so disappointed

legallytired

hi guys, just my score an hour ago and i am insanely upset, disappointed, and angry at myself. i started at a 144 and i received a 159 on the august test. i know there are worse scores, but i had been studying for 6 months for 6-8 hours a day and when i walked out of the test, i really thought i did at least above 160. i felt good about it, so i just dont understand what happened. i had been pt'ing 160-165 and br 166-174. i am so upset and i dont even know how i will bring myself to feel encouraged to study for the november exam, as i feel like ill just be disappointed again.

now here i am, gonna waste my whole friday crying about the score and drinking at 1130am...happy score release day lol
i hope that the rest of you are drinking because you got what you wanted, or wasting away ur friday because u got ur goal score and deserve a day off.

thanks for reading

7SageUser-2

You should take a little break, maybe the weekend or this coming week, but don't be discouraged! Setbacks happen. It sounds like you definitely have a good work ethic, maybe you just need to adjust your study approach (and also, maybe reduce your hours, that kind of straight LSAT studying for 8 hours could contribute to some mental fatigue you don't even feel/realize). If you're able to PT above 160 and are already scheduled for November, I think you have a solid shot at scoring at or above that level.

I would definitely suggest though that you take a minute, recoup, and think about where you could optimize your study approach and time.

Hans Zimmer

If it makes you feel better I started with the same diagnostic, studied about 600 hours over 5 months and got a nice crisp 154.

159 is a great score. I'd sell my left arm for a 159.

Cheer up.

creid7498

Delete the score. Study hard for the November test. If you bomb that one you should try for spring admission and apply with a 165+. The sky isn't falling. You can do it.

LukeNorrell

Keep trying! My first test was a 164. I tried again a month later and got a 170. Sometimes we need that first test to get the nerves out of the way.

legallytired

@7SageUser-2 thank you for responding, i definitely will be doing that

legallytired

@"Hans Zimmer" im sorry, i hope i did not sound ungrateful, and thank you for commenting that to try to help someone feel better. you have already put in so much effort and time, which shows that you can do it if you feel that you want to retake. good luck again,and thank you

legallytired

@creid7498 thanks for ur advice, and for your blunt and to the point words, i needed to hear that lol

legallytired

@LukeNorrell thank you, i appreciate it. wow that is so great, congratulations i am very happy you got such a great score!

Kris4444

That is so frustrating! But keep in mind that it's the norm to score on the low end of your range your very first time writing the test. The same thing happened to me in July and I felt so defeated but I know it doesn't reflect what I'm truly capable of and I'm hoping for a better outcome in October. It's easy to get discouraged when you see so many posts of people getting the score they wanted, but don't forget that very few people reach their full potential the first try. Don't give up hope!

lexxx745

take a break and reevaluate. If your bring that high I recommend to take November. Head up. Relax for a few days and hop back on

legallytired

@"christina.parchem" thank you so much for your kind words, and i will try to keep that mindset. good luck on your exam, you will definitely do great!

legallytired

@lexxx745 thank you for the advice!

VerdantZephyr

An additional point, I don't know what your target schools are or what your GPA is, but I have a friend that got some scholarship aid at George Washington a few years ago with a 159. It is not a bad score and even a little improvement from that would open a lot of doors.

legallytired

@VerdantZephyr wow, really...thats great to hear, thanks for that. george washington is definitely one of the schools on my list. thanks again, it helps to know that its possible

rschwartz2022

Don't worry! Keep your head up - the sky isn't falling! I've been PT-ing the exact same thing for 4-5 weeks and it sucks but there's always another practice test/ lsat administration. Also be careful -- some wise words of warning: https://hls.harvard.edu/to-hell-and-back-one-lawyers-path-to-recovery/?fbclid=IwAR22BIJhCT0qEBX4grtxhuVcV4AyIkI5Ay38_kG7hFdT275tRQ7DjE7lP4A

kilgoretrout

I feel you, HARD. I was also studying full-time for this test, for six months, and August was my second time taking it. My diagnostic was a 150 and I scored a 158, which was very unexpected for me since my PTs were around 163. I also felt good about the test and thought I scored at least a 160. I spent all of Friday and some of Saturday crying (lol) and feeling completely knocked on my ass and defeated. I even posted on here after I got my score, like you.

