Need To Raise My Score, Feeling Discouraged

LN_Macaroni

I've been averaging in the mid-150s on the prep tests and I don't know what to do. I have been studying fiendishly for the last two months and my scores haven't improved. I really, really need a higher score and with test day only a month away I'm having a hard time keeping my spirits up and my head in the game. Does anyone have advice for how I could maybe approach this in a new, more useful way? Thanks, guys.

sarahfatima28

IMHO, a month's time is insufficient to make a huge improvement in the score. All the experts say that in the final few weeks you should be averaging around your target score. If you feel you are not close to your target score you should reconsider giving the exam in feb. I know delaying is such a pain but a take should ideally not be wasted. Hope this helps.

DumbHollywoodActor

As someone who started studying fiendishly a year ago, I’m going to tell you something you probably already know. This test is difficult, and you might not get to where you need to be only with 3 months of studying. In fact, it’s one of the 3 worst mistakes students make in prepping for the LSAT: http://7sage.com/lesson/the-three-worst-lsat-mistakes/

I’m sure this is a bitter pill to swallow and not making you feel better. But I think it might be better to be disappointed now rather than after getting a discouraging score in March. That might be devastating.

I’d recommend you postpone and push until at least June. I’d also recommend you changing your studying by adding in BR groups to include a social component to your study. No matter what you do, I wish you the best of luck.

c.janson35

It really depends on where you want your score to be raised to. I think a month is enough time to significantly improve your LG score, and if by maxing that out it gets you to where you want to be, then maybe it's the route you'll choose to follow. This is generally the section that you can improve fastest in with a lot of hard work, which is the reason for the recommendation. Play around with the numbers a bit in terms of the additional raw score points you'll earn by maxing out the games section to get a better idea of where you'll be with the added points. If it is still off, then refer back to @dumbhollywoodactor's post about postponing, which may ultimately be the wiser option either way.

Good luck!

amyrussell

I, too, am not within my target score for the Feb test and also feeling discouraged. If I want to start law school in the fall, then June is my only shot -- I found that the experience of doing PTs was very different than the online curriculum...especially under timed conditions.

BruiserWoods

Yeah, I sat out another year for this reason. Lucky for me, I got a job as a legal assistant at a law firm, but I started studying about a year ago for what I thought would be June. Once I realized the amount of work that would be required of me if I wanted to get into HYS, I reassessed. Nose to the grindstone ever since.

DumbHollywoodActor

@BruiserWoods said:
Once I realized the amount of work that would be required of me if I wanted to get into HYS, I reassessed.

I like to think the whole "Elle studies LSAT” montage in Legally Blonde takes place over a 2-year period. It makes me feel better.

Nicole Hopkins

@DumbHollywoodActor said:
I like to think the whole "Elle studies LSAT” montage in Legally Blonde takes place over a 2-year period. It makes me feel better.

AMEN!

BruiserWoods

@DumbHollywoodActor said:
I like to think the whole "Elle studies LSAT” montage in Legally Blonde takes place over a 2-year period. It makes me feel better.

HA! MEEEE TOOOOOOOOO #greatminds ?

LN_Macaroni

Thanks for the tips, guys. I think I'm just going to have to what I can for now and hope for the best on Feb 6th. While it would be ideal if I could postpone and have more time to study, waiting until the next application cycle to apply might set me further back than a lower LSAT score would. If I don't get into law school anywhere, I will of course take the LSAT again and re-apply. But otherwise, if I get into one of my safety schools, I might be able to transfer after my first year.

jdawg113

I would take a few days to slow down a bit and do a bit more practice questions/sections instead of PTs and take your time with it, more than you have been and really go through the reasons for each answer being right or wrong

bbutler

@LN_Macaroni While I don't know of your particular situation about whether to wait or apply right now, I will caution you on your last statement. While you do say "might be able to transfer" and not "I will transfer" I believe the general consensus is that it is extremely difficult and unlikely that you will be able to transfer to a higher school after your first year and that one shouldn't really consider that an option.

As for tips on how to stay motivated are you in the BR group? I think we all struggle with days where we're not motivated regardless of where we are in our progress but being around people who are motivated and love studying for the LSAT adds a social component that can really help motivate you.

KiruKiru

I too am in your situation...I plan on skipping the questions that I have the most trouble with, slowing down to increase accuracy of other questions and hoping for the best. If you cant improve your skills in the next week, improve your strategy on how you approach the test! Good luck, may the LSAT gods be kind on Feb 6th!

hlsat180

More specific advice requires more specific information. That said, if your PT scores are not improving then stop burning thru PTs (reinforcing the same bad habits) until you back up to change whatever is wrong. With the test less than one week away, any solution should focus on eliminating your biggest mistakes:

1. Identify your most common errors by question type.

2. Prioritize those errors that -

a. you "should" have gotten right but did not because of a simple error (wrong of two contenders, etc.)

b. would have allowed you to score at target range.

3. Figure out the correct methodology (did you skip a step before?).

4. Do some fresh problems of that type using the corrected methodology, drill untimed then timed (accuracy before speed).

5. Once in comfort zone, repeat with next prioritized error.

Real confidence comes from real improvements. You can do this.