Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT... Forum

[inlovewithpiper]

I'm not necessarily thrilled with my December score, but it meets the thread-title criteria, so I'll post...

1) What score did you get?

162 | June 2013
165 | December 2013
180 | June 2014 (hoping, that is )

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Powerscore LGB, but only because games were an entirely new concept to me. Other than that, I simply drilled (actual, LSAC-released) PTs over and over and over and over. My fatal mistake (one which I am correcting before my June 2014 re-take) was not keeping a solid record of missed questions during PTs. This is fundamental because a pattern will inevitably develop that you can't control (and maybe won't even notice) unless you are consciously and purposefully notating your mistakes.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

None.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

1 month intensely before June 2013, with a mix of timed/test-like conditions; relaxed, non-timed conditions; and the Powerscore LGB. For December, I embarrassingly didn't prep to any real extent, other than PTing in the week before the exam. (A little advice: don't do this. The LSAT really is something that needs time and attention in preparing.)

5) How many preptests did you do?

About 20 in total. Half of these were done over my morning coffee and, so, you could say I only did a handful of real, timed PTs. And I didn't do a single one with an experimental section. (More advice: don't do this. It's fine to drill in a lax environment and do a game or a few LRs or even a RC passage or two just to warm up or for fun, but actual prepping needs to consist of strictly-timed, test-day-like conditions. This includes using a 5th section as an experimental. Luckily for me, I did very well on the 5th section on both administrations, but you will start to notice fatigue if you haven't properly prepped for it.)

6) What would you change if you were to do it again and misc. comments:

Everything I've mentioned in parenthesis above, plus a few more things (note: I am re-taking the June 2014 exam for a 3rd time, so I will be following my own advice here):
1. Don't bother with purposefully introducing distractions into your PT environment unless you really think you'll be bothered by miniscule test-day ones (pencil tapping, clock ticking, etc.). I found that I actually started to adjust to the ambient noises and, when I didn't have them on test day, it disconcerted me a little bit.
2. Take a moment on test day to listen to the conversations around you by other test takers and realize TLS really is a bubble. Post some of the hilariousness on the Overheard at the LSAT thread for the rest of us, please. (As an aside, I had one guy loudly interrupt the proctor during the reading of the initial instructions to be sure we couldn't have some scrap paper. It's those moments that make you appreciate your familiarity with the test.)
3. Have fun. The LSAT is a lot of fun. I wouldn't be taking it a 3rd time if that weren't the case .

[dp714]

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[Serett]

1) What score did you get?

159 the first time (double digits lower than I was PTing and depressing enough to make me put off law school for 3-4 years, but that, plus a rejection from the regional I targeted, was a blessing in disguise), 170 the second time.

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

I bought a set of books the second time (Kaplan, maybe?), but I didn't use them. Womp, womp.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

None.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

First time was during school, but it was only a handful of PTs. Second time was while working full-time and only for 2-3 weeks leading up to the LSAT.

5) How many preptests did you do?

4 the first time, 3 complete ones the second, but another 4-5 Logic Games sections.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

I'd do more PTs, all under timed/test conditions, and I'd actually try to look into patterns of the types of questions I'm getting wrong and why. If I took it again, I'd be shooting for perfection or as close to it as possible and would thus investigate the logic behind the questions and, when wrong, my thought process. I never did any 'meta' breaking down of the questions regarding their constituent parts or types. I would not do anything except drill PTs and analyze my errors, over and over again, reusing old LSATs if I ever ran out.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

I'm very skeptical that books or classes help, or if they do somewhat, I don't think they're the most efficient way to improve nor are they by any means necessary. My big problem when I tried to take an official LSAT the first time was running out of time, especially on the Logic Games. I set myself up for this, as while I did time myself on all of my LSATs, I was always a bit generous on the time to myself. That doesn't help at all; once you start timing yourself, if you don't do so from the outset, stick to the hard limit. Add the stress of an actual administration to even slight lenience here, and you'll end up with a problem. For LG, use diagrams, and figure out how to make them in a way that's both quick and clear for you. Incredibly and idiotically, I largely didn't my first time around. It's still possible to get LG questions correct without that type of a tool, but it takes longer, and time is absolutely the enemy for LG. If you're getting a lot wrong by whatever your standards are, just focus on drilling LG and getting them correct, first. Then work on speed. RC and LR both came naturally to me, and unlike the LG, I didn't have problems getting through them with plenty of time to spare. Unfortunately, I don't have much advice on those for anyone struggling.

