2.6 UGPA and 149 on my first ever practice LSAT

[alex_palazzolo]

thanks for the advice. im definitely going to be studying as much as possible from now until the october test

[LSATnooblet]

Well, a lot of people have pretty much said what I'm about to say but I'll share my 2 cents.

I scored a 145 on my first practice and ended up getting a mid 160 so don't let your first diagnostic test bring you down - it essentially means nothing. As for studying, all I did was practice test after practice test for a couple months and by test day I felt like I could destroy any LSAT (I was practicing in the low 170s). So try to get as good as you can because it is very common that people score lower on test day than you do on practices since it's impossible to re-create the pressure of taking the real deal on test day.

As for T4 schools, I personally think they're a bad investment. Unless you plan on getting in the top 5% of your class and transferring to a T1, I would wait a year and re-take the LSAT.

[Need Help!]

How about Southwestern school of law? I know it is T3/T4, but I also have heard good things about the school...

[LSATnooblet]

Southwestern seems to have a pretty good reputation in Los Angeles.

[Need Help!]

I really need help
I am on WL for SW in LA, and that is where I really want to go. I got accepted to the Mississippi college of law...I can handel living there for 3 years, but my question is will I be able to practice in Cal or WA...what do you guys think should I go in case if I did not get into SW, or not a good idea???

Thanks

[mikeizrai]

When I took my first diagnostic test I scored a 141. After taking a Princeton Review course and studying my ass off for 3 and a half months I got a 160, not a harvard score, but a decent score. If you start now, and study every practice test to the point that you remember the questions, you should do just fine. STUDY, STUDY, STUDY and you will be fine. It is all about understanding the test, if you start to understand how the questions work, the rest of the test becomes easier. Oh, and learn how to manage your time.

I also wanted to say that the princeton review books and other lsat prep books are not the same. They sometimes may give you contradictory advice, if you read both.

[mnewboldc]

Scored a 152 on my first practice test. Scored a 174 on the last one 6 months later, and a 169 on the real LSAT. It took about 40 practice tests to get there. Treat studying as a job, do lots of work outside of the class... I practiced on the subway going to work, on my lunch breaks, etc. Did a real test every Saturday.

Princeton Review's classes are designed to improve middle-range scorers; those on the low or high end are pushed towards private tutoring. Don't rely on the materials your teacher provides - get as many of the "real" tests as you can and practice with those, once you're familiar with the layout of the test and the general makeup of the questions.

Don't stress if you don't see a lot of improvement right away. It takes a significant number of correct answers to move from the mid 140's to the high 150's (if I remember correctly, it winds up being something like 20-25 more correct answers on average).

[Ninja1]

Haven't read anything besides OP, don't really care to, but my 2 cents:

If you already do, stop smoking (anything) and stop drinking until the LSAT. There's 5 points right there.

Pay attention in your practice. Figure out why you got the stuff right that you got and why you got the stuff wrong that you got. Go from there.

Finish up your UG strong. It might be the difference maker.

Expect a mid to high 150s score. It's not great, but it will do. HYS is not in your future, but something in the 50-90 range of USNWR is if you do it right.

[I can has lauskul!]

I had a 148 as my first practice LSAT, but I was stupid enough to take the REAL LSAT "just to see what I'd get on it" - not realizing the significance.

Danny Noonan: "Where'd it go?"
Ty Webb: "Right in the lumber yard"