The June 2010 LSAT is just about 10 days away. If you’re registered for it, you need to be thinking about whether you’re ready for the test, and (if so) how to use the next ten days wisely.
Re: Question #1 (excerpt from my law school admission guide, “The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert”)
How do you know if you’re really ready for the LSAT? If you don’t feel ready to take the LSAT, your instinct is probably right. You have a few options. You could take the test and if your score is halfway decent, you can apply. This is a poor strategy that usually goes worse than you expected and becomes something you have to later explain on your applications. Plus, it’s a huge ego-deflater to see a low score. Make sure to take many timed practice tests with five sections. It’s an endurance test and a speed test, so you must practice under these conditions. Practice in distracting conditions, not in ideal ones. It is better to take a test in a noisy coffee shop than in the silence and ideal environment of a library carrel of the 7th floor of your campus library.
See also this post: “Not Hitting Your Goal LSAT Score?”
Re: Question #2
If you’ve studied consistently for 2-4 months and taken full length, timed practice tests, improved and then plateaued, then it’s time to take the LSAT. The Most popular Blog Talk Radio Show I’ve done was last year, entitled “Last Minute Tips for LSAT Takers” – it featured four elite LSAT tutors who provided concrete tips for how to spend the week before the exam. It’s the best 45 minutes you’ll spend before taking the June LSAT. You can listen to it online or download it for FREE from iTunes (search for Ann Levine Blog Talk Radio Feed).
Here are a few other resources to check out in the coming days: Outdated (but still calming) pre-LSAT tips. Knewton advice (with video).
There is a lot of bad advice about the LSAT on the Internet -(I just found one site by a supposed LSAT Prep company I’ve never heard of that says multiple LSAT scores are averaged. THIS IS FALSE.). Don’t get mired down right now in random advice from anonymous people, and please stay away from the paranoia filled discussion boards right now. Concentrate on getting yourself in a good mindset for test-day.
2 Responses
Ann,
Thanks for the post in regards to the June LSAT. I’ve got that gut feeling that I’m not fully prepared to do as well as I should this time around, and am seriously considering waiting until the October test date. Unfortunately, I’m already registered for the June LSAT and have paid the registration fee.
If I choose to wait until the October test and better prepare myself, would you suggest taking the June test since I’m already registered and canceling my score after the test. Or, would it be advisable to opt out of the June test all together?
Also, if I choose to opt out of the June test all together, is it sufficient to simply not show up or will that leave a stain on my record?
Thanks!
Michael – you can take the June LSAT for the experience of it, but absolutely cancel your test on the way out the door….