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1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 2:40 pm
by esther0123
I posted elsewhere and I apologize for a second post on a related topic. I was wondering what the general consensus of my situation and if December re-write for my target score was reasonable.

Based on my high GPA (3.98), most suggested that I should rewrite because with a 167 (first time writing LSAT), I'm throwing away my GPA.... and I agree :(

The following is my spread on my October writing

LR1: -7 (first section... I was very distracted by other people's pencil sound...)
LR2: -3 (this is my actual range based on practice test)
LG: 0 (never got -0 in PT -- my practice ranged from -1~-4)
RC: -5 (underperformed -- my practice ranged from -1~-3)

What makes me more upset is that I actually switched from right to wrong on two of the questions :(

My PT range (most common scores, barring on outliers)
LR1: -3
LR2: -3
LG: -1~-4
RC: -1~-3

My PT total range was 165~175, 165 and 175 both being outliers. My mode and average was both 171.
I was very stagnant throughout my prep, ranging from 169-171. Frankly, I wasn't very ready for my LR sections as I didn't focus much effort on them, and clearly, I paid my price.

For the record, I studied for 3 months last summer but never wrote the test. This year, I prepared for 1.5 months before going into my October test, with very little improvement in my practice score during 1.5 months period (but my average PT was much higher this year than last summer).

Given all of this information, do you think I could increase my score in DEC writing to about 173? (minimum 170...)

Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 2:48 pm
by JWP1022
Practice games so that you're -0/-1 everytime

Go through first six chapters of Manhattan LR

Score 170+

Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 6:00 pm
by Jeffort
Wit the information you report, yes it is certainly doable to bring up your score in the next month if you really put in the time and effort, especially on LR.

Get to work!

Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 6:24 pm
by mpc347
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Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:30 pm
by esther0123
On this note, how is retake seen at HYS? I understand that everywhere below those three generally take the highest, but I'm wondering if my chance at those three are long gone.... With my current GPA and LSAT combo, the predictor tells me that I am at the bottom 25% ish at HS and out at Y.

Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:46 pm
by mpc347
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Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:57 pm
by koalacity
esther0123 wrote:On this note, how is retake seen at HYS? I understand that everywhere below those three generally take the highest, but I'm wondering if my chance at those three are long gone.... With my current GPA and LSAT combo, the predictor tells me that I am at the bottom 25% ish at HS and out at Y.
They don't average. They care about your highest, though Y may consider your initial as part of your overall application. Many applicants with initial sub-170s scores are accepted every year to HYS, so long as their retake scores end up where they need to be.

Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 7:57 pm
by NotASpecialSnowflake
This is very encouraging to read that this can be done. I'm trying to improve by at least 5 points as well. I bought the Manhattan LR and RC books and the LSAT trainer.

So if HYS don't average, is it safe to assume that most of the T-14 don't average as well?

And for the people who were able to do this, how many hours per week did you put in? I'm looking at around 21 hours per week.

Re: 1 month to improve 5 points... Is this doable?

Posted: Tue Oct 29, 2013 8:10 pm
by esther0123
walket wrote:This is very encouraging to read that this can be done. I'm trying to improve by at least 5 points as well. I bought the Manhattan LR and RC books and the LSAT trainer.

So if HYS don't average, is it safe to assume that most of the T-14 don't average as well?

And for the people who were able to do this, how many hours per week did you put in? I'm looking at around 21 hours per week.
Curious about the same question as well.

And as for the rest of the T-14, I believe they do not average, judging from many posts and random blogs I've read. We can do this! (hopefully!)