Need Advice Please Help Forum

[Oblivion_08]

I am taking the LSAT in 9 days, I've been studying for some time now(about 2-3 months) My first test was a 136 and now I am at about a 151. I am trying to get into Pepperdine/Loyola/and worst case Southwestern. I am taking two more practice tests this week. Does anyone think I should maybe postpone my test? Is it worth it to postpone it, or should I just tough it out and take the test? I usually do better in the clutch for tests and most things, that's why I am banking on doing well during the test, but this is the LSAT, it's much more important than my past tests and school work.

Someone help please!

[Oblivion_08]

Bump..someone help!

[Cant Let You Do That]

Definitely don't bank on anything better than +2 on test day (and a +2 would be AMAZING). Even being the excellent test-taker you are you should hope to score at your average. I know it sounds ridiculous but most of the tests on which you've done better on the test day were likely accuracy based (SATs) and not time-based (LSATs). You're unlikely to have a stroke of genius during the LSATs since your mind will be moving so quickly.

HOWEVER whether or not that means you should not take the test is a different story. Everyone here seems to agree that schools take your best and not your average but do you really want schools with an average LSAT of 160ish to see your likely 150 even if you retest at 160?

I cant tell you what kind of impact that would have but (unfortunately) I can tell you not to expect any huge jumps on test day.

[Oblivion_08]

Thank you, how many tests should I be taking in the next couple of days before test. I'm getting only 4-6 wrong on LG but when it comes to LR I am scoring about 24-28/50 and on RC i am scoring about 9-12/27. any tips?

[Oblivion_08]

BUMP!

[1ferret!]

Take it if you want. Research your target schools to see if they average the scores or not. At the moment, short of a miracle, you have little chance of making your targets, with the possible exception being SW if you have a great day.

[Cant Let You Do That]

Sucks because LG are really cram-able. If you can grab it I suggest you get your hands on a LR Bible, it's really helpful. The way you are scoring you might be better off expecting to only get 3 RC passages done and focus on accuracy instead getting to them all. If you get most of them right in the first three passages and guess on the last you'll be doing MUCH better than ~40%. Hell, you get 2/2 completely right and guess the rest and you'll be doing much better.

LR you're getting 50/50... get the LR Bible and even with just a week left I guarantee you can bring that up. And, finally, Im gonna refer to the great (lol) Sarah Palin, "Drill baby drill!". Take practice tests over and over and over and over and over. Wake up, take test, REVIEW WHAT YOU GOT WRONG AND WHY YOU GOT IT WRONG, take test, repeat.

And most of all I wish you the best. I'll be taking the test the same day as you so hopefully we'll both come out with great scores!

[Oblivion_08]

Thank you, I am taking it at Southwestern should be good. I usually don't take practice tests seriously for some reason, i'm weird like that. I've taken 8 PT's so far. 136,142,147,147,147 then I got some tutoring to help with LR and I went up to 150 and 151. I've been busting RC for a whole week now and I am taking a PT tomorrow and Tuesday. Let's see how I do.

[confusedlawyer]

To be honest, your LR score is abyssmal. Not to be mean, it is just the LSAT is designed so their is a varying degree of difficulty for the questions, in order to separate people. You should be getting 25 right without even thinking. The first 14 of each LR are usually the easiest and get progressively difficult. With that being said, LR can improve quickly. Grab the Superprep ASAP from a bookstore, do the LR sections and then read WHY each answer choice is right/wrong. You will improve at elast 10 more right by the day of the real thing which would bump you up to a high 150. Hope that helps

[Oblivion_08]

Thank you I appreciate it, where can I get the superprep from? I seem to rush the LR section, when I do mastery work from my Kaplan book, I usually do really well. I'm trying to get 35 correct out of the 50 and atleast 15 right from the RC. That would probably get me to a high 150 low 160. I;m doing great on LG.

[spark1330]

Thank you I appreciate it, where can I get the superprep from? I seem to rush the LR section, when I do mastery work from my Kaplan book, I usually do really well. I'm trying to get 35 correct out of the 50 and atleast 15 right from the RC. That would probably get me to a high 150 low 160. I;m doing great on LG.

you can get superprep from the lsac website or you can get it at any bookstore. I got mine from Barnes and Noble.

[hellokitty]

I'm not sure you should even take this...I feel like most people end up doing worse than expected. I scored about 6 points lower than my PT average...Would you be comfortable with even a tiny drop?

[confusedlawyer]

Thank you I appreciate it, where can I get the superprep from? I seem to rush the LR section, when I do mastery work from my Kaplan book, I usually do really well. I'm trying to get 35 correct out of the 50 and atleast 15 right from the RC. That would probably get me to a high 150 low 160. I;m doing great on LG.

That's good you get logic games, for some people they can pull their hair out on that section. Lucky for me as well after a week of practice I just seemed to "get it".

