October 2010 Test Prep Forum

[ecrew]

I did a search for a thread dedicated to the October test and did not see one. Here it is. I've been reading this forum on/off for six months. I finally get my chance to participate, as I am beginning test prep tomorrow 4/5/10. This is for all the early birds out there.

[Gemini]

Hey hey!

Me too!

I started April 2. This will be my THIRD and LAST time taking the test so I'm way too familiar with it lol.

I haven't touched the LSAT since September 26, 2009, where I got a 163.

I took my first PT on friday and I got a 165. What's up with THAT?

[ecrew]

After much deliberation, I am taking my initial diagnostic tomorrow at a Powerscore course in N.Y.C.
I know it does not mean much, but I figure I will give it a go. I purposely avoided reading any Lsat material in order to get a true dry score. I will follow up with my score at the end of this week.

[ecrew]

How much studying did you complete the first two times?

[gogol bordello]

I'm in the same boat -- first time poster, long time reader... and I'm going to start prepping for the October LSAT next Monday.

I got a 145 on my cold diag (which scared the shit out of me) but I'm ready to take this thing on full force. Best of luck in your studying!

[gatorgirl4life]

.

[ecrew]

thank you for wishing me good luck. If i am this nervous about the silly diagnostic, I better chill out or i will never make it.

[Underoath]

I am scheduled to take the June test, but I think I'm going to change my test date to October.

[Lafakad]

I was thinking about taking the June test, but since I want to dominate the test, I think I'm going to take the test in October. Taking a full hard course load would hurt my LSAT im pretty sure. Going through the LGB now.

[SoCalStudent]

I'm going to take the Oct. LSAT as well for the first time!! I've already taken two test preps cold, with the first scored at a 161!! I was humbled with the second diagnostic with a 155 though. I'm most likely going to take an 84-hour Princeton Review course during the summer as my main prep. I'm also going to purchase the Superprep book and take all the LSAT exams that have been published. Good luck ecrew!

[r2b2ct]

I'm still debating whether to take the June or October test, but I'm leaning toward October. I've been studying on and off for a few months already (I actually started prep about a year ago but stopped for a while due to real life), but I still have a lot of materials to go through. I really want to do every PT before I take the test because I want as little second guessing as possible after I get results.

Good luck everyone.

[RFKScott]

I will be taking October 2010 LSAT. I am so glad I found this forum as it has provided me a lot of motivation as well as a ton of insight on how to properly prepare.

[bluebonnet21]

Oh...this is where I belong too. I had debated rather I wanted to go with the june or october LSAT, but October makes more sense with my class schedule. I am really impressed that some people are already starting to study. I will be starting to study after I finish my may mini-mester class. That should give me about four months to study.

[Otter]

Glad I found this forum. For those of you taking the October test, or the rest of you who actually know how all this works...

My current plan is to take the Testmasters prep course running from July through October right before the test, but I'd like to start studying beforehand. Is this going to diminish the effectiveness of the class? Would I be better off starting a prep course now and then studying on my own after leading up to the test?

[gogol bordello]

I'll be taking a Cambridge test prep class start next week through late May, followed by intensive self-prep from June through August. Personally, I want a solid foundation to help with my self-prepping, so I decided to take the class before summer. Not sure if this is the most effective way, but it makes sense to me.

I'll also probably work my way through both LRB and LGB this summer, and hopefully the strategies won't be so radically different from the ones in my class that they will be detrimental to my progress.

Have you taken a diagnostic? It seems that we're all (so far) starting our test prep around the same time, so I'd like to see how we progress over these next few months...

[bluebonnet21]

Have you taken a diagnostic? It seems that we're all (so far) starting our test prep around the same time, so I'd like to see how we progress over these next few months...

I'm not sure if this was directed at the group at large or just at the OP but I'll answer anyway. I took the December LSAT with almost no prep, and scored a 166. I have not looked at anything since then so I don't know where I would score today.

