Stories of significant score improvement

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• 5 Likes

  blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 edited May 2015 3545 karma

  Hey @profile427,
  
  My diagnostic was a 151, back in October 2013. I got a 166 in February 2015, which was a 4 point drop from my average of 170 leading up until the test. I've been studying for June about 15 hours a week starting in March and am ramping that up to 40+ in the last month. My best score has been a 177, my overall average is a 172, and I've recently started to score consistently within the 173-175 range as of late. All of this isn't meant to come off as, "Oh look at me, I'm amazing." It's to show you that growth is possible. Granted, I haven't made a 20+ gain quite yet (fingers crossed for D-Day 6/8) but I have made at least a 15 point gain.
  
  First point:It is possible to improve on the LSAT. I am not a genius (clearly, see diagnostic). I don't have some magical gene that predisposed me to do well on the test. I studied, stopped, studied, stopped, reassessed, studied, and stopped. Rinse and repeat. Studying for the LSAT is an iterative and constantly changing process but the test rewards hard work and patience.
  
  Second point:Know the stages of studying. There are multiple phases of studying for the LSAT, and I say this based on my personal experience as well as anecdotal evidence. The first step is to know the fundamentals. This is where prep courses and materials come in. Understand what the LSAT is teaching you and how the writers are trying to trick you. This not only means understanding formal lawgic and LSAT lingo (assumption family, inference family, etc.) but also common traps the writers set out for you that they hope you will fall into. I repeat, this test is not an intelligence test, it's a skills test. To acquire the skills, you first need to know the rules of the game. The second step is cementing those fundamentals. There are strategies governing every argument type, game, passage on the LSAT and it's not enough to familiarize yourself with those strategies -- you have to be able to execute them. Drilling helps cements those strategies to the point where pointing out flaws and overturning assumptions becomes almost second nature. The third step is consistency. This is where most people get obsessed with the test: did my morning routine mess me up? What time of day is best to study? What are my peak hours? Is Thai food a bad idea before taking a test? What argument type messed me up? Do I do better when there's a particular order of passages in RC? What about on LR? These stages are essential to you scoring as well as you want on the test and it's critical that you see these like Maslow's hierarchy of needs -- you can't maximize the efficacy of your studies in stage 3 if you haven't hit stage 1 (I say this because I totally made this mistake). It's crucial that you successfully "level up" (no cheats -- commonly in the form of taking PTs when you're not ready) to each stage to ensure that awesome score on your LSAC report. The third stage is also where it gets the most fun for everybody. I did not instantly love this test and was super concerned that I wasn't in love with this test in the way that TLSers seem to be ... like they popped out of the womb with this mindset. I certainly don't love it because it carries a lot of weight for schools but I do appreciate the intricacies of the test and love that I legitimately feel smarter.
  
  Third point: The LSAT is personal. What works for me might not work for you, and what works for you may not work for others. Know/play to your strengths and study the crap out of your weaknesses. That requires knowing your fundamentals and getting obsessed with the test.
  
  Fourth point: You are not alone. You have a wonderful community of support here on this forum, on the same journey as you, and who have a better understanding of how important this test is and the time commitment it requires. We're all in this together. :]
  
  Fun anecdote: My BF and his brother got a 173 and a 171 respectively. All 3 of us have the same diagnostic. Even if I don't make a 20 point gain, they're 2 people who have. And again, their story isn't too different from most high scorers. Commitment, patience, perseverance, and hard work led to those awesome scores -- not some awesome science/logic/brilliant LSAT gene (though I definitely want to get bit by that radioactive spider).
• nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 7965 karma

  @blah170blah said:
  My diagnostic was a 151, back in October 2013. I got a 166 in February 2015, which was a 4 point drop from my average of 170 leading up until the test. I've been studying for June about 15 hours a week starting in March and am ramping that up to 40+ in the last month. My best score has been a 177, my overall average is a 172, and I've recently started to score consistently within the 173-175 range as of late.
  

  My story is quite similar to @blah170blah but I still dabble in the <170 range I started with the Trainer and am ~30% through 7sage. Hoping that mastery of the fundamentals (which 7sage underscores more than any other prep material) will provide the push into consistent 175+ territory, along with BR group love and more practice.
• 1 Like

  Alejandro Member Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 2424 karma

  143 diagnostic, 171 highest practice, and 163 disaster on the real thing. Taking it on October again and cranking to get a 170+. Work hard and use 7sage!
• 3 Likes

  profile427 Alum Member

  May 2015 213 karma

  Thanks, @blah170blah & @nicole.hopkins. Your stories are exactly what I was hoping to hear about. I think that I would be much more confident this second time around if I were a little more freshly out of under/grad and my brain were used to study-mode, but of course, that's not my case.
  
