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It's been a lonnnnng journey...
sunflowersandlaw
Alum Member
So, way back in May when I first took my diagnostic, I got a 138. I remember seeing my score and feeling my heart completely drop. What made it even worse was way before I got on 7sage, I kept reading other forums about how it's practically impossible to raise your score up anything beyond 11 points in a short period of time.
I decided to just keep at it. Went at it full time. I dedicated at least 40 hours a week to it, if not more. I still felt like it was an impossible task though, but I figured I had to get the full 11 points, if I was going to try. Sometime in August, though, I stumbled upon the 7sage forum and it was seriously the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. Someone on the discussion page had mentioned that the test is really doable and you can definitely learn how to master it.
So, with the last bit of energy I had left, I sat in for the test in September and restrategized for the test in December. I was PT-ing at 151 before I sat in on the Sept test. Took it, then took a week off after. Knowing I hadn't reached my full potential, I went back to it a week after. I refused to cancel my score. I wanted to know how much test anxiety would affect me. I got a 149. Which, considering from where I started from, it wasn't too shabby.
I kept at it though. Got my third 160 today on my practice test. I still have room for improvement (especially with logic games), but I can't thank this site enough for all the energy and motivation it's given me.
I'm taking it on Saturday, but by then I'm going to push for another jump in my score. Someone kept telling me it was an impossible jump to hit 160, but I can't wait to prove them wrong.
If you're in my boat, keep chugging along. You get what you put into this test. If you aren't willing to learn from your mistakes, you're not trying hard enough. Every bit counts. I've given up a lot of social gatherings, so it's definitely been a struggle but go on more runs, do yoga, meditate and find a way to keep your mental health intact.
Sign up for the core classes, get yourself the powerscore books, and stay committed. If you work hard enough, you'll thank yourself when you get your acceptances. As someone once told me, "as long as you don't quit, you'll succeed".
Hope this helped ease some anxiety for Saturday!
Comments
I am in the same boat as you! Wrote my diagnostic in May and got a 139. Since then I have reached 160 on my PT's! I am writing this Saturday as well, for second time.
Best of luck!
Thank you! And you got this! Best of luck!
I'm hoping for a similar outcome on Saturday, too!
Best of luck!!
Yay! These are always the best kinds of stories to hear! Kick butt my friend!
That is such an inspiring story! Thank you for sharing!
thank you! Best of luck to you too!
Thanks for sharing your story! Your improvement in scores is no joke. I sincerely hope you're proud of yourself. Especially considering the fact that you had to fight through the skepticism and doubts.
We're all proud of you!
Good luck and more power to you!
I think this is so awesome: "As long as you don't quit, you'll succeed." Thanks for sharing your story and please let us know how things go on Saturday. Your improvement is really great to hear about.
Thanks for sharing your story, best of luck on Saturday you're doing to do amazing! And those of us also taking the test on Saturday will be right there with you silently cheering each other on
Congrats! I remember I had contemplated between 7sage and some other program and that other program was saying how most people can't exceed beyond 10-15 points from their diagnostic. Good luck for saturday! Prove those naysayers wrong
Great job! What would you say was the biggest thing that helped you in your jump from PTing at 150 to 160?
This is really inspiring, thanks so much for sharing. You will kill it on Saturday!
This is really inspiring thank you!
AWWWW. I'm not crying, you're crying!
This is the sweetest :') Thanks for this. Your inspiring story makes me want to go out into the world believing in myself and kicking ass.
Well done!! Good luck Saturday!
Same boat as you
good luck
sunflowersandlaw, thanks for sharing! I am registered for December and have been studying since August while working FT and have made little gains unfortunately--still scoring in the 144-150 range. Just signed up for 7sage in hopes that it'll make a difference in my score! Now, if you feel like giving advice: The thing I'm struggling with is all the sources available to me for studying while only having a small chunk of time to study on weekdays after work and Sat's/Sun's. While using Kaplan (which was a bad idea) I suspended my use of Powerscore books due to time. Now that Kaplan is over I'm starting on 7sage but it feels daunting to move from Powerscore to 7sage and fitting in practice all the while. Do you have suggestions about how to structure your study time? Wishing you well on your Saturday test!
that means a lot, thank you so much!
thank you!!! I hope I can get to at least a 165 comfortably by Saturday.
best of luck! You got this!!
yess! I want to say almost every big test prep company said anything beyond 11 points it practically a miracle. Such BS!
