Score increase on retake Forum

[CorkBoard]

I'm planning on taking the LSAT again in June. I took it in December; no score yet, but I don't think I did so hot. Maaaybe mid 150s at the lowest (for this post, it will probably be lower, haha). I was PTing from 160-165 pretty consistently to December, but I got really nervous and my timing was all off during the test.

Timing is my biggest issue. I understand the material and noticed that drilling particular types of questions really helped me when I was studying for December. I also have vast room for improvement in LG.

Is a break into the 170s possible from this range?

While I was studying for December, I was pulling 12 hour days at school and couldn't really dedicate my time to the LSAT. That's how the cookie crumbles, but whatever. I would really like to score in the 170s for June. I have graduated and I'm working now, so I have time to study and fully devote myself to the test.

So...is it possible? These questions get asked a lot, but I'm trying to figure out the best plan of action here. I don't want to be stuck in a TTT school paying off loans until I die.

[MachineLemon]

Yes, it is absolutely possible. Take every practice test. Review every wrong answer until you see clearly why you got it wrong. Cannibalize older tests or tests you took a long time ago for section practice. See powerscore bibles for weak sections.

Save a few tests from the newest book (with comparative reading) for later in your practice. Also, see if you can find a study partner. The competitive element is helpful and they can help you review your answers.

For more specific advice, let us know which sections you struggle with.

[CorkBoard]

Yes, it is absolutely possible. Take every practice test. Review every wrong answer until you see clearly why you got it wrong. Cannibalize older tests or tests you took a long time ago for section practice. See powerscore bibles for weak sections.

Save a few tests from the newest book (with comparative reading) for later in your practice. Also, see if you can find a study partner. The competitive element is helpful and they can help you review your answers.

For more specific advice, let us know which sections you struggle with.

My biggest struggle now is RC. Just the timing of it. I was so rushed in Dec. that I totally skimmed the comparative reading section. I am a pretty fast reader and this was originally my strongest part on my diagnostic.

My strengths and weaknesses changed throughout my studying. I used to be terrible at in/out games and now I find them the easiest. I prefer LR. I haven't fully mastered assumption questions and flaw questions. I'm missing inferences in LG that are caused by timing.

I just felt so rushed during the test, honestly. I have improved greatly in my understanding of the material, but I freaked out when I saw that I had RC first and two RC's in my test. I'm taking this weekend off and going to start prep again using the Manhattan LR book.

What advice do you have for timing practice?

[JamMasterJ]

shameless self-plug
http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 6&t=173647

[MachineLemon]

I have graduated and I'm working now, so I have time to study and fully devote myself to the test.

+over 9,000

Keep testing/reviewing on your LR/LG. Sounds like you're on track and have time to prep thoroughly. Assumption/flaw/formal logic questions are a real strength for me, so feel free to pm me a couple you struggled with and I'll try to explain why it should appear wrong and not just why it is wrong (slight, but important difference). I worked out of the 10-test books and kept them all, so if you can reference one there then you won't have to type the question into the message.

On reading, I faced a slightly different problem there. I was always a slow reader with excellent comprehension. I found that my slow reading was a neurotic need to read very closely. Had to force myself to read the passage straight through, no re-reading or pausing to reflect unless absolutely necessary. I started reading a lot of contemporary philosophy during the months of my prep (for reasons unrelated to the LSAT), and this really helped my pace and comprehension.

Have you ever run with leg weights on? When you take them off you feel lighter, faster, etc... Serious analytic philosophy can make the reading sections on the LSAT look pathetically easy and straightforward. This lowered my compulsive need to re-read and reflect since I perceived the passages as easier. If you'd like to try this out, I recommend reading articles in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and, if anything really catches your eye, follow up on the article it cites.

Try the following. I find them fascinating--your results may vary. Read in this order, or you'll find yourself a bit lost:

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/names/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/indexicals/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rigid-designators/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/menta ... sentation/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/content-externalism/

[CorkBoard]

I have graduated and I'm working now, so I have time to study and fully devote myself to the test.

+over 9,000

Keep testing/reviewing on your LR/LG. Sounds like you're on track and have time to prep thoroughly. Assumption/flaw/formal logic questions are a real strength for me, so feel free to pm me a couple you struggled with and I'll try to explain why it should appear wrong and not just why it is wrong (slight, but important difference). I worked out of the 10-test books and kept them all, so if you can reference one there then you won't have to type the question into the message.

On reading, I faced a slightly different problem there. I was always a slow reader with excellent comprehension. I found that my slow reading was a neurotic need to read very closely. Had to force myself to read the passage straight through, no re-reading or pausing to reflect unless absolutely necessary. I started reading a lot of contemporary philosophy during the months of my prep (for reasons unrelated to the LSAT), and this really helped my pace and comprehension.

Have you ever run with leg weights on? When you take them off you feel lighter, faster, etc... Serious analytic philosophy can make the reading sections on the LSAT look pathetically easy and straightforward. This lowered my compulsive need to re-read and reflect since I perceived the passages as easier. If you'd like to try this out, I recommend reading articles in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and, if anything really catches your eye, follow up on the article it cites.

Try the following. I find them fascinating--your results may vary. Read in this order, or you'll find yourself a bit lost:

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/names/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/indexicals/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rigid-designators/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/menta ... sentation/

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/content-externalism/

Thanks for the links. I'm going to check them out now. I hope that I can crack down on RC. I got two RC's and one of them (the experimental) was the first section I had. It totally killed my confidence that I had going into the test because it was really the worst-case scenario for me. I think that if I was presented with 2 RCs again it wouldn't freak me out as much.

I'm ready to go into this fully devoted and come out in the 170s or at least the high 160s.

[CorkBoard]

shameless self-plug
http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 6&t=173647

Hey, thanks! I just picked up the Manhattan LR book per your suggestion in another thread. Do you think picking up the RC would be largely beneficial? I already went through the PS RC and found it wasn't really helpful.