  @alejoroarios - if your 163 on the real thing was a disaster, then my first score on the real thing was a nuclear event! :[ As we can see, there is some hope out there.
• 1 Like

  nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 7965 karma

  @profile427 I'm many years out of undergrad; that's why it made sense for me to ramp up gradually: it took about 7 months for me to realize that I can still study for 35+ hours a week on top of working full time. But that lifestyle was very foreign to me at first; not exactly like riding a bicycle, but I've found that I can do much more than I initially thought I'd be able to.
• 3 Likes

  DumbHollywoodActor Alum Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 edited May 2015 7468 karma

  I'm 10 years removed from grad school (though I have been an SAT tutor for the past few years). I started studying 4 1/2 months ago with an initial diagnostic of 141. Since then, I've gone through the 7Sage Curriculum, perused the LSAT Trainer, glanced at Manhattan LR and RC and taken two prep tests. My highest score was a 154 and my highest BR score was 172. The BR score is an incredibly helpful motivational tool. After 4 1/2 months of pretty intense prep (20-30 hours per week), I think most people would look at a 13 point increase as a job well done and figure that they've hit their limit. But the BR score and stories from @blah170blah and @nicole.hopkins give me hope that scores of that caliber are possible. They just require consistent effort and time.
• 2 Likes

  blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 edited May 2015 3545 karma

  @DumbHollywoodActor said:
  I think most people would look at a 13 point increase as a job well done and figure that they've hit their limit.
  

  Nothing makes me sadder than when I hear that people think they've reached their "limit." I don't think there is such thing as an intellectual limit when it comes to perfection (or near perfection) on the LSAT. The journey one person takes to get to a particular score or range of scores vastly varies from person to person but the destination is not precluded from anybody. Keeping in mind that the LSAT is not a measure of your intelligence but as something that requires discipline is so important to motivate yourself to overcome plateaus.
• 2 Likes

  nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 7965 karma

  @blah170blah said:
  Keeping in mind that the LSAT is not a measure of your intelligence but as something that requires discipline is so important to motivate yourself to overcome plateaus.
  

  This.
• 2 Likes

  brna0714 Alum Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 1489 karma

  I could not agree more, @blah170blah ! I'm always really bummed to hear about people talking about reaching their "limit." I've even heard it mentioned on a prominant LSAT podcast (won't mention any names but there aren't too many of them out there). A defeatist attitude doesn't serve anyone well, teacher or student.
  
  I started out with a diagnostic of 156 (admittedly not entirely cold, I had done some light reading online) and my highest PT score thus far was a 174. I was stuck in the 166-168 range for what felt like millennia. There were a couple of times when I lost perspective and thought (similar to what @DumbHollywoodActor mentioned) that a 12 point increase was good enough. I'm so glad I pushed through because so many more doors will be opened if I can maintain my current PT score range and perform on test day.
  
  I also agree that the process is entirely personal. Guidance from others is always helpful but no two people are the same. For example, I've always done better when dealing with LR (Lord only knows why). I saw the quickest improvement in that section and have been able to lock down perfect sections pretty consistently. Same sort of situation in RC. HOWEVER, I struggle in LG like nobody's business. It has always been a little bit frustrating for me to read about LG being the easiest section to improve. I've spent the most time on LG by far and am still very inconsistent. My point in all this is that, everyone comes to the table with a unique skill set but anyone who is willing to stick through can achieve whatever score they want. The caveat is that you have to really, really, really be willing to work.
• 1 Like

  nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 7965 karma

  @brna0714 said:
  I've even heard it mentioned on a prominant LSAT podcast (won't mention any names but there aren't too many of them out there).
  

  I know the exact podcast and I agree it is, on the whole, an epic fail on many points (especially that one).
• 2 Likes

  brna0714 Alum Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 1489 karma

  @nicole.hopkins Yeah, they once advised a student not to waste too much time on BR. That's when I decided to find something else to do with my time. So. Ridiculous.
• blah170blah Alum Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 3545 karma

  @brna0714 we should talk about LR/RC and maybe I can help out with LG. Would love to know what goes through your mind during those sections.
• nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 7965 karma

  @brna0714 *smdh* SRSLY. Very fail. Also, your score pattern is very similar to my own.
  
  A few of us have little study sessions over Skype/Google Hangouts during the week—pretty short sessions (<2 hours usually) compared to the BR groups. Would love to do more of these, with others, especially since @amanda_kw is ABANDONING me (aka taking the test in June).
• brna0714 Alum Inactive ⭐

  May 2015 1489 karma

  @nicole.hopkins It's nice to hear someone else is in the same situation. I just can't seem to get LG locked down the same way that others have. Very frustrating. I use the foolproof method and can pretty much always nail the game the second time I see it (even without watching the explanation) but I can't seem to consistent find inferences the first time around. Not to mention I am totally spatially inept (could get lost in a cardboard box) so visualizing game boards and seeing where things fit and where they don't has never been my strong suit. I'd be open to joining your study sessions, please PM me next time you guys have one.
• profile427 Alum Member

  July 2015 edited July 2015 213 karma

  So, I'm skimming Ivey's book right now, and she says that only 0.1% of re-takers improve their scores and most people do worse on #2 & #3 LSAT. What's up with that statistic? Am I doomed even though I've significantly increased my study time this time around?
• 1 Like

  c.janson35 Free Trial Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 2398 karma

  @profile427 those stats are from LSAC and do not take into account any differences within the test takers. Some people will just take the test again without studying at all hoping to do better with additional exposure on the second time around. Some people study a little, and some study a lot in between tests. But all these people are grouped together into one category, "retakers." You've seen yourself how much dedicated study it takes to improve your score, and most test takers, whether they are retaking or not, probably don't do this.
  
