Timeline Question: Got into Grad School, But Already Started the 12 Month Study Plan

[EmilyEason]

Hello,

My name is Emily and I am currently in my second year of my undergraduate program. I also recently was accepted into my university's School of Public Policy and have started taking some grad classes in undergrad (it's one of those "4 + 1" programs). My dilemma is that now my law school timeline is delayed by one year so that I can go to grad school. Initially, I would have started law school Fall 2023, so I started study using Powerscore's 12 month plan this past December in order to take the LSAT December 2022 (giving me time to take it again in June 2022 if I didn't like my score). However, now I will start law school Fall 2024. I am already three months into Powerscore's 12 month plan, so technically I am studying a year early for the LSAT!
Should I continue studying with the 12 month plan and take the LSAT December or June 2022? Or should I hold off somehow from getting through the plan that quickly? The problem is that I am already "in the zone" learning things from the Study Bibles, and I don't want to mess up that groove.

[Adam Tyson]

That's a tough call, EmilyEason, but here are the options as I see them for you:

1) if your LSAT studies are going well and not interfering at all with your course studies, step it up a bit and get the LSAT done this summer. It's good for five years, and if you get a score you're satisfied with you can put it behind you and focus on other things, like your GPA and developing relationships with professors who will write your Letters of Recommendation. If you take it this summer and aren't happy with the result, you can always take it again later, even putting it off for a year or more if your course work gets intense and you need to focus on that.

2) If studying for the LSAT is getting in the way of getting top grades, or if you do not want to take it this summer or fall for some reason, then stop studying it. The test may be going through some changes in the next few years, changes that might alter your approach (for example, we aren't really sure whether the Logic Games section, as it exists now, will continue to exist in this or any form). Studying now for a test that may be very different by the time you take it would obviously not be ideal!

Right now, your GPA is much more important than your LSAT score, because once those grades are final there is nothing you can do to change them, whereas the LSAT can always be taken again and improved. Sounds like your academic situation is pretty intense, so I lean towards setting aside the LSAT for now. But, if right now the load is light, and it will get more intense later, then get the LSAT done and out of the way asap.

[EmilyEason]

Thank you!

As of now, my LSAT studying is not interfering with my GPA or classes. Also, I believe my schedule and classes may get more difficult in the future. Since I have already bought and started studying the Powerscore Bibles for the current LSAT format, I am leaning towards your Option 1) taking the test sooner and taking it again later if I do not like the score.

Do you predict LSAC will do away with the Logical Reasoning section in the next 2 years?

[Stephanie Oswalt]

Do you predict LSAC will do away with the Logical Reasoning section in the next 2 years?

Hi Emily,

We don't predict that.

The LSAT format and dates are scheduled through June 2022: https://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/lsac-a ... 022-more/ . While the format past then has not been announced, it would be incredibly unlikely for them to remove the LR section completely.