discouraged.

[peapod]

Hello.

I'm a newbie here and have just discovered this forum. what a great place for everything law school related!

anyway, my story is that I have taken a lsat diagnostic a few weeks ago (as the beginning of a prep course for the june lsat) and scored.....a 143.

granted, i was sick w/ a very bad cold at the time and could not concentrate, but i cant help thinking what a huuge score increase i would need in just a few months to even be able to be a competitive candidate for any law school. since i have started the class, ive learned a lot- but i cant help feeling that I'm just behind the others in my class, and many things that seem to come easily to them come pretty difficult to me. I am spending a lot more time on the homework problems than I should. I realize I have to study a lot more than others, but is something like a 20 point increase possible btwn now and june? I am just on the verge of being discouraged. I graduated Cum Laude from a top 4 college in the country and have wanted to go into law for some time. I want for everything to be able to work out for me but the reality is hard for me to accept right now that i am beginning to consider the question of whether law school is even a viable option for me. 

thanks in advance for any help/words of wisdom, etc.

[$Bill]

Get some Bibles and various testmaster products, take a practice test or at least a section a night, and time the tests on weekends.  Study for months.  I started with a 141, and worked 10 hour days coming up to the test.  Granted I only achieved a 75% score, but Im sure theres some 166+ out there who improved their score vastly.

[SabrinaK]

I don't think your first score is really indicative of how well you can do.  You have to get comfortable with the test first.  I started out at like 148 or something, didn't take a class (just studied on my own), and ended up getting a 165 on test day.  I'm sure having the class will be a big boost to you.  Just keep monitoring your test scores as you progress.  If you're not up to snuff by test time, then you can consider your options again.

[$Bill]

Honestly, if I knew what I do now, I wouldnt have taken the tests until I was getting 165+ repeatedly.   Set a goal and study until you score your goal.

[mbw]

Honestly, if I knew what I do now, I wouldnt have taken the tests until I was getting 165+ repeatedly.   Set a goal and study until you score your goal.

I completely agree.  I decided last August that I wanted to go to law school, and thought I would have no problem getting to 170 by the September test.  Thought the same thing after blowing that one, and succeeded in blowing the December test as well.  Finally decided that perhaps I'd better consistently reach my goal, and then take the test (since this is essentially my last chance.)

Give yourself time.  Sometimes it just needs to sink in.  Work on getting the easiest section down pat (for me, it was games,) and build on your confidence.  And some things do just "click" eventually (this morning, I did my first LR section in four months, and got two wrong - my best ever.)

[chifunkera]

Dude, I scored a 134 on my first diagnostic, I had never looked at the test and even spend time in each section reading the directions. My prep test teacher said most students improved by 4-5 points, ad the biggest he had seen was 11 points. So I was like great, even if I defy odds and improve by 11 points, I'm lookin at a hearty 144....

The prep course was a 2 month condensed course on the final test I got a 149. Long story short, I got a 162 on the December LSAT. If definitely possible but it's gonna take a lot of work.

I started off slow and gradually got faster, you just need to get in that LSAT mindset, eventually even if you cant completely figure out the question you'll get good at eliminated the obviously wrong answers and kind of figure out what the test takers are looking for.

For a long time I was struggling even finishing sections, by the end I was finishing most sections before the time was up, sometimes before the 5 minute warning.

Good Luck

[Astro]

ur all dum



Kidding.  The test is totally learnable.  Just practice, practice, practice.  Powerscore Bibles, TIMED sections, and analyze all your results.  Find out what sort of stuff you're weak at and what sort of stuff you're strong at.  If you're getting discouraged, do something you're good at.  Then make sure you go over stuff you suck at.

You may never get to 175, but you can definitely get past 160.

[just some guy]

Dude, I scored a 134 on my first diagnostic, I had never looked at the test and even spend time in each section reading the directions. My prep test teacher said most students improved by 4-5 points, ad the biggest he had seen was 11 points. So I was like great, even if I defy odds and improve by 11 points, I'm lookin at a hearty 144....

The prep course was a 2 month condensed course on the final test I got a 149. Long story short, I got a 162 on the December LSAT. If definitely possible but it's gonna take a lot of work.

I started off slow and gradually got faster, you just need to get in that LSAT mindset, eventually even if you cant completely figure out the question you'll get good at eliminated the obviously wrong answers and kind of figure out what the test takers are looking for.

For a long time I was struggling even finishing sections, by the end I was finishing most sections before the time was up, sometimes before the 5 minute warning.

Good Luck

You had a horrible LSAT instructor.

[$Bill]

Dude, I scored a 134 on my first diagnostic, I had never looked at the test and even spend time in each section reading the directions. My prep test teacher said most students improved by 4-5 points, ad the biggest he had seen was 11 points. So I was like great, even if I defy odds and improve by 11 points, I'm lookin at a hearty 144....

The prep course was a 2 month condensed course on the final test I got a 149. Long story short, I got a 162 on the December LSAT. If definitely possible but it's gonna take a lot of work.

I started off slow and gradually got faster, you just need to get in that LSAT mindset, eventually even if you cant completely figure out the question you'll get good at eliminated the obviously wrong answers and kind of figure out what the test takers are looking for.

For a long time I was struggling even finishing sections, by the end I was finishing most sections before the time was up, sometimes before the 5 minute warning.

Good Luck

You had a horrible LSAT instructor.

My Kaplan instructor started the class with "Im not allowing you to take the test until you are scoring AT LEAST a 150". 

[peapod]

thanks guys. I guess I will stick with it for now. If I'm not at the level I want to be for the June test (at least a 160), I figure I'll take it in October. hopefully, I'll still be able to meet ED deadlines.

thanks for your encouragement. Just a general question for those who had low-ish scores and made big jumps: how long did it take for you to make that jump? how many months of studying did you do for that score increase?