LSAT Retake? Forum

[somedeadman]

I'm a longtime poster trying to conceal my identity, and am looking to get some advice.

I’m interested in hearing if people think I should take again, and if so, what can I do to study?

GPA: 3.68
LSATs: 169, 168

Dilemma: Completely out of testing material; have done almost every practice test twice, and have done many three times

Practice test score range on a fresh test was 167-172….would score 175+ on retakes. So a 169 is about right in my range.

With that said, I was waitlisted at my two of my top three choices, which is why I’m thinking it may be time to suite up again. But having beaten the crap out already existing problems, am I out of luck? For my first take, I studied for exactly a year. For my retake, I had to do test retakes and reretakes. As you can see, my score actually went down using this method.

169 sounds like it might be my score, but having gotten as high as a 172 on a fresh test, I have a hard time giving this one up, especially when even one extra point would make a huge difference for me.

P.S. BRed all of my prep tests, as well as any problem I drilled.

Top choices are Penn, UVA (waitlisted), Duke (waitlisted). Would love Columbia or Harvard, but know that's not going to happen.

[neptunian]

I'd try again just in case I got lucky. It seems that you've already submitted your apps so there's nothing to lose unless you're busy with something else (if that's the case maybe dont retake). On the other hand do you mind sharing what your top 3 choices are? I have a similar LSAT and decided not to retake, and now you're making me nervous

[somedeadman]

I'd try again just in case I got lucky. It seems that you've already submitted your apps so there's nothing to lose unless you're busy with something else (if that's the case maybe dont retake). On the other hand do you mind sharing what your top 3 choices are? I have a similar LSAT and decided not to retake, and now you're making me nervous

Top three are Penn, UVA, and Duke, but I am flexible; also really like Michigan, Cornell, and Vanderbilt (heck I like all of the law schools I applied to, and would be willing to go to any of them, but I'd like to go to the best one I'm capable of getting into). With that said Columbia and Harvard were the dream.

Only thing keeping me busy is the 9 to 5 life. Part of me wants to take another crack at the LSAT again, but at the same time, I don't want to be spinning my wheels for no reason like my first retake attempt.

[somedeadman]

Bumping for more feedback

[somedeadman]

Bump

[addie1412]

what was your breakdown like?

If LG wasn't -0/-1, I'd retake.

[somedeadman]

what was your breakdown like?

If LG wasn't -0/-1, I'd retake.

First time was -2, second time was -1. LR was like -3 or -4 for each section both times. RC dropped from a 24 to a 22, and I think that's because the only way I could study for that section the second time was by redoing RC passages.

[somedeadman]

Was just laid off, so now I'm seriously considering a retake in February. What can I do to study, or would I just be rolling my wheels for nothing by doing problems again for a fourth time plus?

[somedeadman]

I'll bump one more time. Really curious to see what people say about my lack of fresh available testing material. Since redoing problems for my first retake lead to a score decrease, I am worried that studying again would just be me spinning my wheels.

I am considering getting the Sept. 2016 LSAT and taking it cold to see how I do. Also thinking of doing something like the LSAT trainer and pretty much just relearning the LSAT.

I don't have a job anymore, so I do have the time. However, taking this test again and dropping down in my score would pretty much kill me.

My goal is big law in a major metro area, and I know that I don't necessarily have to go to Penn, Duke, or UVA to accomplish that goal. So far I have gotten into WashU (close to a full-ride), UCLA, and Georgetown, and am hoping for more good news. If only I could have gotten a 170 I wouldn't even be considering this right now....

[quigleyest]

Fellow retaker here.


Do you feel like you reached your ceiling?

If not, and you care enough to spend some time, maybe at least 6-8 weeks studying, then I would give it a go.


Using Sept 2016 for a cold take might be a waste of a valuable resource IMO.

[somedeadman]

Fellow retaker here.


Do you feel like you reached your ceiling?

If not, and you care enough to spend some time, maybe at least 6-8 weeks studying, then I would give it a go.


