Hey folks. I'm planning to apply to Harvard, and I've finished the application and have my letters of recommendation already—two from professors, one from where I worked this summer. One of the letters, however, comes from a professor I've only known for a couple months, but my thesis reader, who I initially thought would be too busy to write me a letter, said that he'd love to write a recommendation, which he would have time to finish by early January. I know his letter will be superlative.

My numbers are not quite there for Harvard—I scored a 170 on the LSAT—so I worry that if I submit now, my letters won't be quite compelling enough to put me over the top. But if I submit later, will it be too late, given that Harvard does rolling admission?

My question here essentially boils down to this: What is the tradeoff between waiting until January and having a much better letter of recommendation vs. applying now with one of my three letters being adequate but not fantastic? How decisive are the letters?

Curious what your thoughts are. What would you do?

Is there a way to restart the Analytics part for prep test 36 to enter my results? Someone it defaulted to saying it was completed and I never had a chance to input my answers. Now, I don't have the analysis on how I did? Any advice? Thanks!

YEAH Y'ALL. What are you doing? I am torn between the top 10 list - chance to be funny, but how funny should I be?! - and making a video, which would be fun but even harder to get "right." Any thoughts?

Hi everyone!

I have been studying since June and took the test in September and scored a 163. My test was not disclosed (Irma makeup) but I felt like I did the worst on the LG because I had a bit of an anxiety attack during the section and had to guess on the entire last game. I have been foolproofing games nonstop (doing at least a section a day) since I received my score. I have also

done the LG curriculum twice. Because of this, I have seen my accuracy go up--I can get minus zero on any section during blind review, and I understand LG patterns/inferences a lot better now--but I have yet to see a significant improvement when it comes to speed. I am still going about two minutes over the target time for the medium/harder games.

If anyone has any personal tips/tricks they used to get faster with games, please share! I am looking to really cut down time in the next 11 days and am really open to any suggestions!!

Thank you so much in advance!

For those getting -0 in LG, would you have any advice for strategies during timed conditions? How did you finally make it to -0 in the whole section? Do you get -0 during timed conditions as well? If so, what do you think it was that finally got you there? When studying, I do a lot of drilling and fool proofing, but I still feel like there are so many points left on the table. Thank you!

One of the lessons I completed had 14 problem sets which I did all in one sitting -- 6 hours later, I was totally drained, very loopy, and a little discouraged.

Do you guys complete every single lesson's problem sets before moving on to the next lesson? Or do you save some for a rainy day?

Hey everyone!

I wanted to hear your advice regarding study plans for the last few days. Honestly, I feel I am a little burned out. I've been studying like crazy for the past 6 months (while working full time). I hit rock bottom about three weeks ago when I went from scoring 164 to 155 in a span of 1 week, and just got like crazy depressed. I've been working on chilling and slowing the pace lately, so that I don't feel burned out by the time of the test, and it has worked so far, I'm scoring once again around the161-163 range (my goal is a 165).

Now, what do you think about not blind reviewing as thoroughly in the next weeks? I feel I am no really going to grasp new concepts in such a short time. So I wanted to take as many PTs as I can instead, to get my mindset ready for the test. My schedule would look something like this: Wednesday full PT77; Friday half PT78; Saturday full PT82; Sunday Drilling LGs; Monday half PT 79 and Wednesday full PT 81. Thursday and Friday I would just chill.

This does not mean I wouldn't BR, but I would definitely do it more selectively. For instance, I'm stuck at -6/-7 on RC since I first started studying, so I wouldn't dedicate that much time to that section. As for LR, I would definitely not spend 20 to 25 minutes thinking about a tough question.

Do you think this is a good approach? If not, what do you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, this is my first time starting a post here since I prefer to be a silent reader but I've been lost in decision for quite some time. I need help!

I took the LSAT this September after nearly a full year of part-time LSAT studying and got a score that was a bit below my average but within range - 164. I was hoping for a 167 but after getting my worst section, RC, as my experimental in the very first section of the test (it was my most feared scenario), I was slightly drained.

So, I ended up with LSAT score of 164 and GPA of 3.89.

I really want this studying to end but at the same time, I don't want to regret not having taken my chance to get a higher score. But I'm not completely sure I'll be able to score higher. I am registered for the December LSAT and some schools I've already applied to are aware of this. I'm really lost as to what I should do.

