First LSAT prep test 140

JustinaJ

Just took my first prep test and I am super dissapointed. I have been reading so much material on the LSATS and doing logic games since about June. I am completely shattered of the thought of getting a 140 on my real LSAT in sept. I do not know where to begin to improve my score and I am registered to take the LSAT on sept 27th. My goal is to get into the 160s. I have a 3.55 cum GPA. Any advice would be great. I just picked up both the power score bibles for Logical reasoning and Reading Comp. I work full time and also go to college full time while trying to study for the LSAT.
Thanks
Justina

chrijani7

I don't think a single person on these forums will advocate for you to write September 27th. In all honesty, I think you should postpone if you want to actually reach you score. There are a few issues with what you've said. First, its almost September and you just took your first LSAT? Second, if you scored a 140 and there is only a month left, the chances of you getting a 20 point jump are very slim (not trying to discourage you). I had to postpone from June to September as I was not fully prepared scoring in the mid 150's. It's not a bad thing to postpone, but as it stands I would say you are not prepared to go in and write the test and reach your goals. Go back to the fundamentals and pick apart the test piece by piece, start with LR and LG then work towards RC. You can certainly reach your target score, but it will take time, there is no magic formula you can apply and hope for that big of an increase over the next 30 or so days.

JustinaJ

@chrijani7 Thank you for your feedback and response. I have been reviewing materials and doing sections here and there since maybe June but I have never had time to actually take a full timed practice test. Are you currently taking one of 7 sage prep courses? I am seriously considering it, just hard because of the money. I work full time now to pay for college full time. I want to definitely score minimum 160. I am going to post pone my LSAT for December.

mattrhurst

I started studying for the september LSAT at the beginning of August before signing up with 7sage. after about three days of going over the powerscore logic bible (worst section on the first practice lsat I took) I realized I had 0 idea what I was doing and I needed outside help so I signed up here. I haven't taken a second test after my diagnostic here (id rather go through the course first before blowing through PT's), and I already feel like I have got a much better grasp of the material.

Oh, I also pushed my test date to december after signing up, realizing there was just no way I could master this in a little less than two months.

EDIT: Think about it this way, if you get a very good score on your LSAT, you will presumably get some, and probably better scholarship offers. Would you rather spend the extra 350 now, or the extra couple of thousand later?

joegotbored-1

Jefferson,

Smart move in pushing until at least December. If you're not pressed for time and money is tight, then maybe even February. The 7Sage courses are excellent. If you give it adequate time (maybe over winter/spring break if you take the test in February) you will definitely increase your score. @Chrijani7 is totally right about focusing time on LR and LG for the biggest bang for your time/buck, especially since you're crunched for time. RC is typically where most people struggle to improve whereas LG and LR are just a matter of drilling repeatedly.

As for being tight on money: a higher score is your best bet in saving money down the road. Generally, the higher you score, the lower your tuition. If you don't give yourself enough time, or if you don't make studying a priority, you won't do as well as your potential would allow. The more you study and the more you focus, the better you'll do. The better you do, the less you'll owe.

You won't find a less expensive course on the market. If you're a strong self-study mindset, you can do it with books and whatnot, but having looked at the books... none of them compare to JY and Jon. And once you've paid for the books and the prep tests, you've almost paid for 7Sage's lowest priced package... it's worth it.

Full time student and worker is impressive and admirable! Surely with that work ethic you'll rock the LSAT hardcore. Good luck with your goals and keep at it.

JustinaJ

@mattrhusrt Thank you for your input! I am definitely thinking of a master plan right now to enroll in the $350.00 course tomorrow. I wish they had a payment plan! I could most definitely do payments with half down right now. But i will find a way. I definitely cannot conquer this alone. Thank you for your response though!! I do appreciate it. Please inbox me after taking another PT I would love to hear about your increase in points.

JustinaJ

@joegotbored-1 Thank you for responding! I am very happy I posted on here. I am very glad to be getting feedback, advice, and some guidance. I am going to try my hardest to enroll in the course tomorrow and get rolling. I definitely cannot take the LSAT any later than December since a couple of the schools I am looking at have a deadline of March 15th 2015. Thank you for the words about me working and going to school full time. I have been working full time the entire time will obtaining my Bachelors in CJ. Seems like forever although I am only 22 LOL.

vandyzach

My diagnostic was somewhere in the low 140s. I am now PTing in the low 160s, and I'm not stopping there. Take as long as you need.

JustinaJ

Thanks @vandyzach ! I appreciate the positivity

indiaholt

@jeffersonjustina Why don't you just pay for the least expensive course, there is no way you'll make it through the entire thing and actually absorb everything in a month anyways. Then you can always pay the difference later and upgrade if you decide to do december.

Jonathan Wang

As other posters have said - do not, under any circumstances, take the September 27 LSAT. I also question why you're so dead set on applying to law school within this cycle; "because that's the plan" is not a good reason. Three months is doable for some, but why rush? This is probably the most important test you'll ever take, and it determines everything from admissions to scholarships basically all by itself, so don't blow it because you're too prideful to take a gap year.

The PowerScore LR and RC bibles are, for lack of a better/nicer term, worthless. Return them and use the money from that toward the cheapest 7Sage package. I would sooner buy one of my students a 7Sage package than work from that nonsense ever again.

JustinaJ

Hi @Jonathan Wang I have already signed up for the basic package! I am super excited to get started. I am afraid if I take a year off I will not be as ambitious as I am now..

YUE LIU

practice test is quite different from reading LSAT materials. Think about the time constraint. For my first practice test, I stopped in the middle because I felt like I was rushing to the end rather than confidently answering questions. If I had finished the test, I would likely have scored <140. You can definitely see the improvement if you give it enough time.