Is an LSAT tutor worth it for JUN LSAT? Forum

[thecomebackmaven]

Ive got a study plan, and thankfully-TIME to study. I can invest in a tutor but is it worth it? I am looking to score in the 175 range or higher(practice test was 168). I am taking a prep course in April. My whole life will change if I can do this and I need to do the things that will get my score up there with the big kids on the swingset. Will a tutor do it along with my intense study plan??? I feel like I need someone who has the familiarity with the test to direct me so I don't waste time wandering off down bunny trails. Any success stories please- but the honest truth about the suckee experiences too (like weirdo tutors from Craiglist).
thx everyone & best of luck prepping

[bk1]

You need to focus in my mind.

Find what works for you and do that, don't try to do everything (selfprep/class/tutor) because that's just going to give you several different approaches rather than one unified way for the test.

Figure out how you study best, whether that is through an individual tutor, a group class, or just self-study, and do that. Most people on TLS advise self-study (way cheaper and more effective for them), but you should really find what works best for you.

Also, if you're starting at 168 I wouldn't do a class. Classes seem to be aimed at median students and don't help those already scoring well.

[ptblazer]

Ive got a study plan, and thankfully-TIME to study. I can invest in a tutor but is it worth it? I am looking to score in the 175 range or higher(practice test was 168). I am taking a prep course in April. My whole life will change if I can do this and I need to do the things that will get my score up there with the big kids on the swingset. Will a tutor do it along with my intense study plan??? I feel like I need someone who has the familiarity with the test to direct me so I don't waste time wandering off down bunny trails. Any success stories please- but the honest truth about the suckee experiences too (like weirdo tutors from Craiglist).
thx everyone & best of luck prepping

I'm going to say, no, not worth it. If you were getting 158 and wanted 165, then maybe.

[bp colin]

I think a tutor could help, but you'd want one with a lot of experience tutoring students like yourself. Getting someone to a 175 can be quite a bit different than getting someone to a 165. There are definitely tutors who are really good at the latter, but not at the former. If you go with someone who's super experienced then they can probably diagnose your problems much easier, and offer varying approaches for shaving off your misses.

[hurldes]

I suggest you study by yourself for a month or two and go through the lg/lr bibles and simultaneously take around ten practice tests. If you can get to 175 by yourself then you probably won't need a tutor. If there are still tricky ones, then get a tutor but go with specific questions so you can use your time more productively.

After a tutor has helped you work out all the kinks, take like thirty more pts, and go over every question that gave you trouble, regardless of whether you missed it. You'll be set.

[KibblesAndVick]

If you're already at 168 I don't think you should pay for a tutor unless you/your parents are rich and money isn't an issue. Once you start scoring around 170 it means you understand most of the material. You might still have a few specific areas where you're weak but the test stops being about how well you know the material and starts being about the ability to minimize mistakes for 4 hours straight. When you look over the questions you got wrong on practice tests how long does it take you to figure out your mistake? Pretty soon you'll get to the point where it only takes a minute or two and your reaction is something along the lines of "What the hell was I thinking? Duuuhhh..." The problem isn't that you "don't get it" or that the questions are too hard. The problem is that you aren't given much time per section and you have to maintain focus for hours on end.

Most tutors are much better at explaining the material itself than they are at coaching your time management and personal performance. The latter comes mostly from practice. Take a lot of practice tests. Then take a lot more. Always add a 5th experimental section and be really strict about timing. If you do hire a tutor make sure you explain that you're already scoring in the high 160's and are aiming for 175+. There are tutors who cater to high performers and specialize in getting people over the last hurdles. Personally, I'm skeptical that they help all that much beyond giving you structured practice. Having said that, if you do get a tutor try and find someone with a track record of helping high scorers.

HTH. Best of luck studying for the LSAT.

[Sandro]

I was scoring in the mid/high 160s months before the test. LG was always bad but I tried to go it alone and did a ton of LG problems, multiple times. I ended up missing -11,-8,and -9 on my 3 LSATs on LG alone. While I still scored <95% I think if I could go back I would find a tutor who could help me with LG.


Although, to be fair I'm not sure if a tutor would do much help as I was scoring -2 and -3 on the Late 40s and early 50s LGs. These new LG really suck.

[Jeffort]

I was scoring in the mid/high 160s months before the test. LG was always bad but I tried to go it alone and did a ton of LG problems, multiple times. I ended up missing -11,-8,and -9 on my 3 LSATs on LG alone. While I still scored <95% I think if I could go back I would find a tutor who could help me with LG.


Although, to be fair I'm not sure if a tutor would do much help as I was scoring -2 and -3 on the Late 40s and early 50s LGs. These new LG really suck.

ehh, the recent LG sections aren't really any different or more difficult than the vast majority of them from the past. Granted, there were a bunch of noticeably easier than usual LG sections that appeared over several years, starting with June 2005, but based on the last year+ of tests, that seems to have been a temporary trend.