Using Sept 2016 for a cold take might be a waste of a valuable resource IMO.

The data suggests I have reached my ceiling; have tested in the 167-172 range since December of 2015. That's over 60 preptests of the same score. I'm tempted to retake in case I get lucky on the Feb. test or it at least puts me at the higher end of my range. Even 6-8 weeks of studying sounds brutal right now to be honest. If I could figure out a way to not do it like I did for my last retake...Idk, definitely in the midst of an existential crisis haha.

[quigleyest]

Fellow retaker here.


Do you feel like you reached your ceiling?

If not, and you care enough to spend some time, maybe at least 6-8 weeks studying, then I would give it a go.


Using Sept 2016 for a cold take might be a waste of a valuable resource IMO.

The data suggests I have reached my ceiling; have tested in the 167-172 range since December of 2015. That's over 60 preptests of the same score. I'm tempted to retake in case I get lucky on the Feb. test or it at least puts me at the higher end of my range. Even 6-8 weeks of studying sounds brutal right now to be honest. If I could figure out a way to not do it like I did for my last retake...Idk, definitely in the midst of an existential crisis haha.

Maybe you have been doing this, and your plateau is due to general concentration/test-taking ability, but I feel like you have to rigorously analyze when you made a mistake on each question you get wrong. Focus on eliminating the mistakes once you are at around -10 raw for any given test.

[somedeadman]

Fellow retaker here.


Do you feel like you reached your ceiling?

If not, and you care enough to spend some time, maybe at least 6-8 weeks studying, then I would give it a go.


Using Sept 2016 for a cold take might be a waste of a valuable resource IMO.

The data suggests I have reached my ceiling; have tested in the 167-172 range since December of 2015. That's over 60 preptests of the same score. I'm tempted to retake in case I get lucky on the Feb. test or it at least puts me at the higher end of my range. Even 6-8 weeks of studying sounds brutal right now to be honest. If I could figure out a way to not do it like I did for my last retake...Idk, definitely in the midst of an existential crisis haha.

Maybe you have been doing this, and your plateau is due to general concentration/test-taking ability, but I feel like you have to rigorously analyze when you made a mistake on each question you get wrong. Focus on eliminating the mistakes once you are at around -10 raw for any given test.

That's been my approach when studying. And I also don't have a concentration problem when taking the test. At least I don't think I do.

I really don't know what to say or do at this point. I am very hesitant to sit in Feb. or June as I feel that I have probably maxed out and do not want to be spinning my wheels. However, I also read that another poster on this forum did each test 3x to get into the 175+ range.

[quigleyest]

Fellow retaker here.


Do you feel like you reached your ceiling?

If not, and you care enough to spend some time, maybe at least 6-8 weeks studying, then I would give it a go.


Using Sept 2016 for a cold take might be a waste of a valuable resource IMO.

The data suggests I have reached my ceiling; have tested in the 167-172 range since December of 2015. That's over 60 preptests of the same score. I'm tempted to retake in case I get lucky on the Feb. test or it at least puts me at the higher end of my range. Even 6-8 weeks of studying sounds brutal right now to be honest. If I could figure out a way to not do it like I did for my last retake...Idk, definitely in the midst of an existential crisis haha.

Maybe you have been doing this, and your plateau is due to general concentration/test-taking ability, but I feel like you have to rigorously analyze when you made a mistake on each question you get wrong. Focus on eliminating the mistakes once you are at around -10 raw for any given test.

That's been my approach when studying. And I also don't have a concentration problem when taking the test. At least I don't think I do.

I really don't know what to say or do at this point. I am very hesitant to sit in Feb. or June as I feel that I have probably maxed out and do not want to be spinning my wheels. However, I also read that another poster on this forum did each test 3x to get into the 175+ range.

in TLS 1776 guide to an 180, he recommends the services of a private tutor... do you have any peers who are scoring a little above you to ask for some advice? all I can say is that I feel like for a vast majority of LSAt questions, there concrete reasons why each incorrect answer is incorrect. For each question type, there are also patterns. Have you been reviewing mistakes thoroughly, perhaps through flash cards? After some time, you should probably improve on certain sections. Hard for me to say what the potential roadblock is over the computer.

