Great Advice on How to get 160+ on the LSAT... Forum

[Stephx52]

[Tex_Mex13]

[quote=]Get LSAT study buddies... others will not understand you.[/quote]

[MHP]

1) What score did you get?
174, October 2008.

My average going into the test was a solid 169.

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
All Preptests. Did not find the Bibles useful (only had the LR Bible). Thumbed through the 180.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None. I am a poor.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
I work 50 hours a week between teaching school and an additional part-time job. I started studying during my summer break though, and was able to continue my routine once the reality of work hit in the fall. I studied for five months total, for about eight hours every week.

5) How many preptests did you do?
30. All timed. The last few I took in the actual setting of the real administration.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Nothing.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
I am posting now as everyone is worried about the score release for December. The waiting period from the time you take the test to the time you get your score is terrible. For those that are a neurotic mess right now, just know that sometimes you exceed your own expectations. Not everyone's score goes down from their practice test average. I have always been a "good test taker" in that I work very well under pressure. The testing environment propelled me into a very focused, sharp, and calm mental state. I walked out of the test knowing I did well. After celebrating with a bloody mary downtown, I bought a pair of lucky vintage cowboy boots. It was a fantastic day. All in all, a lot of hard work and an ability to remain imperturbable under pressure can make for a great score.

[RiverTam]

1) What score did you get?
Feb 2008: 170
Oct 2008: 175

I took my first LSAT practice test (Summer 2007) untimed and scored a 176, so I knew I had it within me. I timed my second LSAT and got a 167 (biggest problem: failure to finish logic games). My prep test range was 167-177, but I scored mostly in the 169-173 range (175 was a pretty big surprise for me -- definitely on my high end). However, I did score more in the 172+ range for the retake, including a 175 and 174 in the weekends leading up to the October LSAT.

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Powerscore Logic Games Bible was the only prep book I read/did from cover to cover. I wouldn't say it was crucial (I had already adopted similar diagramming methods that worked for me), but I found it useful to think of games by type. I used Kaplan (borrowed from a friend who took the course) purely for practice problems. I liked the Mastery and Pacing Practice books.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
Minimal work (2 prep tests?) to familiarize myself with the LSAT during Summer 2007. Studied seriously for 3 weeks over winter break for the Feb 2008 LSAT. After I decided to retake, I didn't touch the LSAT again until late August 2008 and on weekends during the month of September -- basically just practice tests the second time around.

5) How many preptests did you do?
About 30? I've lost count. Do the most recent ones -- I personally felt there was a definite shift in question type/difficulty at some point (PT 25+, I think?).

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Nothing really.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

As I mentioned above, I used Kaplan Pacing Practice and Mastery a lot towards the beginning to familiarize myself with different types of LRs and to work on my LG speed (I had trouble finishing initially). However, practice tests are the key, and they made up about 80% of my studying. Don't just blow through them: review them thoroughly afterward.

I had a mark-up system for all the tests where I would circle every question I had the slightest doubt on. Regardless of whether I got those questions right or wrong, I would systematically go through all those circled ones afterward to ascertain exactly why I felt uncertain at the time. If I got them wrong, I made sure I understood why my choice (and any other choices I left un-eliminated) was wrong and why the right answer was right. I did the same thing when I got the answer right. I would "super-circle" any questions I got wrong WITHOUT marking as "uncertain" (barring a stupid careless mistake). I returned to these circled "uncertain" problems for my retake prep, and I thought that helped a lot too. I really credit this "circling system" with doing well on the LSAT.

Edit: Oh! One more thing. I listened to classical/baroque music non-stop the few days leading up to my retake, including the day of: Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major K. 448 (used in the "Mozart Effect" research), Bach's Little Fugue (old favorite of mine), Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Prelude to Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G, etc. I actually think it worked.

I most likely am not going to return to this thread again, so just PM me if you have any questions about my method or whether you're debating on retaking. I'd be happy to chat.

[Skadden Stairs]

^one of the best user names I have seen in a while...

[RiverTam]

^Why, thank you.

That reminds me: you know that scene in Serenity where she sees the subliminal television commercial in the bar, goes into a trance, and proceeds to kick the #*&! out of everyone there? That was my state of mind on both LSAT days.

[Skadden Stairs]

^Why, thank you.

