October is coming and I'm getting nervous. ANY ADVICE? Forum

[Progress01]

I won't say how long I've been studying, but it hasn't been as long as I would have liked. I took 19 credits of summer school, and during that time didn't hit the books like I should have.
My first PT was in August. My diagnostic was a 150, taken in the back of my dad's small plane, with earbuds piping in Katy Perry to drone out the engine, on the way to my grandmother's funeral, with strep throat. Scored a 150, and thought, "hey, if I can score this without ever having seen an LSAT before, after I study it should come up."

Logic Games constitute my weakest section. I've been doing every LG section from the old LSATS since '93. I do several a day. My plan is to have done every LG ever released by LSAC by the time test day rolls around. I've been typing out and retaking the questions I got wrong.

I obsess over this test. I almost enjoy some of it. But I'm so scared. I'm worried. What if my scores don't continue to improve over the next 25 days? I haven an awful GPA. No, seriously..AWFUL.
Any advice to calm myself or good study tips? I have the powerscore books. I also have every LSAT through test 63. Except for that illusive book of 10 that LSAC doesn't widely release anymore.

ALSO...Is a 150 a good or just average score for a cold diagnostic? Much room for improvement?

[Pancakes12]

150 is about average for a diagnostic. Maybe a little higher. Where are you PTing at now?

[wtrc]

What are you scoring at now, after seeing every PT ever?

Don't stress out, it will only hurt you. Remember that even if October doesn't go as well as you want it to, you can always take December. You've seen every PT before -- you know what to expect -- now you just gotta rock PT 70.

Re 150, if you had strep throat, were in a moving plane, listening to Katy Perry, and going from a close relatives funeral, I really don't know why you'd take an LSAT, but I'm impressed you scored at pretty much the national median with all those circumstances and never seeing one before...

[Nonconsecutive]

With LG as your weakest section, you stand a good chance of improving in a short amount of time. LG tends to be the quickest section to "learn" if you are studying properly. You mention that you are doing a lot of LGs, and taking note of which questions you got wrong, but are you actually taking the time to understand the missed inferences or why you got the questions wrong? Be sure to focus on the fundamentals behind the missed question, rather than just on the specific mechanics of that question a lone. If you study for 50 hours a week, but don't correct your "core" any during the process, you'll continue to miss those questions (And this applies to all three sections).

I wouldn't be majorly concerned with your diagnostic, I think people can tend to weigh those way too heavily. Mine was nothing amazing, but my PT average is now about 17-18 points higher than the diagnostic.

What is your current approximate PT average, and where you would like to be by October? This data along how you are studying specifically will be a better judge of how ready you are for October (though ultimately that relies entirely on how you feel).

[akg144]

150 is fine no reason to worry whatsoever about that kinda diagnostic. From the sound of it, i'd say don't take the October test, go for December and do it right. If you force the issue this October I don't think your going to like your score very much nor the results of your cycle. Give yourself sufficient time to approach your optimal level of performance then nail the test come December.

GL mate

[moralsentiments]

Where are you PTing at now?

This is key. If you just started preparing in August, that means (assuming Aug 1st), you'll have had about 9 weeks worth of study time by test day. This may be sufficient for some people, but I'm inclined to believe for most, it isn't enough time. Did/Are you taking a prep course? How many timed practice tests have you taken since your diagnostic, and what scores are you getting? If you take 20-30 practice LSATs, it's likely that you will be able to see an average and get a good indication of what you will score on test day (assuming nothing bad happens on/before the exam).

With that said, if you either 1) are not averaging in a score range that is acceptable to you by a week prior to the exam, DON'T TAKE IT. Sit this one out and try again in Dec/Feb/June. If you want the "experience" (since you've already paid) then go ahead but don't be surprised if you don't get the score you want. 2) If you haven't taken enough practice LSATs to even know what you're averaging and what you should expect test day, DON'T TAKE IT. This means you haven't studied enough.

Seems like every day posters on TLS recommend retaking the LSAT to people who haven't adequately prepared their first/second time around. Don't be that guy/girl. Just because you can retake it, doesn't mean you should. Its $165.00 each time. Study right the first time and knock it out of the park.

Good luck with your cycle.

[10052014]

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