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My score wasn't what I had hoped for and I'm bummed. Just need to vent.

kshutes13kshutes13 Member
edited March 2018 in February 2018 LSAT 634 karma

Hi everyone,

Been a solid month since I posted. After I wrote in February, I took a mental break from everything LSAT related. I got my score back on March 7 and scored 6/7 points lower than my diagnostic (went from solid PTing at 159/160 to a 153 on test day). Needless to say I was pretty upset but I kind of saw it coming. I completely choked on logic games but found LR/RC to be less difficult, which I think shows in my score. I definitely guessed upward of 20 questions in LG (i.e. blindly guessed) and the other questions I didn't guess, I likely got wrong anyway. I knew I was choking on LG in the weeks leading up to the LSAT too. I was just aiming for a 160.

I'm just in general pretty bummed out. I feel like my personal statements were some of the best writing I had done. My reference letters were really strong and relevant (as I had just graduated university when I submitted my apps). I also had very strong leadership experiences and was an exceptionally involved student. I know some may say I still have hope but my top choices have historically never really accepted people with an LSAT score this low.

Now, I feel like if I retake the LSAT and apply for next cycle, my app will be significantly less competitive. I quit my job and studied for the LSAT for ~6 months, which means I've been unemployed and doing nothing but studying since September. Come applications for 2019, my application will have gone from stellar undergraduate student & involved leader to unemployed person in a quarter-life crisis lol. I've been applying for jobs but so far nothing significant has come up.

Hopefully I can muster up the strength to try again and hopefully something that I feel proud to put on my resume will come up. Blah. Just needed to vent a little.

Congratulations to everyone who received the score they were hoping for and/or has gotten into their dream schools. You guys have been super helpful along this journey so far!!

Comments

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    If LG is your biggest problem, that's a good thing. If you blindly guessed on 20 LG questions and scored a 153, you should be able to hit a 160 no problem by June.

  • kshutes13kshutes13 Member
    edited March 2018 634 karma

    @goingfor99th said:
    If LG is your biggest problem, that's a good thing. If you blindly guessed on 20 LG questions and scored a 153, you should be able to hit a 160 no problem by June.

    I agree. I guess I just need to find the strength to get back into studying because the thought of studying right now makes my head want to explode. I was honestly miserable the last 6 months of drilling & PTing.

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    @kshutes13 said:

    @goingfor99th said:
    If LG is your biggest problem, that's a good thing. If you blindly guessed on 20 LG questions and scored a 153, you should be able to hit a 160 no problem by June.

    I agree. I guess I just need to find the strength to get back into studying because the thought of studying right now makes my head want to explode. I was honestly miserable the last 6 months of drilling & PTing.

    If you want to chat with someone about the test, let me know! I find that sometimes talking to someone new about the LSAT can help to reinvigorate.

  • westcoastbestcoastwestcoastbestcoast Alum Member
    3788 karma

    Hey LG benefits with the most practice! I choked somewhat on my first attempt on LG and I was able to get a minus 2. Not the best performance compared to others, but it was a milestone for me. I was able to finish LG confidently with extra time after having fool proofed virtually all the LG. I literally took all the LG as sections and drilled problematic games as well. The path to mastering LG is more straightforward than LR and RC. Doing so helped me push past into the 160s in my official take. This is coming from a guy whos diagnostic was in high 130s.

  • kshutes13kshutes13 Member
    634 karma

    @westcoastbestcoast said:
    Hey LG benefits with the most practice! I choked somewhat on my first attempt on LG and I was able to get a minus 2. Not the best performance compared to others, but it was a milestone for me. I was able to finish LG confidently with extra time after having fool proofed virtually all the LG. I literally took all the LG as sections and drilled problematic games as well. The path to mastering LG is more straightforward than LR and RC. Doing so helped me push past into the 160s in my official take. This is coming from a guy whos diagnostic was in high 130s.

    Yeah it does make me feel better that LG is the most improvable section. Thank you!!

    I am a little discouraged though because LG was actually my best section prior to taking the LSAT and it was holding up my score (i.e. I was averaging -4 in LG, -9 in RC, -7 in LR) but then the actual test day had me completely turned around -- bombing LG and doing well in the other sections. So weird.

