5 replies to this topic

[dan1010]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice about whether or not I should postpone the February LSAT until June. Here's my situation:

I wrote the December 2010 LSAT and ended up with a 149. I am in my second year of undergrad with a CGPA of around 4/4.3 and will only be applying next application cycle. That being said, I'm applying to McGill (and possibly Ottawa) and since they're rolling admissions (or at least McGill is) I'd like to have rewritten before September. It's also important to note that McGill averages LSAT scores.

I had taken a break from the LSAT after my bad performance and over the last few months I have read the power score LG and LR bibles, as well as enrolled in a power score virtual course. Furthermore, I have been taking practice tests (roughly 1-3 a week) for the last month. With that said, I'm not quite happy with where I've been scoring. I've been hovering between the 154-158 range. I'm aiming for at least a 160 next time I write and I'm not sure if I'll be able to get there with only a week left to practice. I should also mention that LG is my weakest section (up to -14), LR probably my best, and reading comp being a kind of wild card.

So that's my dilemma. I'm debating whether I should postpone writing it until June. I should also mention that I work a full time job (up to 84 hours a week) during the summer and I won't have all that much more time to study than I do now. So should I just write the February LSAT and sign up for the June sitting right away or should I postpone and only write in June, giving me a few extra months to improve?

Feel free to comment on tips for studying as well or where I may be going wrong! I appreciate any advice, thanks in advance.

[staffer]

dan1010, on 04 February 2012 - 11:42 AM, said:

I wrote the December 2010 LSAT and ended up with a 149. I am in my second year of undergrad with a CGPA of around 4/4.3 and will only be applying next application cycle. That being said, I'm applying to McGill (and possibly Ottawa) and since they're rolling admissions (or at least McGill is) I'd like to have rewritten before September. It's also important to note that McGill averages LSAT scores.

Congrats on an amazing GPA. You have plenty of time. Delay until you're confident you can break 160.

Edited by staffer, 04 February 2012 - 11:45 AM.

[KER_2012]

staffer, on 04 February 2012 - 11:45 AM, said:

Congrats on an amazing GPA. You have plenty of time. Delay until you're confident you can break 160.

Completely agree with staffer. If you're only in your second year of undergrad you have plenty of time. You have nothing to lose by not writing next weekend, push your February test to June if you want to have written by this September.

[dan1010]

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. Any tips on improving in logic games?

I usually do fairly decent in my first two games, but they take me a while and then all goes to hell in games 3 and 4. Like I said I've read the logic games bible and yet I haven't seen any substantial improvements on this section of the test. Timing is definitely an issue, however, even when time is not an issue I seem to struggle, albeit much less.

Assuming I don't write in February, how should I orient my study time? Should I go back and start the process over...meaning work on accuracy, do timed sections, and then go to full length practice tests? Or should I simply keep doing full length tests and hope to see improvements?

Once again, thank you for the replies.

[KER_2012]

After my LSAT I took some time and worked just on LG.

I took full sections and did them untimed and kept doing them until I wasn't getting any questions, it might take a few weeks, but you will get there. Then I started working on timed sections until I could get through all the questions within 35 minutes without getting more than two wrong. I think it makes much more sense to focus on accuracy first and then move on to timing, trying to improve in both areas at the same time is too much. If you keep doing games and reviewing them you will figure out how to make time saving inferences.

I probably spent three weeks just doing LG and then after I had greatly increased my accuracy and timing I went back to going full length, timed tests with LG as my variable section. I improved 8 points just by working on LG and I did it with only practice tests, I didn't use any books.

[muffins]

LG PowerScore Bible. It took me from a 149 to 160. Almost every single point in improvement I got was from the LG section.