Anyone out there who has not improved on the LSAT despite Forum

[masterthearts]

I am studying and studying with Kaplan prep and my scores on their exams fluctuates between 150-156. I only got a 156 once and got a 150 once (the 156 was the diag).
I have been taking their course since April and have devoted full time to studying since June.
I think I have to face up to the fact that 50% of the students only get a 153 and supposedly the test is designed so that you can't "beat it."

A 160 score is the top 20% of test takers!
I may have to resign myself to the fact that I may only get in the low-mid 150's.
Anyone else have this issue? I am a Cornell student with a 3.88 GPA in History so this is quite depressing.
Please don't tell me there is something wrong with the Kaplan course.
I am thinking of taking off a year between college and law school to work and study, study, study. But, at some point I have to think that I just won't get any better no matter how much I study for the LSAT.
Is anyone else in this situation? I would take a year off to study after I graduate, but what's the point if I can't get better? I'll just waste a year.

I'd like to hear from others in my situation. I'm a Hispanic (but not mexican or Puerto Rican)
Thanks,

[NYCLSATTutor]

If a 156 was your diagnostic, then you should easily be able to go up at least 5 points from that and have the potential to go 10-20 points up from that.

The problem is probably not you, but the Kaplan methods that you are using to study. Buy the Logic Games Bible or the Logic Reasoning Bible and see if suddenly everything makes more sense.

You don't need to take a year off to study. You can't "beat" the test. What you can do is learn what they are trying to teach you so that you can do well on the test, answering the questions correctly without "beating" it.

[dominkay]

Please don't tell me there is something wrong with the Kaplan course.

Why not? It's true.

[Cleareyes]

Please don't tell me there is something wrong with the Kaplan course.

Why not? It's true.

Yeah. If your choices are "I took the wrong course" or "I am boned and won't ever get a good score" how is the second remotely attractive?

[Audio Technica Guy]

I'll just say that I've never had a student who worked in class and showed 0 improvement in 3 months. Sure, you will occasionally have a student who has occasional nightmare tests that are the same or sometimes worse than his original test (mostly due to test anxiety and freaking out/freezing up), but never, in the course of teaching roughly 700+ students who did their work has one ever failed to go up at all.

I'd say its probably not the kaplan methods, I mean they're not great by any means, but they should be okay enough so that you at least go up some. I'd probably say you have an awful teacher that is confusing you as much as he's helping you. How are other people doing in your class?

[gdane]

I am studying and studying with Kaplan prep and my scores on their exams fluctuates between 150-156. I only got a 156 once and got a 150 once (the 156 was the diag).
I have been taking their course since April and have devoted full time to studying since June.
I think I have to face up to the fact that 50% of the students only get a 153 and supposedly the test is designed so that you can't "beat it."

A 160 score is the top 20% of test takers!
I may have to resign myself to the fact that I may only get in the low-mid 150's.
Anyone else have this issue? I am a Cornell student with a 3.88 GPA in History so this is quite depressing.
Please don't tell me there is something wrong with the Kaplan course.
I am thinking of taking off a year between college and law school to work and study, study, study. But, at some point I have to think that I just won't get any better no matter how much I study for the LSAT.
Is anyone else in this situation? I would take a year off to study after I graduate, but what's the point if I can't get better? I'll just waste a year.

I'd like to hear from others in my situation. I'm a Hispanic (but not mexican or Puerto Rican)
Thanks,

I felt sympathy for you before you said that. What does being a Cornell student supposed to mean? That youre super smart and you shouldnt be scoring a 156? Noone is immune from doing poorly in anything. Keep that in mind.

In any case, I had your problem. I prepped for months, took the LSAT twice and scored the same exact score (over 150, but under 158). After talking to some LSAT tutors I was told I did the wrong kind of prep. All I did for 2 months was take PT after PT. So its no wonder why I did poorly because I never got the LSAT fundamentals down. I'm working through the LGB and Im seeing massive improvement in LG. The next plan is going through the LRB and working through the problems. Im hoping I can improve by at least 5 points.

Take a look at the kind of prep youre doing. Not all prep is the same and you have to find what works for you. Everyone can beat the LSAT. You can be one of them.

Good luck

[masterthearts]

If a 156 was your diagnostic, then you should easily be able to go up at least 5 points from that and have the potential to go 10-20 points up from that.

The problem is probably not you, but the Kaplan methods that you are using to study. Buy the Logic Games Bible or the Logic Reasoning Bible and see if suddenly everything makes more sense.

You don't need to take a year off to study. You can't "beat" the test. What you can do is learn what they are trying to teach you so that you can do well on the test, answering the questions correctly without "beating" it.

My intention was not to sound "uppity" by saying I go to Cornell. But, I'm doing extremely well there and have a high GPA. I understand there is such a thing as a "reverse splitter" and I'm starting to think I may be one.

[gdane]

Im sure you didnt mean to sound uppity, but theres a lot of "im better than you because I go here" attitude on TLS. In the world actually...

You may be a "reverse splitter", but I wouldnt discount yourself yet. Thers still lots of time left. Keep going in your prep and stay confident.

