I just wanna pay it forward a bit. I’m offering advice/help/consultation to anyone who wants it

My Aug’21 results came back (3rd test this calendar year) and I was blown away by how badly I fucked up. I mean I was averaging 169+ and repeatedly hitting 170-171 the last five or so tests before the actual exam and my score came out to be 162, which is one point higher than my first test. My highest score is 165 which was on the June exam, and I’m signed up to take it a fourth time in October. I’m just unsure if it’s worth it at this point. Based on my PTs, I’m definitely capable of hitting my goal of high 160s but it hasn’t happened during the past two tests (which I was actually confident about) and I initially wanted to apply by the end of September or early October so taking it in October will push back my applications to at least mid November. So I’m wondering if it’s worth taking it a fourth time and if I do and don’t perform better than my high of 165, will it negatively impact me my candidacy in any way? Just for a complete picture, my LSAC gpa is 4.02 from Berkeley Haas and my goal has been to get into a top 10 school, specifically in the East Coast. Please let me know if you have any advice!

What is the most effective way to study for the LSAT in 2 months time.

Hi everyone- I'm working on creating my CV for my application and I was wondering if we should still put down extra curricular activities if we've been out of school for a while. I participated in two clubs while I was in undergrad but I graduated 4 years ago. I also currently volunteer- should I be including that? Not sure how important extra curricular activities are compared to my professional experience especially since I've been out of school for a bit. Thank you!

Hello everyone,

I am enrolled in October 2021's LSAT exam and I feel as if I am on the verge of a breakdown most of the time... I first started studying for the LSAT fall 2019 (without 7Sage), and got a 149 on my very first LSAT exam. It was the fall after I graduated college and the stress of finding a job and general income issues were deeply demanding and I decided to delay applying to law school until fall 2021 because I did not have the mental energy to focus on LSAT prep. In February-March 2021 after several months of studying with 7Sage I felt I had made progress when it came to content and accuracy, however timing was a major issue. I took the LSAT in April 2021 and totally FROZE during LG and essentially I guessed on the entire section because the timer filled me with so much anxiety that I could not access the memory centers of my brain to answer the questions. It was horrible and I fought the urge not to burst into tears on camera. So here we are, just shy of a month before the October LSAT and I just CAN'T SEEM TO WORK FAST ENOUGH. I keep getting to game 3 and having little more than 5 minutes left to complete the fourth and most difficult game. LR and RC swing back and forth from having 7-10 wrong answers which is not helping my confidence. I can't score higher than a 155 on my timed PT's, yet can score as high as 165 during blind review. I've recently started trying to begin LG with the hardest games and work backwards, but then the inverse happens and I guess on the easiest games that normally I would have gotten most correct on. I feel like I just keep on studying and nothing really happens to alter my overall performance and I'm extremely anxious about it. I work full-time, so I don't have the ability to do a lot of times exercises during the day, but am willing to suck up my after work exhaustion to try and improve on timing. I find myself wondering, can I even hit 163-165 in less than one month? Am I kidding myself when I think I'll be able to apply to schools before Thanksgiving? So please, if anyone has any advice on how to make the best use of my last month please share! I am trying to keep my cool, talk myself up, not catastrophize, but its not working....

Quick rundown:

URM

3.92 UGPA

150 diagnostic

June 2019- 150 (canceled)

October 2020- 148 :(

July 2021- 157

August 2021- 165 :)

The LSAT and I have a very tough relationship. I started studying during my Junior year in 2019. I read through the Powerscore books and was confident I would be able to teach myself. I got 7sage and studied here and there, not super seriously since I had classes. I took the June 2019 LSAT (the first digital one that allowed you to cancel your score) and I got a 150. I only really took it so I could see how I would do with test day conditions, so I canceled. I continued to study haphazardly (I hated studying for the LSAT since there is no direct return to your studying efforts), hoping for my scores to magically hit 170. I quickly realized that just because I read the Powerscore books and went through the 7sage curriculum, that doesnt mean I studied in a way that would help my score. That is how I studied in school and was able to get a 3.92, but it did not work that way with the LSAT. I had to make the hard decision to take a year off after school to continue studying because I was not seeing the improvement I was hoping for.

Fast forward to 2020, I graduated, and now had more time to study. I drilled, took PT's here and there and got the Loophole book in hopes it would all click. I even finally accepted the fact that I may need a tutor, so I got one and studied with him for a few weeks. I did not want to take another year off, so I decided to take the October test. Sadly, I was not ready and VERY burnt out and got an extremely disappointing 148. I was crushed because it was even lower than the score I got a year prior that I canceled. I felt like an absolute failure and did not want to even think about the LSAT. Pressure from family made it very hard to think that I may need to take an extra year off. (Side note, family can be extremely toxic when it comes to the LSAT and law school application journey, I definitely almost cost myself a great cycle by being tempted to apply to appease my father, even though I knew my score was not where it needed to be. So for those out there struggling with familial pressures, you know what is best for you, trust your instincts.)

