The retakers' scores thread Forum

[moandersen]

sept 09: 158. took a powerscore class, and did a total of 17 preptests plus countless sections

dec 09: 164. didnt do anything for a month after the sept test, then did a couple (usually 3-4) practice sections a week, with a pt on saturday. i was pretty sick with pneumonia during the dec test, so who knows what my score could have been if i actually felt well.

i would say the biggest difference was my mental approach to be more calm and relaxed, and not stress out about the dec 09 test like i did in sept. oh, and i spent very little time on tls. haha. this place can really f with your mind.

[rundoxierun]

Sept. '09- 164.. prepped hard for 4 months, 2 hrs a day everyday. The days before the test I couldn't sleep at all, took 5 hr energy before test, had to pee like crazy, always felt like I was running out of time even though I was fine, all around panic..

Dec. '09- 177.. just chilled.. didn't start prep until about 3 weeks before exam.. just did 2 pts and a couple of sections a week

Btw.. in my original prep I was consistently scoring 168-172 with a high of 175

[dreamweaver87]

June '08: 159 (was absolutely not prepared and shouldn't have taken it)
Sept '09: 163 (actually studied a lot and was averaging 171. used 5 hours of private tutoring, but had a bad test center experience and should've cancelled)
Dec. '09: 170 (kept taking PTs like i did for sept, but studied less)

[laidoffjournalist]

Interesting thread. Although I did choose to cancel my score, I know what I would've scored around. Good enough to get into my non-reach choices, but no scholarship money. That's really what it's all about for me. I plan to retake in June, which hopefully is enough time to get the 5 to 10 points I'd like to secure offers. I plan on approaching my studying totally differently this time too -- more organized and I will do it regularly, not once or twice a week like I was. Plus, I have some very good experience and exciting opportunities coming up in the next year that will make this break well worth it. Thanks for the inspiration all! Congrats to those who raised your scores.

[APimpNamedSlickback]

x

[ozarkhack]

Wow. I definitely envy the stories posted here. But somebody's gotta shit in the apple pie. Please, allow me:

Sept.09: 160 (75 raw) ---> Dec.09: 161 (75 raw)

What I did: Got borned to the wrong parents.

More seriously: In Sept., one LR section (-12!) devastated my score. I'd studied for about 6 weeks, using shitty material. PT avg of 163 pre-September. So, with a little more targeted study, I assumed I could do 3-4 points better in December.

After registering for Dec. (after the , I bought and overnighted LR Bible and LG Bible, and went through them entirely, doing all the setups/practices. Did about 13 PTs, though only 4-5 in test-like conditions. Woke up every effing morning before work to spend two hours studying, and then several hours after work. Saturdays/Sundays were ruined. But it was going well: all PTs above 163, and two 171s. Avg of 168.

On game day: LR=-11, RC=-8 (including the last 3 Noguchis) and LG=-7, most of which were guesses. ... I blame it on overcompensating: I knew I rush-jobbed the Sept. test and decided to slow down and focus. Wound up running out of time on 15 questions overall.

What would I do differently? Well, maybe know further in advance that I wanted to go to law school and start planning/studying for the LSAT 3-4 months, at least, before the FIRST taking. I kind of screwed it by my bifurcated, 1-month-in-advance approach.

OK. Stepping back from the ledge ... now.

[BuckNuts]

June 09: 164. Studied a lot. Had to drive a few hours to San Antonio. Generally, I put too much weight into it.
December 09: 170. Didn't studay at all. Took it on a familiar campus. Partied the night before. Much more in-line with my practice tests from when I had studied earlier in the year. 'Nuff said.

[rupert.pupkin]

Sept. 163
Dec. 178

[clp22]

June 09-161
Dec 09- 161
I actually missed 3 more on the dec test but the curve made my score the same. Before the June test I took a Kaplan course. Before the Dec test I took 3 full PTs and did a LG or RC section almost every night. I was -11 on RC june and dec, so obviously I am doing something wrong here. Retaking for the last time in February

[elliefont]

17x June
17x December

tried to study hard for about 3 months, tried to out muscle it. unfortunately peaked about 2 months in and then declined back to old levels. should've known I do better with bursts of intense studying. know thyself, dammit.

[Lord Jim-ish]

.

[Roxbury12]

Man, everyone on this site is always scoring in the 170's nice job! I was just hoping for a 160 before I took the LSAT.

September 157
December 162

Took: Test masters for the Sept LSAT and then just did practice tests until December. I only missed 2 in LG in September, but then missed 4 in December ( I forgot to fill in one! I know, idiot). I missed like 10 in RC, but RC is the hardest for me.

