Categories: LSAT, LSAT Prep
Tags: June LSAT
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The following is a guest post by John Rood of Next Step Test Prep:
Regular readers of Ann’s blog <http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/lsat/now-you-can-change-your-mind-about-the-lsat/> know that the LSAC recently changed its policies to include a withdraw option. This lets students decide up until the day before the test to chose to not take the exam without having to be marked absent or cancel a score.
This policy significantly increases student flexibility but comes with a price: students now need to give serious thought to whether they are ready to take a given exam since there is little penalty to postponing. Especially for June test-takers (who can easily postpone to October), this can be a tough decision. Here is some guidance:
1) Have you spent at least two months of focused LSAT study? Some students have successfully reached their top scores with under 4 weeks of study, but they are few and far between. Additionally, if you started with plenty of time but let your study taper off as Dancing With The Stars heated up, you might want to refocus. Another metric to consider is that if you haven’t done at least 10 timed LSAT practice tests, you’re probably not where you should be.
2) Have your LSAT scores leveled off? The goal is always to get the very best score possible; if you’re still seeing significant increases as you put in more work, it might be beneficial to hold off until you’ve started to plateau.
3) Are there areas where you fundamentally don’t understand what’s going on? Nearly everyone misses a few problems, but if there are particular issues that you can identify holding you back, you need to address those before sitting for the test. While you might have been able to stumble through algebra without knowing how to factor, if you don’t understand formal logic you really just aren’t ready to take the LSAT.
4) Is one section significantly weaker than the rest? While some variance is normal, if you routinely get 25/26 in LR but only 12/23 in LG, you probably have the aptitude to do a lot better on the games. Glaring weaknesses can usually be addressed.
If you just didn’t devote enough time to the LSAT, re-committing might be all that’s required. If you’re still missing some basic concepts, it might be time to consider a different set of books or an LSAT tutor.
Next Step Test Preparation provides complete courses of one-on-one tutoring with an LSAT expert for less than the price of a commercial prep course. Email us <mailto:info@nextsteptestprep.com> or call 888-530-NEXT (6398) for a complimentary consultation.
Categories: Application Timeline, LSAT, LSAT Prep, LSAT; Rolling Admissions
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There have been a number of postings this week about when to take the LSAT. We talk about this at length in The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert.
The last day to change your test date for the June 2011 LSAT is May 13th. If you’re not close to where you need to be by this date, then put the test off into October. October is not too late – even for schools where you might apply Early Decision or under Early Notification programs. You will have your October LSAT scores by October 26th, which is plenty of time to fire off applications with early deadlines of November 1 and November 15th.
Here are some posts about application timelines:
Which LSAT to take?
http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/which-lsat-should-i-take/
Application process per Power Score
http://blog.powerscore.com/lsat/how-does-the-law-school-admissions-process-work/
Lawschoolexpert timeline:
http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/application-timeline/get-your-act-together/
http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/application-timeline/5-things-fall-2009-applicants-can-do-right-now/
Podcasts:
http://www.insidersecrets.com/getting-into-law-school/
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ann-levine/2010/06/17/the-law-school-application-timeline-getting-started
Categories: LSAT Prep
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Categories: Advice, Application Timeline, LSAT, LSAT Prep
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Wow. It’s December 1st. How did that happen already?
Those of you taking the December LSAT a week from Saturday are probably in freak-out mode. With ten days to go, you either know your stuff or you don’t, so now is the time to focus on staying healthy, keeping up your skills, and controlling your nerves. Here’s a great post by my friends at Manhattan LSAT about what to do in the Home Stretch before the December LSAT.
This week my clients who took the June or October exam got into some great schools (UVA, Minnesota, Alabama) but this kind of information tends to make December test takers pretty paranoid. Let me assure you, it’s not too late for you to get into a reach law school. The key is to use your time wisely in the three weeks when you’re waiting for your score. Starting December 12th, make sure LORs and transcripts are in at LSAC. Write and polish your personal statement and resume and any optional essays or addenda you anticipate needing. Be ready to submit all applications in the week or ten days after receiving your LSAT score. If you can do that, you will be ok. Don’t waste time worrying about things that are out of your control (like whether December is too late). You are a December LSAT taker, that’s just how things shook out. Don’t let it freak you out. Just move ahead and do your best. Make it worthwhile that you waited to take the LSAT by squeezing out every last point you can.
Here is my post from last year setting out an application timeline for December LSAT takers and here is the 15-minute Free Podcast/Blog Talk Radio Show where I outline directions for your timeline as a December test taker.
Good luck on the LSAT, and let me know if you have any questions.
And Happy Hannukah to those of you who celebrate!
Categories: Low LSAT, LSAT, LSAT Prep, Multiple LSAT scores
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The following is a guest post by Greg Smith, an LSAT instructor at Alpha-Score.com. He has been teaching the LSAT since 2003 both in class and online.
Thinking of retaking the LSAT? Here’s a few things to consider:
Are you insane?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results – Rita Mae Brown.
