Not hitting your Goal LSAT Score?

I'm fielding a lot of calls and emails right now from people scheduled to take the LSAT in October who are not seeing the kind of progress with their LSAT practice scores that they would like to be seeing. Here are three thoughts geared toward those individuals:

1. If you set a "goal" score, and you're stressing over not hitting that score, then that's not a reason to stress. See this post I wrote last year about why a "goal score" doesn't work on the LSAT - this is an aptitude test and not a rote memorization test, so working longer or harder doesn't necessarily translate into a higher LSAT score result.

2. A lot of you take a series of practice tests, only to panic when you get a lower score on one than you did on the previous one. No one sees a perfect upward trend on practice tests - relax! This is part of practicing. Don't let this get you down.

3. If your month of September has been crazier than you anticipated (you're back at school, starting a new job, helping with sorority rush, etc.) then consider waiting for the December LSAT. Yes, it means a disadvantage in terms of rolling admissions, but it's always better to apply with a higher LSAT score than a lower one (unless we're just talking a 1 or 2 point increase). So if you feel that waiting could raise your score significantly, then it's a no-brainer.