lillawyer2 wrote:beantheshadow wrote:cgra1916 wrote:beantheshadow wrote:lillawyer2 wrote:beantheshadow wrote:lillawyer2 wrote:I'm so excited and nervous at the same time. I'm applying after the Sept. test. I'm sad bc my top school app opens Sept. 1st and I can't apply until after my Sept. LSAT results.
I guess I can get the app in, but have it complete when my lsat score comes in... meh..
I feel the same, it feels so real yet still far enough where I'm not panicking. Lol
Are you re-taking or will this be your first take? Either way good luck with your studying!
This is def. not my first take. My first take, I wasn't ready. I took it hoping for the best. I scored low 150s. I have to really bust my ass to make up for such a low score.
How many times did you take the test?
You can do it! I took it twice, first time, I scored in the low 150s (150 to be exact) but after about 6 months of really dedicating myself I scored in the high 160s. The beginning of my studies were pretty tough but you'll make breakthroughs!
Whoa that's awesome, and a really great improvement. Congrats to you! Do you mind sharing what you did differently during those 6 months that helped you achieve such a huge jump?
One word, study!
I stupidly took the LSAT the first time with minimal prep (only took 2 PTs

). I did this because I was being pressured by family who said I wasn't serious about LS since I hadn't registered for the LSAT or hadn't prepared my application material yet (In reality I really wanted to take a year off for the birth of my son). Then I had a shitty cycle with one acceptance, where if I went I'd owe $150,000+
Then I discovered TLS, read through the study guides. I basically did the LSAT Trainer, and the Powerscore Bibles for the first three months of my studying, and drilled using the Cambridge packets. Then my last two months consisted of taking two PTs, a week and a few of those weeks I'd take three a week. Then for each PT, I'd do full BR for LG and RC, and do circled BR for LR. Also went to some of the free BR Skype session organized by 7sage students, nothing beat going over the test and having to articulate to complete strangers my reasoning. Going into my second take, my highest PT was 167 (twice), and I was averaging 165 on my previous 5. So I felt pretty comfortable going into test day. Ended up scoring a 168!

That is so good!
Since we are in a similar boat (well with the first low scores) do you have to write an addendum? Isn't it self explanatory that you didn't do so well the first shot and now you did.
You know that's the same question I asked myself! Lol I had similar train of though as you that they would just say "Hey he didn't rush into Law school with the lower score," but I asked Mike Spivey in the Ask the Professional thread and he said he recommends anyone to write one if their scores increased 10+ between takes (he has pretty good reasoning it was actually one of the more recent questions so if you go back a few pages you can see what he says). It kind of bummed me out because I was hoping not to have any Addendums!
As for having three months to study, I think that is actually a great amount of time. TBH I feel like I wasted the first two months of my studying, I didn't understand BRing or how to properly review anything. Basically when I drilled I just checked my answers and kind of moved on. It wasn't till I started sitting with the questions and forced myself to see why 4 answers were wrong and 1 was correct that I started seeing gains.
One of the best review methods I took from this site which I think could help you was this: After taking a PT and BRing it, I would cut out any question I got wrong before BR in the LR section, regardless if I corrected it during BR, and glue it into a 5-star notebook, than exactly a week later I would go do all those questions again untimed and as methodically as possible. First I'd write the question type (Suff, Necc, Main Conc,), then I read through it slowly and write coherent reasons to cross out an answer and then write my reasoning for selecting the one I did. At first it is a pretty long process because I was missing quite a bit of LR questions but as you get better you start missing less and those review days become more enjoyable and the reasoning get's stuck in your head. Feel free to message me if you have any more questions about anything!