When is the right time to start studying the lsat? Forum

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criminologygeek

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When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:51 pm

I'm currently in my 2nd semester of freshman year (I know it's very early) but I really want to make sure I have everything right- I rather study hard for the lsat and get a good score in the 170's than retake it multiple times and look messy on my record. With that being said, when's the best time to start studying?

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by albanach » Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:28 pm

At the moment you have control over your GPA. After you graduate, your GPA is fixed. So spend your time and energy at the moment on the academics. Maybe in a year or two you could take a diagnostic and see how you do there, then start some very gentle study.

Above all else, don't do anything to the detriment of your GPA. It would almost always be better to leave the LSAT until after you finish school if that means you can graduate 0.1 points higher.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by cavalier1138 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:22 pm

Literally anything else would be a better use of your time right now. You shouldn't even be beginning to think about the LSAT for another three years.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by BrainsyK » Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:11 pm

I'll go against the grain and say that I started studying the summer before junior year and am glad I did. I studied way longer than average person and barely got a score I was happy with. I was able to keep a straight 4.0 after I started LSAT study so it didn't affect my GPA, which is a sentiment I'd echo. If you're going to risk your GPA, then leave the LSAT alone.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by Res publica » Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:06 am

I asked the same question years ago when I was a freshman, and everyone told me to focus on GPA. Well, fast forward 5 years and I got a 178. I took it once, but I put in over 800 hours over 3 years. You should focus on GPA at the moment. Take easy classes, work hard in the tough ones. Don't focus on the LSAT. But during winter break and summer break, spend some time to familiarize yourself with the LSAT. I took some practice tests, read some articles, and got a Kaplan book from the bookstore. Eventually, perhaps summer of junior year or sophomore year depending on if you plan on working first before law school (which is a plus for law schools), you should really be prepping then. For now, don't stress too much over the LSAT, but don't be afraid to familiarize yourself with the exam so it isn't so stressful and scary when you start really studying for it in a year or two out.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Sun Jan 20, 2019 6:27 pm

Res publica wrote:I asked the same question years ago when I was a freshman, and everyone told me to focus on GPA. Well, fast forward 5 years and I got a 178. I took it once, but I put in over 800 hours over 3 years. You should focus on GPA at the moment. Take easy classes, work hard in the tough ones. Don't focus on the LSAT. But during winter break and summer break, spend some time to familiarize yourself with the LSAT. I took some practice tests, read some articles, and got a Kaplan book from the bookstore. Eventually, perhaps summer of junior year or sophomore year depending on if you plan on working first before law school (which is a plus for law schools), you should really be prepping then. For now, don't stress too much over the LSAT, but don't be afraid to familiarize yourself with the exam so it isn't so stressful and scary when you start really studying for it in a year or two out.
This is honestly helpful and relatable unlike those that say just focus on my GPA. I already have a high GPA of 3.9 with 21 credits this semester. However, I won't start studying until summer of sophomore year but even then won't go in hard because there's no point since it would be a year or two away. By the way I admire your lsat score-that's honestly my target score. And you mentioned how it took an accumulation of 3 years; i'll use that timeline. May I ask what law school you go into?

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Sun Jan 20, 2019 6:30 pm

cavalier1138 wrote:Literally anything else would be a better use of your time right now. You shouldn't even be beginning to think about the LSAT for another three years.
Yeah, so you're saying don't even think about studying for another 3 years when i'm a senior in college. Love that. And what score would I get from that, a 140? Listen, I like studying slow instead of cramming like a maniac last minute. But thanks for the timeline I'll use it if I want to hit a low target score.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by QContinuum » Sun Jan 20, 2019 6:38 pm

criminologygeek wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote:Literally anything else would be a better use of your time right now. You shouldn't even be beginning to think about the LSAT for another three years.
Yeah, so you're saying don't even think about studying for another 3 years when i'm a senior in college. Love that. And what score would I get from that, a 140? Listen, I like studying slow instead of cramming like a maniac last minute. But thanks for the timeline I'll use it if I want to hit a low target score.
I don't think there's a need to insult cavalier, who's one of our best contributors on the site. I assure you cavalier is not out to trick you (or any other readers of this thread) into bombing the LSAT.

