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Hi everyone,
I really need some advice in regards to the LSAT. I have been studying on and off for the LSAT from the past 1 year. I started at around a 140. I am scoring around 150 untimed. I usually get 15-16 questions right per section. I did mention on one of the discussion boards before that I did two undergraduate degrees. I did poorly in my first one, and I did really well in my second degree. I went back to do a second degree for the purposes of going to Law School. Since I had to work super hard in my second degree to compensate for the low grades that I got in my first degree. I want to do the same for the LSAT. I want to show the admissions committee that my grades have an upward trend. My goal is to attain a 170 on the LSAT and I want to be realistic about this score. I was planning to take the exam in September and realized that I am not ready at all. I was planning to take it in October or November (mostly thinking of November). That gives me around 2-3 months. I don't know if that's enough to reach my goal. I am not working or in school, so I have time to study full time. I believe that I am struggling with coming up with a solid plan. I have finished the 7 sage course and I am also studying from the lsat Trainer. I am willing to dedicate as much time as this exam needs.
I get 2-3 questions wrong per game on the games. Sometimes it's stupid mistakes. Questions that I know I can get right.
I get around 15-16 right per LR section (untimed) It takes a while for me to wrap my head around the argument.
RC- I am struggling with timing.
I needed some advice should I redo the course ? and re-read Mike Kim's trainer ?. Or should I just drill questions from different sections ? Since drilling has helped me a lot in terms of seeing where I am getting questions wrong. After that I was planning to pick up my speed. I don't plan on taking a full time preptest any time soon, since I know I won't do good and don't want to waste a prep test. I am willing to dedicate as much time as this exam needs. I just want to make sure that I am going the right way about it.
Sorry the long post. I would really appreciate some advice :)
Thank You
If you like your score and can get in with it but plan on taking the LSAT again. Do you - A - apply (likely get accepted) then assuming the next score is higher, use that for negotiation or B. Wait until you get the 2nd score back to apply.
Hi all,
I started studying for the LSAT in May and decided to sign up for the July exam because I knew I could see my score and cancel it and retake for free in October, thinking I wanted a solid 5 months of studying. By July, I got through around 65% of the 7Sage Core Curriculum, but only ended up taking 1 PT (scored 160) before taking the exam in July. I just got my score back yesterday and was extremely surprised to see I scored a 165 (I expected either high 150s or low 160s). My original target score was a 168 and my dream schools were Duke and Berkeley. Here is my dilemma:
I'm apprehensive about starting to hardcore study again to take the exam in October. I'm just started my senior year as a full-time student and am also working part-time at a law firm for 15 hours/week. I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to dedicate to LSAT studying while maintaining my GPA. I'm kicking myself for not taking more PTs before taking the July exam -- I keep wondering if I could have scored higher if I had. I know it is frowned upon by many schools if you retake the exam to just go up a few points, so I'm thinking my options are either: 1) cancel the 165 and retake aiming for 168-170 and apply in December/January; or 2) keep the 165, focus on applications and apply earlier in October.
Background info: I'm an undergraduate senior at UNC Chapel Hill with a 3.85 GPA.
Any opinions/advice/reassurance would be appreciated! Thanks and good luck with your studies & applications :)
Hey guys and gals, I studied all summer for the Sept LSAT and my first two PTs afterwards I've only improved by 1 point. I'm feeling really discouraged and would like some advice on how to proceed. Thinking about waiting out this year and seeing if I can do better with more studying time under my belt.
Edit: Thanks for the advice, friends. It's so easy to throw up your hands and give up, but the only thing to do is keep working at it and until I understand the material.
7Sage Community,
I came to you all optimistic, wide eyed, and confident that I would ace the LSAT.
That being said, I’m sure as most of you found out quickly, the journey comes with bumps and bruises that showed me how difficult this test really is.
I have worked 40-50 hours every week, got engaged, and got married ALL while studying for the test. I could not have gotten there without the help and support of you all.
I finished my LSAT career on top, 154. To put this in perspective, on my first prep test attempt I didn’t even make it out of the first logic game. I didn’t get more than 5 questions right for LR, and RC left me bewildered at how someone could read so much info so quickly. To go from that place to a 154...I will take it all day everyday.
I’m sure that many will read this and say go for a higher score again, but I am at peace. I studied for a year and a half for this test on my own and with a 7Sage approved tutor (Dave Binghamton, shout out to my dude). There is nothing left to give and that’s okay, some make 170’s...but I made a 154. Damn proud of that sucker too!
