WTF?! Just scored a 152, but I had a 760V on SATs + 760GMAT Forum

[technicalityman]

What in the world is going on here? No, I'm not trolling nor lying to you and I am legit freakin out here. I took my first practice LSAT earlier under testing conditions with about 2 hours of going over exam material ....and scored a 152. In disbelief, I took another practice one (the real ones they release, with one of them being the 2007 exam...) and scored a WHOPPING 148!!!

WTF?! I had a 760 verbal on my SATs with a 710 on the SAT2 Lit. I am 1 year out of college and so I took the GMAT last year and got a 760 (which is 97th percentile for me) and totally rocked the reading comprehension on that one. I do not comprehend how I got such a score. I'll admit -- some of the analytically reasoning questions was a little tough for me - I actually bombed that section - 12 wrong LOL.

Does it seem like I have a chance at all, ASSUMING I study my ass off and bring it up 10 points to a 160, at a top 20 law school? I have a 3.6 GPA in computer science from Princeton. Should I just give up law school aspirations altogether then? I can still go to a good business school but I had always dreamed to go into law (i mean this 100%).


any advice would be appreciated folks!! thanks!!

[BruceWayne]

Logic games are really different from any other verbal style standardized testing section so that makes sense. But if you scored that sell on the SAT verbal and assuming your high GMAT score consisted of a high score on the verbal section then logical reasoning and especially reading comp shouldn't have given you that kind of trouble.

[Teoeo]

They aren't really related, so I am not surprised. The LSAT requires a lot of prep.

[StylinNProfilin]

yeah you should probably give up on your dream...

but no really thats a normal diagnostic. I increased my score 17 points from my diagnostic.

[A. Nony Mouse]

You just need to learn how to take the test. The LSAT isn't like the SAT or GRE, where you can do well without studying. (Generally - there are some savants who do this.) Your score after 2 hours of study is totally not representative of what you can/will score if you study properly.

[txdude45]

What in the world is going on here? No, I'm not trolling nor lying to you and I am legit freakin out here. I took my first practice LSAT earlier under testing conditions with about 2 hours of going over exam material ....and scored a 152. In disbelief, I took another practice one (the real ones they release, with one of them being the 2007 exam...) and scored a WHOPPING 148!!!

WTF?! I had a 760 verbal on my SATs with a 710 on the SAT2 Lit. I am 1 year out of college and so I took the GMAT last year and got a 760 (which is 97th percentile for me) and totally rocked the reading comprehension on that one. I do not comprehend how I got such a score. I'll admit -- some of the analytically reasoning questions was a little tough for me - I actually bombed that section - 12 wrong LOL.

Does it seem like I have a chance at all, ASSUMING I study my ass off and bring it up 10 points to a 160, at a top 20 law school? I have a 3.6 GPA in computer science from Princeton. Should I just give up law school aspirations altogether then? I can still go to a good business school but I had always dreamed to go into law (i mean this 100%).


any advice would be appreciated folks!! thanks!!

Assuming you aren't a troll, I'll bite.

It doesn't sound like you're trying to use a Feb score for this cycle's apps, which is good. Study, study, study. The LSAT is a beatable exam. The questions aren't hard, you're just pressed for time. If you have the luxury of being able to study all out for a few months and are willing to get the bibles (with which I have no experience, but come highly recommended on this cite) you should be fine in June/October. However, if you aren't a URM, you're gonna need at least a 167 to crack the T20 and even then it'll likely be by the skin of your teeth w/ very little, if any, money.

[piccolittle]

You probably should calm down a little bit. Read this site more and you will see that pretty much everyone starts off with low scores and improves 10+ points (for example, I went 163 --> 175). The test is much more learnable in general than the SAT and most people get the scores they do because they study. Hang around the prep threads and read the guides on self-study. It's a process, but I'm sure you'll do fine, given your testing and academic history.

[justonemoregame]

Comp Sci from Princeton, are your options so piss poor as to consider law school? You can definitely improve the LSAT, but your gpa may keep a T-14 from being ideal financially, if you're taking on loans.

So why did you take the GMAT?

[technicalityman]

Thanks for the super quick response and encouragement guys!

I was really surprised myself...and even during the practice test session, there were many times when I was gliding smoothly through the questions then out of nowhere, my brain would hit a brickwall and I would freeze, having absolutely no idea what the correct answer is. There is one question group (of 6) in the analytical reasoning section where all of them were wrong. I also ran out of time on the last 4.

Someone like me would also have plenty of experience with standardized exams so right now I really feel like there is no hope for me to increase my score by 10-20 pts even if i study for a year.

and you're right, I am sitting out of this february exam cycle and after my diagnostics today, probably sitting out of the cycles for the rest of the year lol.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Thanks for the super quick response and encouragement guys!

I was really surprised myself...and even during the practice test session, there were many times when I was gliding smoothly through the questions then out of nowhere, my brain would hit a brickwall and I would freeze, having absolutely no idea what the correct answer is. There is one question group (of 6) in the analytical reasoning section where all of them were wrong. I also ran out of time on the last 4.

Someone like me would also have plenty of experience with standardized exams so right now I really feel like there is no hope for me to increase my score by 10-20 pts even if i study for a year.

and you're right, I am sitting out of this february exam cycle and after my diagnostics today, probably sitting out of the cycles for the rest of the year lol.

Dude, the point is that experience with *other* standardized tests does not prepare you for the LSAT, so don't draw that comparison. (Except RC - RC is pretty much the same as SAT/GRE/RC everywhere. But the other 2 sections are completely completely different, and learnable.)

[technicalityman]

Comp Sci from Princeton, are your options so piss poor as to consider law school? You can definitely improve the LSAT, but your gpa may keep a T-14 from being ideal financially, if you're taking on loans.

