When is it better to wait for the next application cycle?

[caseyelizabeth]

Hi there,

I just received my November LSAT score (even though my test center was one of the cancelled ones and I actually had to make it up in December on pen & paper), and unfortunately received 149. For context, I took a blind practice test in August and got a 142, so I know I could have done much better than this, but felt I choked during the Logic Games section and also didn't feel like I was really grasping any passages in the RC section -- definitely some testing anxiety.

After some consideration today, I'm wondering if it might be a smarter decision to stop rushing to apply in this cycle and instead recognize the benefits of taking more time to build my resume, take an actual in-person class v. self-study, and instead try for next cycle. I am 26 and work full-time too, but was thinking my next attempt could be the April LSAT and I could take a night/ weekend class the end of February to mid April (or would that be cutting it too close?)

Also -- I had already registered for the January LSAT for fear of space running out because I had to travel to a different state to take the November one, but now I've missed the deadline to get a refund. Would it be worth taking this one since I can't get money back anyway, or too risky for it to count against my limit?

Anyways, I am interested to hear any advice on this topic and any stories from those who have decided to give themselves a break and instead try for the next cycle instead? Are you glad you chose that path and would you recommend it?

Thank you!

[Paul Marsh]

Hi Casey! My advice is absolutely to wait. Give yourself the chance to work hard and realize your potential score.

Here's my fun story about waiting a cycle. I first took the LSAT during my senior year of college. I studied my tail off for it, and thought about very little besides the LSAT for a couple months. The night before the test, I couldn't sleep a minute; I just stared at the ceiling as Logical Reasoning question types floated before my eyes. The day of the test, everything was going great until the very end of the last section - as the proctor called "Time!" I realized with a panic that I had accidentally skipped a line on the Scantron, and that my last ~6 answers were all on the wrong line. I immediately asked the proctor if there was anything I could do; she informed there wasn't. I'm positive that my nerves and lack of sleep were the main culprits for that stupid mistake. I was so mad that I didn't even want to think about the LSAT for another few months. I was already on the fence about going straight from college into law school, so I decided on the spot to skip that cycle and try the LSAT again the following summer. When I took the LSAT again about 8 months later, I was prepared, confident, and well-rested...and I didn't skip a single line!

My score only improved a couple points that second time around, but I am sure that I made the right choice. Why? 1) I barely made it into my top choice for law school, and I almost certainly would not have with my first score. 2) Every point on the LSAT makes a significant difference in scholarship dollars. Putting the time in to get a good LSAT score is a smart financial investment, for both tuition costs in the short term and future career earnings in the long-run. 3) The time I spent working between college and law school was one of the best and most formative periods of my life. Law school can be a rough time, and the more you can prepare yourself (financially, emotionally, etc.) the better.

As for the January LSAT, I would take it for a couple reasons. 1) Sitting for the actual test is a whole different ball-game from taking practice tests on your own. You said that you "choked" during the November test; this is super common. The more familiar and comfortable you are sitting for an actual test, the less likely that is to occur. It's never a bad idea to practice your mentality for the distractions and stresses of test day. And 2) The LSAC New Year starts in June! So while it's true that you can only take 3 tests a year, that year is measured from June 1 to May 31st. Since you took the November test, and will be taking the January and April tests, that means you could another test in June test without any problems. Feel free to review the rules about limits here:

Should You Retake The LSAT?

Again, I would strongly recommend waiting to apply until you have gotten the chance to take an LSAT course, put some serious time into studying, and received a score that is in line with your practice tests. From a financial standpoint the overall long-term benefit of increasing your score a few points is significant, enough to make delaying law school a year worth it. I'd love to hear other people's perspectives though. Hope that helps!

[dlehr99]

Casey/Paul

My two cents as someone who has made the decision to skip the cycle not once, but twice... and may do it a third time if I think it makes sense. I actually was accepted to and had paid a seat deposit at a top 25 after my first attempt. It was a good score but I was certain I could do better, plus I got a good job offer in the meantime. Admittedly, it's easier when something is lined up but I pulled out about 3 weeks before the scheduled start date. One year later after studying for 5 months I scored exactly the same score. Obviously I was pretty bummed as I still did not feel the score represented my potential so I skipped again. So, here I am again on year three and consistently scoring on PTs 4-6 pts higher than my original score. I believe I will hit that score and honestly I still think I have a little more in the tank if I had the mental stamina to continue studying for a few more months. There are people who can study for 3 months and hit a 170 - to me they are magicians. For the vast majority of us I think this pattern of thinking must be learned over time... many months, maybe years to truly reach our highest potential. I absolutely will sit out the cycle for a third time if I don't think I have reached that point because there is just too much at stake financially as Paul noted. I don't regret my decisions thus far.

After speaking to friends about their experience going straight to law school I'm comfortable saying:

1)That in a best case scenario someone coming in after a few years of maturing/working/being part of the real world could have a huge advantage in school and also in OCR.

2)In a worst case scenario, there are essentially zero disadvantages.

3)You might find yourself making a decent amount of money and realize maybe it's not Law School or bust. It's expensive and a decision that shouldn't be taken lightly.

This is a no-brainer to me. Take the test, take it 3 times, take it 4 times - Do whatever you need to do to put yourself in the best position for the next 50 years, not the next 5 months.