Obviously, you know what works best for you as far as standardized tests go. If studying 800 hours over 3 years served you well on the SAT, then by all means follow the same strategy on the LSAT. But cavalier is right that the vast majority of applicants don't need to study that long or that many hours. For the vast majority of applicants, it indeed makes the most sense to put the LSAT completely out of their mind until at least senior year. Far better to do without the stress and focus on doing well and having fun (don't forget the fun!) in college. Keep an open mind; it's possible that you won't even want to go to law school by the time you make it to senior year. I know that back when I was a college freshman, I was a firmly committed premed and would've laughed at anyone who told me I'd go to law school one day.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by cavalier1138 » Sun Jan 20, 2019 7:01 pm

criminologygeek wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote:Literally anything else would be a better use of your time right now. You shouldn't even be beginning to think about the LSAT for another three years.
Yeah, so you're saying don't even think about studying for another 3 years when i'm a senior in college. Love that. And what score would I get from that, a 140? Listen, I like studying slow instead of cramming like a maniac last minute. But thanks for the timeline I'll use it if I want to hit a low target score.
In addition to what Q said--all of which was correct--I was also strongly hinting that you shouldn't go straight from undergrad to law school. Taking some time to work after undergrad is only a plus for your life and your law school application (assuming you still want to go at that point in time).

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by Res publica » Sun Jan 20, 2019 10:14 pm

criminologygeek wrote: This is honestly helpful and relatable unlike those that say just focus on my GPA. I already have a high GPA of 3.9 with 21 credits this semester. However, I won't start studying until summer of sophomore year but even then won't go in hard because there's no point since it would be a year or two away. By the way I admire your lsat score-that's honestly my target score. And you mentioned how it took an accumulation of 3 years; i'll use that timeline. May I ask what law school you go into?
I am applying next cycle as I am working for a bit before I attend law school. So no idea. But people are correct to say focus on GPA as much as possible. Freshman year, depending on major, is going to be considerably easier than junior or senior year, by which time GPA tends to drop due to tougher higher level classes. In addition, you will have to start rigorously studying then. I much recommend focusing on getting good grades and finding a decent job after ugrad. But to my point, of course, I was eager like you to get into the LSAT and I found it an advantage to start exploring it early. Also, I should note, I used a Kaplan book I got from the bookstore my freshman year to study it over a summer internship after work. I don't remember a word that book said at all, but it helped me become familiar with the exam. Later, I recommend the Powerscore Bibles, workbooks, and LSAC preptests to study for the exam.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:39 am

QContinuum wrote:
criminologygeek wrote:
cavalier1138 wrote:Literally anything else would be a better use of your time right now. You shouldn't even be beginning to think about the LSAT for another three years.
Yeah, so you're saying don't even think about studying for another 3 years when i'm a senior in college. Love that. And what score would I get from that, a 140? Listen, I like studying slow instead of cramming like a maniac last minute. But thanks for the timeline I'll use it if I want to hit a low target score.
I don't think there's a need to insult cavalier, who's one of our best contributors on the site. I assure you cavalier is not out to trick you (or any other readers of this thread) into bombing the LSAT.

Obviously, you know what works best for you as far as standardized tests go. If studying 800 hours over 3 years served you well on the SAT, then by all means follow the same strategy on the LSAT. But cavalier is right that the vast majority of applicants don't need to study that long or that many hours. For the vast majority of applicants, it indeed makes the most sense to put the LSAT completely out of their mind until at least senior year. Far better to do without the stress and focus on doing well and having fun (don't forget the fun!) in college. Keep an open mind; it's possible that you won't even want to go to law school by the time you make it to senior year. I know that back when I was a college freshman, I was a firmly committed premed and would've laughed at anyone who told me I'd go to law school one day.
I agree with you, I apologize for coming off in such a forward way, as you can tell i'm fairly new to this site. I thought he was being sarcastic, but I agree it can be smart to give it some time.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:52 am