That reminds me: you know that scene in Serenity where she sees the subliminal television commercial in the bar, goes into a trance, and proceeds to kick the #*&! out of everyone there? That was my state of mind on both LSAT days.

Fruity Oaty Bars
Make a man out of a mouse
Fruity Oaty Bars
Make you bust out of your blouse
Eat them all the time
They will blow your mind

[Alexandria]

1) What score did you get?

177

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Powerscore LGB (Helpful for learning to diagram consistently, which increased my speed, though I modified the system to diagram in a way more intuitive for myself. Increasing LG speed was the biggest factor in increasing my preptest scores.)
Powerscore LRB (Not really helpful to me, other than parallel reasoning/formal logic.)
Kaplan 180 (Basically gave good practice, especially in the reading section, which was my weakest.)

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

None.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

7 weeks. Was working full-time. Got mad at my boss one day and decided to go to law school. Was very dedicated to studying, so I made the most of my spare time and even did a little studying at work when I could get away with it.

5) How many preptests did you do?

Guessing about 35-40. Most of my studying was simply doing tests or sections, almost always under timed conditions. Reviewing wrong answers is definitely important, but I tended to be pretty accurate from the beginning, so upping speed and feeling as comfortable as possible with the test were more important.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

I'd take a little more time to study, but I think more than another couple weeks at the intensity I was studying wouldn't have helped. I would have bought more of the recent tests and not spent as much time on tests from the '90s.

[dot]

1) What score did you get?

176, December 2008

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Started with teacher's guide from a really old Kaplan course (2002 or something?) It had real LSAT questions (which I didn't even realize at the time) which was good. Just learned question type basics and such. Went through 900+ pages in 1.5 to 2 weeks.

Took a 2 week break to prepare a fellowship application. Returned and looked through a bunch of books from the library -
1) Kaplan 180 - played games, did horribly, found many stupid flaws in the LG and LR. DO NOT USE.
2) Barron's - I think this one had two old tests in it (PT 15 and 16), so it was good to do those, but the other practice test I did from the book was not an accurate judge of my ability.
3) Princeton Review Cracking the LSAT - It was nice to read about other methods to LG and LR that were not Kaplan's. I never liked using one or the other, but after reading different methods, I was more comfortable using my own. Do not recommend using it for questions.
4) McGraw Hill's LSAT - Don't remember using this.

In my last two weeks of study, I finally got the most recent 10 Actual PTs book along with a 51, 52, 53, and 54 (though I didn't get 54 on time)

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

None.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

4 weeks - over a 6 week period
First two weeks I did ~10-12 hours per week, with 8 or 10 of that being on the weekends.
Took a 2 week break (I did maybe an hour or two during these two weeks out of the crappy books) to dedicate myself to a fellowship application that needed some more work.
Then studied hard from Nov 15-Dec 4, PT almost every day from Thanksgiving through Wednesday before the test (1 week). I took two mornings off from work to do PTs in the morning the week before the test. I also did PTs in the morning on Thanksgiving, the day after T-giving, and once more that weekend.

5) How many preptests did you do?

11

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

1) I would get real tests sooner. I diag'ed high, after learning the question types, I mostly just needed timed practice. I wish I had realized that non-LSAC questions were a waste of time. I wasted a full week of my intense study on some crap books!
2) I would have gotten PS LR Bible. I didn't really need it for games as I didn't problems with games once I learned the types. I have heard great things about the explanations of real LSAT questions in PowerScore. I would have gotten it if I'd known sooner.
3) I would have tracked my results sooner. I did not make a table of my scores and incorrect answers on PTs until a few days before the test when I wanted to calculate my average. I had looked through wrong answers after taking the PTs, but when I put it all out in a table, I was surprised to see a certain type of LR coming up a lot that I had not expected. Also saw that I was getting questions wrong from being short on time on RC. I wish I had known this sooner! It did not help much to have this information 4 days before the exam!
4) I am in shock that I mistransferred two answers. Had I not done that, I would have a 179. Still, I am elated to have a 176, given difficulties I had with time on RC. But, GAH, I had mistransferred a question on a couple of PTs. I don't know how you learn from that mistake and correct it because it is so silly, but I wish I had.

[JoeG03]

what do you guys recommend to do in the beginning of your lsat prep. I want to start preparing but kinda dont know where to begin.

[sigmachiev]

1) What score did you get?

