The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a mandatory exam required for admission into law school. The exam tests students’ skills and capabilities of succeeding in law school. Such skills are comprehension, reasoning, and analytical skills necessary to go through the school program.
Preparing for the LSAT exam is a critical step for students on their journey to pursuing a law career. The test determines acceptance to your preferred school as schools have different standards for acceptable scores to admit students. It is vital to familiarize yourself with the exam topics to determine how much time you need to perform well on the exam.
Knowing the approximate period you need for the exam preparation will enable you to plan adequately not to miss your application deadline to your school of choice. Timing is everything in getting through the LSAT and you can determine your best and worst time for taking the test.
Does Test Timing Matter?
Timing does matter, for several reasons, if you are considering taking the LSAT. Firstly, law schools only accept applications in specific periods. Most schools take applications between September to January, with a few extending the intake to mid-March. LSAT test results are a requirement when applying to law school, meaning your results have to be out by the time you make your application.
Secondly, you must consider that LSAT is only offered four times a year in February, June, September/October, and December. You ought to select the school you want to enroll in before picking your test date. The school application deadline should then determine how far you can stretch before you sit the LSAT.
Lastly, you must note that you cannot register for the LSAT and sit the exam immediately. Students are required to register for the exam about one month before the exam date. Some test centers also have limited availability and can get fully booked. Even though you plan to sit the exam a month after registering, you may miss a chance in a test center.
All the timing intricacies of the LSAT point to one vital element—start early. Taking the LSAT at your earliest chance enables you to maneuver all the odds that can work against you. Another drawback could be a failed test needing a re-take. Having to resit the exam takes you back because you have to re-plan. You start over by considering the application deadlines of law schools, available LSAT slots, availability of test centers, etc.
There are more students seeking enrollment in law schools meaning increased demand for LSAT registration. The spike makes time-planning more critical as more people seek similar dates of registration/exam takes. In 2021, there was a 13 percent increase in the number of students seeking entry to law school
The Worst Time To Take the LSAT
Based on all reflections of test dates and application deadlines, there is such a thing as the worst time to take the LSAT. There is a window period where many students rush to beat the school application deadline hence increased competition for LSAT registration. Towards the end of the year, many students rush to beat the application deadlines of many schools closing by January.
A few months to the end of the year, test centers are also likely to be fully booked and, you will need to take the next available intake. The closer you are to the application deadline of the January or February period, the worse the timing. Some students also do not consider that they can flunk the exam, further complicating their planning.
Poor timing also constitutes taking the exam when you are not ready for it. You ought to take the LSAT after studying to give you the confidence to sail through it. Luckily for students, there are several LSAT prep options available for them. The students can access study material, simulation tests, and other essential resources to help them prepare for the exam.
You can consider taking an LSAT prep course to help you anticipate the exam questions and know how to respond to them. You can also familiarize yourself with the LSAT topics to identify possible challenging subjects you need mastery of and focus on them.
The first part of the exam is a multiple-choice section that includes reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning questions. The second part is a written essay, known as LSAT writing. Proper time management is also essential to attempt all questions in the exam and increase your odds of acing it.
Plan Well and Ace the Test
With proper planning and preparation, you increase your odds of excelling in the LSAT. It is worth noting that the median score of the exam is on the increase, thus making the test more competitive. Having the necessary study resources and time are your magic bullets in passing the exam.