to you. --I'm not sure what precisely you are asking: as for "My question is I guess if I do not score well . . . will taking it again (and potentially doing similar) hinder me from the opportunity to attend one of the aforementioned schools that are ranked higher," yes, if you get another 150 or below, that may not help. But if you climb to 155 or higher, that could be great.
Again, feel free to clarify. Best of luck in any case,

Hope this helps,
David

[Dave Killoran]

Hey Frank,

Thanks for the questions! If you don't mind, I'd like to add to David's response, and there are two things I think are relevant. The first is that having the higher score is always worth it. Here's an article I wrote about just this topic, and you may find it useful: http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/should- ... -agree-yes. So, no matter how you do in December, I'd recommend taking it in February too.

Second, one of the comments you made caught my eye. You said, "I know I obviously need to do my best but I am worried that I won't do much better than a 150." I'm all for realism in assessing your chances, but I also feel like there's an edge of pessimism there (I may be wrong there, and if so, definitely tell me). If you aren't feeling 100% confident, it can be tough to perform to your potential. Test mentality is one of my favorite topics to talk about, and it's also an area where you can get significantly better! So, if there's even a chance you might not feel perfectly confident, check out a response I made to another student on this forum: http://forum.powerscore.com/lsat/viewto ... 59&p=20048 (see the second half of my reply for the discussion of test mentality resources).

Enjoy Italy—great posting you got there! Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!

[frankwojtasiak]

First thank you both for hasty responses, and to clarify. I am worried that if I take the test again, I may not be doing myself a service, especially if I only obtain a similar score. Also, I will be pushing back my potential acceptance as I won't be able to finish applications until after the February test scores are released. I separate from active duty in July and the sooner I find out where I am attending the better (need a place to live, car, etc.).
Thanks, Frank

[Dave Killoran]

Hi Frank,

Thanks for the clarification. Going back to my original reply, in the first link I posted there is a discussion of how law schools view multiple LSAT scores. As far as simply having multiple scores, it won't matter if they are both in the same neighborhood. So, on the count of simply taking two LSATs, its not a worry.

Next, you have a legitimate concern as to whether taking February will push back your apps and impact you adversely. There are two sides to this: how it affects your application chances, and how it affects your relocation when you exit active duty. I think you know that the best outcome would be for you to take December, nail it, and then be done with the LSAT. That would get your apps completed as early as possible, and with a higher LSAT score, give you the best chances for admission. But let's say that doesn't happen. In that case, there's a prioritization decision here for you: is it more important for you to know where you are going, or for you to get into the best school? If it's the former, then skip taking the February LSAT and just roll with your December LSAT score. If it's getting into the best school, then take the February LSAT. Yes, taking that exam delays your application decisions, but if you can score a just a few points higher, it will be enough to offset the penalty for applying later (by the way, I covered what "early" really means when applying to law school—this article might give you a better sense of how applications come in during the course of admissions season).

The LSAT is really the kingmaker in the law school application process. It's the single most important piece in your folder, and it can offset a lower GPA or putting your application in later in the process. Let's say you scored a 150 in December and then a 155 in February. Would that score increase be enough to offset the two-month delay in finalizing your application? From an admissions chances perspective, the answer is a definitive yes. What if you don't increase your score? Well, then you've delayed your apps for no gain, and that would be a negative (specifically, the score being the same is not a big deal, it's just the loss of time that's the negative). But there's no way to avoid that in this situation.

Really, this comes down to what you prioritize as your highest need. Yes, if you take February there's a small penalty for applying later, but if you can score just a few points higher, that penalty would be not just offset but outweighed.

Last, if you haven't already, check out the test mentality links in my first reply. If you don't have that locked down, there isn't a need to retake the test because you'll probably score about the same.

Hopefully I was able to address your concerns here. Please let me know if it helped. Thanks!