Should I retake in two weeks with the hope of hitting my actual average score or just focus on continuing with the applications? Honestly, I've lost my motivation for studying and haven't really been studying for the past few weeks. But do I even have a realistic chance of getting into t14 in the east coast?

Sorry for the ranting and I would really appreciate some advice! :blush:

I was just wondering on average how long it is taking people to get through the core curriculum. I won't be applying to schools this year like I had planned, and wondered how many of you are able to stay on track... or have to keep editing the study schedule like I do! Thanks, Lindsey

Joining in the chorus of people who are gearing up for December 2nd! Here's where I'm at right now:

PT scores 165-167

BR scores 177-180

Average per section around -4 each LR, -3 for LG, and (gulp) -6 to -8 or so in RC.

Obviously RC is my biggest weakness, but don't think I could get significantly better in that during the next 2 weeks. My biggest problem with LG is speed (I rarely answer incorrectly, just run out of time before getting to the last few questions).

Speed is a factor in RC as well, usually hit the 5 minute warning right as I turn the page to the last passage. Also inferring perspective questions, ughhhh. Probably 95% of the RC questions I get wrong (but did have time to answer) were inferring perspective questions.

Thoughts? Drill drill drill LG to try to improve speed? Drill LR to try to push that even a bit higher? Try to tackle RC?

Thanks!

I have tried my debit master card and it said that my card would not support the transaction. I tried my mothers and it was declined? Anyone with similar experience?

Hey everyone,

Short term lurker, first time poster.

I've been self studying for the December LSAT for around 4 months and have progressively worked my way through almost all of the available PTs.

At this point, I've written tests 1-71 and 74. 72 and 73 are being divided up to serve as experimental sections for the remainder of my PTs before the 2nd.

Starting in the 40s, my PTs have consistently ranged between 173-177, with the majority falling in the 174-176 range. A typical distribution would be -3 combined on LR, -0 to -2 on games and -2 on RC.

Unfortunately my last few PTs have taken a bit of a nosedive, with a 171 on PT 71 (-2LR/-5LG/-6RC) and a 168 on PT 74 (-3LR/-3LG/-8RC). The two scores have been my lowest two PTs in ~2 months. I suspect that the combination of stress and fatigue is creeping in. I haven't been sleeping much over the last week, as I'm consistently dreaming about LGs that I've fabricated, but can't solve. It doesn't seem like my mind has been considerate enough to also create a corresponding answer to the questions, so I'm stuck in CBT limbo on an imaginary sequencing or grouping game at 3 AM.

My LR scores have stayed relatively consistent, but my RC scores have taken a major drop on my last two PTs. I've also struggled to complete game sections within 35, whereas in past I was consistently finishing them in 32-33 minutes. The RC sections in the 70s "feel" tougher to me, but I'm also making mistakes that wouldn't have happened previously IMHO.

Long story short, I'd appreciate everyones insight on what I should make of the last couple of PTs. I feel that burnout is contributing, but the major drop is RC was a shock that corresponds with when many people claim that RC sections became tougher.

Thanks for your help.

Hey everyone,

I'm a little worried that law schools (in Ontario) will not know that I am writing the LSAT in December. My concern is that they will only look at the score from September and base whatever judgements off of that.

However, I did select my "future test date" on OLSAS... so is this how schools will all know that I will have another score coming in soon?

Thank you so much!

Happy studying :)

Hey guys,

I'm sending in all my applications this week but am retaking in Dec. hoping for a 2-3 pt increase. I'm sitting at a high enough score now that I'd like to have most of the schools go ahead and review my app without waiting for Dec. But many of the apps for those schools ask you to list all your scores, including future ones. I don't want those schools to know I'm taking it again because I'm afraid it'll send the wrong message (I'm already at 172 and retaking again when I'm already above the 75th for most of those schools will make it seem like I'm aiming for HYS etc.) and it'll increase the possibility of them rejecting me due to yield protection. But if I don't list the December test...would that be shady?

I am wanting some advice from some fellow test takers.

I began studying for the test in July. On my diagnostic I scored a 158. I am shooting for around 170. I have done the CC, and i am foolproofing logic games. I have taken 2 PTs this weekend. I scored a 163 and a 161. Last weekend I took a PT and scored 167.

I usually do pretty well in RC. My weak areas are definitely LR and the games. I missed around 6 or 7 in each section on the last test.

Do you guys think my goals are unrealistic considering the test is less than 2 weeks away?

