The retakers' scores thread Forum

[laidoffjournalist]

This thread is for people who had already taken an LSAT before the December administration. I'd like to see what their previous scores were followed by their December score. (edit: Or if you retook in September, that's fine too.) If your score went up or down, maybe you can explain what they did differently to change the score. I think it would just be interesting to read, especially for people who got their first score today and are contemplating a retake.

I have not retaken and I canceled my December score, so I can't start us off. Please jump in and share!

[jafadoo]

I took in September and scored 160. On the December exam I got a 166.
What was different for me was the Sept test felt sort of like a party. There was a bunch of people I knew taking it with me and I don't think I gave the test the kind of respect that it deserves. Also I was on nerve pain medication that made me really speedy. I was finishing sections with almost 10 minutes to spare. It may have helped for my reading comp, I scored -1, but it screwed me up on the rest of the exam.

In December I was totally sober, didn't know anyone else in the room, and was finishing sections with only seconds left. I showed it some respect this time I guess.

[leftofthedial]

.

[shanemahsa]

171 sept, 176 dec.

Do a lot of prep tests. A lot. Like.... a lot. Just do them till they are second nature.

[deadlinguo]

Two years ago I took the LSAT 3 times and scored 2 168s and canceled once. With those three tests I studied very poorly, probably took one full timed PT each time, did most of my studying in individual sections, and slept like 4-5 hours before each test. I did all of my studying using tests that were older than PT 45 or so since I was unaware of the changes in more recent tests.

For December 2009 I buckled down, took PTs 20-45 as full, timed tests. With 46-57, I took them at 8:30 in the morning and added an extra section to serve as an experimental. My average score on 46-57 was 174 and I only scored below a 172 once (a 169). I hit 180 twice and scored a 177 the week before the actual test. I even got 8 hours of sleep the night before.

I walked out of the test in Dec feeling like I had aced it and thinking that I at least hit my PT average if not higher. I wasn't nervous and I was confident in most of my answer choices. I ended up getting a 170. Not a huge disaster or anything, but it's kind of funny/disappointing how little of a difference my new approach to studying made. I feel like I just wasted the last 3 or so months, since my new score is barely above my old scores I doubt it'll have much if any of an impact on my cycle this year (I submitted apps back in Oct).

And I'm two points short of being able to work for Powerscore/Testmasters, another disappointment. Anyway, this 63% rum is pretty gross.

[Lurkster]

Two years ago I took the LSAT 3 times and scored 2 168s and canceled once. With those three tests I studied very poorly, probably took one full timed PT each time, did most of my studying in individual sections, and slept like 4-5 hours before each test. I did all of my studying using tests that were older than PT 45 or so since I was unaware of the changes in more recent tests.

For December 2009 I buckled down, took PTs 20-45 as full, timed tests. With 46-57, I took them at 8:30 in the morning and added an extra section to serve as an experimental. My average score on 46-57 was 174 and I only scored below a 172 once (a 169). I hit 180 twice and scored a 177 the week before the actual test. I even got 8 hours of sleep the night before.

I walked out of the test in Dec feeling like I had aced it and thinking that I at least hit my PT average if not higher. I wasn't nervous and I was confident in most of my answer choices. I ended up getting a 170. Not a huge disaster or anything, but it's kind of funny/disappointing how little of a difference my new approach to studying made. I feel like I just wasted the last 3 or so months, since my new score is barely above my old scores I doubt it'll have much if any of an impact on my cycle this year (I submitted apps back in Oct).



And I'm two points short of being able to work for Powerscore/Testmasters, another disappointment. Anyway, this 63% rum is pretty gross.

Actually, I think you can work for TM with a 98th percentile score

[soupisgood]

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

[akw009]

165 oct 08, 162 dec 09. studied way more. got absolutely diced by LG- averaging 2-3 wrong and went -11 on LG

[deadlinguo]

Actually, I think you can work for TM with a 98th percentile score

Whoa, you're right! Thanks for mentioning that. Blueprint is 98th percentile as well. Time to send out some job apps. I had only looked at Powerscore's site before, which requires the 99th.

[uwb09]

Dec 08 - 147 (no studying, life problems, shouldve cancelled)
Sept 09 - 155 (studied like heck, stressed myself out, not good)
Dec 09 - 165 (no studying, no stress, went in relaxed and confident)

[thickfreakness]

December was my 3rd test, so this was it for me. Scored a 171, PT average of 172/-8, and up about 7 points from the past two exams. Basically, I just swallowed my pride and went crazy with PTs, working 18 full length PTs in about a month and a half. Glad I was able to finally bump myself up from my old scores, which were both mid-160s.

[CanadianEH]

170 --> 178

barely studied between september and december. took it less seriously. Paid off nicely.

[eshort]

June 164
September 164
December 172

I studied (by just taking tests) for June, but felt marred by anxiety. I did not study for September and think this is what hurt me. Did a TON of logic games and some more recent preptests for December.

[iamtaw]

sept '09 161
dec '09 174

Reading was my weakest section. I changed the way I handled the passage (used to roadmap, now i just read it once and did the questions).
Worked on a LOT of LR in between the tests. after all they are 50%... i got -4,-0 in dec.
LG has always been my best section. -0

Also, i drank coffee this time round. Didnt the first time because... you know... coffee makes me poop

[angioletto]

Sept 09: studied, lived, breathed LSAT for months, pretty stressed about it, 155

Dec 09: studied very little - re-did the LGB and a few PT's (like 4) and that's it, didn't stress at all, 164

I think all the studying I did before September helped me a ton but it wasn't until I stopped stressing that I was able to really do my best on it.

I do also think going through the LGB more thoroughly after Sept helped me a ton because I was terrible at in/out games and that was a big part of what killed me in Sept.

[Kobe_Teeth]

Sept - 160
Dec - 165

[scribelaw]

I went from 164 to 173.

I asked this on another thread, but here seems like a good spot too: Is anyone going to write an addendum explaining the jump? Or let the new score speak for itself?

[jmaan]

164---->171

171 was my pt average for the first test...I was just more stressed.
I was calm this time and it showed

[JMBrown32]

Took the June test and got a 158 with minimal studying. First week of November I decided to retake the test. Studied the LG Bible thoroughly and did tons of PTs and got a 165. Anyone considering retaking, if you haven't yet, read both the LG and LR bibles and practice as much as you can.

[MBZags]

I went from 163 in September (after a PT average around 167-168) to 167 in December. I really didn't do much studying in between; I took a few practice tests and did some varied sections to stay fresh. I tried to stay relaxed, but I was still nervous during the test and leading up to today. I'm glad it's over, though.

[maxpayne]

.

[itsfine]

diag: 152
sept 09: 162 studied hard
dec 09: 167 took it much easier and "let it come to me"

[keg411]

diag: 152
sept 09: 162 studied hard
dec 09: 167 took it much easier and "let it come to me"

pleaseletthisbemeinfeb

[HelperMonkey]

Sept: 173... studied for about 5 months maybe 4-6hours/day most days of the week
Dec: 174... studies a bit less, but probably still way too much.

Both scores are roughly 5 points below my PT averages at the time I took the test.

[ndirish2010]

June 09- 161 (took it at Queens College, horrible testing conditions plus almost 2 hour drive to get there...had taken Kaplan course but my diagnostic was a 159)

Dec 09- 168 (didn't prep at all between June and December and score went +7, took test at Notre Dame, went smoothly, much better administration and no travel issues)