Thanks Bigfan for replying to my other post. Your thoughts are much appreciated.

Hopefully there are others out there that might also be able to share their experience with me.

What I really want to know is this... is it possible for someone (me) who scored a 151 on a cold practice test to increase their performance by 15-20 points.

I had taken a kaplan course several years ago before going into another graduate program. I attended all of the classes, but didn't take any practice tests (i.e., I didn't work very hard). I eventually decided not to go through with the lsat when I got a 154 after the class, in addition to a host of other factors. Things have since changed. It now looks like law school is in my future.

After looking at these posts it looks like it possible, but I was also hoping that some others of you might be able share your experience and any insights into how to break through the hang-ups you might have had about the lsat.

Other pertinent info includes the fact that I had an excellent UGPA and my grades in the three year masters program I just finished were also excellent.

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Thanks bsatvat, for your kind and honest words. In fact, I have quite a bit of time. I'm not planning on taking the exam until next fall (or perhaps next summer.)

Do you think it would be wise to hit it as hard as possible as soon as possible, or am I just sitting myself up for burnout?

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Honestly, even 6 months is kind of a lot. There are a finite number of practice tests available, and once you've taken them all and have to start re-doing questions, your diagnostics will quickly lose accuracy.

It's not bad to go ahead and familiarize yourself with the questions now, but don't overdo it!

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it is surely possible to increase your score as much as 20 points. Just take a lot of practice tests or take a prep. course .

b that is sooo cool! your girl is incredibly lucky to have found you. way to treat her right!!!

I only increased my score +13 from my first diag... but I'm not trying to discourage you about the 20 points thing! I too think it can be done. Just remember how important pacing yourself is.

I started cold with a 151 early Junior Year and didn't even think about LSATS again until the summer when my first practice test score was a 155. After slow but focused studying throughout the summer and more intense studying when school started, I received a 164 on the Sept. 30th test, which I was more than pleased with considering I hadn't yet scored a 164 during practice tests. I was in "the zone" I suppose.

I agree with a comment above... don't do too many practice tests/timed sections too early or it will be three weeks before the test and you will have nothing to study. Close to the tests it is the timed sections that really helped me improve my week areas.

With all of that being said I definately am not applying with an amazing 178 or something however I do believe I did the best I could while still in school and taking a no-mercy course load.

Hope this gives you a little confidence, hope and motivation!!

Blackstone (the test prep course) told me that its possible to score 10 pts above your first practice score within six weeks of the test; they also said 20 points is possible, but not in six weeks.

Thank you all for the comments. I'm really impressed by the quality of the people positing on these forums.

It does indeed sound like its possible. Now for putting it into action... *sigh*

It sounds like one of the keys is a happy medium that needs to be reached between constant study and burnout.

Are there resources out there, practice tests, which aren't real, but that could give me a familiarity with the exam. Perhaps it would be a good idea for me to take these slowly and only begin with the real examples once I close in on a 4-5 month window of the test date?

Again all, thanks so much.

there are books with fake LSAT questions for practice purposes but I really don't recommend them. the idea is learning to think the LSAT way and it is just not possible to do that through questions that are not real! but once you start practicing you might want to add these fake questions as the experimental section to your real test so that you won't be ruining real questions. There is this book called LSAT 180 by Kaplan also Barron's book (full name escapes me right now) with fake LSAT questions.