[gogol bordello]

Wow, I would be quite happy with a 166 after all is said and done. I'm coming from a 145 cold diagnostic, and i'm not really sure how to interpret that score. I ran out of time around the halfway point in each section (I put Cs for all remaining questions), etc.

I know the mantra on TLS is that scoring in the 170s takes a natural aptitude for the test. And for the sake of argument, I'll humor this for the time being. Do you (or anyone) know if my 145 diagnostic says anything about a natural "ceiling" that I will hit? Around what score will this occur?

[bluebonnet21]

Wow, I would be quite happy with a 166 after all is said and done. I'm coming from a 145 cold diagnostic, and i'm not really sure how to interpret that score. I ran out of time around the halfway point in each section (I put Cs for all remaining questions), etc.

I know the mantra on TLS is that scoring in the 170s takes a natural aptitude for the test. And for the sake of argument, I'll humor this for the time being. Do you (or anyone) know if my 145 diagnostic says anything about a natural "ceiling" that I will hit? Around what score will this occur?

I do believe that most people have a natural ceiling on standardized tests, but I think a cold diagnostic score tells you almost nothing about what you can actually achieve. We are a LONG way away from October at this point, so you have plenty of time to work through both of the Bibles, and then take all of the practice tests that are available.

Most people that I have seen posting here see huge improvements from their first scores. If the problem that you are having is with time rather than with you ability to actually solve the problem, then I would think that says something good about you possible score as well.

As for my score, with a 166 and my 3.4-3.5 GPA I probably wouldn't even get into UT instate, much less the T14.

[ecrew]

Otter wrote =Glad I found this forum. For those of you taking the October test, or the rest of you who actually know how all this works...

Otter wrote =My current plan is to take the Testmasters prep course running from July through October right before the test, but I'd like to start studying beforehand. Is this going to diminish the effectiveness of the class? Would I be better off starting a prep course now and then studying on my own after leading up to the test?

Ecrew wrote=Please note, I am not answering from previous experience. I am answering from my knowledge gained from reading these and other forums. Most Commercial Prep companies have the course end directly before the test. This caters to people who rely only on the course. They do so in order to have you test at your 'peak'. Having said that, most high scorers have said, " that there is not enough test involved in these courses". You need sufficient time to work on your weaknesses, which the course will tell you what they are. If you self study you may start incorrectly. My reasoning is that I did not want to have to break bad habits. Why make the habits at all? Also, you may not get anything out of the course in the first few weeks since it is basic material. On the other hand you may do great and realize you don't need a course and save the dough.

[thestalkmore]

Going to be taking the October test. Should probably get off my ass and start studying.

[hellokitty]

Count me in! I'm taking the test for the 3rd time in October!

[Gemini]

Does it take "natural talent" to get 170+?

No I absolutely refuse to believe this. I've been on this forum long enough to have seen a bunch of people with low diagnostics end up with scores in the high 170s.

Easy to say but hard to do is what it TAKES to get there: PRACTICE, ENDURANCE, and ATTITUDE.

PRACTICE- a few times a week, accuracy is key, followed by speed!
ENDURANCE- building that ability to take the test for long periods of time.
ATTITUDE- I think this is a huge factor (for me, personally). Feeling unstressed and feeling GOOD about yourself is SO important that I would attribute this aspect to my 5 point jump in score from my first to my second test.

[alicrimson]

I'm thinking October as well. I'm planning on taking the June test and am aiming for atleast a 162. Goal is 165 just to be competitive for my school top choices. I plan on continuing my studies though throughout the summer to hit atleast 167 so i can be eligible for cash prizes. Hopefully this will work or even better, though doubtful, I could hit it the first time.

[starlight007]

Count me in! again Can't wait for my job to end so I can study properly! Being a caseworker/social worker blows

[ecrew]

MY RESULTS on dry practice
147
I am not happy or upset about this score. I got killed in analytical reasoning. 16 wrong. It was the only section that I had to guess as time was winding down. I did not even get to the last game. My setup for the first two games was a joke. I was so burnt out by the last section, which was reading comp, that I even got almost half of them wrong. Wow, this was an eye opener.