Take a few days off to mope, sleep, whatever you need to do, and then try to muster up the willpower to dive back into this. I'm going to seriously reevaluate my study habits (because clearly I'm not studying as efficiently as I should be) and I'm also getting a tutor -- consider doing this too.
Realize that absolutely nothing about this test will be easy, "lucky" or smooth, but that when you do hit your target score (and that's when, not if) you'll feel soo proud of yourself and unstoppable. ALL that you need to do well on this test is determination and perseverance, and it sounds like you already have that. You know what's in between you and your goal score - more studying, which is what you've already been doing.

This test is supposed to be difficult and I honestly believe that it's also meant to weed out people who maybe aren't that committed to going to law school. Do not give up or walk away - this is what you need to do to accomplish your dreams. Take a minute, strategize, and then get back to it. You can do this!

SurfandSailandFly

I read this, and all I could think was, "This person is going to be totally fine when they take the next exam." Just think of this one as a practice test where things went south. It happens to all of us. You can TOTALLY, 100% do this next time. I wouldn't be surprised if your next test was at least a 165. Do not sweat this! Let me repeat. Do. Not. Sweat. This. You should not be discouraged by this one test. You have been consistently getting in the 160s on your PT, and mark my words, that's what you'll do in November if you keep the right mindset! Good luck!!!!!

UCLAplease

.

legallytired

@kilgoretrout im sorry that you didnt get the score you were hoping for, and its nice to know that someone else was also feeling the same exact way i was in terms of defeat...one of the reasons i love sage, we really arent alone. i hope that you are feeling better now, and with the great advice and helpful words you just gave me i know you will apply them to yourself as well. yeah, i feel you on reevaluating study habits..i agree w you i feel like that probably is one of the reasons for it being so vigorous and the way you put it is very true..seriously thank you for the kind words you wrote, it really made me smile and feel better and good luck as you continue studying

legallytired

@SurfandSailandFly thank you, thank you. thats so nice of you to say. i am going to try my best to keep my head up and stay motivated. you are 100% right and i definitely let myself wallow too much but am going to work to break out of that mindset as i prepare for november. thank you again!!

legallytired

@UCLAplease i saw this a lot where people scored lower than their pts i guess really anything can happen on test day. but ty for taking the time to say youre not giving up bc that really helps me not want to give up as well. good luck, i know you can do this on the next one

mbmeowww

@legallytired said:
hi guys, just my score an hour ago and i am insanely upset, disappointed, and angry at myself. i started at a 144 and i received a 159 on the august test. i know there are worse scores, but i had been studying for 6 months for 6-8 hours a day and when i walked out of the test, i really thought i did at least above 160. i felt good about it, so i just dont understand what happened. i had been pt'ing 160-165 and br 166-174. i am so upset and i dont even know how i will bring myself to feel encouraged to study for the november exam, as i feel like ill just be disappointed again.

now here i am, gonna waste my whole friday crying about the score and drinking at 1130am...happy score release day lol
i hope that the rest of you are drinking because you got what you wanted, or wasting away ur friday because u got ur goal score and deserve a day off.

thanks for reading

I. FEEL. THIS. SO. HARD.

mbmeowww

@"christina.parchem" said:
That is so frustrating! But keep in mind that it's the norm to score on the low end of your range your very first time writing the test. The same thing happened to me in July and I felt so defeated but I know it doesn't reflect what I'm truly capable of and I'm hoping for a better outcome in October. It's easy to get discouraged when you see so many posts of people getting the score they wanted, but don't forget that very few people reach their full potential the first try. Don't give up hope!

This was what I needed to read.

legallytired

@rschwartz2022 thank you, i appreciate it..and good luck you got this too