153 in September 2007, 160s for December 2008

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Powerscore Bibles (LR is mandatory, LG is helpful), Kaplan Test Master (helpful, not necessary), the Princeton Review series (from the course, I like how they teach games but would recommend sticking with the LR Bible).

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

Princeton Review before 2007. Full length. NOT RECOMMENDED.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

The first time I did the series which was probably 10 hrs/week, along with my own study time. So all told, probably 20 hours a week. The second time I probably put in 40 hrs/week on top of work. Also worked while studying for the first one.

5) How many preptests did you do?

All told it was 33.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

Wouldn't have done the prep course. There's not much I'd change for the second time. 153 to the mid 160s is a jump I'm proud of and statistically speaking it's pretty rare, but not due to difficulty. See below...

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

If you do shitty on the first one, and still want to go to law school, you can do it. A big improvement is possible, and that's why I really wanted to post this even though I'm not a 170s person. The fact is, if you want it bad enough and work hard, you can get there. I got great at games by re-doing every game three times, and ended up practicing at -0 for most of the 40s and 50s. I don't agree with Powerscore's approach about not doing tiers, because I think sitting there and drawing next to each question is a waste of time. To each their own, but my advice on games is to experiment and see how it works for you. On test day I biffed it a bit but still did well.

I also vastly improved LR and only missed a few total. Aside from getting to a point where you can easily spot the conclusion (we can all agree this is the most important part), the next thing to do is learn how assumptions and conditional reasoning work, because that unlocks the door for many questions. I re-read the Bible section on these three times until I really felt good with it and that's when I started going from -8-10 a section to -2 to -4. I'm also a "question first, stimulus second" person because, as a slow reader, it was important for me to really understand what was going on before going to work on the specifics.

RC sucks and is the hardest to improve on, and on test day I do think I got lucky with some good subjects and a particularly fast first section. But, my strategy going in actually changed from what I practiced: the first two sections I did were the ones with more questions, then passage 3 was the one that looked EASIEST (normally the fewest questions), then the last one was a medium/hard with I believe 7 questions. I think this maximized the amount I could get right, and since I did better here than during practice, is something I'd consider if RC is your problem.

Most important is to keep at it and work your butt off. It's there if you want it.

[szinda]

1) What score did you get?

150 in February of 2007, 161 in December of 08'

2) What books did you use?

I don't even remember now..I spent about $150 on books with official old exams

3) No prep courses..

4) How long did you study and under what conditions?

I signed up for the LSAT in early November of 08' and was working full time (45-60 hours per week).
I took one LSAT exam per night under regular timed conditions, and sometimes just worked sections I struggled with in 35 minute time periods.

5) How many prep tests?

at least 20

6) What would I change?

Not a whole lot really. I would have taken a course on the Logic Games if I had time, but somehow I did excellent on the actual test on that section so
it wouldn't have mattered.

7) Any other comments?

Yes....get a lot of sleep, eat breakfast 2 hours in advance so the food has time to settle and not leaving you feeling bloated ect....
The first time I took the LSAT I was seriously lacking sleep (3 hours of total sleep). By the 3rd section my brain was like pudding and I did horrible.
The second time around I got plenty of sleep, ate breakfast, and did significantly better.

[irishlaw]

1) 172

2) Kaplan books borrowed from a friend

3) Self-study

4) About 1-2 hours a week during the second semester of school; about 30 hours a week the last 3 weeks between final exams and the June test.

5) I did 15 practice tests. I like the way the test prep companies package their exams (throwing in a random section from a previous test as experimental), because LSAC doesn't release the experimental sections with their preptests, so if you take the official LSAC ones, you're not building endurance for the full 3 hour test.

6) One thing I would have done differently--I definitely would have gone to the bathroom before the test began, if I could do it again. Having to go no. 1 while doing logic games is no fun, and I think that really affected me negatively through the first three sections before the break, as my score was 5 points below what I was getting on my last 3 practice tests.

7) Don't discount reading comprehension. I studied like mad for logic games because that was my weakest section on my initial preptests. But the truth is that on those initial preptests (which were older tests), the logic games were harder than they are now. Logic games have become much easier (I only missed one question on the whole test), while reading comprehension has really ramped up in the past few years.

[Helmholtz]

1) What score did you get?

