LSAT test scores

[MLHOWE]

Hi I am scheduled to take the June 6, 2011 test and no  matter how much time I spend practicing the tests I still can not score more than a 142. I dont know if practicing a year would make a difference or not. I think if I am getting the same score over and over again with no increase, it would not make a difference if i took 2 years. I have a grad school degree with a 3.75 GPA from a division 1 school and I know that is not an objective but a subjective and that undergrad GPA is what really matters PLUS LSAT. Has anyone been in my situation? I am planning to give it my best shot, but I have never in my life scored well on standardized test. My ACT score was very very low, yet I made it all the way through school and received my masters with high GPA. I dont know what to do, I am feeling very depressed that I can not get my score up. Kind of makes you feel really dumb

[cigarman]

You might consider how Law schools grade. Each semester your entire grade is generally one four hour (or so) exam that determines your ENTIRE grade for the semester. If you don't test well and under pressure... that might be a big issue. I find our exams harder and more stressful than the LSAT. At least one the LSAT you know what they are going to test. Law School exam could be any part of that semesters course. In upper level courses you can write papers in some classes verses exams. But... I just can't see how if the LSAT is going to kill you how you would survive exams. Sorry for being a downer. 

[Nic Benny]

Did you take any prep courses?  The prep courses would offer techniques that would allow your score to increase 2-6 points.

Further, you never stated your undergraduate GPA. Is it as good as your grad school GPA?  I know people that have gotten into law school with a LSAT score in the 140s and 3.0+  undergraduate GPA.  All hope isn't lost, but there will be a lot of rejections if you don't get that score up.

[MLHOWE]

GPA undergraduate is 2.99. I have been published in two west law legal studies college text books in a chapter on paralegals and business law success. I was profiled as a featured story of success for founding a parlegal college licensesd by state of Oklahoma. I had attorneys that worked for me and taught my substantive law classes and I taught the sections allowed for non- lawyers to teach. I thought that might help some, plus I am a Director at a state university. I realize the LSAT is everything. I have not had the money to take a class, but I have been taking the free LSAT courses offered by Power score and I am going to continue to practice. I learned more today from powerscore that may help me get my LG score up.

[fortook]

Sarah is right, you have a healthy amount of enthusiasm.  Koodos. I can tell you what helped me, I am horrible at standardized test too. I'm actually diagnosed dyslexic, but I don't tell anyone so there is an unknown factor and only really is an issue under extreme stress. 

Did you take an undergrad course in Logic?  If not, try stopping the pre tests and getting an intro book to logic. A good and short starter book is Logic Made Easy by Bennett (I may have misspelled her name). Also, if you haven't already, try the power score series.  Good luck and I hope you find a way to up your score.

[EarlCat]

I suspect you're not practicing very effectively.  A good prep course would help with that, and many companies offer financial aid assistance.  What is your practice routine like now? 

[gzl]

I just wanted to say that I agree 100% with fortook's suggestion: Take an undergrad logic course.  I've taught LSAT prep courses and tutored for the same.  As helpful as prep classes can be, I think most of the students I saw really struggling with the LSAT would have done much better getting a thorough grasp of elementary logic.