I am a test whiz -- I spent my university and grad school tutoring people for every standardized test (LSAT, GMAT, GRE, MCAT) and have gotten perfect scores on every standardized test I've ever taken (granted, a perfect score on a standardized test sometimes still means you can miss a question or two).

Yes, you could be lucky and be naturally good at the LSAT. However, your low SAT math score makes me worried that you'd not be naturally good at the logic puzzles section.

You really, REALLY need to take a practice test and strictly time yourself. That is the only way to know how you might perform.

The big issue with going into the test with a laissez-faire attitude is that schools generally will look at all your LSAT scores, not just your highest (like with the SAT or GRE) and so one low score will tank your future in a good law school forever.

I never saw anyone get more than 15 or so points higher than their original score with tutoring (and that was just when they were naturally smart but had bad test taking strategies) so if you don't get at least a 150 on your practice test (or maybe even a 160) you shouldn't even bother, IMO.

Just say nooooooooooo to law school. Do what you really want to do with your lfe.

Anonymous wrote:Over the holidays both parents sat me down and spoke to me about that they would like me to go to law school, that they think I have a natural propensity for it. I have worked as a legal secretary, and ended up doing paralegal work, and was a philosophy major. Even though I hadn't wanted to go in the past, their words made sense and now I am interested in attending.

My question is: is a month long enough to prepare? Or should I wait and take the next test, in June- effectively forcing me to wait till at least next January to attend school (since I'm assuming it will be too late to apply to school for this upcoming September term)?

Unless you're one of those folks remembers things after reading them once, and are a good test taker, then this is not nearly enough time to study.

Anonymous wrote:One of my friends took three practice tests, did nothing else, and got a 180. He went to Yale. Photographic memory. Another friend said it was the hardest test she'd ever seen. She spent each summer of college grinding away at practice test after practice test. Must have done hundreds of them. She also took a prep course or two. Got a 165 and got into a top 5 law school. The LSAT is very hard. Take your time. No sense going to law school unless it's s T14 or it's free.

Thanks. This is good advice.

One of my friends took three practice tests, did nothing else, and got a 180. He went to Yale. Photographic memory. Another friend said it was the hardest test she'd ever seen. She spent each summer of college grinding away at practice test after practice test. Must have done hundreds of them. She also took a prep course or two. Got a 165 and got into a top 5 law school. The LSAT is very hard. Take your time. No sense going to law school unless it's s T14 or it's free.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Take a practice test and see how you do. If you score above a 160 without any practice, you may be able to raise your score by a few points in a month to make you competitive.

Since you were a philosophy major, I assume you took your fair share of logic courses, so the part that stumps a lot of people may be easy for you.

It's really about learning how to take it. When I took my first practice test, I scored 157. After a Kaplan course, I scored 175. That's a big jump, obviously. I am a happy and successful lawyer today.

That said, I would not recommend going to law school unless it's what you want to do, not what your parents think you should do.

How long do the Kaplan courses last?

Anonymous wrote:Take a practice test and see how you do. If you score above a 160 without any practice, you may be able to raise your score by a few points in a month to make you competitive.

Since you were a philosophy major, I assume you took your fair share of logic courses, so the part that stumps a lot of people may be easy for you.

It's really about learning how to take it. When I took my first practice test, I scored 157. After a Kaplan course, I scored 175. That's a big jump, obviously. I am a happy and successful lawyer today.

That said, I would not recommend going to law school unless it's what you want to do, not what your parents think you should do.

I took it without studying and scored in the 95th percentile.

This isn't a knowledge based test. Studying isn't really what you do for it. It's puzzles and reading comprehension and an essay and such. Practice tests are the easiest way to figure out where you stand. Take a bunch if you need to improve your initial score.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - Will your parents pay for law school? Will you support yourself for the next 3 years?

My parents are divorced. Father will pay for some but I will have to take out a good amount of loans.

Then take longer and study more so you get a good score. It's so not worth taking out loans unless you can get into a top school. The employment stats coming out of second tier law schools are abysmal.

+ 1. Unless it is a top school - it will not be worthwhile to invest the money and time in it. Study really hard and make sure that you give it your best shot.

If you can't get into a top 10 -- don't go or at least not if you have to take out loans; frankly I'd only go with loans these days if I could get into the top 5 or so. Figure out how much you'd need to take in loans and figure out what that works out to monthly when you graduate -- if it works out to you needing a biglaw salary in order to service your loans, the top 5 is your only choice.

Can you get a score that gets you into the top 5 in the next month or two? No idea. Take a timed practice test this week and see how you do. If you're in the low to mid 160s without any practice, you can get it up to 170+ in another month with tons of practice. If you are not even in the mid 160s, honestly I'd sit it out until June; I realize that means that you wouldn't apply for the class that starts in 2015, but it is better for your financial and professional future to go to a better school 1 yr later than to go to a mid range school immediately. It's not how it used to be -- job prospects are VERY much determined by where you went. If you are thinking -- so what I don't want biglaw, I just want a second tier firm or the gov't; bc there are so many top 10-20 school grads that aren't getting biglaw, they are flooding the second tier and gov't markets as well so it is hard to compete if you don't have the "right" degree.

Take a practice test and see how you do. If you score above a 160 without any practice, you may be able to raise your score by a few points in a month to make you competitive.

Since you were a philosophy major, I assume you took your fair share of logic courses, so the part that stumps a lot of people may be easy for you.

Anonymous wrote:Are either of your parents lawyers? Non-lawyers who say someone "should go to law school" because they have a "propensity" for it have no idea what they're talking about.

Neither of my parents are, though my uncle is, and he has told me I would make a good lawyer. He brought it up, not me. But yes, I have told my parents that being a lawyer is not like what you see on law and order and such.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - Will your parents pay for law school? Will you support yourself for the next 3 years?

My parents are divorced. Father will pay for some but I will have to take out a good amount of loans.

Then take longer and study more so you get a good score. It's so not worth taking out loans unless you can get into a top school. The employment stats coming out of second tier law schools are abysmal.

Thanks, thats kind of what Im thinking. Father is willing to pay for this LSAT, so i am going to take it, and I guess use it as an indicator of how well I did, and I will continue to study and get my grades up. If by some miracle I do amazingly well and got a good scholarship offer to a good school, then I would take it, but I'm not thinking that will happen.

Are either of your parents lawyers? Non-lawyers who say someone "should go to law school" because they have a "propensity" for it have no idea what they're talking about.