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Looking for advice for retake! (scored 169, target 171+)

cal6005cal6005 Free Trial Member
Hi everyone,

Sorry to create another retake advice thread. I scored a 169 on the June test and plan on retaking in September. I would really appreciate any advice on where to go from here since I burnt out pretty hard towards the end of my studying for the June test and don't want that to happen again!

On the test, I missed:
-1 LG
-2 RC
-9 LR (combined; -3 & -6)

I felt prepared going into the test, and fortunately I don't have test anxiety. During the test, I thought that I bombed the last 2 RC passages, so I was very surprised to see that I only missed 2 RC questions total. But missing 9 questions in LR is not typical for me. I would like to get a score at or above the 75th percentile for my target schools, so hoping to get a 171+. My practice tests were well above 169, so I know I scored below my ability.

I don't know where to begin studying for a retake. LGs are second nature to me now, and I rarely miss any LG questions on PTs. I felt I had improved in RC after I figured out a method that works for me, and apparently I did improve, but I still want to work on it so I can feel the same kind of mastery over it that I feel with LG. I've worked through every single LR question type drilling packet, and feel like I have an intuitive grasp of the questions, so I don't know how I should approach LR now. Looking through the questions I missed on the June test is bumming me out, because the questions I missed are question types that I had considered my strong areas during my prep so I think I made careless mistakes on the actual test.

My prep included the LSAT Trainer, the Powerscore LG Bible, the question-type drilling packets, drilling many RC sections, and 35+ timed PTs with intensive blind review.

Do you think I should purchase a 7sage course, or do something more tailored to my weaknesses? I can provide more specific information about the questions I missed if that would be helpful. Really appreciate any advice guys. Thanks!

Comments

  • Liz L 123Liz L 123 Free Trial Member
    73 karma
    That's a tough one. What exactly were you averaging on your last five PTs before the exam, and how many missed in each section? In particular, were your LG and RC scores on the real exam average for you or high?

    My next question is, how closely did you mimic test conditions in your PTs? (Five sections, breaks, distractions, analog watch, wooden pencils, no food until break, etc.). If you weren't strict, be strict going forward. If your PTs were really rigorously simulated, then I'd try doing 6-section PTs or even back to back PTs to build your endurance and make yourself an LSAT machine (not just a LG machine or an LR machine or a RC machine, which it seems like you already are). If you felt really confident content-wise, then by process of elimination it's the test-ness of the test that's getting you. So I'd focus on crushing that. Make sitting down to take a half-day test just an ordinary Saturday for you (as grim as that sounds).
  • InluskwetrustInluskwetrust Alum Member
    60 karma
    This will be a short post but.... I got a 168 last year and in taking it again! Your target score is yours .....nobody . can. Tell . you . otherwise. Peoplle told me I shouldn't and this and that but I knew what I wanted and I know what I want to get. So I say take it . Also,if you want to team up and crushthis next test then hmu!
  • jessicaljjessicalj Alum Member
    172 karma
    First, commenting to express solidarity. I am in nearly the exact same situation as you, except I wrote in February instead of June.

    What was your PT score range? If it was close to your target of 171+, I would suggest aiming higher - based on advice I've seen around here and personal experience, you might try for at least a 3 point margin of safety.
    @cal6005 said:
    feel like I have an intuitive grasp of the questions, so I don't know how I should approach LR now. ... the questions I missed are question types that I had considered my strong areas during my prep so I think I made careless mistakes on the actual test.
    I too, felt like I had an intuitive grasp on LR questions. In order to make that significant score jump, I figured it would be important to really understand the logic - to make LR as straightforward as LG. This includes foundational skills (e.g., translating conditional statements, keeping track of referential phrasing) and question specific approaches.

    7Sage is definitely a solid resource for developing and mastering hard skills, not just intuition. Aside from the curriculum, the community has been great - I've especially benefited from Blind Review calls. In dissecting questions and answer choices, everyone pushes each other on thought process and reasoning - to an extent we may not have patience / discipline for on our own. If you haven't been on a BR call, I highly recommend you check them out.
  • Ron SwansonRon Swanson Alum Member Inactive ⭐
    edited July 2016 1650 karma
    @cal6005

    Quick question: Which section # was your -6 LR? I'm asking because I also had a -6 LR section and it was #1 for me.