Res publica wrote:
criminologygeek wrote: This is honestly helpful and relatable unlike those that say just focus on my GPA. I already have a high GPA of 3.9 with 21 credits this semester. However, I won't start studying until summer of sophomore year but even then won't go in hard because there's no point since it would be a year or two away. By the way I admire your lsat score-that's honestly my target score. And you mentioned how it took an accumulation of 3 years; i'll use that timeline. May I ask what law school you go into?
I am applying next cycle as I am working for a bit before I attend law school. So no idea. But people are correct to say focus on GPA as much as possible. Freshman year, depending on major, is going to be considerably easier than junior or senior year, by which time GPA tends to drop due to tougher higher level classes. In addition, you will have to start rigorously studying then. I much recommend focusing on getting good grades and finding a decent job after ugrad. But to my point, of course, I was eager like you to get into the LSAT and I found it an advantage to start exploring it early. Also, I should note, I used a Kaplan book I got from the bookstore my freshman year to study it over a summer internship after work. I don't remember a word that book said at all, but it helped me become familiar with the exam. Later, I recommend the Powerscore Bibles, workbooks, and LSAC preptests to study for the exam.
Yes I also plan on being an intern but thank you for the book recommendations! Either way i'm sure you'd get into a good law school. By the way, does your undergrad major help with the lsat? I was told math related majors usually get a high score on the lsat. Sorry i'm asking so many questions but i'd love any advice I can get from you.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by Res publica » Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:15 am

criminologygeek wrote:
Yes I also plan on being an intern but thank you for the book recommendations! Either way i'm sure you'd get into a good law school. By the way, does your undergrad major help with the lsat? I was told math related majors usually get a high score on the lsat. Sorry i'm asking so many questions but i'd love any advice I can get from you.
Haha well I am not sure "it helps." As you will learn in the LSAT, a famous fallacy is "correlation doesn't mean causation." So my instinct is that those types of majors don't help you perform better on the LSAT, rather, people who select those majors have logical/critical thinking predispositions that help them to do better than say, a typical English major. DEFINITELY do not take a major because those majors tend to do better on LSAT! Take a major you're interested in/has good job prospects after college, or that you are confident you can maintain a high GPA in. Your major won't matter much in the view of law schools, but law schools tend to lend a slight GPA bump for STEM majors, but it's only slight. A 2.5 in bio-chemical engineering major at Cornell is still a 2.5 (maybe a 2.7 in view of law schools) at the end of the day and will still rule you out for most top schools. I took a formal logic course in the philosophy department that I think helped me on logic games and other aspects of the LSAT. But to get yourself to change your mentality if you are not familiar with argumentation is to read opinion pieces in magazines like WSJ or The Economist. I read those profusely in college and it will also help you become a more careful reader. Some old Economist snippets actually have appeared on the LSAT because the prose and style is similar to how the LSAT is structured.

All in all, pick a major that is employable, something you at least are potentially interested in, but not too difficult! Read articles every day, maybe take a formal logic class, and focus on school! Hope that helps! And good luck :wink:

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by PanjandrumOfReason » Wed Jan 23, 2019 7:45 am

Considering that the LSAT is entirely a test of elementary reasoning skills that people should be using on a daily basis in their everyday lives, the optimal time to start "studying" is elementary school. I was doing logic grid puzzles (such as this: https://www.brainzilla.com/logic/logic- ... niversity/ ) in 2nd grade or so. I am baffled how people survive without those skills. And it is very scary that people we rely on, such as auto mechanics, jurors, and doctors, often lack those skills.

But none of that helps you. I will echo what others have said in that you should choose a field in which you would be happy working and focus your efforts on maximizing your GPA. Who knows, maybe by the time you graduate you no longer want to go to law school? I registered for the LSAT as a senior in undergrad, withdrew the day before the test, took the GRE instead the following week, and went on to do a Master's. It took 12 more years before I came back around to taking the LSAT. Which demonstrates another point - you basically have as much time as you want to study for the LSAT after you graduate.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:38 pm

PanjandrumOfReason wrote:Considering that the LSAT is entirely a test of elementary reasoning skills that people should be using on a daily basis in their everyday lives, the optimal time to start "studying" is elementary school. I was doing logic grid puzzles (such as this: https://www.brainzilla.com/logic/logic- ... niversity/ ) in 2nd grade or so. I am baffled how people survive without those skills. And it is very scary that people we rely on, such as auto mechanics, jurors, and doctors, often lack those skills.

