Prepping for the THIRD time. What should I do?

[Chisul]

I took a full-length course from Powerscore of this January, and have been studying ever since. On my first diagnostic test I got a 132(I wasn't fooling around) and by the end of the course, I scored 148. I scheduled for the June Lsat and cancelled the score after feeling really bad about how I did, and again signed up for the October one but still feeling like I wasn't ready but since it was too late to cancel/postpone the test, I decided not to go(absent)

I basically went through all 60 PTs, during my 10-month studyding time period. The highest score I got was 158, but the score does seem to fluctuate very widly. A 26 point increase is a substantial achievement, but I really want to get into the top 30, which requires 165+ .

I went through the all the basics numerous times, as well as changed my studying methods to the point where I just don't know how to proceed from now on, since I haven't made any progress from 158 for appoximately 5 months, and the score started dropping to 140s.

I'm pretty determined to put in more effort, but I just can't figure out what I have been doing wrong, after reviewing all the information available on the internet and etc.

Any suggestions?

[tazmolover]

Nail the LGs.

Drill Drill Drill till it's a -0.

[northwood]

drill the logic games.
Your score increse is fantastic. Everyone's ceiling is different. You may have found yours. Keep practicing until you consistently score within 3-4 points. That will be your best guide for the test. Do not take the test until you have been consistent for 5-6 prep tests with 5 sections.

you can do this. perhaps you need to stick with a plan of attack and see how it goes.

[rso11]

If that doesn't work I think perhaps you should aim lower. No offense, just going off your numbers. It's not impossible to make the jump you want (and you've already improved a lot), but it'll definitely be difficult. You might be better off getting in where you can and transferring to a better school later.

[CanadianWolf]

Sign up for a prep course, take the LSAT & don't cancel. In short, just do it.

[savagecheater]

No one's said it yet?

[tazmolover]

No one's said it yet?

say it

[Lokomani]

Have you heard about our Lord, Jesus Christ? You are going to need him.

This test isn't for you, and you should probably not be taking it. After an entire year of prep you haven't gotten to where you yourself profess to want to be in terms of scores. This means that A) Either you've hit your ceiling or B) Something in your studying regimen is very flawed. Statistically, a score of 158 is above average, but let's be realistic - scoring in a practice test won't mean much come game day, and you simply are not very likely to make it much higher. I would say that one's diagnostic is a relatively good indicator of potential, and a 132 is near the absolute bottom in terms of aptitude for what the test is testing.

tl;dr - your score is a hint. Take it, and quit before you waste more time that could be much more productively spent on something you are actually good at (relative to others).

[JD Lamb]

Just Press through the Bibles AGAIN. Drill by utilizing Steve Schwartz LSAT Blog's spreasheet or Pithypikes. DO NOT GIVE UP. This test is meant to psychologically tear you down. Anyone who tells you to give up should not be in the profession anyway. This test is doable for anyone who understands the sacrifices you need to undertake. Put in the next 4 months average 15-20 hours a week, with one practice test a week and you will see your results improve again as they already have.

good luck

[Chisul]

Have you heard about our Lord, Jesus Christ? You are going to need him.

This test isn't for you, and you should probably not be taking it. After an entire year of prep you haven't gotten to where you yourself profess to want to be in terms of scores. This means that A) Either you've hit your ceiling or B) Something in your studying regimen is very flawed. Statistically, a score of 158 is above average, but let's be realistic - scoring in a practice test won't mean much come game day, and you simply are not very likely to make it much higher. I would say that one's diagnostic is a relatively good indicator of potential, and a 132 is near the absolute bottom in terms of aptitude for what the test is testing.

tl;dr - your score is a hint. Take it, and quit before you waste more time that could be much more productively spent on something you are actually good at (relative to others).

Well I don't think I'm ready to quit yet.

[Chisul]

Just Press through the Bibles AGAIN. Drill by utilizing Steve Schwartz LSAT Blog's spreasheet or Pithypikes. DO NOT GIVE UP. This test is meant to psychologically tear you down. Anyone who tells you to give up should not be in the profession anyway. This test is doable for anyone who understands the sacrifices you need to undertake. Put in the next 4 months average 15-20 hours a week, with one practice test a week and you will see your results improve again as they already have.

good luck

Thank you. I won't give up.

[3|ink]

Have you heard about our Lord, Jesus Christ? You are going to need him.