    I think a bad section early indicates test day nerves even if you say you don't feel anxiety. Especially if -6 is an unprecedented underperformance. If the -6 came at the end of your test then you may have some endurance issues. My point is you might not need to do anything "different" as far as studying goes..maybe just fine tuning your approach to certain things on test day.

    Sounds to me like you feel confident enough to score your PT average tomorrow if you got the opportunity?
  • cal6005cal6005 Free Trial Member
    106 karma
    Hey @Liz L 123
    Thanks for responding. I was averaging about 173 on new PTs before I took the June test. RC was my weakest section so I was very surprised to have only missed 2 questions on the actual test (average was about -4). And missing 9 total LR questions was more than I would normally miss. Sometimes I would only miss 2 per test. I think that's a really good idea to do back-to-back PTs - I'm going to try to do that possibly with one fresh test and one re-take test since I don't have that many left to take. Thanks for your insight!

    @Inluskwetrust - we can definitely team up to study for the September test!

    @jessicalj - sorry to hear you're in a similar situation. I think I'm going to check out a BR call - it seems like it would be super helpful. And good point about aiming higher. Since I was scoring 175 on some PTs, I know I can score higher than a 171, so I should aim higher for sure.

    @Ron Swanson - the LR section I missed -6 in was my section 3, so my 2nd LR section. I also had an experimental LR section that I believe came before the 2nd scored LR section.I think you might be right about nerves - I'm SMH at the questions I missed because I fell for such trap answers. I like the advice here to take a few PTs in a row to build up endurance. That way, a 5-section test would seem pretty short (I hope!). About your last question...I feel like that's my issue. Some days, I would PT and get a 175, other days I'd get a 169, mainly due to variations in RC scores. I think fine-tuning and re-visiting the question specific approaches is my best bet.

    Are you happy with your score from the June test?
  • TheLoftGuyTheLoftGuy Alum Member
    698 karma
    What is your GPA? With a high GPA will the the 2 points matter?
  • SprinklesSprinkles Alum Member
    11542 karma
    @TheLoftGuy said:
    will the the 2 points matter?
    a 154 to a 156, not so much. 169 to a 172, absolutely.
  • TheLoftGuyTheLoftGuy Alum Member
    698 karma
    That's good to know. I would be ecstatic with a 169, say my goal is 165
  • cal6005cal6005 Free Trial Member
    106 karma
    @TheLoftGuy said:
    What is your GPA? With a high GPA will the the 2 points matter?
    GPA is 3.85. Based on mylsn data for one of my target schools, I think even a 2 point increase could increase my chances of acceptance by over 50%, so it's definitely worth it to me!

    Since you brought this thread back to life, I guess I'll give a quick update about my retake studying. My boyfriend decided to start studying for the LSAT, so I've been tutoring him in addition to drilling RC and LR. My last two prep test scores were 179 and 178. Though I don't expect to get that high of a score on the September test, I'm feeling pretty good about being able to raise my score at least two points.

    Good luck to all of the retakers out there!
  • SprinklesSprinkles Alum Member
    11542 karma
    Whoa congratulations @cal6005 !!!! Keep it up and keep us updated :)
  • inactiveinactive Alum Member
    12637 karma
    @cal6005 said:
    My last two prep test scores were 179 and 178.
    image
  • AlexAlex Alum Member
    23929 karma
    @cal6005 said:
    My last two prep test scores were 179 and 178.
    Congrats! That is amazing... You are going to kill it on game day ;D
  • stepharizonastepharizona Alum Member
    3197 karma
    2 points can be a big deal at almost any level. Some of the lower tiered schools give scholarships at 155 vs 154. You want to fight for every single point.
  • cal6005cal6005 Free Trial Member
    106 karma
    @"Alex Divine" said:
    Congrats! That is amazing... You are going to kill it on game day ;D
    @"Dillon A. Wright" said:
    Dillon A. Wright
    Thanks guys! Didn't mean to sound boastful...just realized it may have come off that way :/
  • TheLoftGuyTheLoftGuy Alum Member
    698 karma
    Not boastful at all, I appreciate you sharing. That gives me hope to try harder. If you don't might would you give me a few pointers? Are you only using 7Sage? What is your study schedule? @cal6005
  • cal6005cal6005 Free Trial Member
    106 karma
    @TheLoftGuy said:
    Not boastful at all, I appreciate you sharing. That gives me hope to try harder. If you don't might would you give me a few pointers? Are you only using 7Sage? What is your study schedule?
    I don't mind at all! Hope this isn't too much info...

