Just took my first diagnostic... Feeling very discouraged right now.

clarissardz

I took my first diagnostic exam cold turkey and scored a 137. It's been two days and I have not been able to stop obsessing over my low score. I'm planning on taking the LSAT next June, is it still possible for me to break into the 170s if I received a terrible diagnostic score? I feel so lost and helpless.

robinsonberkeley

Don't stress over your diagnostic. The whole point of it is to see where you're starting and gauge how much time and energy you'll have to invest to get up to your goal score. Focus on your growth over time and use that as a measurement for your confidence.

yeet.gif

i scored a 143 as my diagnostic and am at 160 so far (official LSAT score last year) - the journey to a 170 isn't easy but you can get there (or super close)

TakingOnTheBeast-1

Oh bless you. First, go easy on yourself. Your score is not a reflection of your intelligence, and it does not define you. This is a marathon, and that diagnostic means nothing. You'll get to a point where you come to see that your PT scores will mean nothing. What you learn about yourself out of all of these tests is everything. And yes, you absolutely CAN improve more than 20 points. My first test was a 141 and I'm currently testing at 161. And still improving. Give yourself all the time you need on this test, go slow with the core curriculum to grasp all the concepts, practice practice practice, and reach out to all of the wonderful people on this forum to help you succeed. You can do this. We are cheering you on.

andrew.rsn

It's definitely possible, but it won't happen magically. You just have to put in the work! I'm a musician, so I like to think of the LSAT like learning this crazy new piece. The first time I try to play a new piece that I've never seen before it sounds horrible and I have no idea how to do the techniques it requires of me. But by putting in the work and drilling the new techniques in a consistent manner. After a few months time I feel like I have a general understanding of how to do everything that is required of me - next step is to foolproof it, make what was once hard, as easy as it can get.

the LSAT is the same exact thing. It isn't a test of knowledge, it is a test of skills. If you've never taken the test before, you probably won't have the skills that it is requiring. Working through the Core Curriculum well help you to develop the skills necessary to understand the test and what it's asking of you. I think the fact that you came to 7sage right at the beginning of your LSAT journey was a very smart move.

Remember, the Diagnostic is just your starting point, it says nothing about what you can achieve if you put in the time and effort!

studyingandrestudying

This was an ungraded test. It's not a score on your record. It's a set of learning opportunities. We're here for you. A lot of us had disappointing "diagnostic"scores.

rizmolly

Omg! Don't get discouraged. My diagnostic was a 148 and my goal is to hit 170+. I felt very discouraged too. The LSAT is not a test that tests your inherently learned skills, it's a learnable test. Hence why many get low scores before they start studying. Once you start practicing, you will see improvement over time for sure. Be patient and pace yourself, while giving yourself as much time as possible. Also, if you are willing to drop $1500, I highly recommend the Princeton Review 165+ Course. I took it and it helped A LOT.

Peach_Papaya

Hello ,

My first PT (the diagnostic I guess) was 137 as well. I stopped studying for literally a year or so, not only because I was discouraged but for personal circumstances. I've studied on and off since january and just started to increase my studying about two months ago. I was very scared and super anxious (like palms sweaty moms spaghetti kinda thing lol) to take another PT but I thought "well if its crap its okay, I am still learning" and I was able to jump to a 151, this gave me a bit more confidence and the last one I took I got 154 (blind review 165). I will be taking my third PT today.

I think a year of studying is absolutely enough time to reach 170+ for you. Just focus on understanding first, and then on timing. The score you got is the score you got, leave it behind, learn from it and move on. You can only go up from here !

Good luck

LuxxTaboo

Absolutely. If you want it bad enough and study as hard as you need to, you have a whole year to make it in the 170s. It is going to all depend on your attitude, motivation and how bad you truly want it.

turvsbro

Low diagnostics make sense. Other than RC and certain areas of LR, you're trying to think in ways you never have before. You've already made the wise decision of giving yourself a year to study, and if you apply yourself a 170 should be well within reach.

D.F.W. Aficionado

Giving a year to study is a much more realistic goal than what I've seen from others.

With a 137, I would spend a CONSIDERABLE amount of time learning the fundamentals of grammar & logic before moving into the LSAT-specific stuff.

I started at a 150, but it is STILL the bane of the LSAT. Having a solid grasp of the grammar/logic will pay amazing dividends in the future.

