Self-paced courses
Hi everyone,
I am looking for some advice to overcome the self-doubt I feel about the test that is impacting my ability to study and feel prepared.
I took the October 2025 LSAT and scored a 160. I was and still am very frustrated with my score, not because it is a bad score but because I was consistently scoring ≥162, and I was often in the 163-165 range. I took the test remotely and it distracted me. I am not trying to be any sort of LSAT wizard and pull off a 175 or higher. I just want a solid score that puts me in scholarship range of my target schools, which I think a 165 will do for me combined with my 3.95 GPA in a STEM major.
I started studying again for the test in March/April, planning to take the June test (tomorrow). Last week I was so panicked by my lack of improvement and growth during PTs that I rescheduled the test for August, hoping that I can improve my RC score more than anything. I almost never take full tests because I struggle more on RC vs. LR and I don't feel the need to practice LR much more, but part of the reason for that is because I have a mental barrier up telling me that my chances at improving on RC are slim. Because of this, it tanks my score, and I just wasn't ready for June. I'm happy with my decision, but I don't know where to go from here.
I am wondering if there is anyone else experiencing this, or anyone who could speak to how to get better on this front. I am in the process of starting tutoring to help me through this as well.
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5 comments
Hello!
First of all, take a deep breath. A 160 combined with a 3.95 STEM GPA is already an incredibly strong foundation. Your self-doubt is totally normal, especially when you are testing slightly below your practice range, but you are in a much better position than your brain is letting you believe right now.
Regarding your mental block with full PTs, I can share a little bit of my own experience. I didn't get the score I wanted on my first two exams, and what I realized was that I simply lacked the physical and mental stamina to stay focused for the entire test. I would do great early on, but by the third section, my brain would go on strike. Forcing myself to take full PTs in one sitting was the only way I built the endurance needed for test day. You have to simulate the actual exam to get over that hump.
As for RC, I totally understand wanting to prioritize it, but unless you are 100% sure you will get a perfect score on LR, it is worth studying! I was also much more confident in LR than RC. Because I knew RC was my weakness, my strategy was to make my LR absolutely bulletproof so I wouldn't lose any points there. If you get a -0 or -1 on LR, you can afford to get a -8 or -10 on RC and still comfortably hit your goal of 165. Let LR do the heavy lifting to take the mental pressure off your RC!
I hope this helps, and good luck!
Tutoring can definitely help you build up confidence! One piece of good news is that the best predictor of your official score on a given test day is the average of your last five PTs. Sometimes you'll be unlucky, and you'll end up with a score that is a bit lower than that average. But other times you'll be lucky, and you'll actually outperform your average. It sounds like the remote testing environment ended up throwing you off the first time. Now that you're taking the LSAT another time and it will be in person, that won't be an issue any more! The first time I took the official LSAT, there was heavy construction noise that was super distracting. That was in August, and I worried that I wouldn't have enough time to retake the test before I had to submit my applications. But the second time, everything went smoothly, and I ended up seeing my score increase by 7 points.
The fact that you've previously scored 165 means you're absolutely capable of that on test day, and you've still got even more time to practice and improve until then. You were smart to take the test last October, so you still have plenty of time to try it again. Your hard work on PTs, sections, and drills means a lot more than that single score!
Firstly, I'd encourage you to still do regular PTs! About once a week until the August test. Avoiding them can create more anxiety about doing the PTs, which is ultimately counterproductive. You can always focus only on the RC sections in blind review, but it is important to do them in that context as it can feel different to doing them individually.
Next, I would review your analytics to see what patterns you can identify. Do you struggle to remember what was mentioned in the passage? Do you find certain passage types particularly difficult? Do you ever misunderstand what a question is asking you? Identifying this will allow you to do more targeted drills and make your practice more efficient.
Some general RC tips are to focus on structure and how paragraphs relate to each other, rather than trying to remember every little detail. Also focus on highlighting key takeaways, such as different viewpoints, as you can be fairly confident that you will be asked a question about it.
Lastly, drill in an incremental way. Start off low difficulty + untimed, and then if you do well gradually increase each. Once you hit a level you start struggling at (say 60-70% correct), keep drilling at that level until you improve. This will help you track your progress.
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@MayorOfWhoville Hello! do you have the name of the book? It sounds like a solid idea.