I recently finished up writing my Personal Statement and Diversity Statement with the help of the 7Sage Admissions team (Shout out to Selene Steelman). HIGHLY recommend that, if you have the funds, go buy the unlimited edits package. Great deal and even better help!
I start my applications the day they come open, so for many that will be September 1. Not only do I feel confident in my abilities to get into a great law school, but I know I will have a fighting chance thanks to you 7Sage.
Stay humble y’all.
Sincerely & Appreciatively Yours,
Jonah Chadwick Griego
I hope everyone got the scores they wanted. If not, keep up the good work and you will see results on the next test. My first official score was a 162 last November after 7 months of prep, and although that is an objectively good score I was disappointed. My PT scores were higher and I knew I had a lot of room for improvement. Made the difficult decision to delay to this upcoming cycle, and improved to 169 in June after a break and 4 more months of study.
Thrilled with the new score, I checked the section breakdown and was horrified by my RC performance. Worked hard on RC and continued practicing LG and LR every day until a few days before the July test. I participated in BR calls for the first time (thank you J.Y. for leading the RC calls), and grouped up with some very talented 7sagers to work through the June test.
I received a 173 on the July test, and am officially done with the LSAT! I have to attribute this last score jump to the 7sage community. In the 1.5 months leading up to the test, I was far more active on the forums and participated in study groups for the first time. This community of talented and caring people has changed my life forever. For the next month I will be finalizing my application materials, but I am still active on the forums and am available if anyone wants to talk about best practices for BR or LG foolproofing.
It seems like it's a pretty narrow category , so think I might not qualify but I wanted to double check.
I'm mixed race (half middle eastern half white). I'm also a trans women and queer I know that isn't race and ethnicity.
I couldn't look at my LSAT score today. I have struggled so hard with this, that I couldn't bear to be disappointed again. As I write, I sit here with LSAT practice and books in among my work papers and files. I have been at this for what feels like forever. Granted, I did slow down a lot at times, but siting next to a pile of books and scratch paper and printouts has kind of been my life for the past year and a half or so.
Curiosity got the best of me, and I finally looked.
My score improved 9 points. That's just 1 short of my ultimate goal, and well within what I can work with for my target schools. I choked and then cried so hard, my dog came to check on me. When I called my husband, he thought someone had died! LOL This is 12 points higher than my very first diagnostic.
It's finally over. It feels like this day would never come, guys. But, I'm living proof that it does! :)
To those who didn't get what they wanted this time around: keep going. You can, and will, improve if you set your mind to it. I worked, I took very heavy semesters to finish school, I have a family, and while it didn't happen nearly as quickly as I wanted it to (or as fast as it does for a 20-something that has no bills or children), it still happened. Get back up, dust yourself off, and keep going.
A huge thank you to 7sage and the support and love I've gotten from the people here. I know for a fact that you were a key factor in this success, and that the 7sage program helped lay the foundation and provide the practice I needed to get here. The program and the tools you provided gave me the flexibility I needed to keep practicing and learning, even when I couldn't take full practice tests very often.
I am so overwhelmed right now with this score, and I think today, I'm just going to enjoy it before I figure out my next move.
I just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH TO 7SAGE!!! This course was a life changer and the discussions have been incredibly helpful. I scored a 144 on my first prep test in 2018 and today I learned I received a 167 on my July LSAT.
For those of you studying please give it your all and you will see the results!!
The new digital test is gonna make it so much more difficult for me who likes to take notes or jot down notes for later answering questions... anyone feel me? any thoughts? how do you guys combat that??
Hi everyone,
Let me just begin by saying that when I started the LSAT journey back in January, I would have never thought it would take me this long.
I am thinking of cancelling my registration for September as I have not been able to score higher than 155 on PTs and my target score is a 168. This score combined with my gpa would guarantee me a seat at my target score, and I know I am capable of reaching a 168 since all my blind review scores have been around low to mid170s, the real issue for me is timing. I am entering my 4th year of undergrad in September and I have been studying for the LSAT full-time with 7Sage this summer and I do not want my efforts in the past four months to go to waste especially since I understand the LR content really well. My biggest issue is RC as I consistently score between -13 to -15 and I know I need to be reading more to improve my score.