But none of that helps you. I will echo what others have said in that you should choose a field in which you would be happy working and focus your efforts on maximizing your GPA. Who knows, maybe by the time you graduate you no longer want to go to law school? I registered for the LSAT as a senior in undergrad, withdrew the day before the test, took the GRE instead the following week, and went on to do a Master's. It took 12 more years before I came back around to taking the LSAT. Which demonstrates another point - you basically have as much time as you want to study for the LSAT after you graduate.
Well the logic portion can look like a piece of cake to you but as for me, none of my elementary school years based itself on logical games. While it may seem like common sense to you, some people (including me) need a refresher, as i'm not the best at test taking which also works as a disadvantage--though I guess that's another reason why I would want to prepare early.

And I must add and also assume you went to elementary school a while back based on your response, and things have changed. Schools have progressed into a more modern setting, I know some schools hand out ipads, computers, etc. for school use so kids aren't taught to think for themselves now that they were taught that technology does all the work for them, no more showing work or putting in any thinking effort. I mean, how many kids do you see reading books now or even setting a foot in a library? They're all mostly using social media. So you definitely had an advantage at an early age where elementary schools encouraged such thinking skills and puzzle games to aid in a child's independent strategy solving skills.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by QContinuum » Wed Jan 23, 2019 11:54 pm

PanjandrumOfReason wrote:Considering that the LSAT is entirely a test of elementary reasoning skills that people should be using on a daily basis in their everyday lives, the optimal time to start "studying" is elementary school. I was doing logic grid puzzles (such as this: https://www.brainzilla.com/logic/logic- ... niversity/ ) in 2nd grade or so. I am baffled how people survive without those skills. And it is very scary that people we rely on, such as auto mechanics, jurors, and doctors, often lack those skills.
Kudos on being naturally good at LG, but that's not the case for many (even most) LSAT takers. I ended up doing very well on the LSAT, but when I started I was scoring a big fat zero on practice LG sections. By the time I finished prepping, I was routinely turning in perfect LG scores. I certainly don't think my dramatic improvement in LG performance reflected a corresponding improvement in my "elementary reasoning skills," let alone any skills used "on a daily basis in [my] everyday life."

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Thu Jan 24, 2019 12:30 am

QContinuum wrote:
PanjandrumOfReason wrote:Considering that the LSAT is entirely a test of elementary reasoning skills that people should be using on a daily basis in their everyday lives, the optimal time to start "studying" is elementary school. I was doing logic grid puzzles (such as this: https://www.brainzilla.com/logic/logic- ... niversity/ ) in 2nd grade or so. I am baffled how people survive without those skills. And it is very scary that people we rely on, such as auto mechanics, jurors, and doctors, often lack those skills.
Kudos on being naturally good at LG, but that's not the case for many (even most) LSAT takers. I ended up doing very well on the LSAT, but when I started I was scoring a big fat zero on practice LG sections. By the time I finished prepping, I was routinely turning in perfect LG scores. I certainly don't think my dramatic improvement in LG performance reflected a corresponding improvement in my "elementary reasoning skills," let alone any skills used "on a daily basis in [my] everyday life."
Very true!! Glad I am not the only one who didn't learn LG skills in my previous years. Though I wish I was naturally good at logic games.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by nixy » Thu Jan 24, 2019 7:44 am

