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Hello everyone.
So I have a problem.
I took my diagnostic LSAT from Khan Academy and got a 146.
So far so good.
I've worked my way through their stages and it took me to taking the practice test again.
136.
I repeated the process and landed back at 146.
Basically, I'm getting stuck in the 136-146 range taking the actual test even though I seem to be doing well on the exercises and can't seem to break out of that cycle.
Like I said I'm doing just fine on the exercises, hardest part for me is Analytical Reasoning--which is very much a hit or miss for me. Sometimes I can fly through the problems and other times I barely make it, sometimes I don't pass at all.
Any help/suggestions?
Target score is 175, and I have 4 years to take the actual LSAT, since I'm a Freshmen undergraduate.

Thanks,

Jorge

Hi fella, I hope you're well.


Jorge I'm going to tell you about an opinion I've expressed on another post, but I think it's one that is relevant for your situation.

I do not think that Khan Academy is a good resource for learning the LSAT. It's great if you want access to a couple of free PTs, but other than that, I would stay away from it.

KA's learning resources cover nowhere near enough content that the average test-taker would need to get a score in the 170s. And the practice that you've been doing, well it's comparable to Duolingo's practice for learning languages, through the repetition of questions. The problem with doing this in relation to LSAT prep is that you eventually just know the answers without going through the right thought process.

Thank god you're a freshman so you've got time to solidify your GPA and prepare properly for the LSAT.
And speaking of which, I recommend you do the following.

1) Research your LSAT Prep Resources.
2) Invest into some of the prep resources.
3) Prep properly over the next few years.

I hope this advice is somewhat helpful

Thanks, yeah that makes a lot of sense. Any resources you would recommend? Specially at more affordable price ranges? I've seen local ads for LSAT seminars but those are around $2000.

OP, put the LSAT stuff away and don't look at it for 2 years. You're starting way too early. Give yourself at least a couple of years of college before you start studying seriously. I'd bet your score goes up just from going through college for a couple of years.

nixy wrote: ↑

Sat May 30, 2020 6:43 pm

OP, put the LSAT stuff away and don't look at it for 2 years. You're starting way too early. Give yourself at least a couple of years of college before you start studying seriously. I'd bet your score goes up just from going through college for a couple of years.

I'll second this approach - I'm not a US student, but your UG degrees are 4 years long (compared to me doing 3 years), which means that as a Freshman -
1) You still have a lot of time to solidify your UGPA and participate in extra-curricular activities which support your resume and
2) If you know what courses to take, you may be able to improve your overall abilities in LR and RC (generally speaking) without investing in any other materials.

Please do consider the above as a viable option - it's solid advice.

But if you really are certain that studying law is the route that you want to go down, that you're not planning on taking a gap year or two between UG and Law and you just want to get the test out of the way, then I'd give the following advice -

Books
Every prep company covers different sections of the LSAT differently, but I appreciate the following resources because I think they provide an effective base for learning the test.

I chose to use the following -

Powerscore's Logical Reasoning Bible (LR)
Powerscore's Logical Games Bible (LG)

Manhattan also do similar LSAT prep guides, they're recommended consistently on the forum.
These self-study resources will set you back anywhere between $100 and $160 altogether.

RC Advice
RC is something that the prep companies all advise on differently. And for me, I didn't really find Powerscore's RC Bible all that helpful, the approach was just too lengthy imo.
For developing an RC approach, have a look around on the forum for a proper outline of an RC method, practice and develop upon that method until you can score -1 / -0 consistently.

Online resources
If you're a US Student and you're considering taking the LSAT within the next year, I'd recommend looking into the Official LSAT Prep Plus.
This subscription service is offered by LSAC, and for $99 a year, you get access to a ton of PTs which you can take timed or untimed.

After going through your initial prep with the books and the advice, you should do a few more PTs and see what you're getting. With every PT done, you can start to analyse where you're going wrong and start thinking and practicing methods to help you not make the same mistakes again.

If you're still struggling, it may be worth investing into an online course.
Online courses generally feature detailed explanations of different components, along with breaking down questions bit by bit and helping users to understand where they go wrong and what they can do to avoid making the same mistake again.
These vary greatly in prices, but you're sure as hell not going to be paying $2000 for one - Have a look round the forum and see what's recommended.

I'm going to overanalyze two things you said, but overanalyzing is what lawyers do.

You said analytical reasoning is very hit or miss for you. That sounds like a method issue rather than a practice issue. You need to get your methods in pristine shape. One simple idea that helps me is "keep your pencil moving; don't think." What I mean is if a choice says "Could it be true that R is 7?" don't sit and ponder that. Test it out.

You said that on the other sections besides the games, you're "doing fine." Here's the thing, if you're really terrible at the games, you can kill the other sections and score in the 160s. But you said you're getting a 146, so that tells me that you're not doing that well on the other sections either. It sounds like what's happening is you're thinking that if you practice you will automatically get better. Yet you'd be better served by really going over and over the questions you're getting wrong to see why.

You're wasting your time. Don't worry about studying for the LSAT right now. If anything, do a few logic games here and there - once you get good at them, they can be a fun game for a bit of mental stimulation. You might get the Powerscore LG Bible and work through it slowly or something. Otherwise, though, since you're a freshman, you'd be far better off focusing solely on your GPA and intellectual progression for the next 2-3 years. Read regularly, learn to think critically, etc., but don't get too caught up in studying for the LSAT any time soon. Enjoy your college years.

As someone who also tried to start studying for the LSAT in undergraduate, I can strongly urge you to put that aside until at least your Junior year. Focus on improving yourself and getting good grades. For all the knocks that college gets today, doing well in school will gradually make you smarter and better at reading/writing.

Your diagnostic score today won't mean anything in 2022 or 2023 when you actually buckle down to study, so don't let that get you down. When you are ready, I recommend checking out 7Sage.

YouTube is a good, inexpensive resource as well.