[halcyonanon]

1) 165

2) none

3) none

4) I started studying one month before the June 2014 test date while working my full-time job and part-time internship. I would come home from work, lock myself in my "office", ask my wife not to disturb me, then take a full, timed preptest. Started at about 150/151 on my first preptest with a 164 outlier. My average was about 156/157 with little regard to the raw score.

5) Probably 10 or 11.

6) I would definitely pay more attention to the mistakes I made on the preptests. Once I would complete a preptest, I would never look at the wrong answers...ever. Looking back on that, I would definitely look at those in great detail to see why I got them wrong. I would also work a lot harder on the analytical reasoning section since I had to guess on the last 7 of that section (got 3/7 correct luckily). I honestly didn't do too well at preparing for the preptests consistently. In other words, I would take them after working 10+ hours, or after having a beer or two.

7) The best suggestion I think I could make is to use a timer. I am not sure whether this would make a difference or not, but since one is allowed an analog watch at the test site, it might be beneficial to use the same timer in preparation as would be available in the test (e.g. analog watch with a chronograph) to habituate to its use.

[jk148706]

.

[MtnGinger]

1. What score?
June 2014 166
2.Books?
Kaplan, Powerscore LR and LG, LSAT Prep Tests
3 Prep courses?
None
4. How long?
I read through the kaplan book and powerscore bibles in october but then didn't touch anything LSAT related until about April. So about 3 months total.
5. How many prep tests?
Probably around 20 or more. I've done most from 50 on.
6. What to change?
Not getting too focused on one section. It's easy to perfect something then forget it it. I definitly did that with LG.
7. Comments?
Just focus on what you want and why, I'm retaking because I lost focus the last week due to personal problems and I regret it looking back it wasn't worth it and the LSAT was more important. That's the hardest part because you can't control what happens but you can control your reaction.

[theotherone823]

1) What score did you get?
Oct '12 - 158
Dec '12 - 170

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Oct '12 - Kaplan
Dec '12 - Manhattan LG + LSAC preptests

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
N/A, self prep

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
Oct '12 - Some basic prep starting summer '11 (before senior year of UG), most prep during during 2-3 weeks before exam, aprox 1-2 hours/night (while doing 20-30 hour/week internship)
Dec '12 - 1.5-2 months, 4+ hours/day (while doing 20-30 hour/week internship)

5) How many preptests did you do?
Oct '12 - 2-3
Dec '12 - 10+

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Most of my prep for the Dec '12 test was taking full prep tests. I would add more drilling in addition to the prep tests

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
n/a

[mud415]

Any recent high-scorers care to share their experience?

Looking to take the test in June

[ltowns1]

Any recent high-scorers care to share their experience?

Looking to take the test in June

I hope there are, people can learn a lot from this thread.

[jimmymac]

1) What score did you get?

168
174

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Manhattan bundle
LSAT Preptests
LSAT Trainer

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

None.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)


I returned from abroad May 1, and was starting work the day after the June test. So full time study for one month. I took at least a test a day, including review, and at least a chapter in each of the manhatten bundle. Worked around 6-8 hours a day. Took tests 40-71, average of a 173. Scored a 168. Was disappointed by my score, so restarted my studying in August for the September test. I went throught the trainer, and retook tests 60-72. Scored a 173 on the June test which I scored a 168, without ever having reviewed the test. Studied for about 2-3 hours a day, four days a week before the september test, PT average 175 (had already seen the tests though). Scored a 174 on test day.

5) How many preptests did you do?

Every PT from 30-72 on at least once. Most twice.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?


Use the trainer from the beginning. Take every test twice the first go round. Maybe start my studying sooner.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

PTs are the best way to study. Dont take a prep course.