If you didn’t do as well as you’d like this time around, what is going to change next time? You need a new plan of attack, something needs to change. This could be as simple as reducing your stress, studying harder, or not staying out until 4 am the night before the LSAT, but something needs to change. If you have a plan and you can make significant changes than retaking the LSAT may be in your best interest.
How did you prepare for the LSAT?
If you spent months poring over LSAT text books and reviewing practice exams in preparation for the exam, it is unlikely that a few more months of study will have a significant effect on your score. However, if you avoided LSAT questions in favor of nights out with Jagermeister or even spent your time studying for midterms and writing essays, then you might have some room for improvement. If you don’t think you studied hard enough the first time are you going to commit to a different study plan for a retake?
Did something go wrong?
I’ve heard terrible stories of what can happen on LSAT day. Everything from construction in the room next door to heat waves, panic attacks and illness. If your test day was a disaster you’ve got a great reason to retake. Also, if there were extenuating circumstances during your first LSAT you may want to notify any law schools you apply to of this fact, BUT only after you have proven you can score higher.
Check your score?
Check your LSAT score against your scores on your home practice tests. If there’s a significant difference then something went wrong. If it wasn’t a the testing conditions, illness floods or some other natural disaster then the most likely cause of your downfall is stress. It is possible to overcome this and even turn it to your advantage, some students perform better under stress. Check this guide on stress reduction for the LSAT.
Statistically speaking
LSAC provides substantial data on students who repeat the LSAT and the results they see. In summary, only about 30% of students retake the LSAT. The ones that do, are more likely to see their score increase than decrease. Approximately 67% of repeaters saw their score increase, 8% experienced no change, and 25% received a lower score.
Effect on Applications
You should also consider the delay of re-taking the LSAT on your applications to law school. Many schools admit students on a rolling basis so it is actually easier to get in if you apply earlier. One option is to apply with your lower score to take advantage of the rolling admissions and then if you get a higher score, alert the school and have another shot at admission. You may also get accepted to a school that is not your first choice based on your initial LSAT score. At this point you can take the LSAT again, stress free because you know you are already accepted to at least one school. Then, if your second score is higher, you might get into the school of your choice. Stress is a very significant factor in how students perform on the actual LSAT so whatever you can do to reduce or eliminate stress is a good thing!
Ann Levine can probably provide better input on how a second score affects your application with respect to rolling admissions.
Average or Highest LSAT Score?
Check with your target schools (usually on their websites) to see if they average your scores or take the highest one. Even schools that average scores can occasionally be persuaded to take your highest if there were special circumstances at the time of your lower scored LSAT. (note by Ann: since schools only have to report the highest of multiple scores to the ABA, they have incentive to rely on your highest score). Law schools are increasingly taking the highest reported LSAT score for applicants as it helps their law school rankings when they report the average LSAT of their admitted students.
Let your schools know!
If you do decide to retake the LSAT, make sure to let your school know about your new score. You need to make sure your new score gets to them. (note by Ann: schools make mistakes about this all the time, so take control of your process and be proactive about making sure schools have your new score.)
For more information about online LSAT prep courses
For more information about the likelihood of raising your score on a second try, see this law school expert post.Here is more about whether to retake the LSAT.
Here’s an application timeline for December LSAT takers.
For more about why Ann Levine considers the December LSAT the “LSAT of LAST RESORT” see The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert. (Also available on download from iTunes or in MP3 format on Amazon.
Categories: LSAT, LSAT Prep
Tags: ace the lsat blog, LSAT Prep, LSAT tutor, Manhattan LSAT tutor, Steve Schwartz LSAT
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Steve Schwartz at the Ace the LSAT blog (whom I quote in my law school admission guidebook) just let me know he came out with e-book schedules for those who are self-studying for the LSAT. If you’re taking the December or February LSAT, I highly recommend you check these out. Click here for more information about LSAT self-study schedules.
Categories: LSAT, LSAT Prep, LSAT; Rolling Admissions
Tags: LSAT, LSAT Prep, October LSAT
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Breathe deeply. LSAT day will arrive no matter what you do. A lot of your success in the next 5 days is mind over matter. Will you let the LSAT get to you, or are you excited to prove what you can do and show off all of your hard work preparing for it?
Here’s a helpful article by my friends at BlueprintPrep about what to do this week to prepare for the LSAT.
Here’s a link to one of my favorite Law School Expert Blog Talk Radio Shows about Last Minute Tips for LSAT Takers. You can listen to it online or download it from iTunes under Blog Talk Radio Feed – Ann Levine (or something like that).
In my law school admission consulting business, October is the month when most people sign up to work with me. So don’t feel you’re behind the curve. Do what you need to do on the LSAT this week, and if you’re considering working with me I’m here to talk when you’re ready. I’ll move you along very quickly. With an October LSAT score, there is still time to apply in early-mid November which is plenty of time to take advantage of rolling admissions. See my website for more information. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Ann K. Levine, Esq., former director of law school admissions for two ABA approved law schools, is a law school admission consultant and owner of Law School Expert,