So why did you take the GMAT?

The GMAT seemed a lot easier to score well with minimal preparation (at least compared to the LSAT) - it's very similar to the SAT and I got by the GMAT with a month of straight cramming... I am putting the exam score aside as an alternative option to apply to business school in case I don't get into a good law school.

And I majored in CS but I have absolutely no future aspirations to build upon my knowledge in the computer science arena...I entered college with the main goal of eventually becoming a patent lawyer

[piccolittle]

Just FYI, everyone on this site is "someone like you." We all have lots of experience with standardized testing, and we all studied for the LSAT and found it to be a test which rewards learning of methods and tricks, rather than being intuitive.

Good job deciding on patent law - if you take the patent bar and get into a good law school you should have lots of options (even if you ultimately don't want to go into patents). Good luck!

[Mad Hatter]

1. 760 GMAT is 99th percentile.

2. That means jack shit when it comes to predicting LSAT scores.

[Dmini7]

This is not the correct response, but you could apply to NU AJD with your GMAT score lol. Also, I agree with others.. A 3.6 in CS from Princeton? Why do you want to do law school?

[albusdumbledore]

Weird bro. It's almost like they're two different tests.

[dood]

Weird bro. It's almost like they're two different tests.

ahahaha i lol so hard i blew coffee out of my nose

[ph14]

Weird bro. It's almost like they're two different tests.

ahahaha i lol so hard i blew coffee out of my nose

+1. OP: Study for the LSAT; it sounds like you're smart enough but you need to learn the different types of questions, etc.

[987654321]

What in the world is going on here? No, I'm not trolling nor lying to you and I am legit freakin out here. I took my first practice LSAT earlier under testing conditions with about 2 hours of going over exam material ....and scored a 152. In disbelief, I took another practice one (the real ones they release, with one of them being the 2007 exam...) and scored a WHOPPING 148!!!

WTF?! I had a 760 verbal on my SATs with a 710 on the SAT2 Lit. I am 1 year out of college and so I took the GMAT last year and got a 760 (which is 97th percentile for me) and totally rocked the reading comprehension on that one. I do not comprehend how I got such a score. I'll admit -- some of the analytically reasoning questions was a little tough for me - I actually bombed that section - 12 wrong LOL.

Does it seem like I have a chance at all, ASSUMING I study my ass off and bring it up 10 points to a 160, at a top 20 law school? I have a 3.6 GPA in computer science from Princeton. Should I just give up law school aspirations altogether then? I can still go to a good business school but I had always dreamed to go into law (i mean this 100%).


any advice would be appreciated folks!! thanks!!

I went from a 148 on a timed practice to a 170 on the real exam with about 4 months of preparation. I know a friend who had a 25 point bump with 3 months of preparation. All you need to do is practice. I am sure you will do well!

[Throttle]

What in the world is going on here? No, I'm not trolling nor lying to you and I am legit freakin out here. I took my first practice LSAT earlier under testing conditions with about 2 hours of going over exam material ....and scored a 152. In disbelief, I took another practice one (the real ones they release, with one of them being the 2007 exam...) and scored a WHOPPING 148!!!

Lmfao don't worry about it. The one thing that makes ppl score so low is that they don't fully comprehend that the test makers aren't trying to see how smart you are, they are trying to see how many times you can be tricked and if you can pay attention to details. Once you get that mind set and pair it with learning how to beat the test you'll be fine.

For some this comes easy, for others it takes 2yrs. Good luck

[h_jane_w]

lol.
Why do you want to go to law school if you majored in Computer Science? Just saying....
good news is the logic games are the easiest part of the test to learn. You'll be fine. You'd be fucked if you were bad at CR
Good luck!

[Mick Haller]

you can bring it up a lot. Logic games arent that bad with practice.

just study hard for a few months. take a class (powerscore, testmasters, manhattan) if you need to. powerscore bibles are good.

[fallingup]

The SAT and LSAT have nothing in common. View the LSAT as an entirely new test and start from scratch with your studying. Don't assume you know anything. I got a perfect score on my SAT and didn't do well on the LSAT. There's plenty of examples of the reverse as well. Honestly, I think it's a boon for you that you bombed this practice test. Now you'll approach the LSAT with fresh eyes and motivation instead of viewing it as a piece of cake extension of the SAT/GMAT.

[twinkletoes16]

+1 to all saying it's totally learnable. I went from a...154ish to a 174. Took 4 solid months of studying and taking it twice, but retaking was the best decision I've ever made, along with studying HARD.


Also logic games are fun. I miss them

[somewhatwayward]

Comp Sci from Princeton, are your options so piss poor as to consider law school?

+1...you should consider using your comp sci degree...if you really want law school after giving that a try for a few years, then apply to law school with good work experience, which will help you find a legal job

I had a similar experience to you with my first LSAT diagnostic. I got a 2300+ on the SAT without studying, and I figured I'd do the same with the LSAT. Instead I got in the low 160s. I was really surprised and upset. I bought the Powerscore bibles and lots of practice tests. After about a month with two week 'til the test, I was consistently in the 170s. The day before the test I took two practice LSATs (bad idea!) and got a 174 and then a 166 on the very last practice test I took, which was not good for my confidence. Anyway I ended up with a 171. I wish I had found this forum before I took the LSAT because it has lots of helpful ideas.

Also, I think taking a non-Kaplan/Princeton Review class is the way to go. My brother is also in law school and he took a Powerscore course, which in six weeks took him from a 161 to a 175 on the real thing. You will be fine.

[PRgradBYU]

Don't feel bad, OP. You've got plenty of time to study and nowhere to go but up. My first practice test score was a 148 and I ended up in the mid-160s (still not that great)... with a few months of hard work, you can definitely improve.