Anyways, even though it's not a 170, I am so excited about my 162.

[mozhou7]

June '08 - 170
Dec '09 - 174

After reviewing my errors, kind of regret not doing just a bit better. Regardless, it should pair up nicely with my 4.0 & I'm very happy.

[GeePee]

Sept. 163
Dec. 178

I feel like this should be discussed. Seriously?!?

[maclaw2010]

September 2009 - 149
December 2009 - 156 (PT average of 164 before test)

I want to apply for Fall 2010, so. . . do I re-take in February and hope for more improvement? Will the schools hold my applications and wait for the scores to be released after February? I want to practice IP law and would love to get into GW. Would it be better to go somewhere T3 for 1L and then try and transfer into GW?

Totally at a loss right now if you can't tell.

[ram jam]

Sept 159
Dec 164

Not great scores, but I will take the 164 and get on with my life.

[traehekat]

So jealous of everyone!

I went from 158 in September to a 164 in December. Not great, but not horrible. I am happy with a 6 point increase but I was really hoping for high 160's, low 170's, so I can't help but feel a little bit disappointed. I am a little bit more excited about my cycle now with a decent score, and I am excited to just get all my applications in and let the waiting begin.

[Emma.]

167 in September, 173 in December. I'm pretty happy with it, though my uncharacteristic -5 RC kind of annoys me.

Awesome, soup!!

Congrats to everyone else as well.. As a fellow retaker (Oct 08 + Sept 09) I know how great it feels.

[lsm987]

October '05: 152
September '09: 161
December '09: 171

In '05 I was a senior in college and too cool to study seriously. I deserved what I got. This past summer I studied for several hours a day, took a Kaplan class, and did 2-3 full tests a week. PT average was high 160's. On test day, I was shaking with anxiety and just had a meltdown. As soon as I got my September score, I ordered the Bibles and took a full test every other day. Every single day for the week leading up to the real thing, except for Thursday and Friday. I was still really anxious during the real thing, but more in control than last time. Overall I'm pretty pleased.

[cardinal08]

169 in June 09 ----> 177

took a bunch more preptests, but was also sick for the first test - and still think the june test was hard. i'm satisfied.

[Emma.]

Sept. 163
Dec. 178

I feel like this should be discussed. Seriously?!?

+1 That is an incredible achievement. So great.

Also, way to crush it cardinal08. I retook a 169 as well, but your retake beat mine by a point!

[ren12ay]

Sept. 163
Dec. 178

I feel like this should be discussed. Seriously?!?

+1
think so too

[HelperMonkey]

Sept. 163
Dec. 178

I feel like this should be discussed. Seriously?!?

+1 That is an incredible achievement. So great.

Also, way to crush it cardinal08. I retook a 169 as well, but your retake beat mine by a point!

Stunning improvement... I'm so amazed at people from this administration. Doesn't seem like MORE 170+s than September or anything, just seems to be some amazing improvements this time.

[Genki]

Sept 09 - 169
Dec 09 - 172

Didn't do anything different. I just felt that I underperformed in September. I took about 7 more tests between September and December which probably helped and went back and reviewed problem questions from previous tests.

I'm happy with my score since I've been averageing around 172-174

[sostill]

June 09: 164. Studied a lot. Had to drive a few hours to San Antonio. Generally, I put too much weight into it.
December 09: 170. Didn't studay at all. Took it on a familiar campus. Partied the night before. Much more in-line with my practice tests from when I had studied earlier in the year. 'Nuff said.

This is sort of my story as well.

For the Sept 09 test, I studied my bum off nearly every day. Burned myself out, really. And engaged in self-destructive habits like testing my PT scores on LSP and obsessively gauging my room for error. Had to spend the night before the test in a hotel and couldn't sleep because of nerves and noise. On test day, on an unfamiliar campus, I psyched myself out and had nervous breakdowns during the first half of the test. I got a 164. Crushed.

For the Dec 09 test, I deliberately toned down my studying and barred myself from LSP and stopped checking the "Can I get into X with Y" threads in here. In studying, which was every few days, I only focused on the bits that gave me trouble in Sept. (LR), and took a much smaller number of PT's with more emphasis on taking time away from them and thinking about the larger mental backdrop of my errors. I was able to take the test on a local and familiar campus, and I went into it feeling much more steady and in control, though to be fair, I still came out of the test feeling a bit raped in the bum (by the RC, of all things). Ultimately, I scored a 172, which I'm ecstatic about. And I'm certain that the manner of preparation and my own psychology (and the curve) were a factor.

ANYWAY, congratulations to all the retakers in here. Great feeling, yeah?