Oct08: 166 (-5LR1, -1LR2, -4RC, -4LG)
Dec08: 173 (-3LR1, -4LR2, -1RC, -0LG)


2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

I had bought a few different kinds but the only books I really used were PS LRB and PS LGB. I went through those two books before the October test and then went through the PS LRB again before the December test. I also purchased the PS RCB but it pales in comparison to the the other two books. I've looked through quite a few LSAT books and I think Powerscore is definitely the way to go.


3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

None.


4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

I started (sorta) studying for the October test in late July. After about a month, I got busy with other things and ignorantly laid off all LSAT study for about three weeks. Big mistake. I got my score back for the October test and began studying for the December test the week after. It wasn't easy to squeeze in studying for the LSAT during the school year. I was working 25-30 hours a week in conjunction with school and it was tough to juggle things at times. In addition, the October LSAT fell on the same weeks as mid-terms and the December test fell on finals week. Ouch.


5) How many preptests did you do?

A lot. Probably all in existence save the earliest dozen or so. I did as many timed and under strict test conditions as possible.


6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

Have my act together the first time in October. It was very, very difficult to kickstart things the second time through and was like pulling my own teeth.


7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

I was practicing at 170/171 before the October test, which is the primary reason I decided to re-take. If I would have scored a 169 in October, I would never have re-taken. I finally hit where I think I should be hitting in December. My advice is to only re-take if there are specific, tangible reasons for why you could score significantly higher.

[michaellikesit]

1) What score did you get? 172 December 08

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc) I initially purchased Powerscore LG bible, which I found helpful, but eventually decided to do a course after realizing I needed a lot of help.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend? Full Length Testmasters.net

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc) During the summer, and all of november

5) How many preptests did you do? I did every published test and question since 1992

6) What would you change if you were to do it again? Focus on the flaws which continue showing up on the exams

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
I am running private tutoring sessions in the NYC/NJ area if anyone is interested.

Good luck

[wraaaa]

1) What score did you get?
Oct 08: 170 -0 LG, -5 LR, -4 RC
Dec 08: 175 -2 LG, -2 LR, -2 RC

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
I started with the Kaplan book 2008 edition (not sure of the exact name), which gave me an introduction and had some practice problem sets. I then took one of the tests in the back of the book, and scored a 166. I had the PS bibles but didn't really use them. I also used the LSAT Superprep, which I believe is essential.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
I studied full time for 14 weeks, taking 3 or 4 tests a week, until the October test. I would take a test in the library or coffee shop, and then review my wrong answers the next day. The last 20 or so tests, I was averaging 175, with a range of 168-180, but most were 173-177. After getting a 170 on the October test, I signed up for a retake, but had almost nothing left to study. I then didn't even look at the LSAT until 1 week before the December exam, when I took my last remaining preptest and retook several others. I believed I was burned out during October exam, and that a refresher the week prior would be all I needed.

5) How many preptests did you do?
Every one except 1-6 and 17, which I couldn't get ahold of and were probably too different to be really worth taking. This includes PT8 which was in the Kaplan book, the free June 07 tests, and the 3 tests in SuperPrep.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Not use up all my study materials. I thought I would have no trouble getting it done in October. I figured that I usually work well under pressure, and I had planned for all possible situations. I walked out of there feeling extremely confident I did as well as my average. Never assume that you will get the score you expect the first time.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Take 5 section tests when you start getting serious. Just split up an older test into its sections and add it into the test you're taking. The first time I did that, my mind blanked out by the 5th section, and I missed half the questions in a section I normally ace (LG). Don't let that happen to you during the real thing.

Slow down. The LSAT is all about details. Misreading one word can cost you the question, no matter how sound your logic is. Check every answer choice if time permits.

There is always only one correct answer. Even strengthen questions asking for the choice that most strengthens, 4 of the answers will not strengthen the argument at all while 1 will. Yeah there is a disclaimer in the directions about having more than one reasonable answer, but that just doesn't happen. Even the second best choice is wrong for one reason or another. I didn't believe this at first, but learning this little bit of information helped immensely, as I no longer tried to guess which one is 'more correct'. If you read carefully enough, there is only one correct answer. If you end up with an answer choice that is close but not quite, it's possible you just glanced over the correct one and missed it.