This test isn't for you, and you should probably not be taking it. After an entire year of prep you haven't gotten to where you yourself profess to want to be in terms of scores. This means that A) Either you've hit your ceiling or B) Something in your studying regimen is very flawed. Statistically, a score of 158 is above average, but let's be realistic - scoring in a practice test won't mean much come game day, and you simply are not very likely to make it much higher. I would say that one's diagnostic is a relatively good indicator of potential, and a 132 is near the absolute bottom in terms of aptitude for what the test is testing.

tl;dr - your score is a hint. Take it, and quit before you waste more time that could be much more productively spent on something you are actually good at (relative to others).

Meh. This is a bit pessimistic. I think anyone can master this test ASSUMING they are able to find and correct their weaknesses. Are you a slow reader? Do you have a hard time retaining stimuli? If you answered yes to these questions, grab yourself a book and start reading before your next test. I read a few books on economics to improve my LR and RC. That worked very well for me. I went from barely finishing LR sections to finishing them all with 5+ minutes to spare.

I think that most 'poor testers' in this country are simply slow readers. Many people read slowly because they're used to taking in most of their information electronically. It has less to do with potential and more to do with experience.

I'm a big nurture over nature guy. Others might disagree.

Anyway, read read READ until March and then start taking PTs again. I suggest you take Junes LSAT.

[etown989]

a different approach to the studying of these tests could change your score also... download the kaplan explanations and go over why each answer is right and see why you chose the wrong answer

[Chisul]

Have you heard about our Lord, Jesus Christ? You are going to need him.

This test isn't for you, and you should probably not be taking it. After an entire year of prep you haven't gotten to where you yourself profess to want to be in terms of scores. This means that A) Either you've hit your ceiling or B) Something in your studying regimen is very flawed. Statistically, a score of 158 is above average, but let's be realistic - scoring in a practice test won't mean much come game day, and you simply are not very likely to make it much higher. I would say that one's diagnostic is a relatively good indicator of potential, and a 132 is near the absolute bottom in terms of aptitude for what the test is testing.

tl;dr - your score is a hint. Take it, and quit before you waste more time that could be much more productively spent on something you are actually good at (relative to others).

Meh. This is a bit pessimistic. I think anyone can master this test ASSUMING they are able to find and correct their weaknesses. Are you a slow reader? Do you have a hard time retaining stimuli? If you answered yes to these questions, grab yourself a book and start reading before your next test. I read a few books on economics to improve my LR and RC. That worked very well for me. I went from barely finishing LR sections to finishing them all with 5+ minutes to spare.

I think that most 'poor testers' in this country are simply slow readers. Many people read slowly because they're used to taking in most of their information electronically. It has less to do with potential and more to do with experience.

I'm a big nurture over nature guy. Others might disagree.

Anyway, read read READ until March and then start taking PTs again. I suggest you take Junes LSAT.

Thx for your tip, it really helped. Running out of time has been one of my big issues.

[rsd16]

Forget the negativity others might spew.

My first diag was horrible as well. I just took practice tests, and focused on the ones I got wrong. I would re-read every wrong answer I got and learn from it. The key is to not rationalize why you got a question wrong, but to say "OK, I fucked up.. why did I get that one wrong?" and learn from it so you get better.

You could take every PT in the world, but you won't get better until you realize WHY you got an answer wrong. Whoever has the dedication can master this test, or at least become very, very good at it.

Good luck.

[Tainted_Praise]

I mean. Anything is possible..... I started off with like a 136 on my dt...Then again I did come in late and missed all of section 1...But never mind that. Anyway, Skipped half of my Princeton Review prep classes... At the end of the course had a 160 on the last two practice tests......... Studied hard for the last half of September and all the way up until the Thursday of the week of the test and found myself consistently in the low 170's.... I bet with a week or two of more prep I could be in the mid 170's consistently if not better..... So don't let anyone discourage you. Anything is possible...

[savagecheater]

Have you heard about our Lord, Jesus Christ? You are going to need him.

This test isn't for you, and you should probably not be taking it. After an entire year of prep you haven't gotten to where you yourself profess to want to be in terms of scores. This means that A) Either you've hit your ceiling or B) Something in your studying regimen is very flawed. Statistically, a score of 158 is above average, but let's be realistic - scoring in a practice test won't mean much come game day, and you simply are not very likely to make it much higher. I would say that one's diagnostic is a relatively good indicator of potential, and a 132 is near the absolute bottom in terms of aptitude for what the test is testing.

tl;dr - your score is a hint. Take it, and quit before you waste more time that could be much more productively spent on something you are actually good at (relative to others).

Well I don't think I'm ready to quit yet.

You haven't broken 150 after intensive practice and 2 attempts.

You may want to rethink your perseverance here.

I'm trying to be nice here, but you need to be realistic.

