When Tyler Mandelkorn sat down for the LSAT exam in August 2024, he thought he was prepared. He had studied, practiced and leaned on advice from fraternity brothers who had gone through the process a year or two ahead of him. Still, nothing could fully prepare him for what he called the marathon sprint of test day.
“I was a first-generation student, so I didn’t know any of this stuff either,” Mandelkorn said. “Luckily, I had guidance from people around me. That helped a lot.”
Finding the right study approach
Mandelkorn chose to study with 7Sage, an online LSAT prep program. What appealed to him most was the flexibility.
“7Sage left the structure of studying up to me, which I liked,” he said. “I went through all the material, practiced a lot, and reviewed the questions I got wrong. It wasn’t about studying six hours a day, every day. I tried to keep it consistent, but I also tried to keep it fresh so I wouldn’t burn out.”
Burnout was always a risk.
“The LSAT can get monotonous,” he said. “Logical reasoning and reading comprehension are the same puzzles over and over, just worded differently.”
Test-day challenges
Despite his preparation, the first few tests did not go his way. All were in person, and the environment distracted him.
“[Test facilitators] make it seem like it’s quiet, but it’s not,” Mandelkorn said. “You hear doors opening, people taking breaks, chairs creaking. With how fast you need to move on each question, losing even 20 seconds of focus is huge. For me, it was tough to block out the noise.”
Then the stress caught up with him.
“It was frustrating, because on my practice exams I was scoring higher than what showed up on the real thing,” he said.
Taking the LSAT at home
Mandelkorn finally decided to take the LSAT remotely, the same way he had taken all his practice tests.
“I should have done it sooner,” he said. “At home, even if there were noises, I was used to them. It was just less distracting for me.”
That decision made the difference.
“Creating a testing environment that worked for me was a big deal,” Mandelkorn said. “You shouldn’t shy away from advocating for yourself. Don’t put yourself in a harder situation when you know something can help you perform at your best.”
Connecting with Stetson Law
After multiple attempts, Mandelkorn finally scored within Stetson University College of Law’s range. It was the result he had hoped for, but his journey wasn’t just about test prep.
“I went to Stetson’s open house, met everyone I could, and really connected with the school,” he said. “From the groundskeeper to the professors, everyone was welcoming. It wasn’t about telling me I needed to rise to their standards. It was, ‘We want to help you become what you want to be.’ That stood out.”
Stetson Law Dean Darren Kettles gave him a piece of advice that stuck: take the LSAT again. “He told me I had a shot, but it wasn’t confirmed. That gave me the motivation to push through the fourth test,” Mandelkorn said.
A hard-earned acceptance
Persistence paid off. He was admitted to Stetson Law after being waitlisted. It was the law school he most wanted to attend. Now, in his first semester, he admits it’s challenging but rewarding.
“I’m in my first week of classes right now, and I’m getting my butt kicked,” he said. “But I enjoy what I’m learning.”
Mandelkorn hasn’t chosen a specialization yet.
“I’m an open book. I’ll discover what works for me along the way,” he said.
Advice for future test-takers
Looking back, he wants other law school hopefuls to remember that the LSAT is not the only way to advocate for themselves.
“Don’t let your LSAT score be the only thing you do,” Mandelkorn said. “Use your resources, ask for help and put yourself in environments where you can succeed.”
He also warned against comparisons.
“Don’t worry about where someone else is in their journey,” he said. “That has nothing to do with you. If you start comparing, that’s when bad thoughts creep in during the exam.”
For Mandelkorn, persistence, self-advocacy and flexibility shaped his path.
“It’s your journey,” he said. “It might take longer or shorter, but it’s yours. Stay persistent and don’t give up if things don’t go right the first time.”
Karla Davis-Jamison, senior assistant dean for enrollment management at Stetson Law, said Mandelkorn’s tenacity throughout his LSAT journey ultimately led to a desired outcome, and others can achieve success as well.
“For first-time LSAT takers and those retaking the LSAT, my advice is to start preparing early, stay consistent with your prep, focus on understanding the strategy behind each question and use official practice materials, she said. “To stay motivated, set small goals, track your progress and remind yourself why you’re pursuing law — keeping that bigger picture in mind will help make the hard work worthwhile.”