I thought I choked in December. My first section was LG and I was tired and frustrated before the exam. I forgot to start my watch until 4 or 5 minutes in, and I was getting lost in every game. I must've flipped from one page to the other 20 or more times, trying to figure out what to do. I almost stood up and left at that point but I held it together. I took 30 seconds to just clear my head and breathe. I eventually answered everything, but was really unsure of myself. I managed to compose myself for the next section, and really felt I did well on the rest of the test. I was still on the verge of cancelling though, but thankfully I didn't. I ended up only getting 2 wrong in the games, which I owe to some luck. Just keep in mind that even if you stumble, you can pick it back up. I also think you should never cancel unless you really know you screwed up in every aspect of the test.

[DerrickRose]

1. a 171 on a retake of a 164

2. The Kaplan book.

3. No prep courses

4. Off and on for the month before and intensively for the week or two before.

5. 3 whole timed prep tests and a bunch more LG sections.

6. I don't know really, I honestly walked out of the test feeling like I had answered every question right. Obviously that wasn't the case.

7. Study. Sounds obvious but that's advice I didn't heed the first time I took it. I had familiarized myself with the structure of the test and what the questions were like, but I didn't dedicate any time to really simulating test conditions and didn't come close to finishing the games. Live and learn I suppose.

[prezidentv8]

1) What score did you get?
171, October 2008.

My average going into the test was 172, with a balanced range of 167-177.


2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
I actually don't remember, but it was none of the above and I did a crapton of practice tests in the month leading up to the test (about 13-15)

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None. I'm broke and cheap.


4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
During the summer leading up to the test, I bought a prep book and slowly worked through it on the way to work (on the train) every day. Then, I did a lot of problems without time up to the last month before the test, then I did a ton of practice tests during the last month.


5) How many preptests did you do?
13-15


6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Nothing really...probably slow down a little bit during the passage about the Asian-American author, which probably dropped my score from a 177-178 all by itself, but I did pretty well.


7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
Develop a routine for test day. Seriously, it'll make sure you're fully functioning from the beginning of the test to the end. I'm talking wake up early, go for a run, have some breakfast, do a few practice problems, and pack for the test the night before....at least that's what I did. Lastly, be intensely focused and treat the test like business - you're there to do a job. And having a chip on your shoulder during your prep doesn't hurt either.

[Chai_166]

I haven't posted here before, but this thread was very helpful to me as I prepared for the LSAT so I wanted to share my experience.

1) What score did you get?
179

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Princeton Review: I used this when I first started prep--good for a quick overview of the LSAT, but I think most of their methods were more detrimental than helpful.
Powerscore Bibles! If you want to get a score above 170 I highly recommend these. I did a couple weeks of prep before I started to go through them.
All available Preptests (but I didn't end up using 1-10 very much)

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None. Thought about taking one, but decided to use the money I had to get all the prep tests, and the powerscore bibles. In my area the only available course was Kaplan, so I might have chosen different if Testmasters was near.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
2 months, while working full time

5) How many preptests did you do?
Hmmm.. I think I did around 40. Many have said this, but preptest are really the key to the LSAT. Make sure you make a schedule for the prep tests so you are doing the newest ones leading up to the test. I started taking the tests untimed, and then moved to timed tests. I also would do sections if I didn't have enough time for a whole test. Other people have said this before, but make sure that you take at least some tests in distracting situations. I took a couple at the book store. I also had a friend time me on couple of times. Having someone else there made my adrenalin rush a bit, so simulated test day a little better.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
I wouldn't change much--I'm very happy with my score. I might skip the PR Book.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.
The week leading up to the test i took it pretty easy with LSAT prep--maybe did two tests. The day before the test I took the day off work and just relaxed. The day of the test I got up around six and went out to breakfast. I did a few problems to warm up, and then got to the test center in plenty of time. I really think this made a difference on test day.

Although it might have been overkill, I kept a careful record of each preptest I took. I would record my score and the number wrong in each section. I would then focus more on the section/question type I was doing poorly on (do an untimed section from an older test, or review the specific section in the Powerscore Bible). It was good to see what areas I needed help in, but it also felt good to see my improvement over time.

I also always tried to understand why I got questions wrong. If I messed up a game, I would erase everything and do it again untimed. If I messed up a LR question I would cut it out and write out why I got the question wrong. I kept a bunch of LR questions I had gotten wrong and would periodically review them. It's important that you don't just do preptests over and over again. You have to understand why you got questions wrong and make adjustments so you are always improving.

