Dude, quit while you're ahead. There are so many amazing occupations out there. I'm sure I'll get blasted for writing this, but that is a really tough score to improve upon. You're going to have to improve by 20+ points just to have a shot at T3 schools. Maybe you have a 4.0, and can compensate for that score with a stratospheric GPA, but I'd question your compatibility with the law school curriculum. I'm not being elitist. I'm not a gifted LSAT test taker. This test isn't about intelligence. There are very bright people who are terrible at it, as well as the inverse. But practicality is really important, especially as the U.S. enters another recession. You don't want to be faced with a constant uphill battle, in a hyper saturated field, in an unsavory economic climate. Read the ABA reports from 2010-2017. Not a pretty picture. Not trying to sh** on your dreams, but there's a real contrast in attitude between practicing lawyers and pre-law students. The later are overly optimistic and idealize the occupation, while the former frequently advise young law school hopefuls to do something else. I'm sure you're going to get some "you can do it, follow your dreams" responses, so I'm balancing out that feedback with my cynicism. I'm really not trying to be an a**.
It sounds like there could be a few different things going on. I don’t want to speculate about your current situation or your future potential prospects without knowing more information (e.g., you said you had studied for five months- what did those five months look like? Were you studying every day?Are there other contributing stressors in your life that might impact your score negatively? Etc.) I am not an expert nor am I a tutor—but it’s a good thing that 7sage has experts and tutors on staff that could give you a more accurate assessment of your testing capabilities and are better suited to give you guidance. My advice would be to ask a tutor to meet with you before you throw in the towel.
The question is: how are you studying? Are you doing in-depth review of the mistakes you're making? Are you jorunaling your mistakes to learn from them? If you're at the 120-130s, then you're still making basic reading errors, you might still be unfamiliar with what the question stems are really asking, and you're not focusing on building your foundation. Focus on building your foundation and be brutally honest wtih yourself, find your weaknesses, and attack them.
If law is your passion, don't give up on your dream. Hire a tutor. 7 Sage has great tutors and expensive, relatively. If you are confused, you may not be able to dig yourself out. Go on Reddit /LSAT. They have lots of tutors cheaper. Find a kind one and believe in yourself. Stop spinning your wheels. Someone out there can guide you.
Hi! I am disappointed by some of the comments I read. I started at a 141 and received a 162 on November's test. I've been studying for June and I recently took a PT and got a 170. You are 100% capable of getting in the 160's and 170's. The issue is what you're doing. Clearly, something is not clicking. I would be more than happy to help you in any way that I can! We can get in touch if you'd like some help
Hey there. I second Steven_B-1's comment. The best thing you can do for yourself is be truly self reflective and have good data to assess where and how you are weak. Without that critical information, it's really hard to create a game plan for success. How do you know what to work on if you don't know where your weaknesses lie? For example, if the LR section is giving you trouble -- do you know which questions are giving you the most trouble? if so, do you know why those specific question types are hard for you? Is it a problem in understanding the question stem or (as Steven suggested) is it a weakness in your understanding of the foundations?
***Disclaimer: I'm not a tutor or anything, these are just the things that seem to be working for me and have also been recommended by a lot of others on 7sage and other forums.
Here are my two main recommendations:
(1) DAILY DRILLS of the fundamental skills: (here are a few examples, you can find them in the 7sage curriculum and there are also free versions on quizlet as well)
Quiz on Drawing Valid Conclusions with Translations 1 w/ Answers
Distinguish Valid from Invalid Forms Flashcards
21 Common Argument Flaws
LSAT Vocabulary Flashcards
How to Quickly React to Logic Games Question Stems Flashcards
(2) Keep a WRONG ANSWER JOURNAL: notebook or (preferably) a spreadsheet collecting the following info, journal in it during Blind Review for any questions you flagged or think you got wrong BEFORE you check your answers
Question Type: this will help identify if there are patterns in the type of question you're getting wrong
Why I picked my Choice: this will help identify the type of errors you're making
Why the Correct AC is Better & Mine is Wrong: ditto the above, plus show you the patterns in the correct ACs
Assessment & Action Items: with the above information, you can create a game plan for yourself to strengthen the areas where you are weak
The LSAT is not a test of intelligence. It is a test of reading and reasoning ability but most of all, mental discipline. It is learnable. With time and effort, you can do it. Feel free to private message me if you have any questions
in the 120s/130s you don't have a solid foundation yet. Join a course 7sage, lsat max, or blue print to help get you basics. But since you are on 7sage already utilize their lessons. no worries once you get the foundation which has a lot of nuances your score will greatly improve.
I’d recommend stepping away from Logic for starters. You need a grammar course. The LSAT is actually more about language than logic, and your score range indicates a lot of work is needed on that before studying logic is going to be productive. Breaking sentences down grammatically is probably the most important thing to master at this point: Isolating the basic subject-verb-object structure of sentences, studying how adjectives and prepositional phrases form to create noun phrases, understanding the limitation of meaning of a subordinate clause in a complex sentence, etc. All the language and grammar stuff needs to be more or less second nature, and until it is you can forget the logic. I’m wildly speculating with very little information, but my experience is that this is the threshold problem for an outsized majority of people in your score range.
