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jamesmontana6796

Joined: Apr 2025
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General · Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

jamesmontana6796

Sunday, Jan 31 2021

Thanks again guys for all the kind wishes!! so far 4 acceptances and no rejections this cycle !!

General · Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

jamesmontana6796

Monday, Nov 30 2020

Yeah I would just skip question types that I wasn’t intuitively good at. I knew I wasn’t going to score a 170, so I tailored my skipping strategy to maximize my time available for question types I was more likely to get correct. For instance, I would skip a lot of the SA questions so I had more time to nail the more difficult flaw questions, because honestly I really struggled with SA questions. Also doing timed sections of LR helped, along with blind review. Trust yourself always, you can usually blow through the first ten questions or so on an LR section. POE, or zero in on the right answer, then move on. Just burn em and turn em.

General · Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

jamesmontana6796

Monday, Nov 30 2020

Thanks guys, and good luck with studying!

General

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Monday, Nov 30 2020

jamesmontana6796

Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

Hey everyone, I just wanted to echo what others have said about 7Sage. It has been an immense help during my struggle with this test! There were times I thought I could not get over this hurdle. I was crushed, I had anxiety, I thought my dreams of attending law school would never be realized. It too every ounce of resolve to defeat this test once and for all.

You know it's tough, for others on the outside to comprehend what we all put ourselves through. The stress is real and you all understand that! I cannot thank you guys in the community enough for helping me through this. I am usually a lurker, and do not post often like so many of you, but it has nevertheless been amazing to be surrounded by so many dedicated individuals.

To JY, I owe you many thanks. Your countless video explanations along with your dry and witty sense of humor made the journey a little more enjoyable. I am sitting at the airport waiting to return home, drinking a blood orange IPA, and it feels good to sit bac kind reflect on my journey.

Thank you to all and god bless 7Sage! I hope you all have a great night, crush the LSAT, and get into the school of your dreams. It's not about the score, it's about your journey. Wow that's a cliché. But the thing about clichés is... they are usually true!

PrepTests ·

PT104.S1.Q24

jamesmontana6796

Wednesday, Jul 29 2020

F this question.

Lessons · [OPTIONAL] Assumptions are subtle

jamesmontana6796

Thursday, Jul 18 2019

I laughed reading this.

PrepTests ·

PT144.S2.Q20

jamesmontana6796

Saturday, Oct 17 2020

Damn, E clicked for me just now! Such a great feeling!

PrepTests ·

PT144.S2.Q11

jamesmontana6796

Saturday, Oct 17 2020

I took A on the timed run, but on BR I switched my answer to E because I thought A was a trap answer. Anyone else weary of choosing A on questions because it seems too good to be true?

#help (Added by Admin)

General · First acceptance and a big thank you.

jamesmontana6796

Sunday, Jan 12 2020

HOOAH!

LSAT · How should I go through the core curriculum?

jamesmontana6796

Thursday, Jul 11 2019

Okay thanks for the input. Yeah I am already signed up for the September test but if I do really poorly I'll just have to retake it. I really want to shoot for applying this fall though.

LSAT

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Thursday, Jul 11 2019

jamesmontana6796

How should I go through the core curriculum?

I am worried I may not have enough time to complete the curriculum without rushing. I am signed up for the September 21st LSAT date. Do I have enough time? Should I jump around from LR to LG to RC; or should I just complete the lessons in the order they are presented? My initial diagnostic was around 135 and I'm hoping to get into the 160's. I suppose I can always retake, but I want to apply to law school this fall for the year 2020. I've been making good progress with the LR lessons and am going to keep plugging away. I'm working 50 plus hours per week currently and studying about 3 hours per day in the evenings. With one rest day that means about 18 hours per week of study time. I'm also trying to pt twice per week.

Admissions · What to study the week before the exam

jamesmontana6796

Thursday, Jan 09 2020

I am taking it on that day as well. Today and tomorrow I am just doing some drills but no full practice tests. And I'm resting the whole day Sunday to clear my head. You will crush the test you got this!

