Realistic Expectations? Forum

[ThreeRivers]

Cut down the number of PTs to 3/week or so. Focus on drilling LGs in the interim days but make sure to take at least 1 day off per week to recharge.

At this stage burnout can be a factor, taking more than one PT per day is a quick road to mental exhaustion, so watch out for that as well.

Also, try doing more old LGs.

I've been using "need an off day" as an excuse to watch football all day long on Sunday lol, but other than that I've been going pretty hard

[minnbills]

Cut down the number of PTs to 3/week or so. Focus on drilling LGs in the interim days but make sure to take at least 1 day off per week to recharge.

At this stage burnout can be a factor, taking more than one PT per day is a quick road to mental exhaustion, so watch out for that as well.

Also, try doing more old LGs.

I've been using "need an off day" as an excuse to watch football all day long on Sunday lol, but other than that I've been going pretty hard

That works. At this point I would transition from quantity to quality studying though. If you're getting 163 with -10/12 on LGs then that is obviously the area you need to improve on. Make sure you review each LG extensively and try retaking each one 1-2 days later.

You might want to try going through the LGs bible/Manhattan prep again just to reinforce everything as well.

[ThreeRivers]

Last question / semi-concern (at least for now). Even though I've been ending up with the EXACT score on my last 4 tests, sometiems the actual sections vary greatly (particularly on LR / RC). Sometimes I'll lose a lot more RC points, but then get almost every single LR question correct. It has always balanced out to the exact same in the end though.

I have this worry that it won't balance out and I'll get sections similar to my "bad" RC and my "bad" LR. Is this likely or does the LSAT generally end up balancing itself in difficulties (if have a more difficult RC section, might have an easier LR section) or am I just getting lucky with this / might not always balance this way?

[imjustjoking22]

I'm in the same boat, my scores are very consistent (I think in the past month I've only varied by 5 points or so) but my weak section varies. I think the whole LSAT really does test very similar skills, and if you generally understand each section type then it' normal to just vary depending on some test sections being harder than others on a test-to-test basis.

[$1.99]

you have it in the bag man!

[ThreeRivers]

Mini-freak out.. I reduced the amount of PT's I've been taking to avoid burnout before the test. I took PT today under the best circumstances I ever have. I normally took 5 - 10 minute breaks inbetween sections and did 4. Today I did 5 (one old one mixed in), and started next section IMMEDIATELY (took 5 minute break inbetween 2/3). I know break is supposed to be after 3, but something came up I had to deal with.

I got a 158... I haven't gotten that since I 1st started studying for this. I've gotten 5 straight 164's and assumed that was were I was. Now worried my improper testing techniques skewed that.

I'm taking another PT later today. I have to, I'm curious if this is just a fluke... if it isn't I may be done...

[minnbills]

Don't sweat it, I bombed a PT one week before the test as well.

I would actually recommend taking a bit of time off. Go do something fun or at least something that will take your mind off the test.

[ThreeRivers]

Just took another one... back up to 164, I'm hoping 158 was insane fluke. I'll be happy anything 162+
Only minor concerns I want to take a couple in semi-noisy environment and with watch I just bought for LSAT (cheap $8 one lol).
Towards the end of last section I missed 5 straight problems in which I think I would have at least gotten 3 right if wasn't for fatigue. Hopefully can get that ironed out.

Anyone else thing the very recent tests have eaiser LG's but harder LR's?

I know all this prep in one month wasn't ideal, but for my purpose of wanting to practice law in probably Pittsburgh I think II should score well enough to get some $ from Pitt.

On a semi-related note, talking to someone I work with in my shitty college age job and he went on a rant about how I need to take a prep course because of how much it helps. He then told me it jacked his score all the way up to 144 . I honestly didn't know how to react that someone was BRAGGING to me about that score lol

[SisterRayVU]

You can congratulate because everyone has different goals.

GL in your studying, I'm sure you'll do fine come test day.

[ThreeRivers]

I was extremely busy and could not really prepare for the LSAT’s until about August 22. I scheduled minimal responsibilities from then until October 1 so I could be in “LSAT overdrive” until the test.

I decided to take an “original diagnostic test” on August 22 and was EXTREMLEY frustrated / was not even coming close to doing anything correctly on the test and I just quit in the middle of it. I went to the “Google machine” and read a lot of information on here for advice. I basically came across that PowerScore Bibles could be my savior (especially LR / LG).

In the last 2 weeks, I went through cover to cover the LR / LG Bibles and felt I was making a lot of progress. Tonight I took another prep test, under strict time conditions and received:

-2 on 1st LR sections
-12 on Reading comp
-7 on Logic Games
-5 on 2nd LR section
Raw score 75/ Reported score 159

I had enough time on the 2 LR sections, on the Reading comp section I just “guessed” on the last 7 and the same situation occurred on the last 4 Logic game question. I missed every single question I randomly guessed on. So of the 26 questions I missed, 11 were from time issues and 12 were from Reading comp (7 of those because of time issue).

I figured I should probably now go through the RC Bible since although it is not generally recommended on here it seems to be holding me back.

Anyways, I plan to take 32 more prep tests before Oct 1 (I’m spending a TON of time on LSAT a day) and also probably going through the RC Bible now.

What could be a realistic improvement from this 1st test until Oct. 1… I want at least a 165, is this realistic? I would prefer closer to a 169, is this realistic?

168!!

[minnbills]

Congrats! Told ya so!

[ThreeRivers]

Congrats! Told ya so!

Thanks a lot.... I really wouldn't have been able to improve so quickly without your tips / advice

[ThreeRivers]

I ended up on -3 on RC.... kind of weird that was my biggest improvement when its supposed to be the hardest one to improve lol

[minnbills]

No problem! Yeah test day can be a bit of a surprise. My highest and lowest scores for my two tests were on RC.