As we say goodbye to the old year and enter 2017, almost everyone applying during the current admissions cycle has already taken the LSAT or is feverishly preparing for the February 2017 administration.
But for those of you just beginning your law school admissions journey, now is a great time to plan for next year’s admissions cycle. And the first piece of the puzzle is the LSAT.
[Read about the 10-week timeline for submitting law school applications.]
The LSAT is not only the arguably most important element of your law school application, it is also the element that you have the most control over from a timing perspective. By starting to explore the admissions process now, you have time on your side. Use it to strategically plan your LSAT preparation.
Factors to Consider
The LSAT is offered four times per year: early February; early June; late September or early October, depending on when Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur fall; and early December. LSAT scores are generally released approximately three weeks after each test administration.
Your law school application is not considered complete until it contains at least one official LSAT score. The earliest your applications can be considered complete, then, is approximately three weeks after you take the test. For almost all schools, the earliest date you can submit law school applications is in September, usually on Sept. 1.
When to Take the LSAT
When deciding to take the LSAT, consider when you hope to submit applications, which administration will allow you a full month of focused preparation leading up to the test and what your backup plan is in case the first test doesn’t go well.
At this early stage in the process, you should aim to submit your applications in September or October 2017, which will place you at the early end of the admissions cycle. As such, you will want to take the LSAT in June or September or October.
This will enable you to submit your applications by mid- to late-October. Whenever you take the LSAT, aim to keep the month leading up to the test relatively stress-free, giving you enough time and mental energy to devote 10-15 hours per week to studying.
[Create a four-month study plan for LSAT success.]
The June and September or October test administrations are also ideal for college students. The June test is far away from spring semester exams, and the September or October test is at the beginning of the semester when most courses have lighter workloads. The December LSAT falls right before fall semester exams, making it a difficult administration for college students.
In charting your path, prepare for the possibility that you might have to retake the LSAT. If you take the June test, the September or October test will be your backup, still putting you on the early end of the admissions cycle. Taking the December test as a backup is also permissible but would push back application submission to early January.
How to Prepare
Preparing to take the LSAT is very different from preparing for other standardized tests. The LSAT is more difficult and more tightly timed than almost any other standardized test — as such, it requires a much more thorough, rigorous preparation process.
Here are some general preparation rules to keep in mind:
— Get help: Few people can maximize their LSAT scores without some form of instruction, whether it is a live or virtual course, on-demand videos or one-on-one tutoring sessions. Some form of expert help will not only help you refine your process for approaching all the different questions you’ll see on the LSAT, but it will also help you structure your preparation to make sure you are using your time most efficiently.
[Compare LSAT preparation methods]
— Start early: Start preparation approximately 16 weeks before the test administration. This allows for plenty of time to learn the necessary concepts, practice them in isolation and take many full, timed practice tests to reinforce the techniques you’ve learned.
— Be consistent: It is near impossible to cram for the LSAT. Instead, plan to spend 10-15 hours per week preparing over four or so months. Start with a goal of 10 hours per week, and as the test approaches, begin to increase your weekly preparation time to 15 hours per week.
Don’t Overprep
While it is important to prepare rigorously, it is also difficult to maintain the appropriate level of rigor and commitment for many months. Don’t spend more than six months preparing for the LSAT, unless you have a significant history of difficulty with standardized tests or a learning disability — in these cases, preparing over a longer period may be advisable.
There is no perfect formula for putting together an LSAT preparation plan. But by charting your path early, you allow yourself plenty of time to prepare so you can submit your applications by your target submission date.
Want feedback on your LSAT preparation plan? You can reach us at lawadmissionslowdown@usnews.com.
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