Ooo great question. I would have to say, it would be TRULY understanding my mistakes. I made flashcards for every question stem for questions I ever got wrong and went through them every night. I also made another set of bigger sized flashcards for every type of LR question (Main Point, Sufficient, etc etc). I think my biggest mistake though was reading the question stem and not understanding what I had to do with it.
Hey! Yes, I can definitely help! I was stuck in that same score range. I think with the bigger test prep companies, they cover everything so generally that there's only so much they can do to help you. Are you going to retake or are you sticking with just taking it in December? From now until Saturday, I would say focus on question stems. I covered this a few comments above, but I found that my biggest mistake was reading the question stem and not knowing what to do with it. Also, disregard what Powerscore says about reading the stimulus first. If it helps you, great, but if you read the question stem and automatically identify what you're going to do with it, then reading the stimulus is a lot easier. So make flashcards of every question stem ever and write down the type of question it is on the back. Make another set of flashcards that cover the question type. So, for main point lets say, you write down a strategy of how to tackle it.
7sage will definitely make a difference. IF for nothing else, they'll help improve your games, but the LR and question type videos are pretty great.
It all depends on how you'd prefer to do it, especially if you're going to retake, but I can tell you what I did. Powerscore has self study guide schedules online depending on how many months or days you have left. You can follow that and structure your weeks. 7sage, of course, has their own schedule as well so just tie those in together. I'm a list junky, so what I did was type up everything I had to do for week 1, week 2, etc etc from each program (7sage and powerscore, only), then I printed those out and taped them to my wall. Everytime I finished something, I would highlight it, so I would feel a bit better about completing. After you're elbows deep in it for a few months, it gets exhausting so any sort of sense of completion kind of makes you feel better lol.
Also, try and squeeze in practice tests on your weekends, since you'll do those in the mornings. You can purchase the LSAC practice tests. Those help. 7sage folks say to practice general questions and sections with practice tests 1-35 (which you can probably find online somewhere), and actually do the rest of them timed. If you're crunched on time, focus on at least practice test 62-82, or 83 depending on if you're taking it on Saturday or not.
I finished up my reviews and spent a month straight doing practice tests everyday. Since you don't have that opportunity coming out of work, I would focus on just drilling sections. After you're done reviewing and learning, take it one day at a time. So on one day, I would do a section of logical reasoning and time yourself. Then do a Blind Review (7sage has a lesson on this). For the questions you got wrong, really understand WHY you got them wrong and WHY the other one is right. Most of the time honestly I found myself not reading it right. So, I've focused on that mostly.
Yikes, this was long.
If you have any other questions, feel free to private message me on this. Seriously! I don't mind helping out at all. 7sage has done a lot for me. I might as well give back someway.
Wow, our stories are identical. From the diagnostic score, the amount of hours spent studying a week, the September exam score/refusing to cancel my score (except I cried for three days and refreshed my e-mail 10x a day hoping they had e-mailed the wrong person, lol), to today. Scored my first 162 yesterday. Proud of you! Good luck on Saturday, you've got this!
woohoo!!! As have you! Good luck. Kick some ass!
Love this!
I started off with a 144 practice exam score and I am now hitting high 160's low 170's. I took the real thing in September and scored in the mid-160's.
I share your story. I love the positivity.
This is where I'm at too. My first diagnostic in May was 147, then the next PT was 157. I've been working part-full time with commutes so my progress has been slow. I stayed within the 152-158 range for a couple months, studying Powerscore, before finding 7Sage. I've been up at 160-164 over the past month. Today's PT, maybe my last before Saturday, was 159. Big outch and feeling stupid all evening, but I'm not giving up. I know i've been learning and I know its good for me, so I'm getting ready to make June/September plans.
ooo been there, done that. Your 159 could be just exhaustion. It also usually happens right before taking the test, but most of it is attributed to burning out or overthinking it. Once you hit the 160 hurdle it tends to get scary, doesn't it? Just don't overthink it. Trust your gut with your answer choices.
My diagnostic was like yours too. I had to cancel my first exam because I had only one hour of sleep the night before. It was one of the most dreadful and awful experiences of my life. I felt like a failure.
This week I'm gonna do my best to not let fear get me and overwhelm me. I'm not going to complain anymore and compare myself to anyone. I got 160 last week and I will get a higher score in February. It is rare that someone can increase 30 points but I hope I can be a living testament that it is possible and doable as long as you keep pushing yourself and believing yourself. And I want everyone to remember this:
"I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13
Same diagnostic as me. How long have you been studying for?