@"Steven_B-1" said:
The question is: how are you studying? Are you doing in-depth review of the mistakes you're making? Are you journaling your mistakes to learn from them? If you're at the 120-130s, then you're still making basic reading errors, you might still be unfamiliar with what the question stems are really asking, and you're not focusing on building your foundation. Focus on building your foundation and be brutally honest with yourself, find your weaknesses, and attack them.
I like this response , and I have a similar story but I have only been studying for a month in a half. What I have gathered is I am not understanding what the question is asking but I can easily spot the Conclusion and [premise on LR. On LG I have to get back to fundamentals hence I am on this board trying to see if the 7Sage monthly plan would help with those foundations.
@juliahanzhuya said:
Hi! I am disappointed by some of the comments I read. I started at a 141 and received a 162 on November's test. I've been studying for June and I recently took a PT and got a 170. You are 100% capable of getting in the 160's and 170's. The issue is what you're doing. Clearly, something is not clicking. I would be more than happy to help you in any way that I can! We can get in touch if you'd like some help
This is so awesome that you have the encouragement. I am not saying that some of the harsh critique on here is bad; because i do think Lawyers need tough skin. Potential lawyers need to learn to endure so I would say find a way to learn the fundamentals. Which is what I'm trying to do . I do think 130s is a score stating more focus on ground level items is needed.
@"Hinde Sophia" said:
Hey there. I second Steven_B-1's comment. The best thing you can do for yourself is be truly self reflective and have good data to assess where and how you are weak. Without that critical information, it's really hard to create a game plan for success. How do you know what to work on if you don't know where your weaknesses lie? For example, if the LR section is giving you trouble -- do you know which questions are giving you the most trouble? if so, do you know why those specific question types are hard for you? Is it a problem in understanding the question stem or (as Steven suggested) is it a weakness in your understanding of the foundations?
***Disclaimer: I'm not a tutor or anything, these are just the things that seem to be working for me and have also been recommended by a lot of others on 7sage and other forums.
Here are my two main recommendations:
(1) DAILY DRILLS of the fundamental skills: (here are a few examples, you can find them in the 7sage curriculum and there are also free versions on quizlet as well)
Quiz on Drawing Valid Conclusions with Translations 1 w/ Answers
Distinguish Valid from Invalid Forms Flashcards
21 Common Argument Flaws
LSAT Vocabulary Flashcards
How to Quickly React to Logic Games Question Stems Flashcards
(2) Keep a WRONG ANSWER JOURNAL: notebook or (preferably) a spreadsheet collecting the following info, journal in it during Blind Review for any questions you flagged or think you got wrong BEFORE you check your answers
Question Type: this will help identify if there are patterns in the type of question you're getting wrong
Why I picked my Choice: this will help identify the type of errors you're making
Why the Correct AC is Better & Mine is Wrong: ditto the above, plus show you the patterns in the correct ACs
Assessment & Action Items: with the above information, you can create a game plan for yourself to strengthen the areas where you are weak
The LSAT is not a test of intelligence. It is a test of reading and reasoning ability but most of all, mental discipline. It is learnable. With time and effort, you can do it. Feel free to private message me if you have any questions
Study smart, not hard!
Thank you for this post. I know it took some time for you to detail this out. I am grateful that you gave us this knowledge. I have pinpointed the questions I'm getting wrong but I never thought about a journal. I'm going to try the Spreadsheet and see if that works for me.
Under the Daily Drills portion of this message - "Is all of those included in the 7 Sage Curriculum"
I went to quizlet and you have to sign up , is that a fee for doing so ?
@"mz.rogan" said:
in the 120s/130s you don't have a solid foundation yet. Join a course 7sage, lsat max, or blue print to help get you basics. But since you are on 7sage already utilize their lessons. no worries once you get the foundation which has a lot of nuances your score will greatly improve.
Comments
Dude, quit while you're ahead. There are so many amazing occupations out there. I'm sure I'll get blasted for writing this, but that is a really tough score to improve upon. You're going to have to improve by 20+ points just to have a shot at T3 schools. Maybe you have a 4.0, and can compensate for that score with a stratospheric GPA, but I'd question your compatibility with the law school curriculum. I'm not being elitist. I'm not a gifted LSAT test taker. This test isn't about intelligence. There are very bright people who are terrible at it, as well as the inverse. But practicality is really important, especially as the U.S. enters another recession. You don't want to be faced with a constant uphill battle, in a hyper saturated field, in an unsavory economic climate. Read the ABA reports from 2010-2017. Not a pretty picture. Not trying to sh** on your dreams, but there's a real contrast in attitude between practicing lawyers and pre-law students. The later are overly optimistic and idealize the occupation, while the former frequently advise young law school hopefuls to do something else. I'm sure you're going to get some "you can do it, follow your dreams" responses, so I'm balancing out that feedback with my cynicism. I'm really not trying to be an a**.
