Self-study
Hi All. I am taking the August LSAT and looking to get to 160-165 for my first attempt. I am currently testing between 154-158. I am struggling to break into the 160s. If anyone can provide me any tips or anything they did that helped them make a leap for these 5-10 points in a month that would be really helpful. Thank you and good luck to you all.
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Same here with similar goals, would you like to do study sessions together?
@Esalas_me Yes I think it would be good to get different perspectives to learn from.
I was in a similar position before my official MCAT. What ultimately helped me earn a 515 (91st percentile) was focusing on consistency and learning from every mistake rather than just trying to complete more practice questions.
A few things made the biggest difference for me:
I took a full-length practice exam regularly under realistic testing conditions and spent far more time reviewing it than taking it.
I kept a detailed error log to identify patterns in my mistakes, whether they were content gaps, reasoning errors, or misreading the question.
I made sure I truly understood every question I missed instead of simply memorizing the correct answer.
I prioritized high-yield topics while still reviewing weaker areas consistently.
I used spaced repetition for equations, amino acids, metabolic pathways, and other concepts that required long-term retention.
I practiced CARS every day, focusing on understanding the author's reasoning rather than rushing through passages.
I treated every practice exam as if it were the real MCAT so test day felt familiar.
The biggest improvement came from the quality of my review, not the quantity of questions I completed. Once I started fixing the underlying reasons for my mistakes instead of repeating them, my scores steadily improved and eventually reached 515.
If you're feeling stuck, don't get discouraged. Progress on the MCAT is rarely linear. Stay consistent, trust your review process, and keep building on your weaknesses one step at a time. You've got this!
I was in a similar position before my official LSAT. What ultimately helped me earn a 170 (97th percentile) was improving my consistency rather than looking for a single breakthrough.
A few things made the biggest difference for me:
I took a timed, full-length practice test every week and thoroughly reviewed every question afterward, especially the ones I answered correctly for the wrong reasons.
I kept an error log to identify recurring patterns in my mistakes instead of simply tracking my score.
I focused on accuracy first, then gradually increased my pace. Speed came naturally as my reasoning improved.
For Logical Reasoning, I practiced identifying the conclusion, evidence, and assumption before looking at the answer choices.
For Reading Comprehension, I concentrated on understanding the author's viewpoint and the structure of the passage rather than trying to memorize every detail.
I simulated official testing conditions as closely as possible so test day felt routine.
The review process was far more valuable than taking additional practice tests. Once I began understanding why I was making mistakes and eliminated those patterns, my score consistently moved into the 160s and eventually reached 170.
You're already scoring in the 154–158 range, so you're within striking distance of your goal. Stay disciplined with your review, trust the process, and don't let a single practice test define your progress. Good luck in August—you've got this!
@PrateekDevulpally Thank you this is very helpful to hear.
Hi! I am kind of experiencing the same thing, so you are definitely not alone. I just broke 160, and I can attest, my wrong answer journal is doing me wonders, especially giving it a little review before doing a study session/ before taking a PT.
I believe in you!!!
@zooooey thank you!
Heyy! I think it would be really helpful to spend a week focusing on analyzing your mistakes by: (i) creating a spreadsheet to categorize your mistakes by question type, (ii) keeping a wrong answer journal where you analyze every question you got wrong in as much detail as possible, and (iii) doing drills focused on the question types you miss most often.
That way, when you take your next PT, you'll be able to apply specific lessons you've learned instead of just relying on more practice. Sometimes, taking a step back to analyze your performance before returning to volume is exactly what's needed for a significant score jump.
@jvrodrigues Thanks for this sounds really helpful. I haven't been a fan of the wrong answer journal but I will try to resort back to it as it may help with some questions I am missing.
@adamshtayn its boring but it helps in a very specific thing. because you take the PT in only 2h30, you dont have time to pay attention to every detail. so the time you take after for deep reviewing allows you to understand the LSAT as a whole way better. when you take other PTs you will be more aware of details that are leading you to get some questions wrong! good luck on your prep :)
Hi there,
I'm in the 160s. Not sure how to answer the question, since it depends what you're currently working on. I'm currently alternating between LR and RC each school day, and doing lots of practice sections.