<p>I'm currently a freshman, intending to apply to law school, trying to figure out what to do with my summer. Haven't been able to find a lot of great internship opportunities, since the ones I want are almost exclusively for upperclassmen (looking for financial ones). Then it hit me: why not do my LSAT prep this summer and take the test this coming fall? I'll have a solid three months to buckle down and study, the test is good for 5 years, and it's not knowledge based, so I'm not seeing why not. Worst comes to worst, I decide I don't want to be a lawyer, I'm only out a summer that I probably would have spent doing something unremarkable anyway.</p>
<p>For background stuff: I got 2280 on my SAT. I didn't take a single practice test. I'm a good test taker. Also, I'm a history major, not CS or math. Three years of coursework isn't going to help me with the test, I don't think. </p>
<p>Anyway, my question is: Why shouldn't I prepare for the test over the summer, take it this coming fall, and just apply normally with an older score? Will that older score be counted against me? Am I more likely to get a higher score if I take the LSAT going into my senior year just because I'm older or something?</p>
<p>By your senior year, you’ll have done an ridiculous amount of close reading and critical analysis.</p>
<p>But the LSAT is just an exam, and you can prepare for it without all that experience if you’re so confident in yourself.</p>
<p>The LSAT score becomes invalid three years after the date on which you take it, so if you take it in the summer between your freshman and sophomore years, and do exceedingly well, you would have to apply to law schools in your senior year or lose the score.</p>
<p>It really doesn’t matter when you take it, but you should be prepared to take it just once, and you should be ready to destroy it.</p>
<p>I think History classes will significantly impact your score on the LSAT. Remember: 5 points could be the difference b/w UChi and UCLA. Advanced level classes in History will surely attune your critical thinking and especially analytical skills, not to mention the speed by which you can read (a huge asset on the test). </p>
<p>Also, even though it’s officially valid for 5 years, many law schools now have shown a preference for tests that are less than 3 years old, which would significantly impact your ability to do something after college if you wanted to take time off before law school. </p>
<p>For your information, I’m in essence a History/Econ double major, and I took two electives this year (one 300 level course in Philosophy and currently a Graduate seminar) that have without a doubt affected my ability to perform well on the LSAT, so don’t limit yourself by major either.</p>
<p>Though LSAT scores are good for five years be aware: many law schools (including most of your high ranks) still follow the rule that if you have a bad LSAT score and a good LSAT score if you take it twice (or more) they will consider the bad score against you (and there is no score choice because all LSAT scores will be sent; you cannot avoid doing so). In other words it is a test that you should plan on taking once and scoring the highest possible you can and for most it is better to wait until after junior year when you have had more college experience.</p>
<p>My son took the LSAT in September after his freshman year. He is also on track to graduate in 3 years so the time between taking the test and applying to law school will only be slightly more than a year. At first, he did not plan to take the LSAT in September, but when his practice scores were consistently in the 170s, he decided to take it in September. </p>
<p>He was committed to getting a good score, not committed to taking the test on a certain date. It just turned out that he was ready rather quickly. You have time so you can wait until you’re ready. Explore what the LSAT is all about. There may be some college courses that are helpful to your preparation. My son took a logic course in his second semester. That helped him.</p>
<p>Honestly, I doubt that a few college classes will make that much of a difference in your reading speed, comprehension ability, or critical thinking skills, especially just one more year of college classes–these are all skills that have mostly been developed already.</p>
<p>However, I’d advise you to give yourself a little more time than 3 months to prep for the LSAT. More practice will only help, and you’re not in a rush or crunched for time, so why not take advantage of a few extra months?</p>
<p>Three months of full-time study is more than enough preparation time for the LSAT. But people who post to this board seem to have difficulty with the concept that their college coursework tends to improve their reading comprehension skills and ability to reason. </p>
<p>Few people have difficulty believing that playing college basketball for a couple of extra years typically improves a player’s prospects for the NBA. Why wouldn’t reading and thinking have a similar effect on your ability to read and think?</p>
<p>I’m with ya GreyBeard. I have benefited more from my college coursework then i ever did in high school. I definitely think my ability to reason has improved although I doubt my reading comprehension has gotten that much better since I got a 35 on the seciton my ACT my junior year of high school.</p>
<p>my Analytical ability increased DRASTICALLY from the start->finish of undergrad. I was an Engineering major though. I got -0 on LG the first time I ever took a practice LSAT.</p>
<p>OP, you should just relax or possibly volunteer this summer. you won’t be able to find “real” work because internships are usually doled out with the intent to hire the following year. after freshman year is one of the precious times you can be a bum and no one will ever care :P</p>