[tbx59]

167

scanned some books - I liked the 9.99 barron's passkey to the lsat - small book and print, good examples, some kaplan logic games workbook

no prep classes

3 weeks while working full time, on my days off I did two-a-days - a full pratice test and then an argument and games section at -5 minute time. Took of work thurs/fri before the test and did two-a-days of back-to-back practice tests and a section I was having difficulty with, usually games. I also took 2 days off a week to decompress: so 2days off, 3 days individual sectons and two days two-a-days practice tests

I downloaded a torrent off piratebay of the practice tests did about 12-15 full tests and 15-20 sections of arguments and games.

I would have started earlier to get in the 170s

The key for me was I printed the pdfs 4 to a page and often cut 2-5 minutes off the time limit so the exam was easier than my conditions.

Also, I knew parrallel the logic type questions were time consuming and difficult for me and about 4percent of the test, so I left those for last, I missed them all on the test and that is the diff. between 167 and 170s - but also was the difference between 165ish and 167

[pretzellogic]

I haven't posted here before, but this thread was very helpful to me as I prepared for the LSAT so I wanted to share my experience.

1) What score did you get?
172

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)
Bought powerscore and tons of other stuff but it was probably a waste. I attribute my success to powerscore LG Bible, studied for 6 months hard, and took tons and tons of tests, owned everything from 7 to 50-something, but didn't finish 12 or so of them.

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?
None. Not necessary for someone who is good at standardized tests, in my opinion, if you're ready to study a decent bit.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)
Perhaps 5 months, mostly during the fall semester.

5) How many preptests did you do?
From about #7 to the most recent, but I skipped a lot of the 30's and 40's when I got down to the last few weeks and I saw I wouldn't hit them all. So I probably did about 30.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Not by so many books. Powerscore is all you need along with the practice tests. That company that puts out a book for the reading section MAY help you, but I don't know.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

I had gotten a 1420 on the SAT without studying, so I can't say that I went *that* far beyond what one would expect me to get on another standardized test.

Make sure you take recent tests -- the weird and ridiculous circle games crap and all the other stupid games have dropped out of the picture as far as I can see. They're certainly far, far less common.

I was consistently missing 6 or more questions on the LG every time (probably averaging 7 wrong), for about 6 months. (At first I was horrible. Missing 6 was a big improvement over my initial understanding.) I had never, ever missed fewer than 4 questions on a timed test. Finally, in the last 3 weeks before the test, I started taking more recent tests. I missed only 2 questions for the first time two weeks before the test.

On test day, the only section I missed 0 on was the LG!!! (I had consistently 0'ed out on one of the sections, but it had never been the LG... I wish I had 0'ed on my usuals and the LG, I'd have a 175 . I may try again next year if necessary, maybe it would help a 1L transfer...)

Other than the relative ease of the recent tests (but the grading scale is different!!!! accuracy counts since speed has become easier on the LG!!!!), I think that learning to juggle made my brain grow in the month prior to taking the test.

I crap you not. Learning to juggle has been shown to make your brain grow -- it's likely because of the ambidextrous nature of the activity. Use your left hand more. (Lefties have bigger brains, like jugglers, and it's almost certainly because it's a right-handed man's world and lefties naturally become somewhat ambidextrous.) My head hurts now, I feel like it's pushing against my skull...

[badfish]

1) What score did you get?

172

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Logic Games Bible, Kaplan Mastery/Pacing/Endurance Books (from the prep class)

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

Kaplan once a week.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

I studied for 3 months over the summer. I took the summer off and focused on the LSAT.

5) How many preptests did you do?

Somewhere between 35-40. This is the best advice I can give. Take 2-3 prep tests per week over a period of 3 months and review them meticulously. This is the best way to gain points on the LSAT.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

I would have probably reviewed my LSAT's even more thoroughly. At the time I only really looked at wrong answers, I should have been looking at the right ones too. Still, I can't complain.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

This test is all about the amount of work you're willing to put in. Don't be offset by a low diagnostic or difficulties in the beginning. You will see gains if you put the work in, it is just a matter of time, dedication and determination.

[Sobriquet]

1) What score did you get?