@mta72
Wow... thank you so much for this post. I have always been so embarrased about my 138 and just didn't think I could ever hit that elusive 160. Some posts are about people getting upset about getting 160, even in the 170's and I feel like such an idiot (not knocking those people down because I understand that they have goals too). Reading inspirational posts like yours really helps me out so much - and people like me who are low scorers. Its almost like being revived and hitting those books because that's the only way that it can be done. Thank you again.
Let me take a moment to extend my best wishes and thoughts to all taking the Dec test! Keep your eyes on the goal(s) and please know that the our 7sage community is behind you and wants you to excel! It is a long road but hopefully working 7sage will give you the extra confidence to attack those questions as well as accelerate!
love you story and your drive.... good luck on your exam Saturday
@mta72 how long were you studying before you saw a change in your score ? if you dont mind me asking
Very inspiring!! Wishing everyone nothing but the best!!!!
I studied off and on between February through May, and then about 5-6 days a week for 6-8 hours until the June LSAT. I didn't think I studied enough so I didn't sit for it. I prepped for the Sept exam over the summer studying an average of 4 hours a day 5 days a week (2 in the morning and 2 at night) while taking the Blueprint LSAT course.
I was working full-time, so I wish I could have studied more and that is why I am taking it one final time in December. I fixed my weaknesses and I feel very comfortable.
All in All, 6 months for Sept exam and 2 months from Sept to the Dec exam.
Hi Marie,
I struggled at first and questioned myself and my abilities. For about 2 months, I hovered in the low 150s high 140s. I then inched into the mid 150's 3 months in. By the time June came around (4 months of on and off studying) I was by the high 150's low 160's (158-162).
Then over the summer I lurked around the 7sage forum's and used a prep course and saw my score rise to the mid-160's. By September it was ranging between 165-170. I scored in that range on the real exam.
I took 1 month off after the Sept exam (was waiting on my score). I saw my score and said I can do better and fixed what I knew was my weaknesses. I started scoring in the 170's by mid October/early November. I just took a PT yesterday and it was in the high 160's.
This has been a rollercoaster of a journey. I gave up and then I was reminded I can't give up. I saw my score go up and down. It was truly an experience that contributed to my personal growth.
It is a very learnable exam. One big take away is that its not enough to practice, you need good, correct practice. Find someone who is as motivated (or even more motivated) as you to talk about your fears, your aspirations, and everything that sits in between.
Please excuse my spelling and syntax.
That is a very impressive accomplishment. I'm aiming for the range you are in. My studying has been quite a bit more spread out than yours, so I'll definitely need more time to get where you are at right now.
Best of luck to ya, @mta72 .
https://media.giphy.com/media/6RunAAT6Lz9RK/giphy.gif
Exactly why I posted it. I was in your shoes. It's a pretty dark place, I know. Just remember that most 7sagers have been studying for this test for a year or so, so don't compare. Just keep pushing. It's up to you, and you only, on what you get on this test. Some of the folks on these discussion posts have worked their ass off to get where they are. It's nothing you can't be capable of doing!
You get what you put into it, and I swear it's totally possible to make the jump if you're committed.
True, It's not too common to increase your score by a large amount, especially if you're aiming for a 170+ but it is in fact possible. Check out this post made by Nader
hope we can follow his footsteps!
https://7sage.com/discussion/#/discussion/10051/my-25-point-score-improvement-story-thanks-7sage
Btw thank you for this awesome post @sunflowersandlaw , it was very raw and relatable to many of us on here.
You too, bud.
Incase y'all were wondering - I have to cancel my score. My test center was a complete nightmare. For one, they had a terrible "accommodation" for lefties. My book was on my lap, my ID and my eraser were under my arm on the arm rest, my pencils were balanced between my thighs, and my legs were crossed so I wouldn't drop anything. The table was maybe the size of my hand.
If that wasn't bad enough, the room was squeaking. I kid you not, the door was squeaking every few seconds because it was having problems closing (one of those automatic doors that slam shut) and it wouldn't shut up. The proctor was laughing at the entire situation. It was bad. Half the room got up and left. I wanted to, but I wanted to get through the rest of the test to see how it was.
So, on to February to apply for the next cycle. I hope the rest of you had a better experience.