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    @kshutes13 said:

    @westcoastbestcoast said:
    Hey LG benefits with the most practice! I choked somewhat on my first attempt on LG and I was able to get a minus 2. Not the best performance compared to others, but it was a milestone for me. I was able to finish LG confidently with extra time after having fool proofed virtually all the LG. I literally took all the LG as sections and drilled problematic games as well. The path to mastering LG is more straightforward than LR and RC. Doing so helped me push past into the 160s in my official take. This is coming from a guy whos diagnostic was in high 130s.

    Yeah it does make me feel better that LG is the most improvable section. Thank you!!

    I am a little discouraged though because LG was actually my best section prior to taking the LSAT and it was holding up my score (i.e. I was averaging -4 in LG, -9 in RC, -7 in LR) but then the actual test day had me completely turned around -- bombing LG and doing well in the other sections. So weird.

    You may have a problem similar to the one I had. When I didn't understand an LG, I would struggle to understand any of it. It was sort of "all or nothing" with me for a while.

  • kshutes13kshutes13 Member
    634 karma

    @goingfor99th said:

    @kshutes13 said:

    @westcoastbestcoast said:
    Hey LG benefits with the most practice! I choked somewhat on my first attempt on LG and I was able to get a minus 2. Not the best performance compared to others, but it was a milestone for me. I was able to finish LG confidently with extra time after having fool proofed virtually all the LG. I literally took all the LG as sections and drilled problematic games as well. The path to mastering LG is more straightforward than LR and RC. Doing so helped me push past into the 160s in my official take. This is coming from a guy whos diagnostic was in high 130s.

    Yeah it does make me feel better that LG is the most improvable section. Thank you!!

    I am a little discouraged though because LG was actually my best section prior to taking the LSAT and it was holding up my score (i.e. I was averaging -4 in LG, -9 in RC, -7 in LR) but then the actual test day had me completely turned around -- bombing LG and doing well in the other sections. So weird.

    You may have a problem similar to the one I had. When I didn't understand an LG, I would struggle to understand any of it. It was sort of "all or nothing" with me for a while.

    That's exactly what happened to me with the February LG. I took one look at a question, alarms went off in my brain due to unfamiliarity, and I just couldn't complete the entire game.

  • calcal101calcal101 Alum Member
    edited March 2018 582 karma

    I'm sorry the LSAT didn't go well. I took the LSAT for the first time in September 2017 and totally bombed it. Nerves got the best of me, and I cancelled my score. I then scored 17X on both December and February…so don't give up hope! A bad first experience is just that. Don't let it color your future takes.

    As for the work experience thing…law schools don't care that much. They just don't. As long as you don't become a criminal in the next few months (I kid), you'll be fine. Try to start volunteering a few hours a week while you continue looking for jobs. Just make sure you're not doing "nothing" entirely. Going to law school straight out of undergrad (or even just a year out) actually isn't the norm anymore, and plenty of people don't jump straight from college into investment banking or some other prestigious career before law school. Life happens, and it's not perfect. Admissions committees know that. Will you be able to swing a Yale acceptance after a period of unemployment? Maybe not--but frankly, your LSAT goals indicate T3 schools weren't really your plan anyway. So don't worry--most of the T14, T20, etc. won't care.

    Oh and your reference letters won't seem old if you use them next cycle. Don't let that concern you.

    Happy to discuss further over PM. My cycle has gone really well and my work schedule is very flexible, so I want to give back here on 7Sage. Let me know if you want help developing a strategy moving forward. You got this :)

  • lsatplaylistlsatplaylist Member
    5249 karma

    I want to recommend @"Cant Get Right"'s story and the AMA webinar he did fairly recently. And I hear there's an LG webinar with him and @Sami soon. Don't give up. I'm optimistic that the next take is going to go much better. And yes, probably see about some volunteering.

  • LSAT_WreckerLSAT_Wrecker Member
    4850 karma

    https://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/61642345/preach-sister-preach.jpg

    I thought for a minute you were writing my story... I too scored lower than I expected to walking into the Feb LSAT (although higher than I expected when walking out). LG (admittedly my weakest section) totally slapped me in the face (twice, thanks experimental section). It is what it is. Have a shot, beer, strong green tea, whatever floats your boat, and when you are ready, get back after it. Know that there are some folks right there with ya.

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