criminologygeek wrote:
PanjandrumOfReason wrote:Considering that the LSAT is entirely a test of elementary reasoning skills that people should be using on a daily basis in their everyday lives, the optimal time to start "studying" is elementary school. I was doing logic grid puzzles (such as this: https://www.brainzilla.com/logic/logic- ... niversity/ ) in 2nd grade or so. I am baffled how people survive without those skills. And it is very scary that people we rely on, such as auto mechanics, jurors, and doctors, often lack those skills.
And I must add and also assume you went to elementary school a while back based on your response, and things have changed. Schools have progressed into a more modern setting, I know some schools hand out ipads, computers, etc. for school use so kids aren't taught to think for themselves now that they were taught that technology does all the work for them, no more showing work or putting in any thinking effort. I mean, how many kids do you see reading books now or even setting a foot in a library? They're all mostly using social media. So you definitely had an advantage at an early age where elementary schools encouraged such thinking skills and puzzle games to aid in a child's independent strategy solving skills.
These are both really weird extrapolations from very limited evidence. Doing logic grid puzzles is not some kind of magic training for applying logic skills in real life (neither is success on the LSAT). And there's nothing about using technology that means kids aren't getting taught to think for themselves.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by PanjandrumOfReason » Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:04 am

My post wasn't intended to single out LG. The RC and LR sections require only a couple extra skills, in addition to the skills needed for LG, the most important of which (in my opinion) being "reading without jumping to conclusions about something the author did not actually state." The RC is basically the same as the LR except that the "arguments" are four paragraphs long instead of four sentences long. And the LR is similar to the LG except that the logic has to be extracted from English prose (which admittedly can be unclear).

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by cavalier1138 » Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:17 am

criminologygeek wrote:Glad I am not the only one who didn't learn LG skills in my previous years. Though I wish I was naturally good at logic games.
You're just starting college, right?

Look at your school's philosophy (or possibly computer science) courses for a class called "Symbolic Logic." Take it. Thank me later.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by albanach » Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:57 am

criminologygeek wrote: This is honestly helpful and relatable unlike those that say just focus on my GPA. I already have a high GPA of 3.9 with 21 credits this semester. However, I won't start studying until summer of sophomore year but even then won't go in hard because there's no point since it would be a year or two away. By the way I admire your lsat score-that's honestly my target score. And you mentioned how it took an accumulation of 3 years; i'll use that timeline. May I ask what law school you go into?
The poster you replied to said they had a 4.0 GPA. You say you have a 3.9. You also say you're targeting 178 (so out of about 30,000 LSAT takers you want to be in the top 30 or so). I imagine that means you want to go to one of the top schools.

Not that a 3.9 and 178 won't get you there, but realize that that's below median at Yale and Stanford. One or two underwhelming grades could tip that down further.

Will that stop you getting into a great school if you have a strong LSAT? Of course not. But it could be the difference between getting a $100k scholarship and getting an offer of full tuition plus a stipend to live off of from a T-14 school. Perhaps you're independently wealthy and cost isn't a concern but, for most folk, this is important.

I am guessing your plan is to go K-JD given the urgency with which you want to study for the LSAT. Plenty of folk do this, but schools increasingly like to see work and other experience. And experience might actually help you determine that you really do want to be a lawyer. I know that, in my first year of college, I could have told you exactly what I would be doing after graduation. Of course that's not what happened and I've had a host of different jobs and experiences between graduating and choosing to go to law school. Those experiences have been valued both at school and in employment.

Do as you please, but you asked for advice. And the majority of those who posted and who have been in your shoes would say focus on the GPA and get some experience. And have fun. Law school is hard, and being a lawyer many times harder.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by Npret » Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:01 am

criminologygeek wrote:
Res publica wrote:I asked the same question years ago when I was a freshman, and everyone told me to focus on GPA. Well, fast forward 5 years and I got a 178. I took it once, but I put in over 800 hours over 3 years. You should focus on GPA at the moment. Take easy classes, work hard in the tough ones. Don't focus on the LSAT. But during winter break and summer break, spend some time to familiarize yourself with the LSAT. I took some practice tests, read some articles, and got a Kaplan book from the bookstore. Eventually, perhaps summer of junior year or sophomore year depending on if you plan on working first before law school (which is a plus for law schools), you should really be prepping then. For now, don't stress too much over the LSAT, but don't be afraid to familiarize yourself with the exam so it isn't so stressful and scary when you start really studying for it in a year or two out.
This is honestly helpful and relatable unlike those that say just focus on my GPA. I already have a high GPA of 3.9 with 21 credits this semester. However, I won't start studying until summer of sophomore year but even then won't go in hard because there's no point since it would be a year or two away. By the way I admire your lsat score-that's honestly my target score. And you mentioned how it took an accumulation of 3 years; i'll use that timeline. May I ask what law school you go into?
Having a high GPA after one semester as a freshman is not much to brag about. You need to maintain a high GPA.
It’s hard to know how much you should study when you don’t even have a diagnostic score. I would come back in two years and ask for advice.
It doesn’t take 3 years of study to get a 178. I doubt many people who got a 178 studies that much.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by albanach » Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:29 am