After taking a month or so off, and coming to terms with my additional year off, I got back to studying. I found another tutor @Constantine whose teaching style fit my learning style perfectly and with his help I found myself PT'ing in the 160's for the first time ever. It seemed to have clicked! I even PT'd at 168 before I took the July 2020 test. I was shocked by my 157 on that test because I truly thought it was relatively easy (but im convinced the curve was very tight with that one).

I continued to study and was luckily able to get some accommodations for the August 2021 test due to a condition I have that I finally got treatment for. After more studying and getting the time I needed on the August test, I found out yesterday about my 165! I was terrified to look at my score and was pleasantly surprised! Now I can finally kick the LSAT out of the corner of my mind that it has been occupying for years.

Now, with my long LSAT journey finished, here are my take aways:

Nobody knows the perfect way to study for the LSAT. Some can self study, some need structured classes, some need

a tutor. With that being said, its okay if you spend months studying one way and finding out it doesn't work. Use that information to try a new way. Sometimes it takes a lot of trial and failure. Keep trying new ways and consider a tutor!

If you are not PT'ing where you want your score to be around test time, consider taking a later test. I think a lot of us

believe we will be lucky and miraculously score 170 even though our most recent PT's were nowhere near that. I wish I did not take the October test. I was not ready and I knew it.

The trick to LG is doing them often. After a time, like everyone says, it just clicks. The road to it "clicking" does take some time. Do one LG per day, if you can. Even a 1 star question helps you get the pattern down.

RC and LR are both tricky. LR was easier for me to get better at than RC. Once I started studying with Constantine, he

was able to help me get my LR from around -9/-10 to -3/-4. With RC, I had issues focusing. You really have to get yourself engaged with the story and not focus too much on the details.

The LSAT will force you to be very honest with yourself. My goal in the beginning was 170+. While I know I could have gotten there with more studying, I had to realize that the studying and mental anguish it would have taken me to get there was not worth it for me personally. Luckily, law schools look at applications holistically! You may also have to make tough life decisions in your LSAT journey, but in the end, as long as you know you did your best, whatever the outcome is was meant to be.

All in all, I wish everyone that is on their journey the best of luck. Do NOT lose yourself in the process. Your LSAT score does not define you or your overall intelligence. Although I will not miss coming to 7sage to study, I will miss the great community and the support.!

Be safe out there everyone! (3(/p)

Hey guys! After scoring consistently in the mid 170s for about 10 practice tests leading up to the exam, I kind of choked and wound up with a score much lower than any test I've ever taken, far lower than even my diagnostic. When I sat down to actually take the test for the first time, all my habits went out the window. I couldn't focus, I got worried, got distracted by the proctor, hell I even had a song stuck in my head. Am I the only one in this boat? Any advice? Its frustrating because I know what I'm capable of and a decrease of this many points is just completely unrepresentative of my abilities. Thanks all.

i have been studying on and off for the LSAT, but i started again in august and the logiv games are fianlly starting to make sense. I want to take 2nd time test on the 20th of september. do you guys think i will have enoguh time for the november test? because the plan is to keep taking prep test till the test. I want to used the 12-19 to gover the foundations and blind reivew the drills. what do you guys think? sorry my keyborad is werid. should i take the november ? i am looking to apply to duke

Can't believe I'm finally making this post after so long, now I can't seem to find all the words for what I want to say.

I am: low income, first gen, immigrant, woman of color

Cold Diagnostic: 147

First PT after CC: 151

Feb 2021 LSAT: 162

Studied since: Oct 2019 on and off, working full time

Prep used: primarily 7sage, small study group, LSAT Trainer by Mike Kim

Let me make it clear: I am not a great test taker. Never have been. I am unconfident, anxious, and indecisive. It's what led me to pushing my first test back 5 times from April 2020 to Feb 2021. It also led to an underperformance on my first LSAT. Despite prepping so much I blanked out hard on LG, my best section, and receiving my score back was devastating knowing I missed my 90th percentile goal by a hair. I was miserable in March/April.

But that defeat turned into an opportunity to surpass my goal of 165 with a 168! I got the help I needed for my severe anxiety that I've struggled with all of my life and received accommodations. Even though I'm no 170+ scorer, us folks in the 165+ range need to remember that being in the top 10% is HUGE.

There's a lot more I can say, but I want to wrap it up with a few nuggets.

This test is conquerable. It can be done if you want it enough! You hear people say it all the time but it's true.

Accommodations are NOT unfair advantages. A 50% time increase did not make me have to study any less. I prepped hard for months. Do not let anyone shame you into getting the tools you need to succeed.

