Top Law Schools

Hi, I generally just stalk these boards but I am taking the LSAT for the first time in 3 1/2 weeks. I've studied for the test on my own and after taking several diagnostic practice tests I think my score will fall in the high 160's. I've scored 169, 167, 167, and 175 respectively on the last 4 diagnostic tests I've taken. I've been strict with time and since there's a three year old in my house I'm taking the test in a much more chaotic (loud) environment than I will be on the actual test day. I think the last score was a fluke because everything that could go right on that test did and no question types that I have difficulties with appeared which allowed me to score perfectly on the RC and LR sections.

I really would like to break a 170 which is obviously possible based on my last test score but in order to do this I need to either significantly increase my LG score which is the only section I really struggle with or score perfectly on the 3 other sections like I did in the practice test. I don't really need the 170 to get into the school I'm trying to get admitted to as it is a T4 school but I would like the option of eventually transferring out if need be due to other outside circumstances concerning my family.

As I have nothing scheduled in the next three weeks to prevent me from devoting all of my time to studying and I pick things up fairly quickly I'm hoping I'll be able to make an impact on my score. Do you think my remaining time would be better spent focusing mainly on LG or tightening up the other 3 sections?Also what can I do to get quicker at LG? When I'm not constrained by time I can score near perfectly but as soon as the clock starts ticking I start making stupid mistakes and taking too long to get through at least one game which generally leaves me with a score in the high teens.

LG is the most eminently improvable section, and the only one in which it is possible to be 100% sure of all of your answers and guarantee yourself a -0 virtually every time. So focus on LG. Since your problem is time constraints, your strategy should be 1) really streamline the way you diagram and solve problems and 2) drill baby drill. Examine your work on previous LG sections - do you really HAVE to make your diagram that detailed, or can you take some shortcuts? Are you showing your work in an organized way that allows you to use information from previous questions on later ones? Are you answering local, conditional questions before you answer the global ones? Really make sure you're doing everything you can to find the answer with as little work as possible. Then, do every LG section you can get your hands on. Don't completely neglect the other sections, but it sounds like you're in good shape for them - keep up your skills, but focus on getting your LG to -0 every time. It's doable, plenty of people on this board have done it and you can do it too. I'm not sure if you've used a book or a strategy, but PowerScore and Manhattan both do good LG guides. Look through those books if you haven't already, watch some Velocity videos, in general try to amass awareness of the fastest ways to do the problems, and the ways that make sense to you. And don't stop doing LGs. You got this.

I also can't help myself from reminding you not to go to a school with bleak employment prospects if you don't have a hefty scholarship, but then again, you probably know that already, and you're probably going to get a great scholarship with a score in the 170s.