168 June 2008

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Purchased new and took seriously: PowerScore LG Bible, real LSATs from LSAC (the $8 new tests as well as 2 books of 10 old tests)
Got hand me downs from friends that I perused: Princeton Review guides

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

None...was told that the courses only help if you lack self-discipline. I don't know if it would have helped me.

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

I started studying in mid to late Feburary 2008 for the June 2008 exam (about 4 months). I also work a relatively stressful consulting job full-time, which reduced my studying to about 1.5 hours a day and 1 full length practice test every weekend from April through June.

5) How many preptests did you do?

About 20-25 full-length, timed preptests, and another 10-15 broken down by section (like one night I'd do the LR and RC section, another night 2 LGs, etc.)

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?

Take all practice tests under timed conditions and maybe even shave off 1-2 mins to get used to getting everything done with time to spare. I ran out of time after accidentally focusing too much on a horrendous RC passage and had to guess on 3 questions. Since RC completely destroyed me, I would definitely focus more on that area with the Powerscore RC Bible or at the very least practice reading the Economist at lightning speed. Another tip is to take the exam with 5 sections, repeating your least favorite section as the experimental... I ended up doing double duty with RC during the real test and that really messed up my flow/concentration. It would have helped to practice for this scenario.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

Spend some time at the beginning learning formal logic, game setup strategy, etc. but then spend the rest of your time (at least a couple months) focusing on taking practice tests over and over again. A lot of the skills just come with practice. Another huge factor in the test is time management...if there is no time limit, most of us would be getting 170s if not 180. And relax.

[mgm2n]

1) What score did you get?

179

2) What books did you use? (Kaplan, Powerscore LRB, Powerscore LGB, etc)

Two books: The regular Kaplan LSAT book and Kaplan's LSAT 180, plus the Kaplan prep course books (there were maybe five or six of these).

3) What prep courses did you take (if any)? Full length, weekend?

The condensed, 4 week Kaplan course (3.5 hours, 3 nights a week).

4) How long did you study for, and under what conditions? (during school, during the summer, etc)

I studied for about 6 weeks over the summer (took a Sept 30th LSAT), semi-seriously, followed by the 4 week Kaplan course. I spent most of the summer study period familiarizing myself with the different question types & sections, and praciticing Logic Games examples and Logical Reasoning concepts. I found the regular Kaplan book to be useful as an overview and basic starting point.

5) How many preptests did you do?
Four - one diagnostic, and three timed proctored tests via Kaplan.

6) What would you change if you were to do it again?
Judging from other posters, as a general rule I would suggest taking more practice tests than I did. My diagnostic score was a 169 (mind you, I had already studied the basic concepts covered by the test, and had some basic strategies for Logic Games), with subsequent practice test scores increasing up to 179 by the third test.
I did ALL of the Kaplan homework problems, both the endurance drills and timed sections, and spent a lot of time with the LSAT 180 book (esp the Logic Games) even before starting the prep course. My thinking was that if I could master the hardest problems & concepts, then the rest wouldn't be too intimidating. Worked for me, but I could see how this approach might frustrate some who prefer a more systematic, building-block approach to the test.

7) Any other misc comments/suggestions.

- Don't hype it up too much - it's just a test. You've taken thousands of tests over the years & done well - remember that and be confident. It is important to be able to walk into the test and feel calm. Take practice tests until the prospect of the real one doesn't freak you out. For me, four tests was enough. FOr others, it's five times that many - personal preference! Find your magic number.
- A quick word on test day (I refuse to capitalize those two words) fashion: LAYERS. My testing room had a crazy computerized thermostat with a mind of its own, and it was maybe 65 degrees in there - we were all freezing cold. However, I was OK because i had on four layers of clothing (including a hooded sweatshirt, long sleeved thsirt, short sleeved tshirt, and tank top), and long pants. This was in September, too, so a lot of students did not come in dressed for cold. Just be aware that this stuff happens, and you will do a LOT better if you're comfortable
- I have never had much difficulty with Reading Comprehension on standardized tests in the past. The LSAT was an exception - I struggled to complete some of the harder sections at first, running out of time. Learn how to outline passages, and become extremely familiar with the question types asked - it will speed the process tremendously. Don't be afraid to work harder passages either - it will pay off.

[mgm2n]

One thing i forgot: As a poster above mentioned, it's a great idea to do a couple of warm-up problems on the morning of the test. I picked out a fairly difficult LG and a few LR questions the day before.