Good luck!

[rumky]

I went to Cornell.... Ever heard of it?

[ArchRoark]

In any case, I had your problem. I prepped for months, took the LSAT twice and scored the same exact score (over 150, but under 158). After talking to some LSAT tutors I was told I did the wrong kind of prep. All I did for 2 months was take PT after PT. So its no wonder why I did poorly because I never got the LSAT fundamentals down. I'm working through the LGB and Im seeing massive improvement in LG. The next plan is going through the LRB and working through the problems. Im hoping I can improve by at least 5 points.k

This.

You need to get the fundamentals down before you just immerse yourself in tests... if the kaplan methods are working for you (honestly I dont even know what they are)... then why not try the Powerscore bibles/methods? Raising my score 20ish points would've been impossible without first getting a solid foundation in methods that made sense to me.

[Day2Daze]

Hey,

The LSAT I have found to be incredibly learnable. If you prep wrong, you wont see results. But if you do it right, I think with enough time you could score as high as you wanted. 3 months, if focused should be sufficient. We diagn'd about the same, and you seem intelligent so I dont see any reason why you cant improve at least as much as I have. And im now testing at about 163, hoping to hit 170+ and I know its possible by Oct.
Im not sure when you're taking the test but you should have a look at PithyPikes Lsat study schedule. Also check out the LSATblog.
The books Ive found really good for prep are the LG and LR Bibles, the Atlas Logic games guide, the PS Deconstructed 2004, and alllll of the PT's. Classify all your questions by type and then drill each type as you finish going through their book chapters. Repeat, repeat, repeat all the questions you get wrong throughout your prep. And every question you get wrong and right, write out explanations of why answers were wrong, what made the right answers right etc. DRILL the questions. If a specific type is troublesome go back to the books. Check online for answer explanations. For the games the Ultimate Setups guide was good for me, but there are plenty of free LG explanations help online For RC I would try the Examkrackers guide, its supposed to be good but Im only just starting it. When youre doing timed whole sections try and get down to 30-32 minute sections instead of 35. Master the games, theyre the most learnable, and the LG bible combined with another good guide should be perfect if you work through them thoroughly, even repeatedly whilst drilling each game type in turn.

Also, when youre bullshitting online spend some time browsing through these forums, there is some really good advice, resources and help on here. Well, thats my two cents, hope some of it helps. Goodluck!

[NYCLSATTutor]

If a 156 was your diagnostic, then you should easily be able to go up at least 5 points from that and have the potential to go 10-20 points up from that.

The problem is probably not you, but the Kaplan methods that you are using to study. Buy the Logic Games Bible or the Logic Reasoning Bible and see if suddenly everything makes more sense.

You don't need to take a year off to study. You can't "beat" the test. What you can do is learn what they are trying to teach you so that you can do well on the test, answering the questions correctly without "beating" it.

My intention was not to sound "uppity" by saying I go to Cornell. But, I'm doing extremely well there and have a high GPA. I understand there is such a thing as a "reverse splitter" and I'm starting to think I may be one.

You might be a reverse splitter, but at this point you don't know. The 150-160 diag range is generally the range in which one can improve the most. If you got a 156 you are 100% able to improve above that score.

[youknowryan]

I went to Cornell.... Ever heard of it?

LOL: That was EXACTLY what I was thinking.

[masterthearts]

Hey,

The LSAT I have found to be incredibly learnable. If you prep wrong, you wont see results. But if you do it right, I think with enough time you could score as high as you wanted. 3 months, if focused should be sufficient. We diagn'd about the same, and you seem intelligent so I dont see any reason why you cant improve at least as much as I have. And im now testing at about 163, hoping to hit 170+ and I know its possible by Oct.
Im not sure when you're taking the test but you should have a look at PithyPikes Lsat study schedule. Also check out the LSATblog.
The books Ive found really good for prep are the LG and LR Bibles, the Atlas Logic games guide, the PS Deconstructed 2004, and alllll of the PT's. Classify all your questions by type and then drill each type as you finish going through their book chapters. Repeat, repeat, repeat all the questions you get wrong throughout your prep. And every question you get wrong and right, write out explanations of why answers were wrong, what made the right answers right etc. DRILL the questions. If a specific type is troublesome go back to the books. Check online for answer explanations. For the games the Ultimate Setups guide was good for me, but there are plenty of free LG explanations help online For RC I would try the Examkrackers guide, its supposed to be good but Im only just starting it. When youre doing timed whole sections try and get down to 30-32 minute sections instead of 35. Master the games, theyre the most learnable, and the LG bible combined with another good guide should be perfect if you work through them thoroughly, even repeatedly whilst drilling each game type in turn.

Also, when youre bullshitting online spend some time browsing through these forums, there is some really good advice, resources and help on here. Well, thats my two cents, hope some of it helps. Goodluck!

Thanks..I am beginning to score 88-92% correct when I time myself on individual sections. I just have to put it all together when I do a timed test at the Kaplan Center
thanks

[SJU2010]

Please don't tell me there is something wrong with the Kaplan course.

Why not? It's true.

Totally True get the Bibles they will help