[Meursault]

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[Hikikomorist]

1) What score did you get?

September 2014: 173.

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

I used a book of prep-tests, and there was a Kaplan/PR book in the bookstore I frequented that I made the mistake of browsing through - just a chapter or two, so not much wasted time.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

Nada.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

I studied for a little less than a month, maybe two hours per day. I was studying overseas, after my work gig ended. I took the PTs in coffee shops and on the beach. I think it prepared me well for possible distractions. I also took one PT after pulling an all-nighter, because my friend told me about not getting any sleep the night before his test. I timed everything from the first test, because I have to know my scores.

5) How many preptests did you do?

Thirteen. All I did was take PTs and go over my wrong answers on Manhattan's website, supplemented with 7sage's YouTube videos for LG.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

I'd focus more on LG.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

I took a proctored diagnostic with Kaplan, cold, in 2011 and scored 169. The first PT I took as part of my actual preparations was a 175. I never scored outside that range (169-175) on any of the PTs I took (all timed). LG was my stumbling block that I never overcame. I would have had a 180 on my actual test, and several more on PTs, if I could have figured out that section. If anyone has an idea why I couldn't figure out that section, you're more than welcome to PM me. I'm thinking about retaking in June.

[TrunksFan1]

Bumping in light of June lsat

[numb3r4]

Would love to hear more people's stories here!

[JazzyMac]

Bump, bump!

[appind]

it'd probably be useful to have a similar thread for 173+ score on the lsat

[teflondon]

1) What score did you get?
175 (October '15)

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Power score LGB and LR (skimmed), Manhattan RC and LR, 7sage LG videos

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
3 months exactly (including one week of nothing leading up to the test) during the summer with a part time job. I started at about 6-8 hours a day then tapered off to 3-4.

5) How many preptests did you do?
Somewhere between 25 and 30

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
not much. Maybe not get so down on myself if I scored below my average on a PT, as well as drill LR more which proved to be my weakest section

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions

-I've kinda been a couch potato my whole life so I started working out and eating right while I was studying. I also stopped drinking (almost completely) and overall just tried to treat my body right. I made sure to relax a lot and keep a healthy/positive frame of mind, especially in the month leading up to the test. A week before, I stopped all studying and went to the beach a ton and went to the spa lol. I obviously can't quantify exactly how much this helped me, but I ended up scoring 5 points above my PT average so I'm inclined to believe this helped at least a little. Though to contextualize everything, I'm a pretty good test taker (esp. under pressure), and my diagnostic was a 163.

-drilling is IMPERATIVE. drill LG. drill LR. and don't neglect drilling RC! it's painful, but it's painful because you're actually learning. not only are you building the skills necessary to tackle the questions, but you're building a familiarity with what types of answers are commonly wrong/right and that is so so crucial. with that said, once you drill an absurd amount (like you should) you will even start to see answer choices that are commonly wrong, but are right for that specific question (if that makes sense). you gotta have a flexible mindset.

-once i stopped marking up the passage in RC my scores significantly improved. i realized i wasn't actually absorbing the text as much when i used underlining as a crutch. this doesn't work for everyone but it worked for me.

[MAPP]

-drilling is IMPERATIVE. drill LG. drill LR.

What preptests did you drill LR? I have the Cambridge packets from PTs 1-32 that group LR according to type, but have heard that those LR sections are different from recent LR sections. Did this pose a problem for you (if you used those PTs) or were they similar enough to current tests?

[teflondon]

-drilling is IMPERATIVE. drill LG. drill LR.

What preptests did you drill LR? I have the Cambridge packets from PTs 1-32 that group LR according to type, but have heard that those LR sections are different from recent LR sections. Did this pose a problem for you (if you used those PTs) or were they similar enough to current tests?

I forgot to add that I drilled out of the Cambridge packets (I also bought them by type). I didn't notice a difference.... but I'm also pretty unobservant. Even if they were slightly different, I don't think the difference is great enough to where drilling older LR would not be helpful.

[spursforever]

Post removed.