Should I delay taking the LSAT?

Students frequently ask us “Should I delay taking the LSAT?”  Sometimes the answer is yes – and sometimes it is no! There is not a “right” answer to this question.  Therefore, we always make a recommendation to students on a case-by-case basis.

If you are reading this post, you may be wondering whether you should delay taking the LSAT Below we list a variety of factors which we suggest you consider. If you do choose to delay taking the LSAT, we also have a few recommendations for how to spend your time wisely during the delay.

Factors to Consider when Answering the Question “Should I delay taking the LSAT?”:

1. Will you meet your application deadlines? If you are considering delaying the December LSAT and applying to law school for the following fall, you may have to seriously consider this factor. If you are in this situation, delaying the LSAT may make you an uncompetitive applicant for the upcoming fall semester (which may mean you have to apply later to law school).  On the other hand, if you are taking the LSAT early, that is not something you have to worry about so much.

2. Why are you planning on delaying the LSAT?  What is preventing you from meeting your LSAT score goals? Did you put off studying? Did you not ever really “figure out” those logic games? Did you not hold yourself accountable? Figuring out “why” will help you answer the next question.

3. What will more time actually do for you? If you put off studying, what is to say you won’t simply put it off again? What are you going to do differently to make sure you figure out those logic games? (We have some tips to follow below if you end up delay taking the LSAT.) If you realistically won’t change very much, then it is not worth it to delay taking the LSAT!

4. Are you planning on delaying the LSAT because you are nervous? We see a lot of students who are perfectly well-prepared panic at the thought of taking the LSAT then coming up with reasons to delay it. Being nervous is not a good reason to delay the LSAT! Instead, find ways to calm your nerves and mentally prepare yourself for the exam – practice meditation, journal, or go on a run! All of these things can make your less nervous and more focused!

A Plan for those who Choose to Delay the LSAT:

If, after considering the factors above,  you choose to delay taking the LSAT, we suggest that you do the following:

• Change how you study.  If accountability was a problem, maybe you need a tutor or a course to keep you accountable. If time was a problem, maybe you need to clear something out of your schedule or take a lighter class load. If you couldn’t figure out logic games, either get a tutor or perhaps buy a logic games book that might explain something in a different way.
• Make sure you have all of your materials (actual official LSATs!). Don’t try to re-use old ones. Start with clean LSAT books.
• Create a study plan. Hang it on your wall (or keep it visibly on your phone if you look at your phone more!) If you want to study 1-2 hours every day, write “1-2 hours” each day. Then cross it off every day. Keep it in plain sight and take it very seriously. Make your calendar realistic (don’t plan on studying six hours a night if you have to go to class and work!).

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