December LSAT?

[maggs]

Hello,

I am currently registered for the September LSAT but am considering postponing it until December. Some background information: I took the online course last summer but didn't take the test in the end. I have been studying the last two months using the Bibles and Workbooks (and a few practice tests). Since I often run out of time during practice tests, I decided that I would focus entirely on individual problems/sections the last month. I recently started doing full-length practice tests again, but the results are still more than ten points below what I hope to achieve. I am able to devote a lot of time in the next two weeks to study (until the September test), and I probably will have time to study for the December test if I choose to do so as well. I feel like I have spent quite some time studying already, so I'm not sure if I should risk taking the December test when I am not so confident about how much I can increase my score. I keep questioning myself the chances of me not increasing enough points in the December LSAT to outweigh the disadvantages of applying in January instead of November. At the same time, I really want to increase my score by ten more points, and it feels like increasing ten points at this point is not realistic before the September test.

Looking back, I probably should not have stopped doing full-length practice tests for a month, so I'm thinking about focusing more on that the next two weeks, if I decide on taking the September test.

Could you please give me some advice? Thank you so much.

P.S. If I decide to take the December test instead, I am considering taking the onsite full-length course. Would that be too redundant since I've already completed the online course? Do you have any other recommendations for how I could study for the December LSAT?

[Ron Gore]

Hi Maggs, welcome to the forum.

I'm sorry you're having this difficulty. Normally, I tell folks that it's often the case that a lot can change in the last couple of weeks before the test, and that this is too far away to reach a decision about whether or not your should take a certain administration of the test. And, to some extent, that's my response now as we well. At the same time, given your history with the test (and thanks for letting me know all that), it seems unlikely that you'll have a transformative revelation in the next two weeks.

If you are 10 points below what you hope to score on the test, then I assume that means you are 10 points below what you need to go to the realistic school of your choice. If that's the case, then why take the test now when you know you aren't anywhere close to what you need to get? If you are able to get even five more points by waiting to December, it would be completely worth it.

If you decide to take the December LSAT, it seems to me that you need to shift to private tutoring. It appears that what you've been doing isn't working. It's not as if you haven't put forward the effort, but it's clear that you're not quite making the connections you need to make to improve. You've got to shake things up. And, while tutoring can be expensive, the opportunity cost of your time has value as well. Further, I doesn't appear to me that just taking another class will do it for you. You need one-on-one help to maximize your potential.

Take heart. Many people need tutoring, rather than a class, to start making progress. It doesn't mean you can't make progress, but you do need to change up your strategy.

What are your thoughts?

Ron

[maggs]

Hi Ron,

Thank you for the prompt reply!

I think part of the reason I was hoping for the score increase within the next two weeks is due to my lack of taking enough full-length practice tests recently. Perhaps it's just wishful thinking, but I keep persuading myself that once I get more accustomed to the timing of the test, my score will go up.

Realistically speaking, it seems like postponing the test until December is a better idea, but I don't really want to give up hope on the September just yet. Since you brought up private tutoring, I am starting to wonder if getting a private tutor within the next two weeks help me find out something I am perhaps currently doing wrong without knowing is a good idea. If I still don't feel like I'm ready for the September exam right before the exam, I could continue with the private tutoring in preparation for the December exam. Does that sound like a realistic plan with private tutoring? Also, I'm slightly confused with how the content of private tutoring goes. Do the instructor and I simply agree on what I want/need to focus on, and the instructor then decide on the organization/order of the course? Do we just pick out certain sections of the books to focus on? If not, what happens after I explain my situation and what I think might be my weaknesses?

Also, to add to my first post, the reason I brought up the possibility of enrolling in an onsite full-length course is because I think the reason I am not so ready for the September test might be due to the lack of consistent structure in my studying. When I study on my own, I can't seem to figure out what questions I should focus on. I realized that I might have wasted too much time on slowly and carefully reading the answer key explanations to every question. I recently started skipping over explanations to questions I got right and feel comfortable about. Do you have any thoughts on this?

Sorry about the lengthy questions. Again, thank you, Ron! I really appreciate your advice.

[Ron Gore]

Hi Maggs,

It certainly is likely that your score will improve with continued, structured practice and the repetition of taking practice tests. Whether you will be able to increase the amount that you want in the last few days is less likely. Even with private tutoring, the time you have remaining before the test would probably not be sufficient for the things the tutor could help you with to sink in.

As to how tutoring works, I wrote a blog post a while back on how to make the most of tutoring. That should answer those questions for you. A good, structured tutoring arrangement can help you focus your study and identify your areas of weakness, giving you specific tools to get the most out of your study as well.

Good luck!

Ron