150/3.8 Forum

[qaz123]

I took the LSAT 2x and scored a 150 on both test. I would really like to go to a top 100 school and was wait listed to a few and got into UBalt. I know I might be better off retaking the LSAT and scoring higher but IDK what to do. I feel like I studied a lot for the LSAT. Any suggestions?

[studebaker07]

How long did you study for each test? Did you take a prep class? If so, which one?

[OliverWendellHomie]

Everyone here is gonna tell you to take the LSAT again. Just increasing your LSAT a few point will open a lot more doors. Where you go to law school will stick with you forever. You don't want to look back and think that if only you had studied more and took more practices tests, you would have gone to a better school and would have had better job prospects.

[qaz123]

How long did you study for each test? Did you take a prep class? If so, which one?

I studied for 5 months for the Dec test then started to study for the Feb test after Dec scores were released. I took Kaplan but it didnt help

[LoriBelle]

You would definitely have a better admissions outcome if you could bring that score up several points, but the thing is, you can only take the LSAT 3 times in two years (four times with a waiver), so if you retake, you want to really make it count.

I don't know much about UBalt personally, but from the stats it looks like the 1L drop-out rate is pretty high (about 15%) and the bar pass rate is low (less than 70% first-time passage). That spells trouble, unless you know more about it than I do and have good reasons for going there. On the other hand, employment rates look decent and the school has published on its website its plan for increasing GPA and LSAT in its entering class. Very forthright. Is UBalt somewhere you'd like to go, or just the only place you got in?

How hard did you study for the LSAT? What was your method for studying? Did you take practice tests before you took the LSAT? If so, what were the practice scores like? Some people just really struggle with standardized tests. For someone with a 150, a Kaplan course might not be a bad idea if you can afford it. (I see you took Kaplan...it didn't help at all? Were you not practicing in a higher range after the course than before it? If not, I hope you got your money back or whatever.)

A 3.8 GPA is very good. I just hate to see you hampered by your LSAT score like that if it can be improved. Where you go to school really shapes the course of your legal career. UBalt is not a bad school really, but I feel like an improved LSAT score could really open some doors for you.

[LoriBelle]

Oh, and also? This probably doesn't belong in the "Forum for Law School STUDENTS." A more appropriate place would be "What are my chances?" or something like that, I would think.

[studebaker07]

I agree with the other poster in saying that you should get your money back if your score didn't increase. I am not sure what the terms of receiving a refund are from Kaplan but you should definitely look into it.

With that said, I would look into taking the powerscore course or at least studying the logical reasoning, logic games, and reading comprehension bibles. Are there any sections of the test in particular that you are very very weak on? It sounds like you might have across the board weeknesses which isn't necessarily bad (I improved from a 142 to a 158 After I took a year off and took the powerscore course along with some self-study time).

Maybe some time away from the test would be good. If you can, try and take a couple months off and take the Powerscore course this fall and see where you stand. If you are not meeting your goal score by the time the October test comes around, shoot for the February or June test next year. I wouldn't just rush into Univ. of Baltimore though. Even a score increase into the mid-upper 150s would give you a solid chance at some Tier-2s with that GPA. Cracking 160 will get you into some lower Tier-1s and will put you in the running for $$$.

[qaz123]

How hard did you study for the LSAT? What was your method for studying? Did you take practice tests before you took the LSAT? If so, what were the practice scores like? Some people just really struggle with standardized tests. For someone with a 150, a Kaplan course might not be a bad idea if you can afford it. (I see you took Kaplan...it didn't help at all? Were you not practicing in a higher range after the course than before it? If not, I hope you got your money back or whatever.)

I feel that I studied hard but know I could always do more. I was also in school while studying which took away from some study time. I'm just not sure how much of a difference it will make if i study again and retake the test. The first practice test I took was 144 and after Kaplan it was 150. I'm sure they wont give me my momey back its been months since I took the course (I wish i could get it back)

[qaz123]

I agree with the other poster in saying that you should get your money back if your score didn't increase. I am not sure what the terms of receiving a refund are from Kaplan but you should definitely look into it.

With that said, I would look into taking the powerscore course or at least studying the logical reasoning, logic games, and reading comprehension bibles. Are there any sections of the test in particular that you are very very weak on? It sounds like you might have across the board weeknesses which isn't necessarily bad (I improved from a 142 to a 158 After I took a year off and took the powerscore course along with some self-study time).

Maybe some time away from the test would be good. If you can, try and take a couple months off and take the Powerscore course this fall and see where you stand. If you are not meeting your goal score by the time the October test comes around, shoot for the February or June test next year. I wouldn't just rush into Univ. of Baltimore though. Even a score increase into the mid-upper 150s would give you a solid chance at some Tier-2s with that GPA. Cracking 160 will get you into some lower Tier-1s and will put you in the running for $$$.

I'm just not consistent sometimes I'm score high on games and do terrible on reading comp and other times I’ll do ok on logical reasoning and perform poorly on games. I would like to get a higher score I just wanted to go to school this year but i guess thats not going to happen.

[Grizz]

Retake, or don't go.

[CmonSD]

Kaplan offers a deal that even if you did better than your diagnostic, but are unsatisfied, you can take the course again for free. I would try and find out if that still applies to you. I started out at a 142 with Kaplan. Took the Kaplan course twice, then the Kaplan extreme course. It may be overkill but I got a 158 in September and am still studying for this September and have finally hit the mid 160's on practice tests. I found studying the material on my own is more useful than sitting in class, but the class really helped for the basics. Good luck!

[qaz123]

Kaplan offers a deal that even if you did better than your diagnostic, but are unsatisfied, you can take the course again for free. I would try and find out if that still applies to you. I started out at a 142 with Kaplan. Took the Kaplan course twice, then the Kaplan extreme course. It may be overkill but I got a 158 in September and am still studying for this September and have finally hit the mid 160's on practice tests. I found studying the material on my own is more useful than sitting in class, but the class really helped for the basics. Good luck!

Thats good. I took the course twice. How many times can you retake it?

[CmonSD]

Kaplan offers a deal that even if you did better than your diagnostic, but are unsatisfied, you can take the course again for free. I would try and find out if that still applies to you. I started out at a 142 with Kaplan. Took the Kaplan course twice, then the Kaplan extreme course. It may be overkill but I got a 158 in September and am still studying for this September and have finally hit the mid 160's on practice tests. I found studying the material on my own is more useful than sitting in class, but the class really helped for the basics. Good luck!

Thats good. I took the course twice. How many times can you retake it?

You can take it only one more time for free. I had to pay again for the extreme course. It made a difference though. Maybe try the powerscore bibles too?