Any thoughts on labelling question stems first and writing it literally next to it eg., principle, weaken etc then reading the stimulus on relevant LR/RC or just a waste of time? THANKS!

So I have done just a few PT's now and I keep getting 145s. I miss early questions in LR that I am trying to fine tune and I miss about 8 to 10 questions in LG and I am missing about 16 in RC. Currently I am working on improving RC and making sure I can get a couple more questions on LR since I think that is easier for me to improve on than some of the other sections. Does anyone think that this could be possible? I have been working really hard and I keep getting stuck at this score, I just need a 150 to get automatic admission in my 3+3 program.

So I've been getting pretty low scores on my PT's before BR, but my BR scores are significantly higher: 10+ points. Clearly, I grasp most of the material. It seems I just am having trouble executing under timed conditions. How should I study for the next 2 weeks before the December test?

So I have been struggling with hitting my desired score under timed conditions but I finally did it today. I've adjusted my study schedule and allowed myself time to actually live and i think that has really made a difference. I'm a rather social person, so being consumed with studying for this test was really stressing me out. Hopefully this persists into test day. Good luck everyone!

Hey guy's, are there any especially difficult or abnormal games that you've come across from PTs 60/70 to Present?

I am just starting research on this and curious what others think. Thx!

This is for the Ultimate and Ultimate+ers out there. I wish I could provide the link, but I don't have access to it...

Here's the deal. Sentence 1 we're given the context. Sentences 2 and 3 we're given separate conditional relationships.

I fell for trap answer (D), knowing fully well it was the "oldest trick in the book" (i.e. switching sufficient and necessary conditions), but still believing it was MSS. I knew it was weak, and I gave (B) -- the accredited response -- another look-over before committing to my answer, ultimately rejecting (B) because I felt like the conditional relationship from sentence 3 did not suggest unique use of plants.

(B): the people in question used plants in a unique way at the time

Sentence 2's conditional: If plants were cultivated --> the people discovered agriculture before anyone else

(yes, this would be unique)

Sentence 3's conditional: If plants were uncultivated --> the people ate a wider variety of plants than did any other people at the time

(unique? questionable...)

Here's my issue with sentence 3's conditional and thus its support for (B) -- let's say there's 5 different plants. In the whole world. 5 plants. Let's say the people in question ate 4/5 of those plants and everyone else in the world ate 1/5 of those plants. However, in my "LSAT bubble" brain, I did not conflate this scenario with saying that, of the people around the world eating 1/5 plants, none of them altogether ever ate any one of the 4/5 plants these people ate (e.g. the people in question ate plants 1, 2, 3, and 4; another group ate plant 1; another group ate plant 2; another 3; another 4; heck, another group ate 5, the elusive plant that the people in question did not have).

Thus, (B) would not be true. Granted, this is a MSS question, which means that I have incorrectly gauged the plausibility of (B) and (D) by assuming (D) is more likely in my thought experiment. My question, above simply "why is (B) the right answer" (which is still at the heart of my question), is why is (D) wrong? Are all answer choices for MSS questions that flip sufficient and necessary conditions traps? Or does the context make (D) wrong in this case?

https://classic.7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-69-section-4-question-09/

I am a little bit out of the box and would love to get as many views on this as possible from folks who are going through the same process as I trying to get apps ready. I am shortly to become a vowed religious in a cloistered Benedictine monastery. I am thinking about writing a diversity statement on this, in part to explain while I won't be doing the normal summer routine of most L1 and L2 students. So, my post grad lawyering will be a non-paid position with a "non-profit." Or, does this go into a short addendum? I don't think it is fitting to get too much into the spiritual aspects of it, because everyone's beliefs are a private matter. I don't want the ad comm members to go blind from rolling their eyes to the back of their head.

Something I've noticed about my PTs: I perform better when I'm feeling better. Not like.... physically (although that helps) but mentally. I mean when I wake up and put my contacts in, get dressed, and brush my teeth just to sit in my room to take a PT. Hell, even putting on shoes helps.

We talk a lot about mindset in these forums, but other things contribute to mindset besides meditation and repetition. Not only does waking up and "getting ready" help your outlook, it gets you prepped for test day. If you only ever take PTs in boxers, you're not replicating test day conditions!

This is all to say, keep in mind other things that might give you a little confidence boost. Two weeks out (exactly)--we can do this!

d