I don't know how I should approach studying while in school as I want to make sure my gpa is not negatively impacted and I would appreciate any advice. I do not mind delaying graduation as I won't be applying until the next cycle. The two alternatives that came to my mind are taking 2 courses in the first term and aim for the January 13th exam or else take 3 courses per term for the whole year and write the April exam, I would like to write it once by April 2020 as I have a free take from the July exam which I cancelled my score. Again, since I am not applying until September 2020, I want to take advantage of increasing my LSAT score as much as possible and I think if I would take a break throughout the year and comeback to LSAT next April I may not be able to attend my target school.
Also, if anyone else is starting their studies now to write the LSAT next year feel free to message me as I am looking for an accountability partner throughout the academic year.
Hello Everyone,
I have come to realize that I have test anxiety, and I was wondering if you guys could share with me your methods in order to stay calm. I also did extremely bad on the July LSAT and in part I blame my test anxiety. I have noticed my score has improved since taking 7Sage, but it is actually the whole "test day" scaries that gets to me.
Also, does the digital LSAT have a timer anywhere on the screen, or do they call out the time like they always do?
For people who took the July LSAT digitally:
I know LSAC says that scratch paper is allowed for the digital test, but exactly how much is provided?
Hey guys so i'm going to be a senior in college with a 3.85 gpa and I am seeking advice. I've been studying LSAT for around 8 months and its starting to really take a toll. I've made significant improvements from where I started and on my last 5 tests (61-65), I averaged around 170 but my RC score is so volatile and the worst section by far. In the last few months i've only been concentrating on RC and I feel like I am improving but at a very slow pace. My LG is -1 usually and LR is -3 to -6 total
I know if I go into the September exam, I probably won't be able to replicate anywhere near that score because of my RC problems. However I am confident that I can get a 163 or above which would be enough for me to secure UC Irvine and not lose a year. The other alternative would be to postpone the cycle, study more, and take the LSAT next year and shoot for UCLA/USC.
I'm also not looking to work in a big law firm nor any government job. Correct me if I am mistaken, but I've read that everyone wants T-14 because it guarantees them a big law job. So since I know I will not be working there, would it make sense to sink another year on lsat to go from UCI (rank 23) to USC/UCLA (rank 17,15)?
I've talked to some lawyers and they've told me that the school you go to is only important for your first or 2nd job after law school but then after that it all comes down to your work experience(if anyone knows otherwise, please let me know). I also do realize I would be limiting my scholarship opportunities by taking the test and applying this year.
This community has been so helpful to me so I'm hoping you all can advise me (sorry for the lengthy post)
I just got my score for July back and it was higher than I thought it would be given how hard the test felt (yay!). I got a 172. Originally I was planning using July as a practice, since this was my first actual test and I had only taken 3 PTs before it and I figured I could do better, so I registered for the September test before I even took the July test. Since my score was higher than expected I'm not so sure I actually should even take the September one. My post diagnostic PT scores have been 170/173/173/175 (this past weekend). Every BR I've done has been 179.
I am not striving to go to a T-14. I want to practice public interest law, there's a very high possibility I want to become Public Defender but I also want to learn more about immigration law, labor law, or some sort of progressive policy council. No part of me will EVER want any kind of corporate or non public interest law. The biggest thing I am looking for in schools I am applying to be able to go tuition free (ideally with living expenses covered as well) as I don't want to take on debt since I won't be able to pay it off with the kind of law I want to practice.
My undergrad was pass/fail so I don't have a GPA but it was a pretty good school. I have been in the workforce for almost 6 years doing working as a general manager of a business, a mid-higher level work for nonprofits, and I am about to start a job as a Union Field Representative.
My list of schools (with the 75th percentile score in parenthesis) I wanted to apply to initially are as follows:
NYU (172), CUNY (158), Seattle University (157), American University (160), Cardozo (162), University of Washington (165). I've also been considering Georgetown (168) and Columbia (167/172/174-this is the 25/50/75th percentile list).
My considerations over the decision are below:
If I decide to retake, I think there is a very reasonable chance I could score in the 174-177 range. Since July I have studied a lot and really shored up some of my weaknesses in logical reasoning. I'm assuming a higher number will make it easier for me to get a full ride. It's possible if I blew it out of the water I'd consider higher placed school, but since I'm doing Public Interest I don't really see the need to.