Process > Results. I stopped worrying about my PT scores and started making sure I was doing the proper steps in each section. This mindset eased anxiety to always expect a certain score and helped improve my results consequentially!

Chance favors the prepared. I have to say I lucked out with my format because it played to my strengths. But I also came into the exam being ready for anything! Luck alone did not get me to my score.

Be confident and aggressive. Top scorers don't self doubt. You know your shit!

Thank you to 7Sage and the community here for being a huge part of my journey. I found my wonderful small study group on here for the Feb test, and with their help they pushed me to get this score. I am rooting for y'all, esp my fellow BIPOC women who are low income, first gen, and/or immigrants tryna enter this profession to help our communities.

Much love!

How many points below your target score should you cancel your score, and should you even cancel your score? Does a canceled score look suspicious?

Hi everyone! I’m offering free tutoring for those scoring below 155. I am taking the October test and would love to hone my understanding of a few concepts and think the best way to do that would be through tutoring.

I’ve tutored other subjects but never LSAT material so I'll be very upfront if I cannot help. I'm ok with LR but really thrive with LG and RC. I managed to raise my RC score substantially with a unique technique so if you're interested in learning that please reach out.

Send me a DM if you're interested- thank you!

I took the LSAT for the first time in April and received a 166. Although I was proud of my score, I believed that I was capable of getting a 170+. So I continued to prep using 7Sage as my only LSAT resource. Today, I am thrilled to report that I made 174 on the August LSAT!!! Now I've got to get started on my applications for Fall 2022. Keep grinding everyone!

Hey Ya'll,

I just got my August LSAT score back, and because I am a first time test taker, I have the preview/cancel option. Objectively, I don't have a bad score (low 160's), but have been consistently PT'ing 3-5 points higher. I'm already registered to retake November, and know I will do better (the score I received on test day is the lowest score I've received in months of PTing). I'm hoping to apply as soon as my November LSAT comes out.

Does anyone have any wisdom as to whether or not I should cancel my score?

Hi! Im PTing ranging from 165-170, but on the August exam I scored a 164. I feel like there's something im missing to push me from the mid 160s to low 170s. I would really like some advice and tips. I don't know what else to try or do anymore. Im taking it again in October and that will be my last chance before I want to apply.

Finally, I think I'm done with the test. It took almost 2 years of preparation working a full time engineering job.

First take was in Oct 2020, which ended up with a dismal 156. That was mostly self studying with 7sage.

Second take scores, just out... 173.

I went though 4 different tutors to get the right tutor who fit with my time, style and budget. Surprisingly he was only $50 an hour. I did sessions with him for 2 hours / week , Feb - Aug 2021. He used 7sage and lsatlab to monitor progress.

I guess that effort payed off. 173 is more that what I typically PT. I'm happy with the score. Thanks 7sage.

I just wanted to say thank you JY, and also the 7sage community at large. Everyone is always so eager to answer questions and advice posts with the most thoughtful responses. After getting a score that I am happy with, I am so relieved that I am finally done with this test!

Nothing I did to study was any different from the advice that is dished out through out the forum (fundamentals, drilling, PTs, BR and review) BUT one sorta different thing was that I didn’t study THAT much per day: unless it was a PT day, I would usually max out at 2 hours; (I started studying in January)I read fiction in my free time, not the Economist; I also took a break from studying after the June Test until mid July and studied sporadically until August rolled around. I know everyone has different schedules, but I would always feel like I wasn’t studying enough, and then this leads to imposter syndrome when you’re trying to take the exam and so forth… So, if you find yourself doubting your abilities, that you’re not studying “enough”, just know that you don’t have to study 6+ hours a day to still walk away with a decent score (and yes a 169/170 are decent scores contrary to what Reddit will have you believe) Anyways, I hope this may be affirming for anyone who finds themselves doubting their study habits and routine. At the end of the day, it’s a standardized test and you don’t have to get everything right, just enough right.

Good luck October+ test takers and peace out 7sage, it’s been a not-so-fun, fun 8 months 😆

I just got my August score back and it's a 164 which is one point above my goal score of 163. I truly could not have achieved this without using 7sage for the past ~8 months~ since the test did not come naturally (at all) to me. I particularly struggled with Logic Games, and I was never able to get my timing down enough to complete all 4 games despite months and months of practice, but thanks to 7Sage I was able to vastly improve from my starting point of taking 30 mins+ per game and perform well enough on the other sections to take pressure away from LG and still accurately complete 3/4 games. Good luck to everyone else gearing up for October and congrats to those who are ready to apply for this cycle :)

My average pretest score is 166. Pretest scores have been fairly consistent (165-169).

I've taken the LSAT twice now. First score 157, today's score 156. Are other people seeing a practice test discrepancy like this? So frustrating. I deleted the 157, as it was my first attempt and significantly lower than my practice test scores. But today's score is lower.

