Not another "What are my chances" thread

[Lawra]

Hi everyone,

I took my first diagnostic LSAT today- one of those free ones offered by Kaplan. I have flipped through some LSAT books to see the kind of questions the LSAT contains, but have not done any preparation.

Anyway, I scored a 150. I am about to start my junior year of college. I currently have a 3.87 GPA and work in a law firm. Ideally, I would like to get into Cardozo (Yeshiva University) or Brooklyn Law School. What LSAT score do you think I should be striving for (165?) and how much preparation do you think it will entail?

Thanks a lot everyone.

[Scroll]

165 is decent for most purposes (i.e. top 30-40), if you get higher than that and get good recommendations, and a good GPA, you have a chance at some nice top tier schools.

[Lawra]

Thanks. I'm just trying to be realistic, I'm not a gifted test taker by nature. I just want to be reasonable, bringing up my score from 150 to 165 could be attainable, right?

[marcus-aurelius]

a 165 is typically around 15-17 questions wrong depending on the scale. It is attainable based on what you put in, but also your intellect level.  When are you planning on taking the official test?

[Lawra]

I am planning on applying to law school for fall 2012. I am thinking of taking it in June or next October. I would prefer June, but then I'm not sure if I will have enough time to invest in a prep course before then since I am going to school full time and working part time.

[marcus-aurelius]

So you still have plenty of time.  That is a good thing.  Working, going to school and trying to get in studying is rough.  I personally planned my semester around my LSAT studying, and cut my work hours from 40-45 down to 15. 

Some deride Kaplan, but the course worked for me.  You get in what you put in.  My class was every weekend, 10-2 for four months.  I went from a 153 to a 177 high, 173 on test day. 

So what does this mean for you?  It is not out of the realm of possibilities that you can improve to a 165 or higher.  There is almost a formula to the many of the questions on the test.  The actual question uses different words, but the structure remains the same  If you practice (focus on the LR) you will improve.  Spend a few weeks on mastering the concepts and getting comfortable before heading into timing yourself.  Take a test every week starting a few months before the exam.  Stay positive and you will be okay

[EarlCat]

You got an average score without studying, so that's a pretty good start (since the average tester studies and still does average).  165+ is attainable here, but not easy.  Take your practice seriously, and set aside enough time to do it.  If that means cutting back on work and living on a shoestring budget for several months, do it.  A good LSAT score will take you places a few extra hours at work won't.

Re: Kaplan
Kaplan has a worse rep than most prep companies, but brand reputation isn't everything.  What will make your class good or bad (besides your own efforts) is the instructor, who could be brilliant or moronic despite what company he/she works for.  The best companies have some bad instructors and the worst companies have some great instructors.  Put for the effort to investigate whoever will be teaching a particular class before you drop your hard earned money on it.

[Lawra]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I am going to be looking into what course to take. I've heard good things about testmasters (nyc), but that may be skewed since I heard about it from a limited amount of people. I'd be happy to take suggestions.

[EarlCat]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I am going to be looking into what course to take. I've heard good things about testmasters (nyc), but that may be skewed since I heard about it from a limited amount of people. I'd be happy to take suggestions.

http://www.lawschooldiscussion.org/studying-for-the-lsat/new-york-city-based-tutor-needed/