    Prior to the June test, I had studied using The LSAT Trainer and the Powerscore Logic Games Bible, as well as the Cambridge LR and LG question type collections, the 7sage LG videos, and about 30+ PTs. (Personally, I wouldn't recommend the Powerscore Logic Games Bible, since it teaches some methods that directly contradict the methods that I now use.) I never signed up for a 7sage course since I found 7sage well after I had already started studying, but I've only heard great things about the courses. And the LSAT Trainer is great!

    I think my mistake with the June test was that I didn't spend enough time with the most recent tests (70+). I had a rigorous study schedule prior to the test and burnt out super hard towards the end, which caused me to neglect the newest tests. Though I think the RC section has remained essentially the same, and the LG sections are typically easier, I feel that the LR on the newest PTs has changed slightly and I should have spent more time with the newest questions.

    But, what really changed the game for me was deeply reviewing every LR question I got wrong or was even slightly unsure about. I'd read the Manhattan Prep thread for each of those questions, and think about how I could avoid making the same mistake again. This taught me to be quicker at eliminating wrong answer choices by understanding the patterns of wrong answers, and to recognize how important pre-phrasing is for certain questions. For RC, I would drill by doing lots of passages timed, and then go back untimed and underline the support for each question and write out why the wrong answers were wrong. I kind of naturally understand LGs, but watching the 7sage videos for the more difficult games helped me to improve my speed and techniques.

    Also, creating good test-taking habits is essential. Practicing skipping questions and managing my time was super important, since now I finish most sections with enough time to go back and calmly answer the questions I skipped. Keeping track of time sets my mind at ease and helps me stay on track in each section.

    That was all before the June test. Now, my main focus is on not burning out :) I read the Manhattan Prep LR and RC books a few weeks ago (highly recommend reading both if you have time) and now I'm retaking sections of tests that I did poorly on many months ago, and targeting my weak areas. When I'm tutoring, I get to practice lots of LGs and LR questions while also having to explain the right approach and why answer choices are wrong/right, which helps to reinforce what I already know or expose what I don't quite understand. I'm trying to only take 1 full timed prep test each week, and am focusing primarily on the newest tests this time (70+). I feel that my test-taking approach is pretty solid, so I'm trying to spend my time thoroughly reviewing. Now, since I thankfully rarely miss questions, I obsess over the questions that I do I miss to make sure that I understand the flawed thinking that lead me to choose the wrong answer.

    The #1 LSAT tip I could give is to constantly be aware of and in charge of your thought process by training yourself to think about the right things at the right time (during PTs and when studying). Having the right thought process for each section/question type helps to see the formulaic nature of the test, rather than seeing each question as a unique challenge. On the LSAT, there are only so many types of wrong answers, so many types of reasoning errors, etc. Most LG questions can be answered by looking at the rules and making inferences rather than drawing out diagrams if you know what to be to be thinking about.

    Personally, I would suggest maybe trying something different rather than trying "harder." Don't burn yourself out! Try a different approach, or, if you realize you don't have a specific approach, you should work on implementing one. Writing down and memorizing the process for each type of LR question and making sure you use that process every time is a great tool. If you want to take a look at my strategies for each LR question type, let me know.

    Good luck! You can totally do this.
  • TheLoftGuyTheLoftGuy Alum Member
    698 karma
    Thank you for sharing. As it stands I have powerscore logic games (lol) and 7Sage starter. Most of the people high scores I spoke on here say that 7Sage is the only prep they used until they completed the bundle than they followed up with the LSAT trainer. I definitely need help with the rules for each type of question. My study schedule is 30 hours a week, 8a-1p Mon-Fri with review and test prep on Saturday. I don't want to burn out because like everyone else I would like to only take the exam once. Please share your strategies @cal6005
  • SprinklesSprinkles Alum Member
    11542 karma
    @TheLoftGuy said:
    My study schedule is 30 hours a week, 8a-1p Mon-Fri with review and test prep on Saturday.
    i don't foresee a burnout from this, it seems pretty solid! I like that you begin at 8.
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