Best of luck with whatever you do decide.

[ckingfisher]

Hello all,

In June I received a 169 and some folks tell me that I should retake considering I have a GPA that would allow me to go to Harvard or Columbia (3.92).

Here was my prep:

All the Powerscore books

15 tests

Various logical games books

I did this for about 3 months while working and then took 2 weeks off for some hardcore grinding before my LSAT.

How would you suggest I up my score to the low to mid 170s? Just more practice?

[somedeadman]

Fellow retaker here.


Do you feel like you reached your ceiling?

If not, and you care enough to spend some time, maybe at least 6-8 weeks studying, then I would give it a go.


Using Sept 2016 for a cold take might be a waste of a valuable resource IMO.

The data suggests I have reached my ceiling; have tested in the 167-172 range since December of 2015. That's over 60 preptests of the same score. I'm tempted to retake in case I get lucky on the Feb. test or it at least puts me at the higher end of my range. Even 6-8 weeks of studying sounds brutal right now to be honest. If I could figure out a way to not do it like I did for my last retake...Idk, definitely in the midst of an existential crisis haha.

Maybe you have been doing this, and your plateau is due to general concentration/test-taking ability, but I feel like you have to rigorously analyze when you made a mistake on each question you get wrong. Focus on eliminating the mistakes once you are at around -10 raw for any given test.

That's been my approach when studying. And I also don't have a concentration problem when taking the test. At least I don't think I do.

I really don't know what to say or do at this point. I am very hesitant to sit in Feb. or June as I feel that I have probably maxed out and do not want to be spinning my wheels. However, I also read that another poster on this forum did each test 3x to get into the 175+ range.

in TLS 1776 guide to an 180, he recommends the services of a private tutor... do you have any peers who are scoring a little above you to ask for some advice? all I can say is that I feel like for a vast majority of LSAt questions, there concrete reasons why each incorrect answer is incorrect. For each question type, there are also patterns. Have you been reviewing mistakes thoroughly, perhaps through flash cards? After some time, you should probably improve on certain sections. Hard for me to say what the potential roadblock is over the computer.

Best of luck with whatever you do decide.

I actually did use a private tutor (only for three hours though), and did not see any improvement (nor did I find it particularly useful, though he did work for The Princeton Review).

I definitely did use that method you describe, and felt that I had improved a lot on the test. For example, any time I retook a test, I would score 175+. However, this inflated score did not represent my actual score.

I'm thinking about waiting to see what my decisions will be for the rest of this cycle, and then using the June test as an opportunity to sneak into schools.

[somedeadman]

Hello all,

In June I received a 169 and some folks tell me that I should retake considering I have a GPA that would allow me to go to Harvard or Columbia (3.92).

Here was my prep:

All the Powerscore books

15 tests

Various logical games books

I did this for about 3 months while working and then took 2 weeks off for some hardcore grinding before my LSAT.

How would you suggest I up my score to the low to mid 170s? Just more practice?

You should definitely retake. To be honest, you really did not prep very much to get that 169, so getting above a 170 is feasible.

[LawschoolHopeful2k16]

Hello all,

In June I received a 169 and some folks tell me that I should retake considering I have a GPA that would allow me to go to Harvard or Columbia (3.92).

Here was my prep:

All the Powerscore books

15 tests

Various logical games books

I did this for about 3 months while working and then took 2 weeks off for some hardcore grinding before my LSAT.

How would you suggest I up my score to the low to mid 170s? Just more practice?

You should definitely retake. To be honest, you really did not prep very much to get that 169, so getting above a 170 is feasible.

If you think you could have performed better (aka you don't think you got lucky with the 169, we're continuing to improve on practice tests all the way up until the real thing) then retake.

It's no guarantee you'll increase by much or even at all, but you have a solid chance to improve a bit and maybe even get lucky and improve a lot.