There are valuable lessons to learn from those who achieved top LSAT scores and significant score increases.
However, too often, we ignore the lessons we can learn from those who did not achieve top LSAT scores and/or failed to improve significantly.
By studying their experiences, future test-takers can learn what NOT to do.
So, I have the following questions for anyone who studied for the LSAT and got a score they consider disappointing, a minimal score increase, or no score increase at all.
1. What was your diagnostic (starting) score, if any?
2. What did you score on Test Day?
3. Which books did you use?
4. Did you take a prep course? If so, which?
5. For how many months did you study, and for how many hours/week? Were you also working or in college, etc.?
6. How many PrepTests did you complete?
7. What do you believe is the reason for your score?
8. What would you change if you were to retake?
9. Any other comments or suggestions?
***
Keep in mind the following quote from Thomas Edison:
“I have not failed 10,000 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work."
Please leave your answers in the comments below! Your responses will help future test-takers a great deal.
Photo by silusgrok
1. What was your diagnostic (starting) score, if any?
ReplyDelete142
2. What did you score on Test Day?
148
3. Which books did you use?
course books
4. Did you take a prep course? If so, which?
kaplan
5. For how many months did you study, and for how many hours/week? Were you also working or in college, etc.?
2-3 months. 10-15 hours a week including the class. college full-time.
6. How many PrepTests did you complete?
6 or 7
7. What do you believe is the reason for your score?
The methods just weren't clicking for me and I wasn't spending enough time on LSAT prep.
8. What would you change if you were to retake?
This time I'm self-studying with the 3-month study plan and taking fewer classes this semester.
9. Any other comments or suggestions?
I wish I had discovered this blog sooner!
1. What was your diagnostic (starting) score, if any?
ReplyDelete133
2. What did you score on Test Day?
145 on second retake, 139 on the first.
3. Which books did you use?
Study Bible by powerscore, Took many prep tests.
4. Did you take a prep course? If so, which?
No I did self study.
5. For how many months did you study, and for how many hours/week? Were you also working or in college, etc.?
About 3-4 Months
6. How many PrepTests did you complete?
20+
7. What do you believe is the reason for your score?
The methods that were outlined in the text weren't really helping me.
8. What would you change if you were to retake?
Focus on studying for more than a 6+ months mastering the test and question types.
9. Any other comments or suggestions?
Don't get discouraged, keep going. Its stressful but doable.
1. What was your diagnostic (starting) score, if any?
ReplyDelete171
2. What did you score on Test Day?
170 (174 on retake)
3. Which books did you use?
Official LSATs
4. Did you take a prep course? If so, which?
No.
5. For how many months did you study, and for how many hours/week? Were you also working or in college, etc.?
3 - for the first 2 months, approx 12 hrs/wk (was in college). For the last, I was out of school, so probably closer to 30 hrs/wk. (For retake, was in school throughout the studying process, probably averaged 10 hrs/wk)
6. How many PrepTests did you complete?
20+
7. What do you believe is the reason for your score?
Anxiety - I had to sit in the testing room for over an hour before we began (long enough to get me very keyed up) and I freaked out on reading comprehension.
8. What would you change if you were to retake?
I had access to the room I was re-taking the test in. I took every single practice test in that room and walked through the scenario of test morning a hundred times
9. Any other comments or suggestions?
Keep your routine constant! When I was taking prep tests for June, it was in an entirely different routine and environment than when I actually took the test.
1. What was your diagnostic (starting) score, if any?
ReplyDeletenot sure
2. What did you score on Test Day?
166
3. Which books did you use?
Everything in LSAT blog's 7-month test prep plan
4. Did you take a prep course? If so, which?
5. For how many months did you study, and for how many hours/week? Were you also working or in college, etc.?
7 months, while in college
6. How many PrepTests did you complete?
30 or soo
7. What do you believe is the reason for your score?
A month after I started studying, a member of my immediate family was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. On top of that, I had school and many other commitments. I'd suggest taking the Lsat during a non-hectic time in your life. A lot of my lsat preptests were taken in the hospital, etc. My accuracy is good, but I never really focused on timing for the reason that I would keep getting interrupted etc.
8. What would you change if you were to retake?
I'm retaking after graduating and will focus on keeping accuracy constant while focusing on timing. I like the convenience of the study plan, it makes it easier not to think about whether I'll be studying the right way because someone else has designed it for me-- someone with more experience
9. Any other comments or suggestions?
Pick a good time! Focus on timed tests, and make sure your tests are ACTUALLY timed.
1. What was your diagnostic (starting) score, if any?
ReplyDelete154
2. What did you score on Test Day?
156
3. Which books did you use?
Read through half the PS LG Bible and a quarter of LR Bible. Nothing for RC.
4. Did you take a prep course? If so, which?
No.
5. For how many months did you study, and for how many hours/week? Were you also working or in college, etc.?
Studied about 2. Didn't know anything about the LSAT and kind of took it for granted. I didn't do my research and was a generally a good scorer on reasoning-type tests.
6. How many PrepTests did you complete?
4 (but I only did the very early ones, which was also a huge mistake).
7. What do you believe is the reason for your score?
Not comprehending what type of preparation is required for truly mastering the LSAT.
8. What would you change if you were to retake?
I am studying again now. Following LSATBlog's 4 month Study Schedule.
9. Any other comments or suggestions?
The time you invest in prep is important, but studying smart is even more important. Understanding weaknesses and focusing on what can provide the maximum improvement in your score coupled with a heavy time investment is what it takes.