[geminivegitarian]

I know this sounds cliche... but keep at it! DON'T LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TELLING YOU OTHERWISE.

It's a diagnostic, you're SUPPOSED to score crappy! Or else everybody would just to straight to law school! My diagnostic was horrible, but that just made me want to study more and guess what, I learned everything I need to know about the test! The point of studying for the LSAT is to better yourself and above all, LEARN.

You have tremendous progress under your belt and you should be proud of your accomplishments so far.

I'm still studying as well, and it's been close to a year for me (though there are a few months I have taken off here and there). Just keep at it and take the test! Law schools take your highest score anyway.

In the end, YOU WILL GO TO LAW SCHOOL AND BECOME A LAWYER.

[PinkFloydPerson]

By far, the best thing you can do is claim ADD and get adderall.

Seriously though, I feel for you. Some learn differently and some learn slower.

The advice about the BIBLES is paramount, I believe they are very helpful.

Eventually you will get to the point where the LSAT is routine, and at that point you will score at least 160.

[LongueFrappe]

If you have the PS bibles here is what you need to do: breakdown the test by question types...All of them. What this does is forces you to recognize certain patterns within question types, making them easier to solve.

[shastaca]

When you've gone as far as one method will take you. Step back and try another.
If you can not take a good speed reading course and/or a rigorous intro to logic course, then try these books.


A Rulebook for Arguments
by Anthony Weston

If you're only going to order one book for your LSAT prep aside from LSAT-specific books, make this it.
Weston will show you how to spot gaps in arguments and flawed reasoning. His book is clear, simple, and concise (104 pages). It serves as an excellent outline and how-to guide for the LSAT's Logical Reasoning section.
It's a great (and amusing) framework for LSAT-style thinking. It's really cheap (compared to the other books, anyway). Don't buy an older edition of this one to save money, though. The author has improved/added significant content for each new edition.
Use: Before you start studying for the LSAT, or before you start the Logical Reasoning section.

Logic Made Easy: How to Know When Language Deceives You
by Deborah Bennett (older edition)
Even though this book is not specifically written for LSAT prep, it includes many Logical Reasoning-style questions. It also discusses several common fallacies. Bennett is clearly familiar with the LSAT, which makes the book useful for LSAT prep. The book is clearly-written, contains basic examples, and it's concise.
Feel free to skip the chapters on the history of logic (and chapter 10 on truth tables) and focus on the everyday-life examples throughout the book instead. Be sure to check out the section on fallacies in Chapter 11, as well as the final chapter.
Use: Before you start studying for the LSAT, or before you start the Logical Reasoning section.

Informal Logic: A Pragmatic Approach
by Douglas Walton (older edition)
Clearly demonstrates and explains several types of valid and invalid arguments. Walton loves reviewing logical fallacies, and he discusses several common ones that appear on the LSAT.
Use (if at all): Before you start studying or before you start the Logical Reasoning section.

Elementary Logic: Revised Edition
by William Quine (older edition)
It's only 144 pages, but it manages to cover several fundamental issues in logic, such as necessary and sufficient conditions. If you're interested, and you have enough time, look it up, but you don't need to.
Use (if at all): Before you start preparing or before you start the Logical Reasoning section.

How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method
by George Polya (older editions)
Basic suggestions for logical thinking and problem solving. Why use it? Because it provides a framework you can use to identify and analyze relationships between evidence and conclusion in a given argument. Wikipedia, this summary, and these questions should be enough.
Ask the following questions when you encounter each Logical Reasoning stimulus or Logic Game.
1. What info is provided/unknown? Does the evidence support the conclusion?
2. How does this stimulus/game differ from other ones you've seen?
3. Does restating the argument help? (Consider the contrapositive.)
4. Can you make any inferences from the given information?
5. What can you do with the inferences?
Another good summary.
Use (if at all): Before you start preparing or before you start the Logical Reasoning section.

The Little Luxe Book of Sudoku: 335 Easy to Hard Puzzles
by Will Shortz
Number puzzles will sharpen your brain and prepare it for the Logic Games.
Use (if at all): Before you start studying or when you need a break.

The Little Black Book of Sudoku: 400 Puzzles
by Will Shortz
More sudoku puzzles.
http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/ls ... books.html

I found them helpful.
I think Lumosity.com was helpful as well.

The other thing I found extremely helpful was on my practice tests to keep track of every problem missed and then go back and write out, not just figure out, but write out what I did wrong and the correct solution.

[Chisul]

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I just ordered PS books to start from the beginning, and try some of the books you guys suggested for the speed reading and logic. I will continue to fight my battle. Thank you all for your insights, I really appreciate it.