  So no, you are not doomed by any means lol. Just keep putting yourself into position to improve!
• 2 Likes

  speightj2004 Alum Member

  July 2015 148 karma

  149 diagnostic -> 163 (feb test) -> 169 (june test)
  
  It's definitely possible to improve significantly. I recommend getting on the BR calls, they were helpful for me. Good luck!!!
• harrismegan Member

  July 2015 2074 karma

  I started studying late May of last year. I don't know what my diagnostic was, but I'm assuming it was like 135-140ish in that range. I started with Kaplan and studied their booked for 3 months before finding 7Sage. Naturally, finding 7Sage was a godsend and I felt like I wasted the 3 months studying the Kaplan method.
  Anyways, fast forward to December LSAT, I scored a disappointing 155. I've been studying part-time ever since and (as per my most recent post!!) I scored a 170 on my last practice LSAT. It can be done! I'm hoping to average lower 170s before the October LSAT and pull off a 165-lower 170 range mark .
• 1 Like

  seth.corley Alum Member

  July 2015 29 karma

  I had a 151 diagnostic, freaked out cuz' I couldn't afford Princeton Review, heard of 7Sage, and got a 166 on the real thing. The best part is, I did all of this for about 200$ (minus the 170 dollar cost of the test, of course). You'll never have an instructor like J.Y., so don't trip. You'll also have plenty of weeks where you get way behind, thinking that you finished the weeks curriculim but only finished one segment, and find out that you're way behind. Once again, don't trip. You make it through somehow, finish all the prep tests and blind reviews somehow, and realize that your future is radically changed cuz' of it. You just realize God's got your back
  
• 1 Like

  crogati Member

  July 2015 29 karma

  Definitely possible! 133 first exam ever (had a panic attack). Recently scored 160s
  on pts. This took significant commitment and time, and I work full time. If you're interested to hear more let me know; otherwise I'll spare everyone the details!
• 2 Likes

  NYC12345 Alum Inactive Sage

  July 2015 1654 karma

  A significant improvement is definitely possible. My diagnostic was a 147 and now I'm currently scoring between 170-175.
• 1 Like

  GordonBombay Alum Member

  July 2015 456 karma

  My initial diagnostic was a 144 which was taken totally cold with no prior knowledge of the LSAT. Went through the ENTIRE 7sage curriculum; every problem set, every video. Took no prep tests during this timeframe, which lasted from March 2015 - early June 2015. Once finished I jumped right into timed prep tests. My first timed prep test was a 150, but as of now at 10 prep tests in I'm averaging 162 timed/170 BR. Words can't emphasize the importance of the BR and the effect that it has had on improving my score. BR with enthusiasm, and do not rush through it. The gains made through BR are what I attribute most to my score increase.
• crogati Member

  July 2015 29 karma

  @brna0714 reading your comment, have you improved on LG? If you still have issues finding inferences, attack the conditional "if" questions first since you are given more info to apply to your diagram. That may be putting a bandage over the issue which is you are lacking some upfront work. I found that to be the case for me, I wasn't fully isolating the possibilities when needed (i.e. framing by two frames when three frames is better). I'm working on that now. I hope you are figuring it out as well.
• brna0714 Alum Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 1489 karma

  @crogati - No, not really. Thanks for taking time to write a response.
• nicole.hopkins Inactive Sage Inactive ⭐

  July 2015 7965 karma

  @c.janson35 said:
  those stats are from LSAC and do not take into account any differences within the test takers.
  

  Paging @"Quick Silver" who has *THE* retake success story!

  @speightj2004 said:
  I recommend getting on the BR calls, they were helpful for me. Good luck!!!
  

  A rare Joseph sighting! Yes, another improvement story (and great PR for BR calls, just sayin').

  @harrismegan said:
  I'm hoping to average lower 170s before the October LSAT and pull off a 165-lower 170 range mark .
  

  Great goals! Just curious—how far are you from this goal average/range at the moment? I'm chillin' in the low 170's ATM with a few outliers (BR usually right around 180) and I'm all, IZ NORMAL?? Josh Craven says he was PT'ing low 170's up until 2 weeks before the test, when adrenaline kicked in.