What is a practical number, one can expect their score to improve by within 3 months? Forum

[olikatz]

I'm taking the September LSAT. My diagnostic was 150 . My goal is 170, but I'll be content with a score in the high 160s. I'm concerned if this is a possible score to attain within 3 months. Is it possible for me to gain 20 points+ between now and the September test?

[Barack O'Drama]

I'm taking the September LSAT. My diagnostic was 150 . My goal is 170, but I'll be content with a score in the high 160s. I'm concerned if this is a possible score to attain within 3 months. Is it possible for me to gain 20 points+ between now and the September test?

Questions like these are so hard to answer because everyone is so different. My friend who was a physics major and went from high 150s to a 174 in about that time. Other people I have known have studied for over a year and couldn't get 20 points. I would say most people are somewhere in-between.

What was your individual section score breakdown? For example, did you get your 150 because you missed a little of everything, or was it a lot of one thing?

For myself, I missed a ton of LG on my diagnostic. I think I did 1 and a half games and missed everything else. I also got -9 LR and -7 RC. So I needed work all over the place, but mainly with LG. I think my final diagnosis was about a 153 or something. I started studying about 3 weeks ago and am writing the September test. I am hoping to be in the 170s, but realistically I will be happy with a high 160s. In sum, I think a 20 point increase with a lot of work and discipline is possible, but rare. Perhaps if you plan to retake in December the 170 will be more doable.

[olikatz]

It was a little bit of everything. Basically 10-12 missed on each section. Looking back on it, I understand why the right answers were what they were. I will go back and take another PT next week and see where I stand.

[Barack O'Drama]

It was a little bit of everything. Basically 10-12 missed on each section. Looking back on it, I understand why the right answers were what they were. I will go back and take another PT next week and see where I stand.

Well, don't burn through too many tests accessing yourself without at least some studying. It is good that you know why you got what you got wrong. That is a very good sign. What can be deceiving is when going through the answers, it seems simple enough to figure out why the right answer is right, but just as important is knowing why the wrong answers are wrong. The good news is, the test is very learnable. The 150s isn't a terrible place to start. I recommend reading The LSAT Trainer, that will give you a great foundation to begin from. Then the Powerscore Bibles and Manhattan are both favorites for high score test takers.

[TLSModBot]

8

[momoyome]

The lower your score the easier it is to make jumps to the high 150s. Once you get into the 160 range you have to show real mastery of the material. Someone with 140 could make 15 point progress where someone at 155 could only get a few points with equal diligence. Leave the diagnostic score alone for right now and learn the material to the best of your ability. Drill question types but do so smartly. The worst thing to do is to not be mindful when using prep materials and run out of real questions to practice with. Then you can probably see if your score is attainable or if you have hit your top score.

[Br3v]

I think it's common (for TLS) for diagnostics in the low 150s to turn into scores in the 170s

[Kangaroo_Court]

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[andrewhl]

I'm in the same shoes with OP.
My first three PT is 155
I have to get 170+ since my undergraduate GPA sucks and Ontario Law schools focus only on undergraduate GPA. which leave me no other choice but to get a really high LSAT scores to compensate the low GPA

[Giro423]

I'm taking the September LSAT. My diagnostic was 150 . My goal is 170, but I'll be content with a score in the high 160s. I'm concerned if this is a possible score to attain within 3 months. Is it possible for me to gain 20 points+ between now and the September test?

Depends largely on the person. I thought I was going to be a hopeless case as my diagnostic was a 142, but with four months of serious studying I hit 166, and hoping to breach 170 soon. It is probably possible.

[Deardevil]

200% possible! Don't let a low diagnostic discourage you. It's all in the mindset.
If you think you could succeed, you will eventually do so. Comes down to hard work AND determination, not time.
As Barack O'Drama states, studying for a year may not be enough due to factors weighing in, like work or school.
Yes, you should keep track of time, but more importantly, schedule your study routine and make the best of it.

You can do it!

[Blueprint Mithun]

It was a little bit of everything. Basically 10-12 missed on each section. Looking back on it, I understand why the right answers were what they were. I will go back and take another PT next week and see where I stand.

Improvement really does vary significantly from person to person. Though something strikes me as off about your approach. If you haven't started or have just started learning the test material, you're not going to see a significant change in a week. Rather that take another PT, I suggest you get a set of books or take a course and focus on learning the concepts and strategies. A diagnostic is useful more as a way of getting a feel for what the test is like than as a measure of your potential, in my opinion. Don't put any real weight into that score. Your goal now, if you're serious about scoring a 170+, should be to learn and master the material on the LSAT.

[BirdLawExpert]

I'm taking the September LSAT. My diagnostic was 150 . My goal is 170, but I'll be content with a score in the high 160s. I'm concerned if this is a possible score to attain within 3 months. Is it possible for me to gain 20 points+ between now and the September test?

I went from 160 to 174 in ten weeks with five weeks of studying and five weeks of PTs. Find a program that meshes with your learning style and you can definitely surprise yourself.

That being said, if you can afford to take a later test and you're worried about stressing yourself into a bad score, then do whatever will but you in a better mental state to succeed.