VickystudiesforLSAT

I got a 137 when I took my first official LSAT because I choked on the time limit, you are not alone!!! I'm going to be keeping a positive attitude and look at the areas I need help/practice in and work on those. I think the more you practice and familiarize yourself with the format, the more it'll become second nature

Lunanana

I got 144 when I first took my diagnosis test. And I just scored 161 on April test. I have worked really hard for one year and even though I feel so tired and always so discouraged, I still believe I can improve. 170 + is my dream and I will never give up working towards it. If I can improve, so can you! The diagnosis test doesn't determine anything. It only reveals how much space you can improve!

This_is_Hard

I had a diagnostic of 135. Took me about 1.5 years of studying on and off to get to 160. If I could go back and do it differently, I would have got a tutor or taken a traditional prep course (with classes/tutor style) to keep me accountable. Wasted so much time getting burnt out and giving up.

lwilliams

My experience is similar to @This_is_Hard I got a 135 diagnostic I can't speak to other traditional courses but I used Kaplan for foundational videos and almost every evening they have interactional courses and I got a personal tutor to meet 2x a week. At the same time I kept doing 7sage curriculum and JYs explanations are the best-to me having both courses helped me understand the concepts better. My highest PT so far is a 157. I work full time and know that it could be better but I am pretty happy and glad I didn't give up even though I felt like it. Its really like learning a new language to me. It is possible you can do it!

GoatAdvocate_0L_SLS

Here's I think: the LSAT is like a quiche.

I, like many people, eat eggs. I'm not a master chef, but I can cook eggs a variety of ways, e.g., scrambled, fried, or hardboiled. Thus, I have some knowledge of eggs and how to cook them.

But if someone were to one day demand that I, "COOK A QUICHE LORRAINE IN ONE HOUR WITHOUT A RECIPE BECAUSE THIS WILL EVENTUALLY DETERMINE YOUR FUTURE CAREER PROSPECTS AND EARNING POTENTIAL AND BLAH BLAH BLAH!"; first, I would panic, and second, I would fail miserably, because I have never cooked a quiche in my life and have no idea what goes inside nor have I ever cooked under intense time constraints. The only thing I know about quiche is that it's essentially an egg pie, so I'd probably just make an omelet with a crust. Pretty sad.

What should I take away from the experience? In fact, if you were me, what would you think? Would you be absolutely devastated - beyond consolation - that your first quiche was a flop? Or would you think to yourself, "Well, of course I can't cook a quiche without a recipe under timed constraints. I've never done that in my life. I only know how to cook a basic omelet. Why would I have such ridiculous expectations of myself?" You probably also would NOT say, "I will NEVER be able to cook a quiche!", but instead, "Geez, guess I have to learn how to cook a quiche now".

The LSAT is just like that quiche, EXCEPT that the LSAT is obviously MUCH more difficult. Sure, we all have some knowledge of argumentation, logic, and reading analysis. But that doesn't mean we know the mechanics of the LSAT. If you never would beat yourself up for botching your first quiche (cooked without a recipe under timed conditions), why would you beat yourself up for not performing well on something that IS LITERALLY 1000 TIMES more difficult? (Sorry, if I offended any real quiche chefs, but I am willing to defend this position.)

Mastery of the LSAT takes a lot of time, patience, and perseverance. You will fail along the way - failure is just part of the process. What matters is how you respond to adversity and what you learn from it.

Lastly, my diagnostic was a 147. Yesterday, I scored a 177. The quiche is conquerable.

lauren.rose14

dude your diagnostic has no effect on what your score is

elysejackson2012

There are so many great comments but to add my two cents anyway haha! I started with a 138 and it took me about a year on and off to climb to 165. The climb up was slow and I had to work very hard for every little victory. What really helped me was organizing my studies around what works for me (and it is pretty different), combining materials that worked best for me, joining a study group to hold me accountable, and making my studies fun by turning it into games.

x1amp9898

Do not stress about a low diagnostic. My diagnostic score was actually a 128 (yikes). I am now scoring in the 160's. I personally feel people should not take a diagnostic test, as it is always discouraging. Assuming you don't speak french, if I asked you to take a french exam right now, and you failed, would you feel bad about it? Probably not, because you don't speak the language, and how can you be expected to be tested on something in a language do not know. Take the course and study, and tell the diagnostic test to F*** off!!! Good luck in your studying!!!

LuxxTaboo

I got a 138 on my diagnostic yesterday and I have only 4 months to study before I take the LSAT. My goal is 170. I plan on working my ass off and I know with my will, dedication, and motivation, I can make a 170 in 4 months. The advice I give to you is never feel like you can't do it. Only use this low score as fire to ignite your study path and to get the score you desire. One year is waaaaaay more than enough time. Believe that you can, and then work as hard as you need to.