Is anyone else seeing a discrepancy like this?

Dear friends,

I want to provide hope to others starting with scores in the 140s. This has been said often, and I want to repeat it here because it is true:

You. Can. Beat. This. Test.

I won't go into my full journey, but a bit about me:

Potentially helpful thoughts and advice:

Good luck to all!

There seems to be a massive uproar on Reddit about this. I'm sure it happens every test but this one just feels odd to me.

I did much, much worse than my last LSAT and am completely devastated. Months of hard work and money have gone into this exam with nothing to show for it other than a worse official score.

I just hate how much of this exam makes a difference for law school admissions. After today, I feel like it's time to give up on those law school dreams.

Am I the only one who feels like this?

I took the August LSAT at scored a 165. My average PT was around a 167/168, so I feel a little let down because I know that I can do better. After august, I have continued to study and have been doing even better, with most of my PT scores being 170+. If I take the test in October and somehow to worse than I did in the August, how does that work? Will schools still look at my highest score? Or will they just see that my score went down and hold that against me?

Hola 7Sagers:

While anxiously anticipating my August LSAT score, I checked my LSAC account and noticed that the percentile of my May score shifted downwards significantly. Initially, LSAC considered my 163 to be in the 86th percentile. As of now, it declined to the 83rd. Prior to the insanity of 2020, a 163 was considered to be in the 87.84th percentile, per the 7Sage percentile chart.

TLDR: A 163 went from being in the ~87th percentile to being in the ~83rd. That isn't insignificant.

I was hoping people could share their scores and percentiles on this thread, especially since law schools and LSAC are slow to update their new medians and score data, respectively. This would help us determine where we are in relation to our peers and inform our decisions regarding whether to retake the exam at a later date.

Muchas gracias!

Admin Note:

Hey everyone,

We're trying to figure out what the most recent percentile conversion is so if you took the August LSAT, please email your official LSAT score to studentservice@7sage.com. Here's what we have so far:

180 - 99th (confirmed)

179 - 99th (confirmed)

178 - 99th (confirmed)

177 - 99th (confirmed)

176 - 99th (confirmed)

175 - 99th (confirmed)

174 - 99th (confirmed)

173 - 98th (confirmed)

172 - 98th (confirmed)

171 - 97th (confirmed)

170 - 96th (confirmed)

169 - 95th (confirmed)

168 - 94th (confirmed)

167 - 93rd (confirmed)

166 - 91st (confirmed)

165 - 896h (confirmed)

164 - 87th (confirmed)

163 - 84th (confirmed)

162 - 82nd (confirmed)

161 - 79th (confirmed)

160 - 76th (confirmed)

159 - 73rd (confirmed)

158 - 69th (confirmed)

157 -

156 - 62nd (confirmed)

155 - 59th (confirmed)

154 - 55th (confirmed)

153 - 51st (confirmed)

152 -

151 -

150 -

149 - 36th (confirmed)

148 - 33rd (confirmed)

147 -

146 -

145 -

144 -

143 -

142 -

141 - 13th (confirmed)

140 -

Thank you!

Disappointed with score from Aug test, scored 10 points lower than PT average and depleted all recent PTs from 60-89. Just for some context: my cumulation upga is 3.7 (poli sci & econ double majors) from a liberal arts school and am currently getting a master's in ed policy from a top school and have 4 years of professional experience in international development, law, research work. I am trying to apply to t-14 schools. Would you recommend cancelling this score through the score preview option for first time test takers? Also went through a lot of life-altering events in the past couples of months - death and divorce in the family and minimal support system+ mental health issues so I am happy to be able to take the test for the first time amidst all that. Not complaining about getting a 162, I started with a 142 and English is my third language, so I made progress. Just trying to figure out what next possible steps should be if I am trying to apply to t-14 schools. I want to do international human rights law so schools with international recognition and good human rights law clinics are important for me. I am lost, also sad, so any recommendations from the amazing community here is appreciated.

Is there a technique you all use to help reset your brains after you get done doing the first two sections?

I’ve noticed my second LR section score is always almost lower than my first section because I start feeling burned out. Does anyone have a solid technique that helps them reset mentally during the midway break?

Hi everyone. I just got my score today which was a 154. I had been hoping for around a 155 to 160. Would anyone say that a 154 is a good score? It's at the 55th percentile.

I'm not trying to go to a top 20 law school. My target school is a top 50 school ranked in the 40's though my score is below the 25th percentile. According to the 7sage law school predictor tool I have a 54 percent chance of getting in since I'd do the early admissions decision. Would you guys suggest I give applying a shot or should I retake for a higher score in November?

Can you apply to a school and later retake the LSAT if you are rejected to a law school? If that's the case perhaps I could apply and if rejected, apply again next year.