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Hi All,

I am looking to improve on my 154 that I scored in June. I have a question to anyone who has had experience taking the LSAT multiple times. I scored a 145 in February then started working with a tutor which helped tremendously. He basically just gave me the proper study schedule which was doing 8 sections at a time when I practiced twice a week. My question is would you advise doing the same schedule again, less, more, or something different? With school and work picking back up, I am more pressed for time than I was in June, and I want to stay fresh, but I'm shooting for a 165 this go round. Any help is much appreciated.

I haven't taken the LSAT yet, but i would say that you shouldn't take the test until your PT's are around where you want to be at. Your not gonna go in on test day and jump up 10 points.

hairstod wrote: He basically just gave me the proper study schedule which was doing 8 sections at a time when I practiced twice a week.

8 sections at a time is overkill; 4-5 is a far better candidate. Even so, considering you are not even in the 160s yet, your goal should be to drill question/game types and leave off doing entire sections until you hit your target score. Also, drill the question/game types untimed. There's no reason you should be wasting entire sections when you aren't fully grasping the concepts required for the LSAT.

hairstod wrote: My question is would you advise doing the same schedule again, less, more, or something different?

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." - Some famous person. Do something different.

hairstod wrote: With school and work picking back up, I am more pressed for time than I was in June, and I want to stay fresh, but I'm shooting for a 165 this go round. Any help is much appreciated.

What section(s) are giving you the most difficulty? What prep materials have you used so far to prepare for the LSAT?

For those for those of you who HAVE taken the LSAT this is a great case study question. What is the flaw in Sarahkerrigan's response here?

Ok, seriously though. My question has more to do with the time involved in the prep. I credit my first low score to the fact that I had been out of school for several years, and it has taken a while to get back up to fast reading speed. My reading speed and accuracy has improved since the June test, and I'm concerned that going to hard in the prep could wear me out with school and work picking up in the month of September. Thoughts on a practice schedule for a 3rd time test taker. (please do not respond, if you do not intend to address the question)

I've been drilling reading comp the most as it's my weakest section. I also have trouble in arguments in the questions #15-20. If I could make up some ground in these areas I"ll have no problem. I consistently pt i the 160 range.

I've been using the kaplan reading comp book to drill, and the standard preptests when doing full tests.

I was going to say you need to postpone, but it sounds like you have been studying post-June.

Reading comp: Keep drilling. Others recommend Manhattan's book on this topic, and I'm sure it would help you. But ultimately, reading comp has the fewest tricks.

LR questions 15-20: Usually the hardest ones, as you probably know. Make sure you can get through the first ten in ten minutes (ideally 15 in 15) so that you have the appropriate time to dedicate to the toughest questions.

And of course don't expect a 165 unless you can consistently ace games.

Drop Kaplan and go with Manhattan for RC, Powerscore/Manhattan for LR, and Powerscore/Manhattan for LG.

If you are not ready by October, make sure to postpone until December. It used to be really easy to get a retake waiver to bypass the 3 LSATs in 2-years rule but LSAC changed its policy and now it has become substantially harder to get a retake waiver (Read: not going to happen). You really do not want to wait another 2 years from your February LSAT to have another shot.

not worried about games. but how often do you suggest drilling, doing pt's per week up until the test. My goal is to be fresh.

Spend the next two weeks on the LR Bible and Manhattan RC book. Do a handful (6-8) of PTs in the last couple weeks, with drilling on your days off. If you are scoring 160 without even having trouble on games, you are missing a third of the other questions. Improve accuracy first. Taking PTs now is a waste of time and prep material.

Any reasons why you are so in favor of Manhattan over the kaplan rc book?

I didn't use either. I'm just going off what others have said around here. You might want to try something different from what you've already been doing if RC continues to be such a struggle.