need advice. real and honest Forum

[doubleL]

Okay so I took the October LSAT and bombed it. Thought I misbubbled, but looking at the PDF's I am inclined to think I did not. So, I registered to retake in December and am registered for Powerscore's online course. I need advice on how to increase my chances to get into top 100 schools.

GPA: 3.60; 3.7 in prime major, Philosophy. Double major with a minor as well.
Have great softs: UTA, have a title as tutor for writing at my schhool, great recommendations, and work full time as well.
LSAT <151. PTing at 160-165. Now, I am not looking for admission to top 14 schools or even top 25. I am looking at Temple, Pitt, Rutgers, Duquesne, Brooklyn, Hofstra, Rutgers, Villanova, PSU, etc. Reach: Wake Forest. So, then for these schools is a December lsat detrimental?????

Is taking the December test really really bad? I will have my applications completed before Dec scores come out, write an LSAT addenda, and notify them that another LSAR is coming. Any advice? What do I do--Law school has been my dream since I was 14.

[whymeohgodno]

Retake. It won't hurt nearly as much as it will help.

[plenipotentiary]

Take an actual, in-person course.

[doubleL]

Would have loved to; however, its too late. Classes have already started for them. Online is next best option. To counter this, some of my friends have agreed to proctor me for a real preptest.

[plenipotentiary]

I don't know anyone who had success with an online class. December is not the last LSAT administration ever.

[albanach]

You don't need the friends - though it's a nice thought on their part. Just sit in a quietish starbucks and complete an entire test in an environment with noise and distractions every Saturday morning at the same time as you'd be sitting the real test. If you can do Sunday's too, all the better.

By the time the test comes around, your body will be well adjusted to the test as a normal part of Saturday's morning routine.

[KevinP]

Definitely retake. A couple point improvement on the LSAT is worth far more than applying earlier. As some posters have stated, taking an in-person course would probably be better but if you truly apply yourself, an online course should work out fine for you. Best of luck to you.

[doubleL]

Thank you. I'm just so freaked out and nervous that my December test is too late.

[plenipotentiary]

Being freaked out is not going to help your score. Is there some reason that you can't prepare properly, take the exam in February or June, and apply next year?

[typ3]

Being freaked out is not going to help your score. Is there some reason that you can't prepare properly, take the exam in February or June, and apply next year?

I freaked on my first LSAT sitting. I scored 8 points below my PT average. Ran out of time on every section because I was tripple and quadrouple checking my answers.

[doubleL]

Well we know Feb is way too late. But, to me (and this is just me personally), I will never give up. I did not give up when I did not do well on my SATs, got into a great undergrad, and have a great GPA. So, I am not going to give up now.

My anxiety had always been a problem, which is why standardized tests are bad for me. I am working on it. But I wont give up.

[doubleL]

what did you do, typ3?

[plenipotentiary]

Well we know Feb is way too late. But, to me (and this is just me personally), I will never give up. I did not give up when I did not do well on my SATs, got into a great undergrad, and have a great GPA. So, I am not going to give up now.

My anxiety had always been a problem, which is why standardized tests are bad for me. I am working on it. But I wont give up.

Uh, I didn't tell you to give up. I advised you to take the time to prepare properly. Which includes managing your anxiety.

[doubleL]

Yes, I know you did not tell me to give up. I appreciate the advice from you. I have curtailed my hours at work dramatically in an effort to control stress. I have also started ways to control anxiety as well.

[pppokerface]

Id defer a year. If you were surprised about bombing, it probably means you need to relearn some things-that can take time. I'm only saying this because I had the same reaction when I got in the 150s-total shock, but when I looked back, I didn't have that strong of a grasp on the basics.

[doubleL]

This is why its so frustrating. I refuse to defer a year. Maybe because im too arrogant, I do not know. But here's the thing. I do not need to relearn things. I am a philosophy major; as I look at my new preptest books I have just bought, I am getting answers correctly. I am reading these techniques and I say, well duh. I am not sure what to make of this. I read the stimulus, look at the answers, and pick the right one! wtf.

[pleasepickme]

I don't know anyone who had success with an online class. December is not the last LSAT administration ever.

