First PT Score-concerned

dk170

I have been studying for a little over a month and finished the core curriculum as well as drilling. I saw improvement when I implemented blind reviews. I have taken my first practice test and I feel so upset after receiving a 150. The blind review raised me by one point. Is this a normal baseline? I was hoping for at least a 155, and then I can drill the next two months till October and raise it to the 160s. The school I want to get into has a median of 165 but now I feel disheartened about my chances of getting in. Any advice or tips? I have lots of time but am running out of study material so I'm planning on getting a tutor.

Daviswill309

If you've finished the curriculum I would personally recommend taking a couple more PTs and then reviewing where you're weakest. From there, you can re-study that part of the curriculum and drill those types of questions to see your biggest improvement.

darman45

I had practically the same thing happen to me: I took a PT wayyyyyy before I started studying and got a 149. Then, I finished the Foundations on 7Sage + going through half of Loophole in Logical Reasoning (took me about 2 months). Took another PT and literally scored a 149 again - I was heartbroken.

The way you're feeling is valid, but I would say not to worry just yet. I only started seeing improvements in my score once I actually began the process of taking practice tests. I think the reason behind that is that the core curriculum, for all of its strengths, can never simulate putting you in the driver's seat of the LSAT. When I got my 149 the second time, I was upset because I had assumed that the LSAT was more a content exam than it really is. Of course the content is important, so you did the right thing by finishing up the core curriculum. But you're not done yet. What your 150 makes me think is that you have a lot of information in your head, but you haven't quite understood it's application. In my experience, that's perfectly fine. When I started taking practice tests, I was able to have moments where I applied what I learned in the foundations + moments where I had no clue what was going on. And honing in on those moments of cluelessness is ultimately what defines (at least in my opinion), the second half of LSAT studying, which is making your understanding of the test a craft that you are truly perfecting, question type by question type.

Also with blind review, I started reviewing my right + wrong answers - that helped me a lot because reviewing my right answers reminded me of the progress I have already made, and it also increased my confidence in predicting answers and just "hunting" for those within the answer options.

Hope this helps and good luck!!