Hey @jasg2345 ,
It sounds like there could be a few different things going on. I don’t want to speculate about your current situation or your future potential prospects without knowing more information (e.g., you said you had studied for five months- what did those five months look like? Were you studying every day?Are there other contributing stressors in your life that might impact your score negatively? Etc.) I am not an expert nor am I a tutor—but it’s a good thing that 7sage has experts and tutors on staff that could give you a more accurate assessment of your testing capabilities and are better suited to give you guidance. My advice would be to ask a tutor to meet with you before you throw in the towel.
You can schedule a FREE consultation with one of 7sage’s tutors and get their expert opinion here: https://calendly.com/7sage-consult/7sage-tutoring-free-consult
Hope that helps! Happy Studying!
-S.
The question is: how are you studying? Are you doing in-depth review of the mistakes you're making? Are you jorunaling your mistakes to learn from them? If you're at the 120-130s, then you're still making basic reading errors, you might still be unfamiliar with what the question stems are really asking, and you're not focusing on building your foundation. Focus on building your foundation and be brutally honest wtih yourself, find your weaknesses, and attack them.
If law is your passion, don't give up on your dream. Hire a tutor. 7 Sage has great tutors and expensive, relatively. If you are confused, you may not be able to dig yourself out. Go on Reddit /LSAT. They have lots of tutors cheaper. Find a kind one and believe in yourself. Stop spinning your wheels. Someone out there can guide you.
Hi! I am disappointed by some of the comments I read. I started at a 141 and received a 162 on November's test. I've been studying for June and I recently took a PT and got a 170. You are 100% capable of getting in the 160's and 170's. The issue is what you're doing. Clearly, something is not clicking. I would be more than happy to help you in any way that I can! We can get in touch if you'd like some help
Hey there. I second Steven_B-1's comment. The best thing you can do for yourself is be truly self reflective and have good data to assess where and how you are weak. Without that critical information, it's really hard to create a game plan for success. How do you know what to work on if you don't know where your weaknesses lie? For example, if the LR section is giving you trouble -- do you know which questions are giving you the most trouble? if so, do you know why those specific question types are hard for you? Is it a problem in understanding the question stem or (as Steven suggested) is it a weakness in your understanding of the foundations?
***Disclaimer: I'm not a tutor or anything, these are just the things that seem to be working for me and have also been recommended by a lot of others on 7sage and other forums.
Here are my two main recommendations:
(1) DAILY DRILLS of the fundamental skills: (here are a few examples, you can find them in the 7sage curriculum and there are also free versions on quizlet as well)
(2) Keep a WRONG ANSWER JOURNAL: notebook or (preferably) a spreadsheet collecting the following info, journal in it during Blind Review for any questions you flagged or think you got wrong BEFORE you check your answers
The LSAT is not a test of intelligence. It is a test of reading and reasoning ability but most of all, mental discipline. It is learnable. With time and effort, you can do it. Feel free to private message me if you have any questions
Study smart, not hard!
@Lizardking-1
thanks a lot you gave me a reason to prove you wrong @Lizardking-1
in the 120s/130s you don't have a solid foundation yet. Join a course 7sage, lsat max, or blue print to help get you basics. But since you are on 7sage already utilize their lessons. no worries once you get the foundation which has a lot of nuances your score will greatly improve.
I’d recommend stepping away from Logic for starters. You need a grammar course. The LSAT is actually more about language than logic, and your score range indicates a lot of work is needed on that before studying logic is going to be productive. Breaking sentences down grammatically is probably the most important thing to master at this point: Isolating the basic subject-verb-object structure of sentences, studying how adjectives and prepositional phrases form to create noun phrases, understanding the limitation of meaning of a subordinate clause in a complex sentence, etc. All the language and grammar stuff needs to be more or less second nature, and until it is you can forget the logic. I’m wildly speculating with very little information, but my experience is that this is the threshold problem for an outsized majority of people in your score range.
I like this response , and I have a similar story but I have only been studying for a month in a half. What I have gathered is I am not understanding what the question is asking but I can easily spot the Conclusion and [premise on LR. On LG I have to get back to fundamentals hence I am on this board trying to see if the 7Sage monthly plan would help with those foundations.
This is so awesome that you have the encouragement. I am not saying that some of the harsh critique on here is bad; because i do think Lawyers need tough skin. Potential lawyers need to learn to endure so I would say find a way to learn the fundamentals. Which is what I'm trying to do . I do think 130s is a score stating more focus on ground level items is needed.
Thank you for this post. I know it took some time for you to detail this out. I am grateful that you gave us this knowledge. I have pinpointed the questions I'm getting wrong but I never thought about a journal. I'm going to try the Spreadsheet and see if that works for me.
Under the Daily Drills portion of this message - "Is all of those included in the 7 Sage Curriculum"
I went to quizlet and you have to sign up , is that a fee for doing so ?
Which plan would you suggest?
can I ask how you are doing now? and how many months did it take to improve your score?
I'm curious too
How are you doing? Did you decided to quit or continued studying