Scored higher on Oct LSAT (173) than on any of my PTs - thanks, 7Sage tutor Chris!

Holly Golightly

Long time lurker, first time poster. Here to tell you all to dream big.

TLDR: Scored 173 on the Oct LSAT, which is the highest I have EVER scored. My miracle worker is 7Sage tutor @"Chris Nguyen"! His encouragement, guidance, and tailored tips (in test taking AND general LSAT tips) helped me score the highest I ever have - and hopefully for the last time ever!

Very Long, Might Read Version:
Decided to apply to law school in early 2021 and signed up for 7Sage. Some people are able to juggle 40 hours of work with intense studying and even childcare on the side. Not me. I was overworked, underpaid, and generally Not Having A Good Time. I wanted to apply in a few months, so I quit my job and moved into my parents' attic to study full time.

I don't think people talk enough about recovering from burn out, especially in this post-COVID world. I thought quitting my job would fix my sad and tired brain. It did not. I took the Nov 2021 LSAT and then the Jan 2022 LSAT as a last hail Mary. She did not answer my prayers, which makes sense because I never go to church. I scored 163 both times, which crushed me, as my diagnostic was 165.

Shortly after my Jan LSAT, I lost someone very close to me and spent the next few months grieving and taking a break from the LSAT. I was not in a good headspace and needed to find the joy in life again. Below are a few things that helped:
- Seeing my doctor (and check in on your physical health)
- Exercise. I know -- we hate to see it. I'm not a good runner, but I go for a few easy runs per week and it helps me recalibrate mentally and burn off some steam. I'll do a short yoga session in the mornings before studying -- my favorite channel is Fightmaster Yoga (RIP Lesley the GOAT). My brother gifted me a set of Bowflex dumbells, which work in a pinch, though I do miss a squat rack (rip my local gym)
- SLEEP. Per sleep guru Matthew Walker, our bodies like a consistent sleep schedule, 8-9 hours of sleep, reading before bed, decreasing coffee and alcohol, etc etc. we have to take care of our bodies to make sure our minds are working at their peak.
- Making time for fun, including hobbies, time spent with family or friends, making playlists, playing with your pet. Also, get rid of draining apps (like social media) on your phone. I offload mine (and probably reload them once a week, on my rest day)

I began studying again in May 2022. I finished the core curriculum in a few months. I was scoring in the mid 160s and wanted to get at least a 173. the idea of self studying seems really noble -- the whole idea of "I built a study schedule, identified my weaknesses, implemented structure and discipline, and was able to get a full scholly for free all by myself" made me want to BE a 170s-scoring self studier. But I didn't really know how to study post core curriculum (esp in knowing which PTs to not "waste" early on), and so I signed up for a free 30 min consult call with 7sage tutoring.

I was matched up with Chris. Our weekly sessions added much-needed structure in my life, and he assigned daily homework tailored to my needs. I think our most important lessons have been on test taking mentality. One thing he tells me often is that we need to "practice letting go" -- of old habits, of time-consuming questions, and of negative thoughts like "UGH I HATE THIS TEST!" (direct quotation).

All of this contributed to my scoring the highest I ever have -- a 173 -- on the Oct LSAT, no less. My highest PT was 170 on an early 80s PT, but I was in the mid 160s for the vast majority of my PTs. While my PT test taking conditions were never ideal (and so maybe I underscored on those takes), never in a million years did I expect to hit my target LSAT score so soon. I didn't feel great about my Oct LSAT: I misread an easy rule on my first LG game and had to rush the rest of the section, and I didn't have great time management on LR and RC. I even considered cancelling. This is normal! Sometimes the best scores come from dissatisfying test taking experiences.

So if you lack self discipline and can't self-study your way into the 170s -- no shame. Big same. it’s ok to ask for help. If you're able to afford it, 7Sage tutoring might pay off for you, as it did for me.

edit: link here: https://7sage.com/lsat-tutoring/

use your 7sage rewards if you can, and keep an eye out for promotions!

Cant Get Right

Congratulations! I can vouch for all of these tips—All critical things that were vital to my success as well. I can also second that @"Chris Nguyen" knows his stuff!

vallezacastro

Holly, congratulations!!!

luffyyyy

"I took the Nov 2021 LSAT and then the Jan 2022 LSAT as a last hail Mary. She did not answer my prayers, which makes sense because I never go to church" hahaha you are so funny!!!! Huge congratulations on your score!! Hopefully I can reach my dream score one day too!

patsfan2000

Congrats on reaching your dream score. i would kill for your low score lol

Holly Golightly

@jessica8871 you’ll get a GREAT score!!

@patsfan2000 i forgot to include here that sometime between my diagnostic and now, i got a 155 on a PT. i think the key to breaking into the 160s is to perfect LG, as LR and RC get harder over time. from one pats fan to another, you got this!

MAJja2024

First of all, big congrats!! That is literally my dream score! Also, how many hours of tutoring did you do? I'm trying to decide between doing 30 or 20 hours.

JasmineMirz

Would appreciate it if you could share approximately how much all the tutoring cost you?? Congrats on your score I have been stuck in the 150s and I'm ashamed to admit this but I am retaking it for the last and 4th time I need help I have no idea what I am doing wrong but I need to know how much this would cost before even thinking about investing in this?

Holly Golightly

@MAJja2024 and @JasmineMirz heres the link: https://7sage.com/lsat-tutoring/

i signed up for a free 30 min consult with @"Scott Milam" and based on my scores (mid 160s) and my target score, i think he recommended 5 or 10 sessions. when i was paired with chris, we had a 30 min intro session, where he recommended a 10 session plan.

it’s definitely not cheap…but i prioritized time and convenience. 7sage tutors have access to your data (PTs, etc), and so they’re able to see larger trends and curate a lesson plan for you. there are more economical private tutors - sometimes they post here or on reddit - and that’s definitely an option! one added level of security is that signing up for tutors through something like 7sage is that they’re vetted and confirmed to be who they are (lol). the internet is a wild place and i wanted to make sure i was getting advice from an experienced tutor instead of a stranger looking to make a quick buck!

also if you have 7sage rewards, use them!!! and sometimes they have promotions!

Chris Nguyen

YES! Congratulations @"Holly Golightly"!!!!!! I know you're going to make an awesome lawyer one day!

@JasmineMirz if you're interested in seeing how 7Sage tutoring can help, we're more than happy to meet with you to discuss your analytics and a path forward. You can schedule a consult with us here: https://calendly.com/7sage-consult/7sage-tutoring-free-consult?utm_source=DF_C&month=2022-11

And thank you for the shout out @"Cant Get Right"

markmywords

I lost my dad during this process and it's been brutal. Super encouraging that you were able to do what you did despite major loss. Thank you for sharing and congratulations!

Holly Golightly

@markmywords im so sorry for your loss! it’s so important to surround yourself with your community/communities and to try to find joy in life after such a major loss. im sure your dad would be so proud of you and all that you’ll do! best of luck!