I did have success with Powerscore's virtual class online. My score went up 8 points from my first diagnostic. Powerscore's is nice because there is an actual class time and an instructor that you can talk to with questions, so it keeps you focused. If you're willing to put in the time to do the 100-150 pgs. of homework each week, it can be incredibly helpful. There's one starting on Nov. 8.

[doubleL]

I don't know anyone who had success with an online class. December is not the last LSAT administration ever.

I did have success with Powerscore's virtual class online. My score went up 8 points from my first diagnostic. Powerscore's is nice because there is an actual class time and an instructor that you can talk to with questions, so it keeps you focused. If you're willing to put in the time to do the 100-150 pgs. of homework each week, it can be incredibly helpful. There's one starting on Nov. 8.

THANK you for letting me know this. I am scheduled for the one that begins November 11th. Any other tips? (The only bad thing I see about it is that there are no official, proctored exam days that you would receive in an actual classroom course.)

[cardinals03]

I took the Powerscore online class---waste of money. I would recommend you buy the hell out of PT's, do only under timed situations, and then review every test and question in detail. 3|inks spreadsheet seems like a good idea as well. Seriously, I wish I had not wasted the time or money on that course (not to say that their methods are not efficient, because they are). Basically, you have a class where the instructor reads some slides and goes over questions for 3+ hours. For me, self-study now seems like the best way.

Cost of class = $1100

Around 50 pt's = $400

[WonkyPanda]

retake without question. Because you're looking at a 10+ point increase, assuming you hit your average, there is no reason not to retake and your prospects will be infinitely better.

[doubleL]

retake without question. Because you're looking at a 10+ point increase, assuming you hit your average, there is no reason not to retake and your prospects will be infinitely better.

Yeah I am signed up. Ive gone through Pt's 51-59 already though....
Oh boy

[LuBru]

.

[pleasepickme]

I don't know anyone who had success with an online class. December is not the last LSAT administration ever.

I did have success with Powerscore's virtual class online. My score went up 8 points from my first diagnostic. Powerscore's is nice because there is an actual class time and an instructor that you can talk to with questions, so it keeps you focused. If you're willing to put in the time to do the 100-150 pgs. of homework each week, it can be incredibly helpful. There's one starting on Nov. 8.

THANK you for letting me know this. I am scheduled for the one that begins November 11th. Any other tips? (The only bad thing I see about it is that there are no official, proctored exam days that you would receive in an actual classroom course.)

Sorry for the slow reply!! The only other advice I can give is to pay attention "in class" and ask questions as though it were the real thing. I asked my boyfriend to proctor tests for me to simulate the exam days, and it seemed to work just as well. The online course takes more self-discipline than a regular course, but I think that's about it.

Random other tip totally unrelated to the online course: I started got up and took an exam at the time of the test every day starting two weeks before the real thing, and I found that really helped! It got my brain used to working that early in the morning, and it helped me regulate things like hunger and bathroom breaks before the real thing. I would HIGHLY recommend it. If you have class or something early in the day, do it before hand.

[mst]

To Op: Retake. It can't hurt, unless you do worse. No school that accepts LSAT's below 165 will really "average." The only thing to keep in mind is that you shouldn't really take the LSAT more than 2 times preferably, 3 times MAX. But you obviously can perform in a decent range so I say retake.

When I see score disparities that large I usually am inclined to think its due to either:

a)Practicing incorrectly (in environment dissimilar to testing situations OR doing only 4 sections at a time)
b)Not taking enough practice tests, so that you can be at the point where you just process the real test like an everyday occurrence.

Take a test every 1-2 days until December, 5 sections, in a variety of testing situations (I disagree with the starbucks thing... no offense but there's no testing room where somebody will be screaming "MOCHA LATTE" for 4 hours...a somewhat busy library will do, or even your apartment/home while others are home & moving about in other rooms). Review after each test (every question).

Also, I don't know the latest date that you can change testing centers, but try your best to find one that suits your needs. If your somebody that is easily distracted, go for one with small classrooms. If you're one who NEEDS space to spread out, find one with big tables. Prior to the test make sure your on a normal sleeping schedule for at least 3 days prior, and that you maintain a regular diet.

If you can prepare yourself to treat test day like any other day, you should match your PT's. A 15 point drop is ridiculous. With a mid 160's and that GPA, you can get some decent law schools. Good luck.