If I decide to withdraw and not retake, I free up the next month to focus on getting my application materials together (something I haven't done at all) and could likely apply earlier as a result (October instead of November). I've been told that applying earlier increases my chance for getting scholarships. I'm also starting a new job on Monday so I can devote more attention to adjusting to that. I also don't run the risk of somehow bombing a test and hurting my 172 average I currently have.
Given all of this, what do you all think I should do? Feel free to ask questions!! Thank you!
Does anyone have any advice on what kind of books/articles I could be reading to improve my overall reading comprehension, mental discipline, and ability to reason in general while I go through the core curriculum and start PTing. As a kid, I didn't read a lot so I would say I'm a bit of a slow reader and sometimes find myself reading twice to grasp what I just read. All advice is appreciated. Thanks!
I apologize since I know this question is probably asked alot.
I just received my July score back (149) and canceled it to sign up for the October test for free. Needless to say I'm very disappointed with my July score since my practice tests have been getting better. I've taken the March 2019 test and received a 148. As of right now I'm currently registered for September and October. However I am also thinking of signing up for the November exam which would bring my total test takes up to five and would show four scores and one cancellation on my law school report. If I take the November exam that would be the final LSAT I would take. So my law school report would look like this:
March 2019: 148
July 2019: Cancelled
September 2019: 1xx
October 2019: 1xx
November 2019: 1xx
So my overall question is: will law schools I apply to care about how many times I've taken the LSAT or will the admissions teams simply just care about my highest score? Would five times hurt my application?
Hi everyone----
I know this might be a dumb question, but I was not able to find the answer on the internet. So in the old LSAT we get 6 sections (4 ordinary+1 experimental+1 writing), with a 15 min break after 3 sections. Since the writing section is taken out of new digital LSAT, are we getting 5 sections? And when does the break happen, and is the break still 15 min? Thanks!
So it finally happened. You either got the score you wanted or not. What do we do now? For those of us who want to improve our score for October, how should we go about re-studying? Continue to take PTs and blind review? Restart the whole curriculum? I’m willing to try anything! What do you guys think?
Hello! I just received my LSAT score from July (173!) and I was hoping to get some advice about my next steps. I hope to attend NYU law school as I want to go into public interest law. Although I received a 173 on the LSAT I went to university in Scotland and therefore I do not have a GPA. I received a first class degree which I believe translates to a superior even though I still have to have my application formally evaluated. I was wondering if I should retake in September or if my score means that I am pretty safe for NYU. I would love to hear your feedback! Thank you!
test
Hi guys,
I wanted to get your thoughts on whether taking the November 2019 LSAT (and subsequently applying in December 2019) will significantly hurt my chances of getting accepted into a T14 school for the Fall 2020 cycle.
For context, I took the LSAT for the first time in July 2019 but will be canceling my score as I know I'm far more capable based on my PTs, and my comprehension of the LSAT has increased greatly since July. My GPA is a 3.85, I have a solid college background (good internships every summer, part-time job, extracurriculars, conducted research, Honors student), and I have post-graduate work experience in the legal field as well. I waived my right to see my 2 academic LoRs, but I'm confident they will be strong given how closely I worked with both professors. I have read one of my professional LoRs and I believe it'll be a strong supplement to my application, and I believe my personal/diversity statements will be as well.
When I read about the shortage of October 2019 testing centers a few weeks ago, I tried to sign up immediately but was placed on a waitlist for a testing center outside of my state. I didn't want to take the risk of not getting off the waitlist, so I moved my test to November. I've read that submitting apps with a high LSAT later in the cycle is better than applying early with lower scores, but I'm afraid it might be too late.
Are any of you in the same position now, or have you been in the past? Any advice is much appreciated!
hello! I have a 3.73 GPA and just got a 158 LSAT on the July test. I have been PTing pretty consistently in the 157-160 range so this was expected---but now my question is, do I study extra hard these next 2 months and push for a couple more points to MAYBE hit that 160 (I say maybe because I work 55 hours a week now that I graduated), or should I get all my apps in by early OCT and try to get in that way?
So basically, is it better to apply later but with the POSSIBLE chance of a 160, or apply ASAP in oct with a 158?
According to the 7sage predictor, my chances are better by about 15% if I apply now with a 158 even if I did hit that 160 but applied in Dec. Has anybody else had a similar experience in their cycles?
***EDIT: I'm at 75 percentile GPA and 25 percentile LSAT for most schools right now, making me a reverse splitter.
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Just curious, maybe in need of a study partner or someone to go over PT with?