The Value of Retaking Forum

[darkgrayclouds]

Last year I faced a tough decision. Attend a T6 school with a very small scholarship, or sit out a year, retake the LSAT, and shoot for better outcomes. This is what resulted:

2011-2012 Cycle: 163 LSAT
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/mishap

2012-2013 Cycle: 163/165/176 LSAT
lawschoolnumbers.com/try%20again

I hope this can help someone who is struggling with the same situation that I faced last year. Retaking the LSAT was one of the best decision I ever made.

[jselson]

Last year I faced a tough decision. Attend a T6 school with a very small scholarship, or sit out a year, retake the LSAT, and shoot for better outcomes. This is what resulted:

2011-2012 Cycle: 163 LSAT
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/mishap

2012-2013 Cycle: 163/165/176 LSAT
lawschoolnumbers.com/try%20again

I hope this can help someone who is struggling with the same situation that I faced last year. Retaking the LSAT was one of the best decision I ever made.

Amazing and inspiring, congrats, man.

[ManOfTheMinute]

Like a champ

[eric922]

Congrats on the great score and thanks for the thread.

[bizzybone1313]

What did you differently this time that made your score jump so dramatically? About how many total hours of prep did you do for your score?

So, what did SLS and HLS give you in need aid? Do you mind telling us?

[solucky]

this makes me absolutely giddy with excitement.

thank you for inspiring me!

[TatNurner]

Restecp.

Would also love to hear your response to bizzy's questions about how you approached the test each time and what eventually led to your breakthrough.

[txdude45]

Last year I faced a tough decision. Attend a T6 school with a very small scholarship, or sit out a year, retake the LSAT, and shoot for better outcomes. This is what resulted:

2011-2012 Cycle: 163 LSAT
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/mishap

2012-2013 Cycle: 163/165/176 LSAT
lawschoolnumbers.com/try%20again

I hope this can help someone who is struggling with the same situation that I faced last year. Retaking the LSAT was one of the best decision I ever made.

This is the exact situation I'm in. Where did you work in the intervening year? What was your study schedule? I'm considering paralegal work, retaking, reapplying, but I'm only rocking a 3.2/167...

[WhiskeynCoke]

Last year I faced a tough decision. Attend a T6 school with a very small scholarship, or sit out a year, retake the LSAT, and shoot for better outcomes. This is what resulted:

2011-2012 Cycle: 163 LSAT
http://lawschoolnumbers.com/mishap

2012-2013 Cycle: 163/165/176 LSAT
lawschoolnumbers.com/try%20again

I hope this can help someone who is struggling with the same situation that I faced last year. Retaking the LSAT was one of the best decision I ever made.

This is the exact situation I'm in. Where did you work in the intervening year? What was your study schedule? I'm considering paralegal work, retaking, reapplying, but I'm only rocking a 3.2/167...

I'm not the OP but I went from a 167->179 so I think my advice could be helpful. I recommend taking 2 PT's/week for as long as it takes to max your score (think like 6 months+). You need to analyze the shit of your performance after each test and figure out what your weaknesses were, how you could've improved, why you made the mistakes you made. This isn't just a "go over your wrong answers" drill. You need to get back into your head and find the problems. Did you navigate the logic games in the most efficient way possible, whether or not you missed any? Did you miss inferences? Did you make the right judgement calls in your skipping/guessing? So on and so forth. Seek Perfection.

Maximize the benefits you get from every single PT because they are finite. 2/week max. 3 is too many and just reinforces your bad habits. Thats what most people do when they "study" for the LSAT.... reinforce their bad habits.

[Gamine]

This thread is very inspiring

[darkgrayclouds]

Hi guys. To answer some of your questions:

In the intervening year between last year's cycle and this year's cycle, I worked part-time while studying for the LSAT, and have worked full-time ever since taking the October 2012 test. It is worth noting that the job I am currently at is in no way prestigious, nor is it related to the field of law.

When I first took the LSAT in June 2011, my practice test average was roughly 170, and I had scored as high as 176 on two practice tests. I ended up with a 163. Rather than retaking immediately, which in retrospect would have been the right decision, I decided to send off my applications and let the chips fall where they may. I was fed up with the LSAT and didn't want to go through the hell of studying and retaking. I figured my URM boost would help me get into good schools, and it did. It wasn't until I received my scholarship offer from Chicago that the LSAT started creeping back into my head. I wasn't comfortable with the prospect of paying near-sticker price, so I decided to retake in June 2012. The problem with this is that I made this decision so last-minute, that I only had one month to study. Nevertheless, I made a great deal of improvement in practice tests. I brought my average closer to 174. I would take 3-4 practice tests a week, scrutinizing wrong answers and identifying types of questions that were giving me problems. I was prepared. I took the test in June 2012, and was devastated to receive the score of 165.

