Advice - Mid 160's - 170's

levicamden

help

Hey guys! Need some help on study strategy! This is the classic panicked rant of a desperate man but at this point I'll try anything to improve lmao.

I'm taking the November LSAT in just under a month and am scoring consistently in the mid-160's. My last five PT's ordered sequentially from first to last have been: 167, 165, 160, 164, and 164 respectively. I would love to break into that upper 160's/low 170's zone as quickly as possible as test day is getting closer but it seems I can't quite get everything to come together at once.

My LR averages around -5, and RC is averaging around -3. Previously my LG was always around -10 but I really targeted that, as it's supposed to be the easiest section on which to improve. Today I got my LG down to -3, but LR went up to about -15 total... Does anyone have any advice on what my next steps should be? I don't seem to consistently get any one type of question wrong. All the questions I get wrong seem to just be higher in difficulty. I want to be extremely clinical and precise with my study habits over the next week as test day approaches, so if you've got any advice that would be huge! Thanks!

Jerry

I think I can relate. My performance on all the sections is actually quite even? Like, I used to think I had a strongest section, but the average amount of questions I get wrong is actually quite consistent across RC, LG, and LR. I mean, sure, I think LG is the easiest, in that you can always find the right answer, but that doesn't stop me from making dumb mistakes. Lol...

Anyways, I personally saw my biggest jump in score when I took a (possibly inadvertent, though it was really just me being lazy) break for over a month. I was really scared that I would see a decline in my scores, but actually, when I took my first practice test afterwards, I got a 175 and a 180 BR. It was pretty, uh, shocking.

I'm also scheduled for November, but if I were you, and I hadn't yet hit my goal score a month prior to when I'm scheduled, I'd cancel and look into taking a study cleanse. Especially, if you feel like you've plateaued or hit a wall. I totally thought that the people who said breaks were "helpful" were all just geniuses who, of course, would suggest that they improved by not studying. But it turns out it can work for regular peeps, too.

So yeah, a lot of people, myself included, suggest that a break can help you to digest and assemble all the material you learned. It's what helped me, at least. And it might help you, too!

levicamden

Hey Jerry! Thanks for the response!! When I set out to take this my goal score actually was right in the mid-160's at a 163. I took the September LSAT and scored a 159. I guess at this point I'm trying to maximize my performance for scholarships and get a more competitive score for my goal school which is in the 50's rankings-wise. I would take a break but unfortunately November will essentially be my last shot to take it. I'm getting married and shipping out for Field Artillery school with the U.S. Army.

Cant Get Right

What’s your BR usually look like?

RealLaw612

@Jerry said:
I think I can relate. My performance on all the sections is actually quite even? Like, I used to think I had a strongest section, but the average amount of questions I get wrong is actually quite consistent across RC, LG, and LR. I mean, sure, I think LG is the easiest, in that you can always find the right answer, but that doesn't stop me from making dumb mistakes. Lol...

Anyways, I personally saw my biggest jump in score when I took a (possibly inadvertent, though it was really just me being lazy) break for over a month. I was really scared that I would see a decline in my scores, but actually, when I took my first practice test afterwards, I got a 175 and a 180 BR. It was pretty, uh, shocking.

I'm also scheduled for November, but if I were you, and I hadn't yet hit my goal score a month prior to when I'm scheduled, I'd cancel and look into taking a study cleanse. Especially, if you feel like you've plateaued or hit a wall. I totally thought that the people who said breaks were "helpful" were all just geniuses who, of course, would suggest that they improved by not studying. But it turns out it can work for regular peeps, too.

So yeah, a lot of people, myself included, suggest that a break can help you to digest and assemble all the material you learned. It's what helped me, at least. And it might help you, too!

Similar experience with taking time off from PTs. Got a 164, took a break and studied only a few hours a day then....177.
The key difference was strategy. I completely skipped the hard LR questions and came back to them at the end. This left me with 10 minutes per section to work through 3 tough questions. The result? -1 per LR section.
Additionally, I have come to love the fool-proofing method of Logic Games. Practice this religiously and you will start cleaning 23/23.
With RC, I simply summarize each paragraph and put it into context before moving on. Then, pause at the end of the passage to summarize what I just saw...simple and effective. I have a -2 average for RC sections now.

OP, you can break the barrier but I'll be honest. The mid-160s to 170s breakthrough was the most difficult to achieve and still didn't lead to that kind of score during September's brutal exam. Here's looking to November. Best of luck!

ana.cecilia.alvarez.ortiz

I can relate @levicamden! I am in a very similar situation -- hovering in the low to mid 160s (I once got a 170 on practice test) and unsure of how to focus my studies in the last month. (The November test will be my first, so I do expect to take it again, but oh to score in the 170s on the first try!!) I am unsure if I should just continue to push through practice tests or take a break or go back and do deep review on all the questions / games I've missed or struggled with. Any one have specific study strategies?