Just wondering when to begin studying for June 06 LSAT?

[newkirk101]

This fall I will be enetring my junior year in college.  I would like to achieve an above average score (obviously) but I am wondering if I should by a buy from amazon and begin periodically reading it.  I also plan on taking a course come the spring but until then would you guys recommend that I take my first practice LSAT and begin reading the books???

[practiceboy02]

You should probably start studying next March or so.  That's probably when most prep-classes start as well.  You don't really need to do any prep beforehand, although a little bit is fine. 

[naamah]

Im taking the June '06 LSAT. I am going to start studying for it in 2.5 weeks (soon as my summer classes are over). Perhaps it's overkill, but then again I am only planning to apply for schools in the top 10.

[John Galt]

you're going to suck on the LSAT. Overstudying is a primary cause for low scores. Law of diminishing returns

You'll go up...max out early...the go down and just stay down, unless you quit for a while and start fresh. i'd recommend waiting until february of 06 to study for the june exam.

[law2006]

I agree with John. I feel that starting too early hurt me on the actual test. 3-3.5 months should be more than enough

[xindogu]

I'd like to know what people really mean when they say "starting too early hurt me on the LSAT." I suspect it's just a cop-out. One didn't do as well as one would've liked, so he/she blames it on "studying too much".

Doing more practice for this test can only help you. There is no reason not to start studying now for next year's test. The earlier you get familiar with it, the better. I wish I had started studying last year sometime and feel it would have given me an edge.

Of course, it depends on the individual. Some people can score 180s cold - or after studying only a couple weeks - and others need a lot of time to absorb the techniques. But I feel, honestly, that the "stuying too much" notion is mostly myth.

The only thing I WOULD caution against is using up all of the practice tests - you'll want to preserve some untouched material to work through during the weeks leading up to the test. But other than that... study away! You'll be glad you got a head start on it.

[practiceboy02]

Yeah, I feel like the "overstudying" argument is pretty much BS.  I think that you can plateau, but I don't possibly see how you could score SIGNIFICANTLY worse due to overstudying.  If that were true, then many PS and TM instructors would score in the low-160s if they re-took the test right now. 

I agree that it seems that the only risk of overstudying would be using up all materials too soon. 

But anyway, having said that, I don't think there's much difference between studying 2-3 months and studying for a year. 

[law2006]

I was not trying to argue a point, or make excuses. In my case, I felt like I was at my peak about a month before I took the test. If I could do it again I would have waited a month to start studying.

[xindogu]

Well then I guess the argument revolves around whether there is a "peak" or a "plateau." I believe it to be the latter, in which case taking it a month later should make no difference.

[law2006]

Well then I guess the argument revolves around whether there is a "peak" or a "plateau." I believe it to be the latter, in which case taking it a month later should make no difference.

I guess you never reached your "plateau" (“I wish I had started last year”). Also, if you believe the latter, why would you want to waist time studying that extra month if it "should make no difference"?