What did you get on your first practice test? Forum

[tronimrich]

Which would be more beneficial for a 3 month study plan: Taking the cold diagnostic with or without a time limit? I've heard a lot of people take their diagnostic without a limit.

[20130312]

Which would be more beneficial for a 3 month study plan: Taking the cold diagnostic with or without a time limit? I've heard a lot of people take their diagnostic without a limit.

Doesn't matter one way or the other, since either way you're not going to know wtf is happening. I took it timed FWIW.

[solotee]

147 --> 165

Took a summer to study for while all my friends were hanging out. No regrets though, now I'm at a firm I want to be in! It was worth every second I sacrificed to study for the exam.

[062914123]

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[Jeffort]

Which would be more beneficial for a 3 month study plan: Taking the cold diagnostic with or without a time limit? I've heard a lot of people take their diagnostic without a limit.

Doesn't matter one way or the other, since either way you're not going to know wtf is happening. I took it timed FWIW.

I did too. I think timed scares you into studying harder.

From my experience, I agree. I call it baptism by fire.

Taking the first one cold under timed proctored conditions gives you a realistic experience of what you are going to face and a reference starting point to track progress from. It's basically a wake up/reality alert; this is what it is and how it's going to be on test day, you should take it seriously, start prepping for and adapting to it because you will face the test in harsher conditions on test-day.

Plus, for prep purposes it gives a baseline starting point that is useful in order to determine and evaluate strengths and weakness and ability level you already have so that you can focus your prep efforts and study plan in effective directions.

My first cold proctored test (had never looked at an LSAT before) = 151
Achieved score = 177

[094320]

..

[Lawbro]

156 first time, 170 on the real thing

[Tiago Splitter]

146 on cold practice test. Ended up with a 163. Went to UVa as a reverse splitter. So all my time/money/tears worrying about my poor LSAT was all in vain.

a low GPA + 163 is enough to get into UVA? I'd expect a low GPA & a 170+ to UVA.

Reverse splitter means low LSAT, high GPA

[hoos89]

/

[twenty]

148, now PTing at 166.

Please take the first one timed. Here's why.

First, it scares the hell out of you. My first PT, I spent way too much time on the first LR section, had to guess five questions at the end (I know. ._.), and then overcompensated by going too fast through the next LR section, finishing the whole section in 20 minutes, but my score suffered a lot because of it. LG I spent way too much time on a grouping game, ended up guessing all of the last game. RC, all the long passages scared me into skimming over them, thinking I'd run out of time, and then ended up second guessing all my answers. Needless to say, it was a disaster.

After checking my score, I thought there, but for the grace of god (plus some foresight on my part), go I on test day.

Secondly, your starting score isn't abnormally high. A friend ended up taking an untimed PT, got a 164 on his first go around, skimmed over the LGB/LRBs, and found his score dropped to a 161 on a timed PT. Depressing? I think yes.

[BuckinghamB]

151(-15 on LG haha)---->172 PT average the last 2-3 weeks. 169 on test day. Prepped for about 2 months total

[Crowing]

175. Then I did worse on the real thing ;_;

Wow that's pretty crazy.

I know a guy who diag'd at like 173 and got a 171 on the real test IIRC

Yeah I really didn't improve. I only took 3 practice tests and went 175, 176, 175. I did slightly worse on the real thing. I'm not sure if significantly more practice would've helped me reach the upper 170s. I also took the ACT cold (real thing) back in HS and scored 35. But maybe I just don't have good study skills because it feels like more practice makes little difference.

[Micdiddy]

167----> ???? Haven't taken my first LSAT yet (will in June)

I think I am incredibly lucky to have had a very intuitive feel for Games right away. They're just something that have always been right up my alley as I loved logic puzzles and those logic booklets as a kid (the ones with rows and columns where you X or check a box and narrow down the possibilities). Without even receiving a Prep booklet yet I think my diagrams are rather strong.

I am pretty surprised by how many 150somethings to 170's there have been on this forum, from what I have read that's supposed to be rather impossible. But for those who study hard anything is possible I suppose!

My main concern is not studying hard enough and being complacent with my initial score (like I feel the one guy here who went from 171 to 173 might have done). To combat this I am seriously aiming for a 180, anything less I will be quite disappointed with.

[Clearly]

I like to look at all the start and end scores myself, but lets take starting scores with a grain of salt. I know a ton of people who take breaks in between sections and overlook that "wrong bubble" when they take there first practice test. My first actually proctored test was a 155-157...Can't remember. Then hit 164 in June with terrible LG skills, and am PTing around 170+ right now with plenty of room to keep going till June

The starting point of anyone is almost irrelevant in comparison to the level of dedication they possess. I worked a bit to get from 155 to 164 and continue to work hard. Very few 167+ kids had that naturally. The secret to this test is practice! lol

[moonman157]

Diagnostic: 153
Actual test: 174