What went wrong is that, just like with my previous test, I completely choked on the logic games. I got flustered. I freaked out. It was very disappointing. I decided to travel for a month to clear my head and decide my future. At this point I had two underwhelming scores. I had already put down a seat deposit at Chicago. But I knew I still had room for improvement. I didn't want to make a decision I would ultimately regret. So with two months to go before the October 2012 test, I withdrew from Chicago and went back to studying. I took 5, sometimes 6 practice tests a week. Luckily, I was only working part-time, which was a huge luxury. I had ample free time to devote to studying. I did every logic game ever released by LSAC. I retook practice tests I had already taken. I brought my average score up to a 176, and scored 180 on 3 or 4 practice tests. I ended up with the score of 176, and did not miss any logic game questions.

Taking 5-6 tests a week is obviously drastic, and I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. I was lucky enough to be able to balance studying with flexible work hours, but others won't have that luxury. The best advice I can give is that if you know you underperformed on the LSAT, then keep trying. The potential reward is worth the risk. I estimate that I saved myself $60,000, plus interest, plus the added benefit of attending the school I have always wanted to attend, by sitting out a year and reapplying.

Good luck to everyone facing this decision!

[TatNurner]

^ How long did you study for the first time around?

[Dr. Dre]

good for you. I want to know how many months it took you to get that 176...

[Clearly]

Good Job OP, I have a very similar jump, except my GPA sucks so T6 is out regardless. 164->176. My rule of thumb is this, if you think you can can do better, if you think you in any way are shorting your potential, and if the LSAC will let you, it's almost always in your best interest to retake.

[Clearly]

Hi guys. To answer some of your questions:

In the intervening year between last year's cycle and this year's cycle, I worked part-time while studying for the LSAT, and have worked full-time ever since taking the October 2012 test. It is worth noting that the job I am currently at is in no way prestigious, nor is it related to the field of law.

When I first took the LSAT in June 2011, my practice test average was roughly 170, and I had scored as high as 176 on two practice tests. I ended up with a 163. Rather than retaking immediately, which in retrospect would have been the right decision, I decided to send off my applications and let the chips fall where they may. I was fed up with the LSAT and didn't want to go through the hell of studying and retaking. I figured my URM boost would help me get into good schools, and it did. It wasn't until I received my scholarship offer from Chicago that the LSAT started creeping back into my head. I wasn't comfortable with the prospect of paying near-sticker price, so I decided to retake in June 2012. The problem with this is that I made this decision so last-minute, that I only had one month to study. Nevertheless, I made a great deal of improvement in practice tests. I brought my average closer to 174. I would take 3-4 practice tests a week, scrutinizing wrong answers and identifying types of questions that were giving me problems. I was prepared. I took the test in June 2012, and was devastated to receive the score of 165.

What went wrong is that, just like with my previous test, I completely choked on the logic games. I got flustered. I freaked out. It was very disappointing. I decided to travel for a month to clear my head and decide my future. At this point I had two underwhelming scores. I had already put down a seat deposit at Chicago. But I knew I still had room for improvement. I didn't want to make a decision I would ultimately regret. So with two months to go before the October 2012 test, I withdrew from Chicago and went back to studying. I took 5, sometimes 6 practice tests a week. Luckily, I was only working part-time, which was a huge luxury. I had ample free time to devote to studying. I did every logic game ever released by LSAC. I retook practice tests I had already taken. I brought my average score up to a 176, and scored 180 on 3 or 4 practice tests. I ended up with the score of 176, and did not miss any logic game questions.

Taking 5-6 tests a week is obviously drastic, and I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. I was lucky enough to be able to balance studying with flexible work hours, but others won't have that luxury. The best advice I can give is that if you know you underperformed on the LSAT, then keep trying. The potential reward is worth the risk. I estimate that I saved myself $60,000, plus interest, plus the added benefit of attending the school I have always wanted to attend, by sitting out a year and reapplying.

Good luck to everyone facing this decision!

Good Job on Zones btw!

[Gamine]

Fabulous

[bizzybone1313]

We appreciate the response OP. No offense but it is now easy to see why your score jumped so dramatically. It sounds like you choking on LG was a major contributor to you getting those first 160's scores. That makes sense. A lot of people seem to do well on LG at home or at the library and then bomb that section on game day. Since you scored so high eventually, I am sure you did improve a lil bit on RC and LR as well.