5 weeks out from Dec LSAT, seeing little progress Forum

[midwestkid06]

I sat for the LSAT last September and scored a 161, and I was PTing around 165. I have been studying around 10-15 hours a week in September, 25-30 hours in October. I have not been extremely diligent in my study, but I have followed the LSAT trainers 12 week schedule for the most part. With that being said I have not scored over a 161 PT on the 4 PT's I've taken in the past two months. I usually miss -7 LR, -1/3 LG, and -7/9 RC. I am trying to score a 168 on the December LSAT. I have the PowerScore RC Bible and Workbook that I could still use. My question is should I be focusing on workbooks like that and for LR or with only 5 weeks left should I be hitting multiple PT's a week? I currently have no time commitments besides studying, eating, working out and sleeping. Just kind of freaking out that I've been seeing little to no progress with only 5 weeks left.

[Walliums]

If you aren't PTing at your target score, why are you not postponing? Are you applying this cycle?

[midwestkid06]

If you aren't PTing at your target score, why are you not postponing? Are you applying this cycle?

Because I still have 5 weeks and unlimited time to study. I am applying this cycle and start next fall. I applied last cycle with good offers from schools in Missouri and deferred a full scholarship from University of Missouri for fall of 2017. My goal is to get into University of Colorado Boulder with some $$. I got WL last year, but I am now an instate applicant which I hope will have a decent impact. The reason I am aiming for a 168 is a hail mary ED application at WashU in St. Louis.

[Walliums]

If you aren't PTing at your target score, why are you not postponing? Are you applying this cycle?

Because I still have 5 weeks and unlimited time to study. I am applying this cycle and start next fall. I applied last cycle with good offers from schools in Missouri and deferred a full scholarship from University of Missouri for fall of 2017. My goal is to get into University of Colorado Boulder with some $$. I got WL last year, but I am now an instate applicant which I hope will have a decent impact. The reason I am aiming for a 168 is a hail mary ED application at WashU in St. Louis.

If you are applying this cycle, isn't it possible you could wait December, sit in February (since the schools will already have your Sept. score) and send in that to see if it will bump you?

[connordalto]

I sat for the LSAT last September and scored a 161, and I was PTing around 165. I have been studying around 10-15 hours a week in September, 25-30 hours in October. I have not been extremely diligent in my study, but I have followed the LSAT trainers 12 week schedule for the most part. With that being said I have not scored over a 161 PT on the 4 PT's I've taken in the past two months. I usually miss -7 LR, -1/3 LG, and -7/9 RC. I am trying to score a 168 on the December LSAT. I have the PowerScore RC Bible and Workbook that I could still use. My question is should I be focusing on workbooks like that and for LR or with only 5 weeks left should I be hitting multiple PT's a week? I currently have no time commitments besides studying, eating, working out and sleeping. Just kind of freaking out that I've been seeing little to no progress with only 5 weeks left.

I am aiming for a similar score (168-170+) and will be taking 3 weeks off prior to the Dec lsat to finish up studying. Scored a 161 my initial test when I started in August and hit a 170 last week.

I am planning on Pting 6-7 section tests 2x-3x a week, doing blind review of the tests the same day to work on stamina and extended concentration, and then doing timed sections alternating between lg and rc on my pt days off, also doing a lr section everyday (except my day off, sunday, where I dont think about the LSAT). I think PTS are really pretty necessary as long as you review thoroughly and make sure you try to focus on improvements for each one. (I write a list before every test of things I want to work on, whether its question strategies or little reminders, to try and cement these strategies in under timed pressure).

Seems like RC is your weak point- If I were you, I would spend several days doing back to back passages, as many as you can do. While you do this, re-read the trainer secs on RC (this method helped me the most), and really work on applying his mantras to the passages- mps, organizing details, timing, hunting for answers, etc.. I did this and started to see significant improvements. Try re-reading the passages several times to get the feel of organization and author input.

For LR, I was really struggling until I had a bit of an epiphany last week, after spending a week doing ~300 mixed type lr problems (oh, joy). Now I am feeling like I am starting to be able to cut through the LSACs bullshit and really work with/manipulate arguments, and my individual sections have improved from -6/8 to -2/3/4.

So since you have time to study, I would say go for it, or at least go for it and maybe postpone if you dont like where your at within a close proximity to the test. Sorry for the long post but writing these types of things also helps me organize my own thoughts if that makes senses.

[connordalto]

If you aren't PTing at your target score, why are you not postponing? Are you applying this cycle?

Because I still have 5 weeks and unlimited time to study. I am applying this cycle and start next fall. I applied last cycle with good offers from schools in Missouri and deferred a full scholarship from University of Missouri for fall of 2017. My goal is to get into University of Colorado Boulder with some $$. I got WL last year, but I am now an instate applicant which I hope will have a decent impact. The reason I am aiming for a 168 is a hail mary ED application at WashU in St. Louis.

Also, I did my undergrad at CU Boulder and its one of my top choices, also applying 2017 cycle. Hit me up if you have any Qs about B-town/CU campus, etc

[midwestkid06]

If you aren't PTing at your target score, why are you not postponing? Are you applying this cycle?

Because I still have 5 weeks and unlimited time to study. I am applying this cycle and start next fall. I applied last cycle with good offers from schools in Missouri and deferred a full scholarship from University of Missouri for fall of 2017. My goal is to get into University of Colorado Boulder with some $$. I got WL last year, but I am now an instate applicant which I hope will have a decent impact. The reason I am aiming for a 168 is a hail mary ED application at WashU in St. Louis.

If you are applying this cycle, isn't it possible you could wait December, sit in February (since the schools will already have your Sept. score) and send in that to see if it will bump you?

That's a possibility, I do not know about the ED app at WashU if they take the Feb LSAT I'll have to check. For the other schools yes this is correct but even a few points on my December test (164-165) will put me over the 75th percentile and get some more $$ hopefully. My worry waiting for the Feb LSAT would be there is little money left to negotiate with that late.

[Walliums]

If you aren't PTing at your target score, why are you not postponing? Are you applying this cycle?

Because I still have 5 weeks and unlimited time to study. I am applying this cycle and start next fall. I applied last cycle with good offers from schools in Missouri and deferred a full scholarship from University of Missouri for fall of 2017. My goal is to get into University of Colorado Boulder with some $$. I got WL last year, but I am now an instate applicant which I hope will have a decent impact. The reason I am aiming for a 168 is a hail mary ED application at WashU in St. Louis.

If you are applying this cycle, isn't it possible you could wait December, sit in February (since the schools will already have your Sept. score) and send in that to see if it will bump you?

That's a possibility, I do not know about the ED app at WashU if they take the Feb LSAT I'll have to check. For the other schools yes this is correct but even a few points on my December test (164-165) will put me over the 75th percentile and get some more $$ hopefully. My worry waiting for the Feb LSAT would be there is little money left to negotiate with that late.

Gotcha, completely understand! Wish you well in your studies!