When should you take the LSAT?

Three Principles:

1. Applying  to law school and LSAT preparation is lots of work.  You must not let  the process of applying to law school interfere with study time that is necessary for high grades.

2. The application deadlines for law school are generally in the fall.

3. May law schools  use a process  of “rolling admissions”. This means that you will evaluate  applications prior  to the law school application deadline date.

The LSAT is administered four times a year in: June, October, December and February.

You should take the LSAT in June. Furthermore, you should  take the LSAT the first June that is convenient for you. There is no reason (and it may not be advisable) to delay until the June before  your law school application deadline.

The pros and cons of each LSAT administration:

June LSAT – This is your best option for  three reasons:

First, you will be  finished  with school and will be able to focus on LSAT prep during the month of May.

Second, you are  still in “exam mode” and have the academic stamina to  continue.

Third, if you need to take the LSAT again you will have the October LSAT.

October LSAT – This is your second best option.

It is early in the semester and should not cut into your “school  time” too  much. But, if you need to do a retake, you are  left with December  which can be a bit  late (you will have missed  some offers for early admissions). Furthermore, to take  the LSAT the first Saturday in December  will certainly cut into  your “study time”.

December LSAT – This  is not great. You  have  missed  “early admission” for some schools. But,  the bigger  problem is that the December LSAT is  in early December. You have other things to do (“study time”). Furthermore,  the only time for a retake is the February LSAT (see below).

February LSAT – Worst option if you want to start law  school  the following September.

Some  schools  will  accept a February LSAT score. Many people  have been admitted  to law  school. But, if you want to use the February LSAT as an “early bird” start then it is okay. In my current Toronto LSAT course, half of the people  in the class  are using the February LSAT as an “early bird” start. This  can work quite  nicely.

John Richardson