Top Law Schools

I am just finishing up my M.A. in English and am starting to prep to take the LSAT. What kind of boost can I expect studying to provide / what kind of boost did you get?

"Cold" (walked in, no previous experience with test) on a free practice exam my U. hosted I got a 153 (horrific logic games score).

I know studying can help me a bit (my ACT jumped 5 points just by brushing up on math) - but what kind of jump is realistic to expect on the LSAT?

I've heard the avg range from 7-10 pts but everyone is different of course. I did +19 off my diagnostic so there is hope out there for you to get a 170+

My initial diagnostic was also 153. I did horrible on the logic games section. I bought a Princeton review book (which I am told is not a very good resource), put in about 15 hours of studying, and hit 158 on my second practice test. I think my score is going to increase slower now, but I am confident that I can get 165+ on the June LSAT with a reasonable amount of studying.

My actual score was 12 pts higher than my diagnostic.

Devote at least 3 months to LSAT prep if you wanna maximize your score. Check out LSAT Blog for some great info/study schedules.

Thank you all so much! I've read that the logic games is the area where you can pick up the most points, have you all found that to be true as well? I only got through 1 complete question on my diagnostic. All my answers were correct, but I was obscenely slow to get to them. I assume more familiarity and practice will expedite that section (at least a bit) for me?

Let's not reinvent the wheel.

How much did you improve, from first LSAT to last?
How much can I push the LSAT score up?
how much should I expect to improve?
NEED to improve LSAT score 20 POINTS--what to do?
Can you add 10 points to your LSAT score?
How much did LSAT prep course raise your score?
What did you get on your very first practice test?
Realistic LSAT score increase?
LSAT Improvement
Who's had a low diagnostic but a high LSAT score?
What is the best improvement on your LSAT scores
Just took LSAT cold
Pointers at getting above 170 on the LSAT
Took the LSAT for the first time... I'm utterly shocked.
How much should I rely on the diagonistic test?
140- 170 on lsat
Diagnostic LSAT--How representative is it?
Expectations/reality of raising LSAT score

Thank you for the links - incredibly helpful!

It all depends on how hard you practice (and how much potential you have, I guess). You can learn how to test well on the LSAT. I went from a cold 151 to a 176 in October.

But, I studied for 8 months, every day, real conditions, with every piece of LSAT material I could get my hands on (but no courses, just self-study). My PTs, in the last two months of studying, ranged from 166-180, and from 169-178 in the last two weeks.

Study hard, and it will pay off. And believe me, the LSAT will (largely) determine your future prospects in law.

You can make significant gains if you study hard and study correctly and time your sections.

Verity wrote:It all depends on how hard you practice (and how much potential you have, I guess). You can learn how to test well on the LSAT. I went from a cold 151 to a 176 in October.

But, I studied for 8 months, every day, real conditions, with every piece of LSAT material I could get my hands on (but no courses, just self-study). My PTs, in the last two months of studying, ranged from 166-180, and from 169-178 in the last two weeks.

Study hard, and it will pay off. And believe me, the LSAT will (largely) determine your future prospects in law.

Just curious, do you mean this recent October 2010 LSAT? Or did you take it in 2009?

Adjudicator wrote:

Verity wrote:It all depends on how hard you practice (and how much potential you have, I guess). You can learn how to test well on the LSAT. I went from a cold 151 to a 176 in October.

But, I studied for 8 months, every day, real conditions, with every piece of LSAT material I could get my hands on (but no courses, just self-study). My PTs, in the last two months of studying, ranged from 166-180, and from 169-178 in the last two weeks.

Study hard, and it will pay off. And believe me, the LSAT will (largely) determine your future prospects in law.

Just curious, do you mean this recent October 2010 LSAT? Or did you take it in 2009?

2009.

My very first diag was in the high 150s, ended up with a 178. I recently had a student who started in the 130s, and ended up scoring in the high 160s. That was pretty exceptional, but she did an exceptional amount of work. LSAT improvement is mostly a function of how much time and effort you're willing to put in. Which should be a lot. In a way, studying for the LSAT is probably the highest-paying job you'll ever have.

bp colin wrote:My very first diag was in the high 150s, ended up with a 178. I recently had a student who started in the 130s, and ended up scoring in the high 160s. That was pretty exceptional, but she did an exceptional amount of work. LSAT improvement is mostly a function of how much time and effort you're willing to put in. Which should be a lot. In a way, studying for the LSAT is probably the highest-paying job you'll ever have.

+1

Verity wrote:It all depends on how hard you practice (and how much potential you have, I guess). You can learn how to test well on the LSAT. I went from a cold 151 to a 176 in October.

But, I studied for 8 months, every day, real conditions, with every piece of LSAT material I could get my hands on (but no courses, just self-study). My PTs, in the last two months of studying, ranged from 166-180, and from 169-178 in the last two weeks.

Study hard, and it will pay off. And believe me, the LSAT will (largely) determine your future prospects in law.

Posts like this make me wish I had planned better and allowed room for retake(s). I did study a lot and hard, but now that I am in law school and hoping to transfer up I think it would have been good to put even more effort in on the front side.