Superprep, @ chapters (I live in Canada not sure about the US)

Another tip for LR, when they say don't make any assumptions or bring in extra information when picking an answer, that is REALLY important and I will tell you why. The people at LSAT know the people writing the test are very book smart. Most of the questions on the test people will no more about than what is just written in the stimulus. Your job is to forget about everything you know (pretend you are an idiot if that helps) and read the stimulus, picking an answer that you could only get from reading the stimulus itself. If the answer mentions anything outside the stimulus (except if true questions, like for instance which of the following IF TRUE most weakens the argument, outside info will be used) it is usually wrong.

RC, i hate this section with a passion, can never seem to get better than 5 wrong. My tip is to just read the passage and try to understand it, the authors viewpoint, and what the authors feelings are towards the subject. That will help you answer at least 3/5, 4/6, 5/7 depending on how many questions the passage contains.

If you need any more advice I will be glad to help

[Oblivion_08]

Thank you guys so much. Honestly when I take the preptests I am usually distracted by people around me. And I make a mistake by using common sense and past knowledge during tests. Being a psychology major I see some psychology questions in LR, and I use my knowledge to answer. I'm going to take about 3 more tests. I'll let you guys know how I do.

Has anyone taken a Kaplan course and liked their results? And is a jump from 136 to 151 after 3 months of prep good or is it bad?

[Cant Let You Do That]

And is a jump from 136 to 151 after 3 months of prep good or is it bad?

Any 15-point jump is an excellent jump!

[hellokitty]

And is a jump from 136 to 151 after 3 months of prep good or is it bad?

Any 15-point jump is an excellent jump!

True, but it might also mean that you aren't going to improve much more than this no matter how hard you study.

[Oblivion_08]

Honestly when I go back and read my mistakes it's obvious I mess up when I choose 180 degree answers. If I just pay more attention I think I will do better. Let's just see how I do on these next 3 tests...

[hellokitty]

Honestly when I go back and read my mistakes it's obvious I mess up when I choose 180 degree answers. If I just pay more attention I think I will do better. Let's just see how I do on these next 3 tests...

I'm going to keep checking your thread, please update us! I struggled/am struggling with the LSAT myself. 3rd go around in October here. Good luck!

[Oblivion_08]

Thank you guys I really want to kill this thing, I'm walking into the LSAT with the Kobe underbite(I don't know if you guys like basketball).

[confusedlawyer]

Honestly when I go back and read my mistakes it's obvious I mess up when I choose 180 degree answers. If I just pay more attention I think I will do better. Let's just see how I do on these next 3 tests...

I'm going to keep checking your thread, please update us! I struggled/am struggling with the LSAT myself. 3rd go around in October here. Good luck!

@HelloKitty, if you have any questions regarding LG or LR (not RC as I am not that great at it in order to feel comfortable giving advice) let me know I would be glad to help!

[Oblivion_08]

Hey confused lawyer, any help on Flaw/Inference questions?

[confusedlawyer]

Thank you guys I really want to kill this thing, I'm walking into the LSAT with the Kobe underbite(I don't know if you guys like basketball).

I'm familiar with basketball but not your analogy. If you have any questions do ask I will check this thread later and try to help you out. Don't be nervous. Someone could be practicing 170 and walk out with a 160. The test is a whole new ball game. If you are nervous or the test plays to your weaknesses you could be in rough. Just walk in with confidence, even if you are not. Because the aspect of luck is something that is out of your control

[Oblivion_08]

Is june really the best time to take the test? Are there any myth's with the LSAT like that?

http://www.fanballers.com/files/image/Kobe_Face.jpg

^^The face

[confusedlawyer]

Hey confused lawyer, any help on Flaw/Inference questions?

Yes if you have a specific question (I have almost every practice test from 19-59 I will demonstrate with an example.

In terms of the basics, inference questions are based on a stimulus with a set of facts, and you are asked to logically pick the answer that would be most true based on the facts given. For example if I argue that:

All red cars are dangerous. Any car that is dangerous has a higher insurance premium. Jerry has had 5 cars in his lifetime with a majority being red. Which of the following can most be reasonable inferred from the argument above.

A) Jerry always paid a higher insurance premium
B) Jerry drove a blue car
C) Jerry has always driven dangerous cars
D) Jerry has, for a majority of his driving life paid a higher insurance premium
E) blah blah blah

The answer is D, because since Jerry has MOSTLY driven red cars (not always) he has for the most part paid a higher insurance premium.
A is wrong because it says always, this is outside the scope
B is wrong because there is no mention of the other color cars Jerry drove
C is wrong because of the word always again (scope)

I will post this and I am working on explaining flaw next for you

[confusedlawyer]

Is june really the best time to take the test? Are there any myth's with the LSAT like that?

http://www.fanballers.com/files/image/Kobe_Face.jpg

^^The face

I didn't visit the site but I know what you are talking about. The june test has the hardest curve out of all 4. What that means is, if you get 80 right, in december (easiest curve) that would equal to a 162 for example, in june, 80 would be a 159 or 160. There are many possible reasons for this and we will never know as LSAT is as secretive as the CIA. You could assume that the december test is harder and that is why, but that is unlikely because since 100.000+ people write the test, statistical anomolies are more and more unlikely. If you want the best score possible and are not applying till 2011, I would suggest write now or in october and if you don't get the score you want write it again in december