LSAT Limit

mchanghaines

Is there a limit to how well you can do? I've been at this for over a year and a half now, worked with multiple tutors and put my all into it, but I just can't improve into the 170's. I honestly am just at a loss right now and about to take the March test. I've been missing the same number of questions for the past 6 months despite changing strategies, learning new strategies, etc. I just am feeling very hopeless. My LSAT score will probably be the factor that holds me back from getting into the schools I want. I went to a top 5 school, did extremely well, and have a great resume, but I can't crack the LSAT no matter how hard I try.

DontPay4LawSchool

It sounds like you might be too focused on strategies and not taking the time to relax. When your mind is bogged down by strategy, you become inflexible during the test. This test is not about memorization but about adaptability. To that end, I would suggest taking a short break and coming back to the test. This will help clear your strategies landfill clogging your memory. When I did this, I saw a 7-point improvement between my two final official LSATs!

Steven_B-1

Have you been blind reviewing? I've seen my biggest improvements after engaging in the painstaking review of every single argument or passage before actually listening or reading any explanations. It's helped me push my mind to understand what the LSAT is trying to do.

mchanghaines

@Steven_B thanks, yes, I spent months taking PT's, BR, and writing out explanations for every question I got wrong or was unsure about.

claremont

@mchanghaines, is there a difference between your time and untimed scores?

canihazJD

Many plateaus can be attributed to the focus and results of review. Your review is the act of translating your performance in to an actionable plan to improve. Uncovering errors and weaknesses and devising ways to eliminate them. Then actually doing it. Its typically not enough to see why you got something wrong, say "oh I get it now" and move on. You have to identify why you didnt get it in the first place, then drill until you can't get it wrong again. Otherwise all you've done is make it so that you can recognize that you made the same mistake again after you get it wrong.

If I took a cholesterol test and my numbers said I was about to have a heart attack, I cant just say "oh, I get it" then come back the next day hoping for lower LDL. I need to determine what needs to change... diet, exercise, etc. then get out there and do it... then I might expect to see a difference. IMO getting good at this test is much more a performance based challenge than an academic one. Its about tuning your proficiency and ease of access to relatively simple strategies under stress.

Common problem areas are question type strategies, timing/skipping, and translation... remember its not enough to know what strategies you should be using. You have to drill until you dont have to remember to employ them... otherwise the test will make you forget.

Your question explanations should hopefully include why you got the question wrong... what trick you fell for, what they did to obscure the answer, biases they were targeting, etc. Make sure they also include why you fell for this specific tricks and what you can do so that you dont fall for it again. Set a benchmark for yourself then drill until you hit it.

DontPay4LawSchool

@canihazJD Agree with this so much. I don't think people realize how reactive this test is. Practice, practice, practice until everything comes natural