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Hello! I just started studying for the LSAT (about 15 hours worth of work) and scored a 155 on a practice test. I lost a whopping 18 points on the two logical reasoning sections combined. Clearly, that is what I really need to work on, along with speed on the logic games. I have 8 months to improve my score. I am able to study about 20 hours a week for 28 weeks... and I'm counting on 60 hours a week for the last 2 months. (That will complete the 7Sage course I'm going to buy.) I am extremely motivated to succeed, and it is unlikely that I will lose that motivation. How realistic is it to get up to a 170?

samanthaashley wrote:I am extremely motivated to succeed, and it is unlikely that I will lose that motivation.

I spent a year and a half as an LSAT tutor. Everyone is motivated at the start, but very few can keep it up for more than a couple weeks. The people going above and beyond in Week 1 were the same people who were randomly bubbling in half their assignment 5 minutes before our meeting in Week 6. You really don't need to study anywhere near as much as you have planned out. It's only going to contribute to burn-out.

You can easily get to 170+ from where you are with 10 hours/week for 3 months if you stay disciplined.

samanthaashley wrote:Hello! I just started studying for the LSAT (about 15 hours worth of work) and scored a 155 on a practice test. I lost a whopping 18 points on the two logical reasoning sections combined. Clearly, that is what I really need to work on, along with speed on the logic games. I have 8 months to improve my score. I am able to study about 20 hours a week for 28 weeks... and I'm counting on 60 hours a week for the last 2 months. (That will complete the 7Sage course I'm going to buy.) I am extremely motivated to succeed, and it is unlikely that I will lose that motivation. How realistic is it to get up to a 170?

Thats...a bit excessive. 60 hours/week of LSAT when you have all this time is probably unnecessary if you're able to stick to a consistent schedule. I also used 7sage and found it quite helpful, but only went with the starter package, and then bought a couple of the additional practice tests (for a total of roughly 3 months)

White Dwarf wrote:

samanthaashley wrote:I am extremely motivated to succeed, and it is unlikely that I will lose that motivation.

I spent a year and a half as an LSAT tutor. Everyone is motivated at the start, but very few can keep it up for more than a couple weeks. The people going above and beyond in Week 1 were the same people who were randomly bubbling in half their assignment 5 minutes before our meeting in Week 6. You really don't need to study anywhere near as much as you have planned out. It's only going to contribute to burn-out.

You can easily get to 170+ from where you are with 10 hours/week for 3 months if you stay disciplined.

+1 (I am also a former tutor/teacher, for one of the major companies).

155 is a great starting point. If you work consistently you should be able to get 170+. But you don't need to put near as much time in as you're planning. Just be thorough and stay on track.

I am going to say WD is not a very good tutor, so take that to show you titles are not everything.

You are very likely over-expecting what you are willing to contribute to this test, throwing around 60-hour weeks so casually. I would even go so far as to say that you'd learn more during those weeks with half that time than with 60 hours each. Anyway, you can get over a 170 from a 155, but it is going to take more than motivation. You will need learning skills, discipline, and adaptability. Good luck.

Love how you say I'm probably not a good tutor, then give basically the exact same advice I gave.

White Dwarf wrote:Love how you say I'm probably not a good tutor, then go on to give the exact same advice I gave.

Did I say tutor? I meant reader.

Okay.

Another good lesson for OP: some law students are aspy jerkwads.

White Dwarf wrote:Okay.

Another good lesson for OP: some law students are aspy jerkwads.

Well, pricon isn't actually a law student yet, but same general principle apparently applies...

pricon wrote:I am going to say WD is not a very good tutor, so take that to show you titles are not everything.

wtf?

It's good that you're setting aside a good bit of time to prep. Looking back, not doing that was my biggest mistake.

I improved my score by 12 points in 3 months while working 60 hours a week at my miserable job. It is possible with dedication and desire. I took nearly every practice test and went over every answer i got wrong and wrote down why it was wrong.