HELP!!!

[jessicamorehead]

Okay, so I have been doing 1 on 1 tutoring through Powerscore since late June/early July. I wanted to take the September exam so I could apply by Thanksgiving, however, I just don't see how my score can increase to what I need with ONE MONTH before the exam! My diagnostic was a 147, and I've taken two practice exams recently where I scored a 150 and a 152. I am just now finishing up lesson 8 with my tutor, so we still have lessons 9-12 left. Since we still have 4 lessons to go, I am going to have a lot of homework these next couple weeks, so I'm worried I won't be able to do as many practice tests as I need to. Plus how can my score even increase that much in a month?! I NEED at least a 170 on the LSAT, as my GPA is lower than average for the schools I am looking into. Do you recommend taking it in September to see how I do? And then sign up for the December one just in case? I can do 3 practice tests a week between the September and December test to really nail my timing. If I do that, would two LSAT scores look bad? Also... I've heard burning out can really mess up your score. How can I ensure that won't happen to me if I continue studying for the December exam? Any help is appreciated!

[jessicamorehead]

Also.... if I do take the September exam AND the December one, should I reserve the most recent preptests for practice for the latter?

[Eric Ockert]

Hi Jessica!

A couple of things:

1. I'm not sure if what you are saying is that you have only taken two tests since your diagnostic, or if those are just the most recent two. If those are the only two, then so far it looks like good, steady improvement from your diagnostic (depending on the exam, that is moving from roughly the 33rd percentile to above the 50th percentile). I understand that your ultimate goal is still a ways off, but now that you are starting to wind down your coursework and devote more time to practice tests, this is when most of our students really start to see improvement in their scores.

2. Even if you don't have enough time to get to 170 by September 16, it is probably a good idea to take that exam, and use December as an additional attempt. Most schools do not really penalize you for taking the test twice, and do not average your scores. (However, it is still important to check with the schools you are looking at to see their specific policies on tests). So in the event that December is higher, you can use that score. Also, having a score after September, even if it is short of your goal, gives you something to work with. Finally, getting an opportunity to go through the process of gearing up and taking the test, and all of the pressures and anxieties that go with it, can be good practice for December.

3, In prepping for December, you do not need to take 3 tests per week, certainly not over the next 3 months. That level of preparation would have you at close to 40 total tests or more between now and then. I feel that consistently doing one or two practice tests per week, with supplementary course material and practice sections in between, is probably a better answer. That will allow you to devote more time to reviewing your tests carefully (which is where most of your improvement is likely to be had anyway) and helps keep you from burning out.

4. Don't worry too much about which tests are done when, but I would generally save some of the more recent tests for the approach to December.

Hope that helps!

[jessicamorehead]

Eric,

Thank you for the detailed response. I meant that I have only taken 2 practice tests since my diagnostic one. How many practice tests should I try to do before taking the September exam? I still have quite a few lessons left, as well as homework, so I am trying to find a balance between the PTs and homework assignments. Most of the schools I am looking into look at your higher LSAT score, however, there are a few (NYU, Columbia) that take all of your scores into account. Is the practice of the September exam worth it if it could affect how schools view me? Say I get a 160 on the September exam and then a 170+ on the December exam, would that look suspicious/lower my chances of acceptance?

Additionally, is applying with the December exam considered "late?" I really am hoping for some scholarship money, and I know that the later you apply in the cycle, the less likely you are to be accepted/given money. Therefore, I am now completely rethinking when I should apply. If I do apply for the 2018 cycle, should I wait until I get my December score back before submitting my application, or should I apply with my September score (granted we know it is not going to be very good) and tell them I am retaking in December? Another option would be for me to wait until the 2019 cycle. I could take the test in December, try to get some experience at a firm on my resume and then apply right when the application opens in November 2019. I'm just not sure if I want to wait 2 more years to start law school, but I also don't want to reduce my chances of acceptance and scholarship money by applying later in the cycle than everyone else.

What do you think?

[Eric Ockert]

Hi Jessica

As a general rule, at this point I would be taking at least one or two tests per week leading up to September, in addition to your course work. However, I would defer specifics to the tutor you are currently working with, as they would know your preparation details better than I would.

The ultimate goal is to get that LSAT score as high as you can. If that means taking the test twice, so be it. Even if that is taken into consideration by the schools you apply to, a significantly better score is probably going to be more determinative than any of those issues. The hypothetical you cited is a great case in point. If you moved from a 160 in September to a 170 in December, that's a 170! And if it took that extra test and practice to get there, so be it. I'd rather take the test twice like that with a 170 at the end, than take it once and get, say, a 167.

I will probably have to defer on your remaining questions as I don't consider myself an Admissions expert on these schools. Those may be best directed at Admissions Officers of the respective schools you are looking at or an Admissions Counselor/Consultant. As I mentioned in the previous post, there are many factors to consider with these decisions. Most significantly, without knowing your LSAT score yet, it's probably too early to know whether to postpone a year or not. Don't assume that your September score won't be very good (those kinds of assumptions tend to be self-fulfilling). Four weeks is still a lot of time to make significant improvements.

My feelings are still to see what September brings. At that point, you will have a better idea of when/if you want to apply and if you want to retake in December. Delaying September puts all your eggs in the December basket and guarantees you will be applying later in the cycle or next year. That's a lot of pressure on one test.

[jessicamorehead]

Eric,

Okay, I think you are completely right. Putting all my eggs in one basket for the December exam would really affect my test anxiety (and probably lead to a lower score). I will stay enrolled for the September exam and go from there. Should I sign up for the December one soon just in case? I'm worried there may not be a seat for me if I wait until after the September results are out. Thank you for all of your advice! I really appreciate it

[Adam Tyson]

Yes, Jessica, you should sign up for December asap to be sure you get a seat in your preferred testing center. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it! Plan on crushing the test in September and never needing that December seat - anything less is planning to fail, and as Eric said, that can be a self-fulfilling prophesy. Just know that you have a safety valve should your score be insufficient for your needs, and a chance to bump it up further even if you don't need to, perhaps to give you some leverage to negotiate for scholarship money.