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146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 4:57 am
by Tulane7
I bought the kaplan lsat book and took my first practice exam today and finished with a 146 :( i did reasonable well on the logic games but terribly on the RC. I already scheduled to take the lsat in feb and i begin a princeton review class on friday. Do you think i will be able to raise my points by the february test date? my goal is high 160s-lower 170s :( any feedback is appreciated! i am devastated

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:11 am
by Sequoia90
It's still possible! Don't despair! You may need to postpone your test until a later date if you don't feel completely ready.

My gf went from a 145 to a 170 (she took a blueprint class TWICE), so just study study study!

Best of luck.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:16 am
by basetommyball
My cold test was somewhere in the 140's and I ended up with a 166 on the actual exam. Don't stress, it is a beatable exam. It just requires hard work and practice like anything else.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:18 am
by asfasdagdsfawe
Diagnostic test means nothing. You can still get a great score, but you may need a little more time than by Feb. It seems the standard dedicated TLS'er advises studying for at least three months.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:31 am
by Rand M.
asfasdagdsfawe wrote:Diagnostic test means nothing. You can still get a great score, but you may need a little more time than by Feb. It seems the standard dedicated TLS'er advises studying for at least three months.
+1

The only issue I see is time (assuming you are going to work hard). 1 Month may not be enough time to see the kinds of results you are looking for, but there is no reason that by the June administration you will not be more than prepared. Three months is an advisable amount of time to prepare.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:19 am
by Cara
I don't think it means "nothing". If it means nothing then people who score 170 on the diagnostic would end up with the same average score as those who score 146.

A 146 doesn't mean you can't improve though and perhaps improve considerably.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:44 am
by UTexas
Keep your chin up. You can improve a great deal, and you will probably see rapid gains, but I think it is a virtual certainty that you will not reach your ceiling by the February test date.

You should not take the test for a score. One cancel/absent does not weaken your application at all. A sub-par LSAT score is orders of magnitude more problematic. You should either take an absence (which will not count toward your limit of three tests within two years), or you should take the test to become familiar with what gameday feels like, but with rock-solid intent to cancel your score (which will allow you two more tries within two years).

Unless, of course, you're somehow consistently hitting the high 160s/low 170s with your PTs a month from now.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:56 am
by driveshaft
UTexas wrote:Keep your chin up. You can improve a great deal, and you will probably see rapid gains, but I think it is a virtual certainty that you will not reach your ceiling by the February test date.

You should not take the test for a score. One cancel/absent does not weaken your application at all. A sub-par LSAT score is orders of magnitude more problematic. You should either take an absence (which will not count toward your limit of three tests within two years), or you should take the test to become familiar with what gameday feels like, but with rock-solid intent to cancel your score (which will allow you two more tries within two years).

Unless, of course, you're somehow consistently hitting the high 160s/low 170s with your PTs a month from now.
This.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 3:26 pm
by Tulane7
Ok. thanks! i think i will take your advice and have the June test count and continue to prepare until then. Should I take the test and then cancel the score or should i just change the test date? Is it going to matter?

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:40 pm
by UTexas
It looks like you still have plenty of time to change your test date (until 1/15). That's what I would recommend. No need to take it now at all. If the June test feels like a disaster, you can cancel then and retake in October. If you take it in February and cancel, then the June test has to go well, because two cancellations on your score report is a bad deal.

Just don't forget to change your test date before the deadline.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 10:57 am
by lawduder
My original diagnostic was a 146 and I ended up with a 167. Improvement is definitely possible.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:00 am
by am060459
Tulane7 wrote:I bought the kaplan lsat book and took my first practice exam today and finished with a 146 :( i did reasonable well on the logic games but terribly on the RC. I already scheduled to take the lsat in feb and i begin a princeton review class on friday. Do you think i will be able to raise my points by the february test date? my goal is high 160s-lower 170s :( any feedback is appreciated! i am devastated
OP if you can please cancel the princeton review class and sign up for testmasters, blueprint or powerscore. i took a princeton review class and its not helpful to those who score under 155. the class was to fast and the fundamentals were not accurately explained. i advise you cancel it immediately and buy the bibles to supplement the [testmasters, blueprint or powerscore] course.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:07 am
by urban_cdn
don't even stress at all about the diagnostic. i got a 142 on my diagnostic and a 172 on the real deal! i would recommend really spending time on individual question types and sections before doing anymore practice tests - you'll want to have more tests to use later on when you've studied more. good luck!

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:48 am
by Sourpunch
Cancel February and do it in June. Thank me later. If you don't do this, you will be ass raped and you will never go to a good law school. I guarantee this.

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 4:47 pm
by Intraining
My first was 145...after a month of daily testing and review I'm in the low to mid 160's...Just buy a bunch of prep tests and do work...

Re: 146 on first practice exam

Posted: Sat Jan 09, 2010 4:54 pm
by febstriver
Sourpunch wrote:Cancel February and do it in June. Thank me later. If you don't do this, you will be ass raped and you will never go to a good law school. I guarantee this.
One could, conceivably, do poorly on one test and great on another, and still get into a good law school, as long as said school takes the highest of the two scores. But I'll agree with your general point that one should only take the test once, and only when one is fully prepared