Admissions · Absent for September 2019 LSAT

jamesmontana6796

Wednesday, Jan 08 2020

Thank you guys for the responses.

Yes, the LSAC sent me an email apologizing for their mistake. I only missed the withdrawal deadline by about an hour (It was past midnight in Eastern Time). I agree, I would have not wanted to sit for the exam without being ready, and I definitely was not ready in September. I will write a short addenda and address it just to be on the safe side.

General · Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

jamesmontana6796

Tuesday, Dec 08 2020

Thanks guys!! And big shoutout to J.Y. you the man!

General · Blind reviewing an entire diagnostic test?

jamesmontana6796

Sunday, Jul 07 2019

Okay thanks for the help! I'm going to just review every question on the test and go from there.

Admissions

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Monday, Jan 06 2020

jamesmontana6796

Absent for September 2019 LSAT

Back in September of 2019, I was registered for the LSAT; however, the night before,

I realized I was definitely not ready to sit for the exam. So, I withdrew from the test late that night. The time was actually passed the deadline to withdraw, but the link remained active. LSAC emailed me apologizing for the mistake, and gave me the chance to take another LSAT with my fee waiver.

So, I have a score of "absent" for the September exam.

I am planning to apply here in Feb. once my January LSAT score comes back, and I am planning on addressing the absent core in an addendum.

My question is this: How should I address this in my addendum, and how negatively will law schools look at this "absence"? Also, does it matter that I didn't do the September writing sample?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

James

General · Should I attempt a fourth time?

jamesmontana6796

Thursday, Feb 06 2020

As someone who just received my score today, I support a retake! Be better than the test man, you got it! This test is a real bastard but you'll crush it.

General

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Friday, Jul 05 2019

jamesmontana6796

Blind reviewing an entire diagnostic test?

I am signed up for the LSAT on 21 September, 2019, and just completed an initial diagnostic test. I struggled to say the least, especially on the logical games section. I want to do the blind review method, but there were very few questions that I was 100 percent sure of. My question is this: should I go back and blind review the entire test, or should I save the blind review method until I have done more studying so I get more out of it?

General · Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

jamesmontana6796

Friday, Dec 04 2020

@AZ said:

Thank you for sharing this encouraging note! It is great to read success stories -- more than ever when you are feeling down and defeated! Thank you for the hope!

You bet bro!! And don't let this damn test consume your life. I quit drinking and having fun for a while to study harder, but that was counterintuitive. Go out and have some beers and let loose, then come back to it. I found that striking a balance was a huge key to getting over a rough spot. Crush it brooooo!!!

General · Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

jamesmontana6796

Friday, Dec 04 2020

@ said:

Congrats! As someone who started in the 130s about 1.5 years ago and am now testing in the 160s, I know and feel the pain. But there really is a pattern to this test and you realize that after doing PTs and blind reviewing. I think you and anyone who sets their mind to it, can break 160. Although, there may be diminishing returns after 165; as some questions some people will just never get, especially under timed conditions.

I totally hear ya there! I was originally shooting for 165 but figured I would have to take another year off. I am already turning 26 in March so I really didn't want to do that. You're right, the test is very learnable, but it does take a lot of effort to turn into a substantial score increase. More study hours does not always mean a higher score. I have learned that a more focused approach has led to a greater increase in scores. And like you said, anyone can break 160. Never underestimate the importance of blind review.

General · Another LSAT journey: 130s ---> 156

jamesmontana6796

Friday, Dec 04 2020

@ said:

Congratulations! This was SO encouraging. How many months did it take to acquire this increase?

I took my diagnostic in the fall of 2018. I can't remember my exact score but it was lower than 135 I think. I studied on and off through 2018-2019. I was signed up for the October 2019 test but withdrew the night before. In January of 2020 I got a 149. Then I studied my arse off for November and finally got a score that I am proud of. There was so many times I almost gave up. The test gave me so much stress and anxiety, plus in the time I've been studying I have moved across the country, broken up with a significant other, and finished undergrad during covid. When it rains it pours!! But the sun will always shine down eventually.