Score Improvement

Nathaniel

Hello All

On my LSAT Official Test in September, I got a 152 (my PTs were averaging 155).
I am retaking it in December, and I just purchased the starter package here.

I wanted a 170, not so sure on that anymore but a 165 is my minimum.
Best tips for jumping 13 points?

10000019

Post what your scores are for the different sections.

jennybbbbb

Are you writing it in December?

Rigid Designator

I agree with @10000019 it would be easier to give advice if we knew your rough score breakdown. If, for example, you are going -10 or worse on LG you could gain a lot of points by rigorously focussing on logic games for a few weeks.

thetrinityranch

What were you PT'ing at? How many did you take?

akistotle

I echo the comments above.

What is your current PT average and BR score average? What is your score breakdown? If you are not going -0 on LG, you should maximize your LG score by fool-proofing.

One thing I learned is that there are no silver bullets. When I was new in my prep, I was always looking for shortcuts, but I learned that I really have to understand the underlying logic in each question.

Nathaniel

S2 LR 17/25
S3 LG 18/23
S4 RC 12/27 (dang. i didnt notice that the first time. -15? I was doing much better.)
S5 LR 14/26

Taking it in December
PTing my lowest when I started was 152. My highest was nearing the end, 159/160. Last three before LSAT averaged around 155-156.

@akistotle i understand the logic for the most part
@"Rigid Designator"

Seeking Perfection

@Nathaniel said:
S2 LR 17/25
S3 LG 18/23
S4 RC 12/27 (dang. i didnt notice that the first time. -15? I was doing much better.)
S5 LR 14/26

Taking it in December
PTing my lowest when I started was 152. My highest was nearing the end, 159/160. Last three before LSAT averaged around 155-156.

@akistotle i understand the logic for the most part

It looks like work on all the sections is merited.

The logic games from September were pretty easy so the fact that you didn't perfect them shows room for growth. Unless LSAC throws a really unusual game you should be able to be confidently perfect or -1 on games. However, until you are perfect you are exposed to a huge risk of variation in your scores. Your method to get to perfect on games is foolproofing.

In reading comp you could have got thrown by the difficulty of the judges passage. It couldn't have just been the judges passage which got you to -15 though. Reading comp is traditionally viewed as the hardest to improve. But -15 still gives you some room.

Rewatch how reading comp sections are approached in the core curriculum. Then try to emulate them. Videotape yourself explaining a new section after you take it and blind review it. Then compare your explanation to the 7sage one. First of all, are the justifications equally right? Is yours as concise? Do you kmow both why the right answer is right and the wrong ones are wrong? Ect.

Reading comp will probably present a challenge once you've studied because of timing. So you have to keep PTing and getting better and better at answering the questions more efficiently. You can be a little lasier with this if you are a quick reader.

In the logical reasoning section things are pretty formulaic. If you have gone through all the core curriculum videos and understand all the different types of problems, then you should be fine. The most fool proof like way to get there is probably drilling each type until it's perfect and then making sure you can identify the types and apply this on the actual test.

I personally had minimal problems with LR, but thought it was the section where blind reviewing PT's helped most clearly. I also kept a file of all the LR questions that I ever missed and spent spare time reviewing them. Mine was pictures taken on my phone, but you could clip them out of your PT's too.

A piece of advice beyond how to study:
It seems like you have a lot of work ahead to test by December. I was naturally good at everything except the logic games. It still took me all summer with just a part time job occupying my attention to foolproof them to my satisfaction alongside regular PT's. And they were not perfect since I still missed one question on games in September.

The logic games are easiest to improve. So even if you were twice as effective at studying as me or studied twice the time, you still wouldn't be at your peak by December. You might be able to foolproof games by then, but even if you started fixing reading comp simultaneously, it takes most people longer.

Why hamstring yourself with an artificial timetable of December?

You know how important your score is to both what law school you end up at and how much you pay. That's why you wanted a 170. So why slide it down to a minimum of 165? Is it so you can apply this cycle? If so, is the year worth inferior career prospects or ten years living in debt?

I'll put it one final way. Everyone knows there is often fierce competition in law schools to secure good grades and therefore employment and career prospects. But the competition begins much earlier. First there is a competition to get a good undergraduate GPA which often takes place before people are even aware they want into law school. Thankfully, the second competition is the LSAT. Then there is the competition within law schools. Together they set your destiny.

Now in law school you are more or less compelled to fight on a level footing. Everyone will be trying hard 1L year and everyone will have an equal amount of time to prepare for the exams at the end of each semester. But for the LSAT you can take as much time preparing as you are willing to. So if you decide to cram your retake studying into the period between now and December, you are choosing to put yourself on level footing with those who study in that time frame and a disadvantage compared to those who study for longer. I've been told that there used to be a prof at Harvard Law who would tell students the first day of classes, "The competition is over. You have won." I'm not sure if this was real or not and certainly all law students face some competition in law school, but the point stands. The most vital part of the competition and the part where dogged determination can have the most sway over your fate is happening right now.

A 152 is probably objectively a good score compared to the average. So is a 165. And so is a 170. But, if you stop before you test as well as your capable of, then whatever score you end up with will not be a good score for you.

Good luck!