Npret wrote:Having a high GPA after one semester as a freshman is not much to brag about. You need to maintain a high GPA.
It’s hard to know how much you should study when you don’t even have a diagnostic score. I would come back in two years and ask for advice.
It doesn’t take 3 years of study to get a 178. I doubt many people who got a 178 studies that much.
This.

When I mentioned that a 3.9 is already below median at two schools, I should also point out that 3.8 is below median for two thirds of the T-13. Again, the next four years are the only time you have control over your GPA. After that it is cast in stone. And the top law schools are incredibly competitive.

As an aside, be sure you didn't take any classes at high school where you received college credit. Those count towards your GPA for law school admission. Some states allow middle schooler's to take college level classes with no advice that those grades could impact admission to graduate school a decade or more in the future.

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:01 pm

cavalier1138 wrote:
criminologygeek wrote:Glad I am not the only one who didn't learn LG skills in my previous years. Though I wish I was naturally good at logic games.
You're just starting college, right?

Look at your school's philosophy (or possibly computer science) courses for a class called "Symbolic Logic." Take it. Thank me later.
Okay! I'll make sure to look into that this upcoming fall since spring semester already started. Hopefully it won't be too difficult. Thank you!

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Re: When is the right time to start studying the lsat?

Post by criminologygeek » Thu Jan 24, 2019 11:12 pm

Npret wrote:
criminologygeek wrote:
Res publica wrote:I asked the same question years ago when I was a freshman, and everyone told me to focus on GPA. Well, fast forward 5 years and I got a 178. I took it once, but I put in over 800 hours over 3 years. You should focus on GPA at the moment. Take easy classes, work hard in the tough ones. Don't focus on the LSAT. But during winter break and summer break, spend some time to familiarize yourself with the LSAT. I took some practice tests, read some articles, and got a Kaplan book from the bookstore. Eventually, perhaps summer of junior year or sophomore year depending on if you plan on working first before law school (which is a plus for law schools), you should really be prepping then. For now, don't stress too much over the LSAT, but don't be afraid to familiarize yourself with the exam so it isn't so stressful and scary when you start really studying for it in a year or two out.
This is honestly helpful and relatable unlike those that say just focus on my GPA. I already have a high GPA of 3.9 with 21 credits this semester. However, I won't start studying until summer of sophomore year but even then won't go in hard because there's no point since it would be a year or two away. By the way I admire your lsat score-that's honestly my target score. And you mentioned how it took an accumulation of 3 years; i'll use that timeline. May I ask what law school you go into?
Having a high GPA after one semester as a freshman is not much to brag about. You need to maintain a high GPA.
It’s hard to know how much you should study when you don’t even have a diagnostic score. I would come back in two years and ask for advice.
It doesn’t take 3 years of study to get a 178. I doubt many people who got a 178 studies that much.
I don't recall mentioning a question asking about when I should come back and ask for advice, last I saw this is a forum on advice of when I should start studying. Me stating my GPA was not intended to be about bragging, i'm aware you need to maintain a high GPA as that's very obvious. And as i've stated before, but i'll reiterate again, study time is different for each person. For me, 3 years seems reasonable because I don't like to cram. Does it mean i'll be studying 365 days of those years? No. And as for your last statement of you saying "I doubt many people who got a 178 studies that much", so how did they achieve that high score if they didn't study or take practice tests? By twidling their thumbs and staring at the wall? Those that got high scores in the top 170's definitely did study hard and long. Have a nice day.

Seriously? What are you waiting for?

Now there's a charge.
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